Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

0 Number of members of the Running Numbers Amateur Movie Parody Society that will be able to attend the YoTube Philadelphia YouTube meetup scheduled to be held at Independence Park along Arch Street between Fifth and Sixth starting at noon on July 12. Fortunately, society members have prepared a list of sports films other than Rocky that YouTubers may enjoy spoofing.

4 Number of surfaces — one Olympic rink and three NHL rinks — at the IceWorks Skating Complex on 710 Dutton Mill Road in Aston, which will host the Liberty Skating Club's Annual Summer Competition from July 15 to 19. Given the presence of both Olympic and NHL rinks, I'm guessing the event is both an opportunity to skate in front of U.S. Figure Skating Association judges and to be cast in The Cutting Edge 4.

8 Maximum age of children allowed to participate in the Tricycle Tour de France at 3 p.m. on July 12 during the Bastille Day Street Festival, part of Eastern State Penitentiary's daylong celebration. Participants, who can be as young as 4, should have their parents register by e-mailing tricyclerace@easternstate.org and should bring their own French-decorated tricycles or big wheels, aka Chariots of Three Tires. Cue the music.

8.4 Length, in miles, of the race that will be held during the Philadelphia Canoe Club Open House on July 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4900 Ridge Ave., where there'll be demonstrations, equipment sales and white-water and flat-water boat rides on the Schuylkill. Race registration is $15 and starts at 10:30 a.m. Schuyl-cool Runnings, anyone?

13 Number of Dalai Lamas who have preceded the current one, who will appear on July 16 at 12:30 p.m. at the Kimmel Center to give a speech — "Buddhism in the 21st Century" — presented by the Kalmyks Brotherhood Society of America, a Buddhist group of ethnic Mongolians based in Philadelphia. Tickets can be purchased at ticketphiladelphia.org and questions for the Dalai Lama can be submitted at dalailamaphilly.net/questions.html. Here's one: Would His Holiness have any interest in starring in Air Bud 7: The Doggy Lama?

Hey ... can I get your digits? I want to hear about the numerals you need to see. Let a number-runner know at runningnumbers@gmail.com.