Hundreds of near-nude joggers gathered on Capitol Hill Saturday afternoon to take a lap around the U.S. Capitol.
They might seem crazy being stripped down to their skivvies, but there is a method to the madness. The group was there for the second Cupid's Undie Run for charity.
Organizers say they came up with the idea of the run because one of their close friends has a sibling suffering from Neurofibromatosis. That inspired them to raise money for the Children's Tumor Foundation.
"These kids are going through severe pain every day. We're here just to take a little pain for ourselves... just to know that we're here for them," Bobby Gill, one of the organizers. said. "It's Valentine's Day, we're showing our love for you and we're trying to do what we can."
Gill said the shock value of having participants stripped down to their skivvies has helped.
"There's charity events everywhere, but if you really want to make a difference and get people excited and get people to care about your cause, you have to do something a little different."
Jodi Tunstall, who did the 1.1 mile trek seemed to agree, saying, "It's sad that you have to get crazy, but it's more fun that way."
"To put together this event seems like a crazy idea, and people in D.C. are crazy people, but they are also giving people," said Brendan Hanrahan, one of the organizers. "A lot of people are here for a greater cause... and the Children's Tumor Foundation stands to benefit greatly from it."
Saturday's run raised more than $50,000, all of which will go directly to the foundation.
