A Peculiar Ritual

Walking the streets of midtown today I noticed numerous Euro-types bedecked with gold-tone medals attached to orange ribbons (I thought one only wears medals with formal evening clothes). Wondering why, I did a little research and learned every year at this time a vast horde from around the world descends on the city to take a prescribed tour on foot, running as if their lives depended on it, through mostly slum neighborhoods in all five boroughs before ending up in Central Park. Only a small number of them are compensated for their arduous labors, the rest actually spend considerable sums of their own to take part and have nothing but sore muscles, depleted bank accounts and the aforementioned medals to show for it.

For the life of me, I cannot fathom why anyone would engage in such foolishness. Why don't they just just take cabs? It would be so much easier.