THE BIG RACE — Cancellations have hit everyone hard this past week. Sports fans have been especially disheartened as they face weeks or months of encouraged alone time without their favorite games to pass the hours.

To those facing sports withdrawals, I have a pitch for your new NASCAR: marble racing! There’s a long track, a swathe of (literally) chiseled “athletes” to root for, and it’s almost as exciting and unpredictable as a real race. Also, you’re free to do your own spunky voiceover to mimic your favorite sporting events.

Even if you’re not a sports fan, marble racing might present a good way to kill time. It can be completely solitary or fun for the whole family, and you can use everything from your kids’ toy racecar course to the backyard dirt to build a racetrack. Also, it might keep your children busy for a few hours if that's needed.

This video is a great example of what I’m talking about.

Named like racehorses and serenaded with intense ESPN-esque music, these marbles are off to the races!

Let’s also appreciate these marble names, from “Tarantula” and “Mocha Madness” to “Comet.” The sportsy narration and sincere optimism can’t help but make me smile, and I hope it’s the same for you.

So get your marbles to the races and have fun! And even if you decide marble racing isn’t your thing, may this clip bring you the bittersweet nostalgia of a big sporting event and the enthusiastic optimism that all of us could use right now.

Have You Seen This?

2 gangs of monkeys clamor in Thailand streets

In this video from Lopburi, Thailand, you’ll see two hordes of monkeys in the streets. According to the Bangkok Post, the two rival gangs live in this tourist destination: one gang lives in the temples, and the other gang lives in the city.

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