Ladies of Olney, England, have been flipping pancakes longer than some countries have been independent. Yes, that’s right folks, we’re talking about a tradition that has been going on for centuries. But hold up, did we say “ladies” only? Yup, you heard that right, it’s a race exclusively for women. It’s like the dudes of Olney go “Oh, that’s cool, you can have your own little pancake race. We will just be over here doing super important things like… um, breathing?”
Every year, on Shrove Tuesday, women of all ages gather around the market square of Olney, ready to run 415 yards (that’s 380 meters for our international readers) while balancing a pancake in their pan. Could it be that the town’s mayor is afraid of what will happen if a guy carries hot pancakes down the street? Who knows? But don’t worry, all those years of practice let these women with an iron grip on their frying pan. It’s like they know what they’re doing or something.
Some might say that a pancake race is a walk in the park, a piece of cake, in, ahem, pancake race terms, a flipping breeze. Well, we can assure you that’s not the case. Racers must also don an apron and a headscarf before beginning the competition, which is a great safety measure in case of hot pancake splatter emergencies. You never know what might happen when you let a group of women run with hot pancakes. Before you know it, the male population of Olney would need a new eyebrow.
While the race has its origins in a legend from 1445, it’s 2021 people, and things have changed. Back in the day, the legend says that a woman rushed to church one day, carrying her frying pan with a pancake in it. She had been so engrossed in making the pancake for Shriven (or Shrove) Tuesday that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service. There was no time to waste because she didn’t want to miss a chance to confess her thoughts about her neighbor’s goats. She ran out of the house while still carrying the pan with a pancake in it. Don’t we all relate sometimes?
In an attempt to revive the spiritual significance of this ages-old tradition, the race is now a cornerstone of Olney’s community spirit and a must-watch event for English pancake enthusiasts. And let’s be honest; anyone who doesn’t take this pancake race seriously doesn’t take life seriously. Imagine a world where people don’t run with pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Madness.
Well folks, that’s all we have time for, but before we go, we want to say kudos to the women of Olney for keeping this tradition alive. Without you all, the world would be a sadder, less pancake-filled place to live in.
