Something's missing
The Jamaican food vendors on 33rd Street aren't here this year.
And it's pretty consequential.
I noticed walking over to Franklin Field this morning that the sidewalks on the 3300 block of Walnut street were totally empty. Usually they're full of people buying fried fish, jerk chicken and all kinds of other street food from a cluster of Jamaican vendors.
But they weren't there this morning, and I've been told by a source that they won't be here at all this year. That's too bad, even if it makes for healthier eating this weekend. When the trucks were there, you could smell the jerk chicken all over University City.
I've asked for an official comment from the Penn Relays staff, and I'll let you know when I have it.
I also missed out on talking to UCLA's Philadelphia are natives, Nicole Leach and Ryann Krais. Krais, from Methacton, recorded the 10th best overall time of 1:00.95 - and she's a freshman. Leach did not run.