Cousin Sal makes fake aid station and pranks runners on Jimmy Kimmel Live

During a marathon, especially in the heat of California, it’s important to stay hydrated and fuelled throughout the race to prevent cramps and a late-race bonk. In most instances, bananas, Gatorade, water and energy gels are offered at various aid stations scattered along the route.

During the L.A. Marathon on Feb. 14, Cousin Sal, one of the characters on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, pranked runners by setting up his own homemade aid station as they ran by the studio in Hollywood.

Cousin Sal, played by comedian Sal Iacono, has been a regular guest on the popular television show since 2003 and is usually seen interacting with pedestrians outside of the studio.

His pranks included: encouraging runners to stop by his rickety water station to grab a bottle which was glued to the table, handing out creamed corn, offering mini margaritas along with some shrimp, and encouraging runners to do the limbo.

The shrimp were actually a popular hit as runners grabbed a piece, dipped the one-bite food items into some sauce, before continuing the race. On a separate occasion, he was happy to give out some free deodorant just in case runners wanted to smell good as they approached the finish line.

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The aid station was located at approximately the 20K mark of the race, near the El Capitan Entertainment Centre where Jimmy Kimmel Live! is filmed, on Hollywood Boulevard.

When he announced that he was giving out complimentary chocolate sardines, he caught the attention of a number of runners who were left with a disappointing look on their face when learning of what exactly was being handed out.

We doubt the winner, Weldon Kirui, was phased by the prank as he was well clear of the field and looked smooth near the end of the race. Just check out his form, in slow motion, below:

This is not the only instance where runners have opted for some rather unusual mid-race food choices. At this recent race in Tennessee, a man was seen eating a burrito before stopping at a roadside bar for a quick pint. He was back on the road shortly after.