Run, grab and go

COEUR d'ALENE - As a weary, breathless Mary McKay walked down the aisle at Fred Meyer, she turned to the employee at her side and asked one question.

"Can I sit?"

Sure, she could.

"Do you want some water?" the worker asked.

"Yes, please," McKay answered.

The Coeur d'Alene woman just finished flashing through the store and filling carts as part of a wild two-minute shopping spree Thursday morning.

"I knew I couldn't go fast because I've got two knee replacements and a hip replacement. I just took stuff I could use," McKay said. "I was going to get Tide detergent but didn't make it that far."

But, with steady steps, she nabbed roast, steak, coffee, toilet paper and of course, licorice, for the 19 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

"We love licorice," she said as she wiped the sweat away from her brow.

McKay was one of three local residents chosen for the spree that had a $500 limit.

Debra Zibell, Fred Meyer apparel manager, said it was part of their Founder's Day sweepstakes earlier this year. Customers using their reward cards were entered into a drawing held last month. All told, 80 shopping sprees, 20 each in Idaho, Washington, Alaska and Oregon, were given away.

The spree was limited to groceries, with beer, liquor and tobacco off limits. For each contest winner, a food bank, Second Harvest here, was also given a shopping spree or gift card equivalent. Anyone not reaching the $500 limit was given credit on a gift card.

"This was something we wanted to do to give back to the customers," Zibell said. "It's been hard economical times. We want to reward our loyal shoppers."

Cheryl Fraser of Coeur d'Alene was another of those constant clients.

She learned last month she won when she received a certified letter from Fred Meyer - which frankly, worried her at first.

"I thought I was in trouble. Why would I be in trouble with the store?" she said, smiling.

But it was good news inside that special delivery.

She prepared by planning a route through the store with her two children. When it was time to shop just after 9 a.m., she charged off and snatched up meat, cheese, tea and maple syrup in 120 seconds of racing, grabbing and tossing items in carts pushed dutifully by Fred Meyer employees while others clapped and cheered them on.

"I tried for olive oil but I didn't make it," she said between breaths. "I was moving as fast as I could go."

What helped, she said, was not having to push the cart so she could focus on the fare.

"It made the run a lot easier than I thought it was going to be," Fraser said.

Kris Hartrock of Coeur d'Alene recruited the help of friend Anne Kulinsky for a few dry runs Wednesday night. Timer in hand, they practiced clutching frozen chicken, reaching for ribs, seizing shampoo and last, taking Tide.

It was a bit tricky with so many other customers around.

"People in those motorized carts kept trying to run her over," Kulinsky said, laughing.

Practice made perfect Thursday as Hartrock, with no obstacles this time, surged away and swooped up and down the aisles.

Within two frenzied minutes, she filled several carts, then paused to recover.

"There were a couple things I forgot, but oh well," she said with a shrug. "It was fun. I tried not to race and be stupid. The detergent was a last minute thing because I knew I'd have a little bit of time."

Hartrock said she would love to try again - perhaps with a little more training.

"I'm still huffing and puffing," she said with a grin.