GREAT NYC RACE
Because we’re amazing and love to race, every time we hear there’s a casting for the across-the-globe scavenger hunt reality show, we’re tempted to dust off the video camera and tape our auditions. Until, of course, we remember that we have day jobs and that there is a similar sweaty brainteaser of an obstacle course returning to our backyard for its third consecutive year: The Great Urban Race.
On August 15, 1,000 Gothamites (broken up into teams of 2, 3 or 4) scurry through NYC to eat, drink, huff, puff, problem solve and create ransom notes from magazine cutouts (OK. They probably won’t repeat that one). And all the while knowing that proceeds benefit the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.
While the guys over at Red Frog Events are tight-lipped about the 12 clues, they probably won’t veer far from the wackiness level of last year’s competition. In 08, racers cracked a murder mystery, unscrambled many a phrase (one of which led to posing with fishy faces in front of a tank), and broke out hip-hop and Irish step moves.
The first 25 teams to cross the finish, qualify to compete with winners from 20 other cities in the November nationals in New Orleans, which has a $10,000 grand prize on the table. Admission is currently priced at $60 and $70 on race day.
Run with us. We’ll make the others eat our confetti.
The Great Urban Race, August 15, 2009, www.greaturbanrace.com, 11a.m. packet pick-up
