Idiotarod

Have you heard of the Iditarod Great Sled Race? It is held every year starting on the first Saturday in March. Mushers and teams of about 16 dogs race across 1,150 miles of mountains, rivers, and lots of snow in Alaska.

Well, this is not a post about that race, but rather of the Urban Iditarod or "Idiotarod" - a race consisting of five teams of Idiots tied to modified shopping carts and racing through the streets of a major U.S. city. The main rule is that all team members must be connected to the cart at all times, in either role (sled dog or musher). The race encourages and rewards ridiculous costumes and presentation.

Sabotage such as tripping competitors, throwing marbles, and spreading misinformation (e.g. a false route) is common. More elaborate sabotage has included smoke machines, and even hacking into the event registration system. It may not be surprising that the thirst stations are often located in pubs and feature mugs of beer for the thirsty participants.

On the day of the race, a starting point, ending point and check points (usually pubs) are announced. The quickest way to get to these places is decided by the team. Participants start by making a mad dash to the first checkpoint and are often pelted with eggs, flour, or even fish heads by saboteurs along the way – it only gets crazier from there. The top prize is awarded by the organizers, and is often given to a team that did not come in first. There is also a prize for Best Sabotage.

The races started in San Francisco, and annual races have been held in New York City, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Boston, Portland, Ann Arbor, and several other cities between January and April.