FitSugar

You Asked: Alternative Races

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering.

Hi Fit,
The Olympics inspired me to get out and race, but I am looking for something more fun than just running. I would like to do some kind of obstacle race or fitness challenge. I guess I am looking for the thrill of adventure with a fitness element. Can you help me find a race?
Thanks,
- East Coast Adventure Gal

Wow! Sounds like you are looking for something that is a cross between parkour and an open water swim. The craziest race I could find was the Nettle Warrior Tough Guy race in the UK with obstacles like burning bales of hay, electric fences, and icy streams. Nettle Warrior also has the Guy Gorilla race on Feb. 1, 2009, but sounds like you want some stateside options, so read more.

For serious fitness competition, there is the Navy Seal Fitness Challenge. The event combines a 500-yard swim, calisthenics (read: pull-ups and more!), plus a 1.5-mile run. You can participate in Chicago, San Antonio, LA, and Dearborn, MI.
The Urban Dare is part photo treasure hunt, part trivia, and part dares. The dares are mental or physical challenges such as climbing a wall, shooting a few baskets, solving a riddle, or eating something, but nothing slimy like you see on Fear Factor.
Urbanathlon is sponsored by Men's Health in Chicago on Oct. 18 as well as NYC on Sept. 27 (but this date is already sold out), and it is not just for the dudes. The entrance fee is $90, but you get a month's free membership to Crunch gym for training. This race is an urban obstacle course that uses features of the city to create challenges.
Rat Races are urban adventure challenges that take place all over the UK. Participants run, mountain bike, and kayak as they navigate a course revealed hours before the race begins. These could be an excuse to travel to the other side of the Atlantic without having to endure the downright craziness of the the Tough Guy races I mentioned above.
City Chase is an urban adventure laced with challenges designed to test not only your physical abilities, but your mental and spiritual ones as well. It is part obstacle course, and part scavenger hunt.

Hope you can fit one of these races into your schedule. If any of you have an "alternative race" to recommend, please share the details in the comments section below.

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5 Things About the NYC Marathon

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:00:10 -0700

On Nov. 1, the New York City Marathon celebrates not only the fastest endurance runners in the world but its 40th anniversary as well. Runner's World was chock-full of information about the race, and it got me all fired up. Here are five things about the marathon I think you will want to know.

Back in 1970 there were 127 participants running in the first NYC Marathon, all of them American, and the entry fee was only a buck.
This year there will be 40,000 runners participating, and they won their places at the starting line through a lottery. However, 5,000 spots are held for charity programs. Christopher Reeves's son Matthew will be running 26.2 miles to honor his father, the actor who played Superman, as well as to raise money for his father's foundation.

For three more facts, keep reading.

Gear Up For the 2009 Nike+ Human Race

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:30:18 -0700

Last year, Nike hosted the world's largest running event - the first Nike+ Human Race had over 780,000 participants. It was such a hit, they're hosting another one on October 24, 2009, with the hope that this year it will be even bigger.

This race gives runners all over the globe the chance to run a 10K together on the same day. If you want to be part of it, there are two ways you can join. Either sign up for one of the runs hosted by Nike in more than 30 cities around the world. Or you can run a 10K wherever you choose - on a treadmill, in the woods, or by the beach. Just track your run with the Nike+ Sports Kit or the Sportband. Then upload your race data to nikeplus.com.

I did this race last year and it felt amazing to know that hundreds of thousands of people were running the 6.2 miles along with me, so I definitely plan on doing it again this year. If you're interested as well, register here, and then start training - you have about two months until race day.

Get Outside and Play With Team Luna Chix

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

If you love working out in the great outdoors, but don't like going it alone, then check out Team Luna Chix.

There are 27 Luna Chix teams in over 20 cities in the US dedicated to biking (both mountain and road), running, swimming, and racing. The teams are diverse groups of women, including weekend warriors and serious competitors, who come together to train in a supportive environment and have fun doing it. As well as all the fun fitness activities, each independent chapter of the Luna Chix raises money for the Breast Cancer Fund.

Although these teams are the brain child of the company that makes Luna Bars, these teams are more like grass roots organizations. Team leaders organize group trainings as well as fundraisers, from 5k races to silent auctions, that benefit the BCF. Talk about a double incentive to exercise.

Find links to a handful of teams when you read more.

Arizona
Atlanta, GA
Austin, TX
Boston, MA Cycling
Madison, WI Cycling
Montana
New York Mountain Biking
Seattle
SF Bay Area Cycling
Washington, DC

You can find more teams listed at the Luna Chix website. Like their motto states: Get outside and play!

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Nike+ Human Race: One Day, One Race, One Million Runners

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:00:00 -0700

So you run and aren't quite ready to tackle a marathon, but are looking for a race to run. Have I got an event for you. You can participate in the largest, most unique worldwide 10K race - the Nike+ Human Race. It takes place on August 31, 2008, and there are two ways you can run. Either sign up to run in one of the 25 designated race cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Paris, Madrid, or London. Or you can opt to run wherever you are - on a treadmill, on the road, or in the woods. Just track your "race" using either the Nike+ iPod Sports Kit (if you like to run while listening to your iPod nano), or with the Nike+ SportBand (if you don't have a nano). After the race, connect either your nano or the SportBand to your computer to upload your race data to the NikePlus.com website.

To hear more about the race read more.

All you have to do is register here. If you're running in one of the 25 race cities, the registration fee is $35 ($5 goes towards one of three charities you choose: The Lance Armstrong Foundation, The UN Refugee Agency, or World Wildlife Fund). If signing up for a race has been on your mind, all I have to say is, "Just do it." Imagine running in a global race with a million people – talk about a powerful experience.

Upcoming Marathons For Walkers

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:00:00 -0700

So you're not a runner - that doesn't mean you can't fulfill your dream of finishing a marathon. Many races allow and greatly encourage walkers. Here's a huge list of upcoming marathons to choose from, brought to you by Runner's World.

A1A Marathon: Feb. 21, 2010
Austin Marathon: Feb. 14, 2010
Baltimore Marathon: Oct. 10, 2009
Big-D Texas Marathon: April 5, 2009
Buffalo Marathon: May 24, 2009

There are a whole bunch more, so read more.

Calgary Marathon: May 31, 2009
Carlsbad Marathon: January 24, 2010
Cleveland Marathon: May 17, 2009
Columbus Marathon: Oct. 18, 2009
Country Music Marathon: April 25, 2009
Dallas White Rock Marathon: Dec. 13, 2009
Des Moines Marathon: Oct. 18, 2009
First Light Marathon: TBD
Gasparilla Distance Classic: Was on March 1, 2009
Grand Rapids Marathon: Oct. 18, 2009
Green Bay Marathon: May 17, 2009
Honolulu Marathon: Dec. 13, 2009
Indianapolis Marathon: Oct. 17, 2009
Lake Tahoe Marathon: Sept. 23-27, 2009
Lewis & Clark Marathon: Sept. 13, 2009
Little Rock Marathon: Was on March 15, 2009
Long Beach Marathon: Oct. 11, 2009
Los Angeles Marathon: May 25, 2009
MDI (Mount Desert Island) Marathon: Oct. 18, 2009
Mad City Marathon: May 24, 2009
Maine Marathon: Oct. 4, 2009
Mardi Gras Marathon: February 28, 2010
Marine Corps Marathon: Oct. 25, 2009
Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon: June 20, 2009
Melbourne and Beaches Marathon: Feb. 7, 2010
Mercedes Marathon: TBD
Miami Marathon: Jan. 31, 2010
Mississippi Blues Marathon: TBD
Missoula Marathon: July 12, 2009
Myrtle Beach Marathon: Feb. 11-14, 2010
New Jersey Marathon: May 3, 2009
Nike Women's Marathon: Oct. 18, 2009
Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon: April 26, 2009
Philadelphia Marathon: Nov. 22, 2009
Pittsburgh Marathon: May 3, 2009
Portland Marathon: Oct. 4, 2009
Richmond Marathon: Nov 14, 2009
Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon: Jan. 17, 2010
Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Marathon: Nov. 15, 2009
Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon: May 31, 2009
Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon: June 27, 2009
Sacramento Cowtown Marathon: Oct. 4, 2009
Salt Lake City Marathon: April 18, 2009
San Francisco Marathon: July 26, 2009
Seattle Marathon: Nov. 29, 2009
Shamrock Marathon: March 21-22, 2009
Surf City Marathon: Feb. 7, 2010
Tucson Marathon: Dec. 13, 2009
Vancouver Marathon: May 3, 2009
Walt Disney World Marathon: Jan. 7-10, 2010
Windermere Marathon: May 16, 2009

Marathon Dangers

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

The New York City Marathon is over now, but many people are still in training for future races such as the Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Marathon (Nov. 16), the Philadelphia Marathon, (Nov. 23), and the Atlanta Marathon (Nov. 27). There's just something about conquering the distance of 26.2 miles that inspires so many people. Training for a marathon is a healthy aspiration, but if running this distance is on your to-do list, you should know there are some risks involved.

Running extreme distances is not exactly good for your health. As you run, you experience changes in your immune system and kidney function. The consistent stress signals your body to go into emergency-repair response mode. Your adrenal glands and brain produce the stress hormones cortisol and vasopressin. Also, your damaged muscles churn out proteins called cytokines, which trigger the liver to start producing C-reactive protein. The result is inflammation, and all your muscles feel the brunt, including your heart. In extreme cases, death by cardiac arrest has been associated with running this historic distance.

To find out if it's possible to avoid these risks, read more.

How you train plays a huge role in how your body will react on race day. Averaging at least 45 miles a week while training will significantly lower your risk of heart injury. Even though your body suffers damage on your training runs, it also repairs itself and becomes stronger. So on race day, your body is better equipped to handle the struggle. What's also good to know is that for most runners, if they do end up suffering some heart damage, it isn't permanent. Within a month, the heart is functioning normally again.

With all this in mind, some health officials suggest doing all the training for the marathon, but skipping out on the actual race. The thing is, though, most people train for the sole purpose to be able to cross the finish line. It's an amazing sense of accomplishment, and the difficulty of the race and the risks involved add to its appeal. If it wasn't so hard, no one would want to do it.

Fit's Tip: If running a marathon is on your mind, first have your heart checked by a doctor to make sure you're not at risk for heart problems. Then be sure to train long and well (at least four months in advance). Rack up miles and miles so that come race day, your body will be ready.

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ACTivism: Ryan Reynolds Runs For His Father's Life

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0700

One of the ways we motivate ourselves to get involved in races is by adding a bit of philanthropy to it. Apparently, celebrities need the same sort of motivation. Recently, Ryan Reynolds declared that he is going to run the New York City Marathon to raise money for Parkinson's disease (his father has been diagnosed with the disease). He wants it to be known that he is not a runner, but is willing to run for the greater good. Nonetheless, it's inspiring to everyone and anyone who has ever contemplated running a race for charity. Here are highlights:

By some tragic backwards prophecy, I find myself signed up to run in the New York City Marathon. Every other day I train. I run like a bastard all morning. Not since the discovery of Junior High School has a torture been so effective. Why on earth would I willfully do this? On behalf of my Father, Jim Reynolds, who's spent the last 15 years in a life or death struggle with Parkinson's disease.

To find out why he chose running and to see how you can help out Ryan just read more.

One of the reasons I chose running specifically, was because (as Murakami so eloquently put it) my competition is the most formidable foe of all; me. The person I have to beat is the guy I was last week. The person I was yesterday. Indescribably worse, those affected by Parkinson's wage a similar war in their own bodies every single day. Unlike a marathon, their struggle won't end in a shallow pool of vomit just outside Tavern on the Green while waiting for an ambulance. They continue day in and day out, silently battling away in the most personal of struggles.

Sorry ladies, this adorable charmer is officially off the market, but you can read his full story on the Huffington Post. And, if your budget allows, you can donate a little money to help his cause. Better yet, why not join a race and a cause that you believe in and raise money so that you can do all the running? A great way to get started is with Team in Training.

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Extreme Sport: Stair Racing

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

If you love the StairMaster, you're going to love stair racing (also called stair or skyscraper run-ups). If you enter a race, you start at the ground level of a gigantic building, and you run up the stairs with hundreds of other people, often ascending thousands of steps in a few minutes. Just recently in the Taipei 101 race, a German athlete sprinted up 91 floors in 10 minutes and 53 seconds! Talk about major cardio.

You can find stair-climbing races in all the world's skyscrapers including the Empire State Building in New York City, the Sheraton Wall Center Hotel in Vancouver, Canada, and the Menara Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Many of these stair climbs are for charities, so not only are people getting into the physical challenge of stair racing, but they feel good knowing they're raising money for good causes.

Even if you're not into racing, you can still benefit from climbing stairs. There's no need to buy an expensive StairMaster or join a gym. You can climb the stairs in tall buildings near you, or if you don't have access to multiple flights of stairs, you can go up and down one flight of stairs. You'll tone your quads, buns, and calves, and your heart and lungs will get an amazing workout as well. Not only that, it's totally free.

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Having Trouble Finding a Race Near You?

FitSugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Have you ever found out about a race you wanted to run the day after it happened?

You're not alone. This is why MarathonGuide.com was created. This awesome online database not only lists races all over the country, but it also provides insider information from folks who have run past races, race maps, and even the results for the previous year's races. You can sort the list of races by date, state or city – it is so easy to use. Having all this at your fingertips means you'll have ample time to train your legs. Happy running!

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