Want to start jogging each day but struggling to lace up your sneakers? Uninspired by treadmills and intimidated by cold mornings? Fear not! Try one of these 10 wacky races from around the globe – runs to look forward to, to work towards and to enjoy, no matter how long it takes you to reach the finish line.
By Bertie Alexander
The 5K Zombie Run, Florida, Various Dates: Participants are given three flags and then sent off into the woods to pass through a heavy spattering of zombies – running, crawling, grabbing, creeping. Those who lose their flags to the zombies can still complete the course as one of the undead. Participants who take part as zombies are asked to refrain from actually eating the brains of runners. the5kzombierun.com
Le Marathon du Médoc, September: This French run for winos is known to encourage everything that is usually discouraged in marathons; across 26.2 miles of scenic French countryside, participants in fancy dress are encouraged to indulge in 23 glasses of the local vintage, as well as wolf down copious amounts of oysters and foie gras. marathondumedoc.com
Cheese Rolling At Cooper’s Hill, UK, May: Cheese Rolling at Cooper’s Hill is an example of the finest British eccentricity. Competitors have to race a 9lb wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down a slope of more than 45 degrees! The first runner to cross the line wins the cheese. The cheese reaches 70 miles per hour, and rarely loses. cheese-rolling.co.uk [Photo: Michael Warren/Flickr]
Santa Run, Global, Various Dates: Over the last decade, Santa Runs or the ‘Santa Dash!’ have been popping up all over the globe to fundraise for good causes. It is no longer a novelty to see a wave of merry red and white runners puffing and ho-ho-ho-ing over the hilltop. Wherever you do your dash, merriment, jovality and rosy faces are guaranteed. [Photo: lhourahane/Flickr]
The Firefly Run, USA, Various Dates: This 5K race raises money for local charities, inviting runners and walkers of all shapes and speeds to dress up like a Christmas tree (or anything with plenty of glow!). LED lights illuminate the way, as does the stream of neon and gleam streaming to the finish line. thefireflyrun.com
Athens Authentic Marathon, Greece, November: The Athens Authentic Marathon runs the course that the messenger Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens after the Greeks vanquished the Persians in 490 BC. Pheidippides ran the entire length at full-tilt, and when arriving in Athens proclaimed ‘We have won!’ before promptly collapsing to the floor and dying. Drink fluids and pace yourself to avoid the same fate. athensauthenticmarathon.gr
The Color Run, Global, Various Dates: The Color Run has nothing to do with finishing fast, but is purely about having the happiest time possible. The whole run is untimed, and there are only very two simple rules: wear white when you start, and finish plastered in colour. Every kilometre, runners are doused in a different shade, so neither of these two rules will be hard to abide by. thecolorrun.com
Burro Racing, Colorado, July: Held since 1948, this race in Fairplay, Colorado celebrates the part played by the faithful (if occasionally obstinate) burro. As well as the burro, there are also races involving llamas and pack dog runs for children. Very much a family affair, funfair rides, stalls and food booths are all in abundance. burrodays.com
Beer Mile, Anywhere, Anytime: Booze-up marathon or marathon booze-up? By the end of this race, you’ll be too sozzled to care for the difference. Having said that, the tone in which the 10 rules of the race are laid down have an incongruously austere tone. Each competitor must drink four beers and run four laps in alternate succession. Drinking while running is not permitted, and ‘hard cidres’ aren’t tolerated. beermile.com
Great Wall Marathon, China, May: The first Great Wall Marathon took place in 1999, the route taking participants not only along the wall, but also through backwater rural villages. There’s now an 8.5-kilometre ‘fun run’. Not as wacky as others, this is undoubtedly the most visually stunning race on this list. great-wall-marathon.com
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