This video is in the CBA 5-minute Film Fest

That would be the Chicago Bagel Authority Film Fest on Sunday, June 10. The day after Urban Dare Chicago.

New Expanded Schedule

We've had such a great year so far, that we've decided to add several new races.

We're returning to New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Urban Dare Seattle will be on October 6. And we've added December races in New Orleans, Miami and Tampa.

There will be a $15 rebate for anyone registering who has already participated in any Urban Dare this year. I appreciate your business, and I want you back.

Here is the new expanded schedule:

Jun 9 Chicago
Jul 14 Boston
Aug 18 Rehoboth Beach
Aug 25 Los Angeles
Sep 15 Energy Club Dare
Sep 22 San Diego
Sep 29 San Francisco
Oct 6 Seattle
Oct 13 New York
Oct 20 Philadelphia
Nov 3 San Antonio
Nov 10 Tempe
Nov 17 Orlando
Dec 1 New Orleans
Dec 8 Miami
Dec 15 Tampa

The September 15 Energy Club Fitness Dare (in Arlington, VA) will have a different format than a regular Urban Dare, but it will still be 2-person teams competing. The Energy Club Dare will have a defined course. You will not have to solve clues to find checkpoints, as they will be marked along the course. There will be 12 or so checkpoints where racers will have to perform fitness challenges or Urban Dare type dares. Think of it as a five mile obstacle course that will test you physically and mentally.

Take the dare!

I guess I won't be home very much this year.

Greetings from Chicago, where I am preparing for the next Urban Dare to be run on June 9. After doing races four weekends in a row, I have to admit to being a little fatigued. I might even take a few days off next week.

The great feedback I'm getting from racers and a recent spate of good press clips make all this hard work worthwhile. Here are a few articles which will give you some insights into Urban Dare:

Surviving Urban Dare - April 28, 2007 - The Phoenix

Wacky Race - Patriot Ledger

Urban Scavenger Hunt Calls for Speed, Skill and Gadget Know-how - Wired

Test Your Know-How - If You Dare! - Washington Post

Thing 27 - Urban Dare DC - DC365

Don't worry, I'll still have some surprises in store for you.

See you at the races.

The Cutest Pyramid

This shot, submitted by Steven Schulze and Jen Poweska, wins for cutest pyramid. The one below is still the coolest.

The Pyramid - NY Style

Wow! Is that a pyramid, or is that a pyramid?

That's what I call doing it up New York style.

Cathy Breniser & Tracy Reckner of the Purse Divas reached into their purses and forked over $10 to set up this shot. I consider it $10 well spent.

One other team had the same shot. I don't know if they split the cost, or just saw a good opportunity. Either way, it's all good.

I love this shot!

Urban Dare NY Top Five Finishers

Thank you to everyone who helped make Urban Dare NY a big success.

Pictured are William & Beau Benton, the winners of Urban Dare NY with a time of 2:36:22. They said they learned a few things from last year's race, where they finished in second place.

Lester Santos & Andrew Maldonado finished in second place, followed by Tar Devil, and I double dog dare you (I should have made them eat hot dogs instead of pretzels).

Los Fabulosos Gramaticos, winners of Urban Dare Philadelphia, appeared to have taken third place, but were missing their pyramid picture and they didn't eat their pretzels. They went back out and still managed to get back in time to finish fifth.

The toughest photo of the day proved to be getting a picture of a human pyramid - 3,2,1. 6 or 7 teams failed to get it. All in all, it was a good day all around.

Here are the top 5 finishers:

2:36:22 William Benton & Beau Benton - Kiss my Blarney Stone
3:06:01 Lester Santos & Andrew Maldonado - Corporal Captains
3:13:30 Robert Swennes & AK Clemmons - Tar Devil
3:35:14 Stephen Anania & Heather Muterspaw - I double dog dare you
3:36:43 Bryant Palmer & Ann Ritter - Los Gramaticos Fabulosos

Two big things are happening this year. Where we had races last year, the number of participants has doubled in each city. And more importantly, I'm having great fun. So much fun, in fact, that I'm planning on coming back this year to the East Coast Extravaganza cities. We'll be updating the schedule soon.

This Saturday - Urban Dare NY

Urban Dare NY starts this Saturday, May 12 at noon at Washington Square Park. Check-in begins at 11:15. Look for us in the light blue shirts.

Pictured are Bryant Palmer and Ann Ritter, winners of Urban Dare Philadelphia, who are racing in this week's New York race.

Check out Wacky Race from The Patriot Ledger. It will give you a sense of what Urban Dare has in store for you.

Come join the fun! You can register all the way up to the start of the race, or click here to register now.

See you at the races.

Urban Dare Philadelphia Top 5 Finishers

I had so much fun with all of you at today's Urban Dare.

Congratulations to Bryant Palmer & Ann Ritter of Los Gramaticos Fabulosos who finished first with a time of 1:38:45. Watch out New York. They're also racing in next week's Urban Dare NY.

Coming in second place was last year's Philadelphia champion Ed Wagner with a new partner - Jordan Pascucci. Also breaking the 2 hour barrier were Go Girls! and MXC-Phil. And Run Jenny Run edged out Joe & Danielle Skelly of the Broken toenails by a mere three seconds to finish in fifth.

Here is the clue for Checkpoint 6, which came with the above picture:

As a gentile, I always get nervous when I go by this sign. Get your picture with it. Today’s the Sabbath, you’ll be safe.

It turns out, that it wasn't totally safe after all. The guy went nuts every time a team came by and took their picture in front of the sign. We were joking about making it a mandatory photo every year.

By far the favorite dare, was the chocolate covered strawberries in the Italian markets.

For some other cool Philly races, check out Ed Wagner's site at www.clubedventures.com.

Thank you to everyone who participated.

Here are the top five finishers:

1:38:45 Bryant Palmer & Ann Ritter - Los Gramaticos Fabulosos
1:45:49 Edward Wagner & Jordan Pascucci - clubedventures.com
1:49:08 Kirsty Halliday & Cheryl Martin - Go Girls!
1:55:19 Jenny Pierce & Kris Hall -MXC-Phil
2:03:54 Rob Wishnick & Ali Wishnick - Run Jenny Run

Change of venue for Urban Dare Philadelphia

Urban Dare Philadelphia will be starting at Schuylkill River Park.

Schuylkill River Park is located on the river just south of the Walnut Street Bridge. If you take Spruce to where it deadends at 26th Street it will put you at the park within sight of where we will be setting up.

See you at the race.