Urban Dare San Diego Top 5

One thing about scheduling a race in San Diego is that you can always count on nice weather. At least, you usually can. It rained most of Saturday morning, but cleared up about an hour before the start. Sometimes, you just get lucky.

Congratulations to Geoffrey Sheppard & Monica Hoffman for winning Urban Dare San Diego in a time of 2:37:26. James Floyd and Dan Hamman finished their
final dare 2 minutes later to finish in second place.

Third place honors go to team Us. Last year’s winners, Chris Campin & Paul Kim, had to settle for fourth place this year.

Team Rocket Race puts on their own race called Rocket Race. You can find info on it at www.sdrocketrace.com. Their next race is November 10.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Urban Dare San Diego.

2:37:26 - Geoffrey Sheppard & Monica Hoffman - P.T. Pirates
2:39:36 - James Floyd & Dan Hamman – Rocket Race
2:46:15 - David Schmidt & Eric Nelson – Us
2:50:19 – Chris Campin & Paul Kim – SDUDDS II
3:05:17 – Mark Warble & Pete Argyrakis – Gregarious Athletes Yielding Style

Urban Dare Los Angeles Top 5 Finishers

Congratulations to Adam Umhoefer and Jay Bridges of Shake and Bake for their first place finish in Saturday’s Urban Dare Los Angeles.

The statue of Raoul Wallenberg and the frieze of Marilyn Monroe proved to be the two toughest checkpoints.

The Terrier-ists received a 5:00 minute bonus for getting a photo of a 6 person pyramid, enabling them to leapfrog Chris Papiernick and Rich Paisley to finish in 5th place.

1:29:55 - Adam Umhoefer & Jay Bridges – Shake and Bake
1:32:56 – Gabe Brakin & Dominic Ferullo
1:38:06 – Richard Ward & Peter Kyriacou – Real Men of Genius
1:43:49 – Rami Soudah & Paul Perales – Team Discotetris
1:47:01 – Myles Nye and John Russell – Terrier-ists

Urban Dare Los Angeles - Sat, Aug 15

Urban Dare Los Angeles begins Saturday, August 25 at Noon at Pan Pacific Park near the Rec Center at 7600 Beverly Blvd. We will begin check-in at 11:15 and will be taking registration up to the start of the race.

You should bring a cell phone and a digital camera to show your pictures at the end of the race. A cell phone camera will work. Maps are also handy and you should have someone to call to help look up clues.

Urban Dare is the race where smarts can beat speed. Teams of 2 solve clues to find checkpoints where they must take photos or perform dares.

At checkpoints with dares, you must accomplish a task and get your passport stamped to move on to the next checkpoint. Dares range from throwing a bulls-eye, doing a climbing wall, completing a puzzle or eating something (things people like, not bugs).

We expect the winners will finish the race in about 2 hours and most of you will finish under 4 hours. We are working to provide a fun-filled day for you, while providing some good challenges.

See you at the race.

Urban Dare Chicago Video

Check out this video from Urban Dare Chicago. Thank you to Julie Miyamasu who sent me this video put together by her roommate Laura Busse.

Urban Dare Boston Top Five Finishers

Congratulations to Mark Mixer and Alison Shawver of EGVB, pictured above, for winning Urban Dare Boston.

The first four teams to arrive at the finish had the wrong picture for where the Massachusetts delegation ratified the Constititution, coming back with a picture of the Old State House. They had to go back out and get the picture in the right spot. The first and second place teams were also the first and second to arrive with the wrong picture.

Jordan Harrison, half of last year’s winning team, finished second. Amy Kloempken & Julie Rising of Windy City Rejects were the third team to arrive at the final checkpoint, but the Constitution photo kept them out of the top 5.

Here are the top 5 finishers:

2:20:30 - Mark Mixer & Alison Shawver – EGVB
2:24:17 – Jordan Harrison & Mike Bucchino – All Male All Nude Bean Town Urban Dare Revue
3:02:43 – Kathleen McCarthy & Kristin Anderson – K Squared
3:05:57 – Brian Sherman & John Previtera – Hardy Boys
3:17:00 – Jean Coleman & Jim Coleman – Team Coleman

The constitution was ratified by the Massachusetts delegation at the church of Reverend Jeremy Belknap, now the site of Bank of America. To celebrate the work of the state ratifying convention, Boston changed the name of the street where Belknap's church stood from Long Lane to Federal Street. The delegation discussed the Constitution at the Old State House, but did not ratify it until they met at Belknap’s church.

Urban Dare Boston will begin at Noon this Saturday, July 14 at Boston Common near the Visitor Center.

To get a feel for what is in store for you, here are a couple of articles written before and after the last Boston race:

Wacky Race - The Patriot Ledger

Surviving Urban Dare - The Phoenix

We will be taking registrations up until the start of the race. Come join us on Saturday.

Champions Race - What's Up

We're still trying to figure out what's going on with a Champions Race for the 2007 series. The race will probably occur on Saturday, January 12, 2008, and be somewhere warm.

Last year, it was held in an undisclosed location. We paid the airfare and hotels of all the 2006 Urban Dare series winners, told them they would travel on December 8 and December 10. At midnight the night before they travelled, we called them with their itineraries and told them they were going to Orlando.

This year will be different. We simply can't afford to pay for everyone's travel. Hopefully, that will change in the future as we are currently in talks with several potential sponsors. That said, we will see what we can do for the 2008 winners and top finishers. Certainly, free entry is a given.

We expect that we will probably hold the Champions Race in a disclosed (not yet) location and that it will be open to anyone that wants to register. All 2007 winners and some top finishers will have free entry.

And, we'll kick it up a notch on the dares.

Urban Dare Chicago Top 11

Congratulations to Lily Berman & Isaak Lerner for winning Urban Dare Chicago in a time of 4:14:55. Pictured here, they were the 38th team to arrive at the finish, but were the first to successfully complete all checkpoints.

Rounding out the top three were Beth Geraci & Gretchen Hentenmann in second, followed by Jerusha Rodgers & Kathryn King.

Usually the stumper clue takes out a handful of teams, but in Saturday’s race only 6 teams successfully got the photo for checkpoint 2. Here is the stumper clue:

“Get your picture with the plaque commemorating the first session of the Board of Trade of Chicago.”

Patrick Doran & Jason Majorczak of the Jayhawks deserve recognition as the first team to finish with an impressive time of 2:21:41. They had the same photo as almost all teams of a plaque outside the Board of Trade, so they got an*BT by their time. For almost 2 hours no other team successfully completed all checkpoints, so it looked like they might win after all. I thank them for their good sportsmanship and congratulate them on a well-run race.

I was excited when Don & Rob Maldonado, the sixth team to show up at the finish, started showing me their pictures and they got the Board of Trade correctly. Don came up to me about 5 minutes before the race and told me his team didn’t have a camera, and I had lent him mine. Could the winning pictures actually be on my camera? Alas, they missed one other photo and ended up with an asterisk by their time.

I’ve decided to post the top 11 teams, instead of the top 5, because it gives a more accurate picture of the race. The top 5 teams are the teams that got everything correct. The next six are the first 6 teams to complete the last dare and show their pictures for validation.

I bill Urban Dare as the race where smarts can beat speed, and, on Saturday, speed was not the biggest factor. I credit shear doggedness, as most teams that successfully completed the course backtracked and spent considerable time getting the Board of Trade shot.

4:14:55 - Lily Berman & Isaak Lerner
4:22:58 - Beth Geraci & Gretchen Hentenmann
4:38:35 - Jerusha Rodgers & Kathryn King
4:40:29 - Savitre Tubrong & Kobfa Seniwongse
4:42:00 - Mary Megan Anderson & Tina Jancsura – I DA FN1
*BT 2:21:41 – Patrick Doran & Jason Majorczak – Jayhawks
*BT 2:22:45 – Rosalyn Popham & Aletha Head – TriMonster #1
*BT 2:27:43 – Comilla Sasson & Vivian Chou – Better than Drinking
*BT 2:38:53 – Maureen Mulvihill & Katie Cunniff
*BT 2:48:48 - Jeb Ory & Lea Crusey
*HM 2:55:01 - Don Maldonado & Ron Maldonado – Fighting Goats

Oh yes, let's not forget the plaque. One of the internet reseachers told me he saw an obscure reference to it as one of many commemmorative plaques along Wacker, but without saying where along Wacker. You'll find it near State in almost a straight line between checkpoint 1 and checkpoint 3.

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.

Urban Dare Boston Top Five Finishers

Wow! I really loved laying out this year's Urban Dare Boston.

After miserable weather forecasts, we had a mostly sunny day with no rains until about 4:30 when most racers were safely ensconced in the Sweetwater Cafe. Kudos and thank you to all who participated and congratulations to all finishers.

Pictured are Lydia Gregoret & Charles Wilson at the top of Bunker Hill Monument.

Race-day registrants Sean Jack & Chris Ancers signed up as Awesome, Inc. They lived up to their billing with a winning time of 1:55:12. They were the only team under 2 hours.

Donald Hess & Dave Young finished comfortably in second place in 2:12:26. The race for third place was where the real action was, as we had three teams all at the finish doing their puzzle dare at the same time. Ken DoRosario, a veteran UD Bostoner, and his sister Marguerite Reynolds finished ahead of Sig Fin Fen and the Brighton Bombers.

This clue was nicknamed the "I hate the race director" checkpoint:

"Go to Breed’s Hill for your upwardly mobile photo hunt. Oh yes, you must go all the way to the top of what sits atop this hill. Get your picture with the damaged cannon at the top."

For those of you not in the know, Bunker Hill Monument is what sits atop Breed's Hill. I climbed those 292 steps on Thursday and my calves were still sore from it on race day. You wanted a good challenge, right?

Speaking of not in the know, take a look at what's wrong with this clue:

"Honest Abe freed the slaves with his Gettysburg Address. Get your picture in front of the statue honoring this act."

Only one racer busted me on this clue. It was the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery. Luckily, everybody knew what I meant.

A special thanks to my nephews Joe & Tom, Ashley, Alejandra, and Chris for a superb job of running the checkpoints.

Here are the top 5 finishers:

1:55:12 Sean Jack & Chris Ancers - Awesome, Inc.
2:12:26 Donald Hess & Dave Young
2:20:33 Ken DoRosario & Marguerite Reynolds - DoRobourn
2:21:20 Leigh McKinley & Sean McKinley - Sig Fin Fen
2:23:33 Ted Tyson & Donna Tyson - Brighton Bombers

Urban Dare DC Top 6

Thank you to everyone who made Urban Dare DC 2007 a great success. It was our biggest race ever.

Congratulations to the Jolly Rogers, 2006 National Champions and 2006 DC Champions, for winning the 2007 Urban Dare DC in impressive fashion. Interestingly enough, they were the first team at only one checkpoint. Yes, you guessed it, the final one. Good navigation skills and figuring out what order to visit checkpoints makes a difference. Of course, Ty and Erik do a pretty good job running from point A to point B.

And major kudos to Jane Argentsinger and Emily Appleman for taking second place. I confess that one of the best parts of directing Urban Dare races is meeting beautiful, strong, fit, intelligent women. Sorry, Jolly Rogers, I'm going with the picture of myself with the top female team in the race. I know it's selfish and this shouldn't be about me, but I can't resist.

Francoise Galleto wrote a great report of her race experience on her blog at http://dc365.blogspot.com/2007/04/thing-27-urban-dare-dc.html. Thank you, Francoise.

One of the favorite dares of the whole race, was the Ode to Our Soldiers Dare. This was a suggested dare, that was sent to us. Keep the good ideas for dares coming. I'd tell you what the dare is, but you may face it in your next Urban Dare.

And we had one problematic dare - the American Meridian, where you had to stand with one foot in the Eastern Hemisphere and one foot in the Western Hemisphere. It turns out there is more than one historic meridian in town. I did not accept the photo given me by Trabue & Jennifer Bland, but it turns out they were right. I am reinstating their time, which makes them fourth place. I'm not bumping anyone, so the DC post will have a top 6.

Here are the top 6 finishers of Urban Dare DC:

2:10:00 Erik Carpenter & Ty Summers - Jolly Rogers
2:45:03 Jane Argentsinger & Emily Appleman
2:46:37 Erol Yayboke & Natalie Nelson - Erik Estrada Fan Club
2:48:52 Trabue Bland & Jennifer Bland
2:50:30 Jon Caley & Daniel White
2:51:00 Mary Allen & Tony Wallace - GW

And a big thank you to DailyCandy.com. I received 40 registrations and over 150 email sign ups in the last 24 hours before the race. Most of these were prompted from an email they sent out on Friday. I love DailyCandy.com.

Urban Dare DC this Saturday

Urban Dare DC will start on Saturday, April 21 at Noon at Pershing Square, just across from the Willard Hotel at 14th & E Sts NW. This is the same place we started last year. We will begin check in at 11:15 and there will be a short race briefing at 11:55. Come early if you have not yet registered.

Pictured are the Jolly Rogers, 2006 National Champions and 2006 Urban Dare DC Champions.

Urban Dare is the race where smarts can beat speed. Teams of 2 solve clues to find checkpoints where they must perform dares.

Check out Urban Dare at www.urbandare.com.

See you at the race.