Last weekend, A and I participated in one of the craziest things we've ever done in Chicago. (So far, at least). I must also clarify: A ran, I supported. :) We spent most of the day running around in the cold and through the snow pulling a cart. For charity. Yes, this was a real event.
Chiditarod (ʃai*dit'*ə*rɒd): n.) the annual Chicago-based phenomenon that combines elements of the Alaskan Iditarod with Chicago's finest brand of debaucherous social activism. One part food drive, one part pub-crawl, one part costumed race, all parts radtacular. The Chiditarod draws together 800+ people, both participants and spectators, and has raised over 46,000 pounds of food and over $21,000 in direct donations since its inception in 2006.
My work project decided we wanted to sponsor a team. It was extremely exciting and daunting. How could we possibly come up with a creative theme to combat the 6-year veterans?! Would we freeze to death outside in winter in Chicago? We decided to test our luck.
First order of business: Obtain a shopping cart. We got lucky - all I had to do was write a nice letter to our local grocery store chain and they were happy to hand over sacrifice let us borrow a cart for a few days. No collateral or deposit required!
Each team is required to raise at least 49 pounds in food donations. You can also fund-raise for monetary donations to a local charity. A team consists of 5 racers - 1 musher and 4 "dawgs". They were required to go to a total of five checkpoints then head to the finish location. The full route was about 5 miles, and it was around half a mile between checkpoints. Once at a checkpoint, the team had to wait there for 20 minutes before continuing on. There were challenges at each one they could participate in for points or to take seconds off their finishing time. Each team also wears costumes and decorates their cart to go with a theme of their choosing.
But first, we had to decide a theme and decorate the cart. The hardest part? Getting said cart up the stairs to coworker J's apartment to decorate.
We spent one night prepping the materials - making tires and painting the cardboard. Then J finished it up the next night. She did an amazing job!
Can you guess our theme?
How could we not do Mario Kart? (Is the theme music playing in your head now? Doo, doo, doo, doo doo doo doo...)
Here's coworker A modeling the costumes. Aren't they awesome?!
The whole team - three coworkers + A. He was lucky enough to sub in when our other racer got sick. :(
The Chiditarod is an intense event. All the teams have to arrive at the starting location before 11:30AM. The official start time is 12:30PM. We got to stand outside for about an hour. In an unexpected turn of the weather, it was a high of 38* that day. Most of the time it was around 33*. And it snowed.
After check-in, the officials weighed our food donation (100 pounds!) and took a team photo. Then the teams hung out together trying to keep warm while waiting for the start.
Luckily there was an awesome band to entertain the spectators while we waited. And waited.
Finally, all the teams took off together. It was the only time during the day all 160 teams were in once place at one time, so it was pretty epic. The iPod team got out first and were well on their way ahead of everyone else due to a crash at the start. (They ended up winning both for time and for food donation.)
Here come the rest!
This team's theme was Forest Gump... see the different parts of the movie?
These guys were Deadliest Catch - one of the runners had a fake microphone on a boom and followed the others around.
I LOVE the Cool Runnings guys!
Yes, that "truck" is actually a cart! They built around it - pretty crazy.
And here comes our team!
And yes, this is also a cart! Well, it's on top of a cart. It's a "gentleman's club".
After the start, J and I followed the team to the first checkpoint. Once we got there we decided we would wait with and guard the cart while the team went inside to compete in the challenge and get drinks. We found out later we actually could not have stopped any sabotage to the cart if anyone had tried to get past us as we weren't racers, but just standing near the cart seemed to deter any mischief. (Yes, sabotage was a legal activity! As long as it didn't hurt anyone or damage the carts.)
We saw some sabotage along the way... carts bike-locked to trees, fences and each other, zip ties used to stop wheels from turning... all in good fun! One team actually locked their own cart to a tree. Then when the officials tried to set it free, they punk'd them!
Bribing the judges at the challenges was also allowed. We prepared ahead by making mushroom cupcakes:
Here was our team's map of their checkpoints:
And here's the first checkpoint!
Yup, parking in the funeral lot. It was located right next door to the bar where they had to check in.
This is what J and I did most of the time - watched the cart and warded off sabotage so the team could warm up inside and rehydrate.
Hanging out with the carts allowed us to check out the other teams.
Can you guess this one?
If you guessed
Dexter, you must also enjoy the show like I do. :)
These guys were particularly creative. Occupy Sesame Street in action:
The Harlem Globetrotters' giant backboard folded up for easier running.
Swamp People! Yes, that's an alligator under the cart.
Checkpoint #2 - garden behind the bar.
Can't stay long, gotta run!
Checkpoint #3 included a karaoke challenge. They chose to sing to the Spice Girls. Obviously the best option!
Totally amazing DeLorean!
If you've checked out the Peeps diorama contest entries in the past few years, you'll recognize this cart's theme.
If you're not familiar, check this out >
http://www.neatorama.com/2011/04/08/13-hilarious-peeps-candy-easter-dioramas/Checkpoint #4's challenge was Giant Jenga. Which they won!
On the way to Checkpoint #5! Almost done!
At Checkpoint #5, our team helped to sabotage one of the McDonald's teams. Yes, that's their cart duct-taped to a tree. In the median.
After the race there was a party at the finish line. We stayed for a little while, then left to eat dinner. We came back for the awards.
Another awesome costume - part of the Party Rock team.
Our team + supporters!
All in all, it was a super fun day and one heck of a race! We saw some crazy things.
To sum it up:
25,000+ pounds of food
$35,000+ for charity
High of 38 degrees
160 teams
Glorious
