Wacky Races

If your running and racing routine is feeling a little boring, there are a myriad of ways in which you can perk things up.

Naturally, your regular training could take place at a different time, different place, different speed or in different company. You can take a tour of your hometown on a jogging tour (thanks, Asha, for the San Diego Jogging Tours info - here is a San Francisco offering, too.) Road runners might try switching to trails for a whole new nature kick.

But there are also weird and wonderful race options available if you want to mix things up a bit. Here are just a few which have caught my eye:

Burro Racing
You and a donkey (burro) complete a course together. The burro may not carry the human, but the human is allowed to carry the burro. The legendary Bart Yasso's hilarious account of his 10km burro race (in which the burro clearly thought it was only a 5k, as he ran like the wind for that distance and then stopped dead) had me in stitches.

Run and Juggle
Yep, some people are co-ordinated enough to race while juggling. Joggling (that's what it's called) world championships are held annually, and believe it or not, the record marathon time for a joggler is a stunning 2 hours 50.


Do It Blindfold
Think you trust your running partner? How about blindfolding yourself and letting them guide you around a course? The Vision 5K takes place each year in Boston and is also a chance for visually impaired runners to test their ability. This event appeals to me to to test the teamwork in our marriage and to show some support for my Mum who recently hit challenging 'speed bumps' with her own eyesight.


And if you're still looking for ways of making things more interesting, why not check out Muddy Buddy, Skirt Chasing, or the wine-soaked Marathon du Medoc?

Photo thanks: Western Pack Burro Association, International Jugglers Association, Vision 5K.