The Great Urban Race. Part Adventure, Party Party, All Fun.

The Great Urban Race is a wacky urban adventure. Teams of two solve twelve clues, have a wild city adventure and complete fun challenges while discovering the city in a fresh way during a fun day.

An exclusive $10 discount code is "gurfriend" for being part of the Great Urban Race. Register Now!.Remember to mention Meetup when checking out.

The Great Urban Race Chicago will start and finish at The Cubby Bear.

Packet Pick-up: 11:00am - 11:55am

Start Time: High Noon.

Directions & Parking: The Cubby Bear: 1059 West Addison St. Chicago, IL 60613.

For more information & Registration click here!

Have more questions? Check out their FAQs

What do I get?
1.A fun adventure!
2.T-shirt.
3.National Championship Qualifier medals (Top 25 teams).
4.Possible prizes:
1st Place - $300 and free Championship entry.
2nd Place - $150 and free Championship entry.
3rd – Free Championship entry.
4th-25th Place – National Championship qualifier.
Best Costume.
Funniest Pictures.
Top Family Division Team.
5.Post-race refreshments (fruit, water, etc.).
6.Chance at $10,000 in the National Championship.
7.Possible goodies, depending on your city.
8.Clue sheet.
9.Race number.
What should I wear?
Dress for the elements.
Dress for a day of running and/or walking.
Dress fun.
Teammates must wear matching uniforms during the race (provided GUR t-shirts qualify). This may include complimenting costumes such as Batman and Robin.

Most teams wear running shoes and many teams wear costumes.
The best costume wins a prize at every race, as judged by other participants at the awards.

How do we qualify for the National Championship?
Finish among the top 25 teams at your local race.

What's the Family Division?
The Family Division is reserved for families with one racer under the age of 18. Family teams are not required to be blood relatives.

The winning Family Division team will receive an award at each local race.
The Great Urban Race is difficult to complete and primarily designed for adults, so if there are young participants they may need assistance from an older team member. An eleven-year-old and his father did, however, finish 16th in the 2008 National Championship.

Teams in the Family Division may compete on two, three or four-person teams.
Should a team in the Family Division finish among the top 25 at a local race, they will qualify for the National Championship, but only two teammates may compete in the National Championship.

Can I participate with a group? Can I form alliances?
Absolutely. You must sign up as two-person teams, but feel free to buddy up with other teams if you’re looking to have fun with a group of friends.

What should I bring?
Required:
1.A fun attitude and a sense of humor!
2.Digital camera.
3.Identification.
4.Matching uniforms (provided race t-shirts qualify).
5.Ten dollars or more in cash.

Optional:
1.Cell phone.
2.Water / snacks.
3.Backpack.
4.GPS.
5.Maps.
6.Guidebooks.
7.Laptop.
8.Pen and paper.
Digital Camera?
This is a BYODC event - Bring Your Own Digital Camera. Teams must use it to take a picture to complete many of the clues.

We don’t have a digital camera?
Ask family and friends to borrow theirs – odds are, you know somebody who has one.

Can we use a camera phone?
Yes, as long as the GUR staff can clearly see the teammates at the checkpoints in the pictures.

I’m out of shape. Can I do this?
Teams should be able to complete the course. That said, if your team is trying to win you can expect to finish with wobbly knees and sweaty pits.

Do I have to know my city like a tour guide, or what?
No. Think on your feet and you’ll have a shot to win no matter. Several teams qualified for the 2008 National Championship in cities in which they didn’t live.

What’s the course? / Where do we go?
There’s no set course. Find your own way. The clues may be completed in any order.

Public transit?
You betcha! Expect it to be to your advantage to use public transportation at certain times during the race. This adds a fun strategic element to the race.

Can I take a taxi or catch a ride.
No. You may only travel on foot or use public transportation.

How long is the race?
The course is designed so the winners should finish in 1.5 - 3 hours, the majority in 3 - 4 hours, and the race course is shut down after five hours, but every city is unique.
The distance of the race depends on the route you take. Think six miles on your feet, maybe less, maybe more – it’s up to you and depends on the route you choose.

What if I can’t find a checkpoint?
Don’t give up! Keep looking, ask for help, or tell your phone-a-friend to get his/her act together.