While getting a head start on my New Year’s resolutions and eagerly trying to accomplish my ambiguous goal of entering more 5K races this year, I stumbled upon the website for the Great Urban Race. Entering before 2013 saved my team members and me about $15, so I spent my last minutes of New Year’s Eve counting down until the ball dropped and registering for the race in Tampa.
The race’s website describes it as a “wild urban adventure.” Upon completion of the race, I would wholeheartedly agree. Besides listing rules and alluding to the mentally and physically challenging nature of the race, the website did not clearly list the types of activities the participants would experience. There was not even a specified length of the course. The mileage would be based on the route the individual participants took to find and complete the challenges. Simply, the course would be open from 12 to 5 p.m., and teams would have to end at exactly 5 p.m. regardless if they had completed all the challenges or not. I got the feeling that I would just have to be prepared for anything.
Several days before the race, I got an email informing me of the location of the beginning of the race, Splitsville Lanes on Channelside Drive. The race packets would be distributed at 11 a.m. and the race would begin at noon. Prizes would be awarded for the best costumes, and the first, second and third place finishing teams would receive monetary prizes. My teammates and I decided that we wanted to be competitive without focusing so much on finishing quickly. We were all looking forward to whatever the race had to offer.
When we arrived at Splitsville on Saturday morning, we were very impressed by other teams’ costumes. There was a crew of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a man in a police uniform with teammates dressed as robbers, a group dressed as stereotypical tacky tourists and plenty of colorful wigs, capes and rainbow leggings. Possibly the most creative bunch I saw included a woman in a wedding dress with teammates dressed in bridesmaid dresses.
With just a few minutes remaining before noon, Great Urban Race workers passed out sealed envelopes in their orange, salmon and blue color scheme. A big countdown ensued. Afterward, contestants scurried to hidden corners to rip open the clues and strategize a course to follow for the rest of the day.
The clue sheet incorporated various mediums to convey the clues, including a number grid, a fill-in puzzle, a cryptogram, GPS coordinates and a minimalistic map. Additionally, several clues merely described the characteristics of the locations, so we had to search online and ask locals in an attempt to find the places hosting the challenges.
After solving the number grid, the clue instructed us to Tampa Upcycle, a craft materials boutique in Historic Ybor City. Our clue sheet stated that we needed a photo of “all teammates clearly visible holding your new four-legged friend as proof of clue completion.” We were under the impression that a dog would be waiting for us, but this clue proved most surprising. In fact, the “four-legged friend” was referring to a baby alligator!
We had a bit of trouble finding the location the clue sheet explained as “evolved through many uses, first as a furniture store, later an art gallery, carpet warehouse, hardware store, pawn shop,” and finally its current use as a bar and restaurant. We wandered into a bar, and the bartender directed us to Gaspar’s Grille. Possibly the most exciting and daunting challenge awaited us here: one teammate had to walk barefoot across a bed of hot coals. I volunteered to take the video as one of my braver teammates accomplished the challenge.
Upon solving the puzzles on our sheet, the clues led us to new and original locales. The challenges at each of the locales were well planned, too. Furthermore, we got to see captivating aspects of Tampa. We ended up having a fantastic day of exploration.
One of the most enjoyable aspects about working in a team atmosphere, aside from the obvious fun of being with friends, was that we all brought a different skill set to the race. We were able to capitalize on our strengths and finish the challenges in a timely manner. Also, as a freshman at the University of Tampa, the race really opened my eyes to unique culturally and historically significant areas of Tampa previously unknown to me. Perhaps I shouldn’t admit it, but I had not been to Ybor City until the Great Urban Race. I also saw the bustling Farmer’s Market. I instantly knew that I would like to return there in the near future to explore more of the area.
Though I initially thought $40 for registration was a bit pricey, it ended up being an invaluable investment. I had a day full of incredibly special experiences, learned more about Tampa, explored the city and received a really neat finisher’s medal. Moreover, I have wonderful memories from the event as well as plenty of new stories to tell my family and friends back home. It was truly money well spent.
Samantha Delle can be reached at samanthadelle@aol.com
I thought this article was very informative and it has inspired me to check out the Great Urban Race in my local town. Thanks for keeping us all informed about new opportunities and fun things to do.