Philly Runners Can Get Their Sweat On at Upcoming Events

Who doesn’t love to run? Something about the combination of sweat, sore muscles, cold air stinging your face… okay, true confession time: I don’t actually love it. I run anyway, because it’s amazing exercise, but running and I are definitely on a “frenemy” basis. Whether you are a diehard, marathon-trainin’, heart-pumpin’ speed machine or a huffing, puffing masochist who likes a little gain with their pain (who, me?), you’ll enjoy this roundup of upcoming races, expos, and special events. Whether you run, walk, skip, jog, or zombie-stagger – it’s okay, keep reading – you’re sure to find something worthy of a pitstop.

Fun, fitness, fabulous: these events will get you moving.

The Great Urban Race rolls into Philly on April 26th. Part scavenger hunt, part run, part “Cranium,” and part “Amazing Race.” Teams of participants solve clues, undertake physical challenges, run, and hop public transport to get around town. In the tradition of the best races, runners can drink and party down afterwards at race headquarters, Finnegan’s Wake.

Are you a lone runner yearning for your tribe? Consider joining the spanking-new RUN215 group on Facebook, dedicated to running in Philly. Members can organize runs, share event info, and make new friends. Runners at every skill/experience level are welcome, so the couch potatoes (who, me?) need not feel left out.

If your solution to pounding rain/snow/sleet is to pound the pavement, you might want to gallop on over to this weekend’s Endurance Sports Expo at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. Cyclists, runners, and triathletes are equally welcome at this annual gathering of the blood-sweat-and-tears crowd, which combines education, product demos, trainer interactions, and a range of fascinating seminars. This year’s Expo, the 5th ever, is expected to draw over 200 venders! Tickets are cheap at $7 for one day or $10 for two days, so come out Saturday and/or Sunday.

Piggybacking on the combo-sports events is the news that Run the Vineyards 3.2.1 has added a second day to their July event. This one delivers a one-two punch of yoga and running, with the gorgeous scenery of Kutztown’s Blair Vineyards as a backdrop. There’s a wine-tasting event (…that one is so me) and an obstacle course as well.

Lastly, but not least-ly, Philly is getting its very own Zombie Run! If mere running isn’t scary enough, how does being chased by a flesh-ravenous horde of undead fiends sound? These mud runs are big in other cities, and it’s high time we had some post-apocalyptic fun of our own! Sign up to run for your (almost literal) life, or volunteer as a zombie. A bonus nighttime 5k has also been added, boasting “3.1 miles of fire, obstacles, smoke, mazes and zombie-infested darkness.” I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to make like a George Romero heroine!