We tried it: Philadelphia Runner's Urban Scramble
This week, we ventured over to Philadelphia Runner to join 100 other runners in a scavenger hunt-type run from Old City to Center City to collect raffle tickets for some awesome health and fitness prizes.
We tried it: Philadelphia Runner's Urban Scramble
I would like to consider myself a runner, but I’ll be realistic in saying that logging 3 miles on the treadmill 3 times a week is not exactly the definition of a true runner. So naturally, I passed on signing up for Broad Street – happy to have the excuse that I’d be working the big event instead of running it. But when I found Philadelphia Runner’s Urban Scramble online a few weeks ago, I was instantly intrigued – enough to convince my friend Ellen to join me!
This was definitely my kind of run, ya know, the fun run where you can make it is hard or as easy as you want it to be. So here’s the gist: You meet at Philadelphia Runner at 16th and Sansom where you’re given a list of 10 local businesses. You have 65 minutes to make it to all 10 businesses where you collect raffle tickets from friendly-faced employees (who probably think you’re a little nuts!) and then head over to the after party at a nearby bar. But here’s the clincher: if you don’t make it back to the after party in time, you can’t enter your raffle tickets – so you either have to run fast, or pick your stops carefully!
Thursday night’s scramble was Philly Runner’s longest and hardest to date – we went from Yogorino on 20th and Locust to Unite Fitness at 12th and Sansom to Café Ole near 3rd and Race, and 7 other stops in between. The course (see the full list below!) totaled about 4 miles if you hit all 10 spots – which Ellen and I did not, womp womp. We made it to 7 stops, not bad for two South Jersey girls that work in Philly– but, as we learned the hard way, still haven’t quite mastered the city grid!
Right as our hour was coming to an end, we sprinted (literally!) over to the after party at Tir Na Nog to rehydrate with water ... I mean beers. Then we spent the next half hour alongside a ton of excited runners checking our raffle tickets as Philly Runner gave away some awesome prizes from all the participating businesses. Rare brews and paired glasses from The Corner Foodery, a brand new pair of Nike Flyknit Lunar 1 kicks, you get the idea! I won a $25 gift card to Philly Runner and Ellen won a 5-class pack to Unite Fitness.
Oh yea, and did I mention the best part? It’s free! So let’s see – we got a fun workout, some good beer specials, and won cool prizes? I’d say we really made out on that deal! Needless to say, we’ll be back for the second scramble in April, hopefully a little wiser and a little more in shape to hit all the stops this time!
Join us at the next Urban Scramble on April 4th at 5:45 pm at Philadelphia Runner’s center city location on 1601 Sansom Street. For more information check out philadelphiarunner.com.
The full scramble went to these participating businesses: Art in the Age, Cafe Ole, Level 1, Pinot Wine Boutique, Jake's Sandwich Board, Unite Fitness, The Corner Foodery, Crumbs, Yogorino, Phila Massage, and Tir Na Nog.
can't people just run without all the nonsense?— main liner- Many people do. But that sounds like a lot of fun!!— rjw817
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