25 March 2011

Are You Batshit Crazy? AKA The Burning Man Ultramarathon



For those of you who don't know, I am the race director of the Burning ManUltramarathon. If you've ever wanted to try an ultra for the first time, this is def the place for it. The course is a loop course (5-6 miles, depending on what I measure when I get out there), fast and flat (though there is sand - be sure to wear gaiters!), which makes it logistically easy (1 drop bag, cram as much as you want in there, and do as many costume - yes, I said costume! - changes!). You might think a loop course is boring, but def not at Burning Man. I would say it was my funnest race in my entire life. You run past clubs, people in body paint, kissing booths, giant buses filled with enormous speakers and dancing crowds...You start at 5am when it's cold (Last year it was in the 40s!) and run as fast as you can before it gets hot and dusty.

Burning Man - you kind of have to go, it's hard to explain. It's changed my life more than anything else. Every time I leave, I have a new perspective on life. You might come back, quit your job, sell your house, move across the country to be with the person you met and fell in love with and start a video production company (as happened to someone I know). Burning Man is a week-long arts & musical festival in the middle of the desert. A city is built on the wide open desert (aka playa) with beautiful mountains in the distance. You buy a ticket and everything else is free. Free drinks. Free lessons on bondage. Free Bach & Brie. Free Furkini workshops. Free talks on how comets are formed. Free Madonnathons with pickle martinis. Free pancakes for breakfast. Naked people, half-naked people, beautiful costumes. Free drinks at the Librarian Cocktail Party (ahem...). It's amazing. It's beautiful. It's my favourite week of the year.

If you have any friends who go, please pass this on. We're seeking runners, and oh yeah, there's a 5k as well!  We're also seeking volunteers so this is the perfect time for your partner to shoot you with a watergun repeatedly for a couple of hours.

Facebook info for ultra

Race Website 


AID STATION!




after! 

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