The GO Urban adventure race is a city-wide scavenger hunt loaded with physical and mental challenges. Here’s how it works: Teams are composed of two competitors, each team will be supplied with a total of 12 clues that will each lead to a GOpoint(location), for a total of 12 GOpoints. At each GOpoint each team will have to participate in a mental or physical challenge. The race starts at 12pm (noon) and will last a maximum of 5 hours (till 5pm). Most teams should finish within 3 1/2 -5 hours. Those who don’t are encouraged to return to the finish line for post race festivities. All clues and responses will be supplied and received via SMS text messaging, so you MUST have the ability to send and receive text messages on your phone, and we recommend ensuring it is fully charged on race day! At 12pm the race begins and each team will text a message supplied by GO Urban staff to a specified number (a short code for tech-types), you will then receive a welcome message along with 4 initial clues. (Please note every team will receive a different initial set of 4 clues to keep the race competitive and fun.) Each clue will supply a hint to where you have to go and will instruct you what to do upon arriving successfully at the GOpoint. You and your teammate will solve these 4 clues and strategize as to which GOpoint you will go to first. In order to solve clues you can use a web-enabled phone, phone a friend or family member, or even carry a laptop and find a hotspot. You can run, jog, walk, or take public transportation to reach your GOpoints. You cannot however, utilize a personal vehicle, take a taxi, ride a bike, or use rollerblades. (Since the SMS texting is in real-time we are able to keep track of where everyone is 
So no cheating!) Once you arrive at your first GOpoint you will be required to perform a mental challenge (ie. solve a riddle) or a physical challenge (ie. perform a short 3-4 minute workout). Upon completing the challenge you will be supplied with a specific code that you will text as a reply to the clue you received. If you text the right answer you will receive a congratulatory message and one additional clue. At this point you will again have 4 clues and you and your teammate will re-strategize and head to your next GOpoint. Once you have located all 12 GOpoints and successfully answered all 12 clues, you will race back to the finish line. Remember, this is a race and you will be racing against a clock so seconds count.
Upon returning from the race we will have free water and fruit as well as beverages and food available for purchase from local vendors. (We are working on providing organic beer and wine to enhance the awards ceremony (aka Lamp Lighting Ceremony). If we are successful we plan on providing each competitor with either a free glass of wine or a free mug of beer with more available for purchase. The awards ceremony will take place between 5-7pm and many local businesses will be present providing information and samples to all GO Urban competitors.
The entire race is based around providing healthy and sustainable options, so you will be interacting with some great local and national businesses and organizations who are providing healthy alternatives and who have incorporated sustainable business models. To add to the fun we will be holding a Soles4Souls shoe drive on race day and encourage all competitors to bring and donate any shoes they no longer need or want. We will also be providing bags to competitors for trash pick-up. One of our national partners, Atayne Performance Apparel, actively hosts “trash-runs” where people simply pick-up trash they see along their running routes. We thought this was a great idea, so we incorporated trash pick-up into all our GO Urban adventure races. It is completely optional but as with everything else we offer—-it pays to participate (hint, hint)!
