Unaffiliated Racing: A new style of running races

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjzvXHLFZxS/?taken-by=unaffiliatedracing

“No GPS watches, no Strava, all heart.”

That’s the moto for the Unaffiliated Races that have begun in Toronto’s High Park. Inspired by alley cat-style racing, Unaffiliated Racing has started hosting unsanctioned, underground-style races once a month. They release the route, date, and time on Instagram prior to the event. 

Their rules and regulations are as follows:

1. Hand in your GPS watch at the start of the race.
2. Drop your loonie in the bag.
3. Study the route.
4. Race on feel and strategy.
5. Someone might beat you, but make them bleed to do it.
6. No half-stepping, this is a pure guts race. 
7. The route is released the night before the event.
8. Race distance can be anywhere between one mile and six miles. 
9. Send you entry to unaffiliatedracing@gmail.com with “IN” in the subject line.
10. Entry lists are released before the race. 
11. Trash talk and side bets are encouraged. 

The event has occurred twice already this summer, and there’s another race scheduled for June 27th at 8:15 p.m. The buy in changes from race to race: sometime it’s money, other times beer, and occasionally it’s both. The pot is split between the male and female winners. 

Interested in trying your hand at feel-based running? Bring a couple friends to High Park Wednesday night and see who comes out on top.