The Oatmeal comic writer to host new trail race

New York Times bestselling author and comic of the website The Oatmeal, Matt Inman, is organizing a new fall trail race, Beat the Blerch, outside Seattle, Wash.

The event will comprise of a 10K, half-marathon and marathon along the Snoqualmie valley trail and all three routes will be out and back style courses. Inman encourages runners to wear costumes to the event.

The Beat The Blerch race title is a reference to one of Inman’s popular comics about why he started running.

Inmn, who has been running for over a decade himself, and sometimes writes about his experience balancing running with his lifestyle, is hosting the event on September 21, the same day as his new book, The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances, is to be released. He will be signing copies for part of the day and his other titles will also be for sale.

Inman began running to lose weight and get in shape, but he takes a humorous and lighthearted approach to his fitness and will bring that to the event with him. The website claims there will be cake and Nutella for snacks along the course with the water stations.

Although a lot about the event may seem like a joke, Inman seems intent on putting together a good race. He has hired two professional race directors to help with organization and the race will be chip-timed.

The race will be capped at 2,000 runners, but Inman has suggested he intends to expand to race to the East Coast as well if turnout is high.

Cost for the event will be $50 for the 10K, $75 for the half-marathon and $100 for the marathon. Registration opens March 24 at 9:00 PST.