Urban Challenge comes to Boston this weekend. I regret to say that I am not participating in this update of the scavenger hunt, but a co-worker is. Her husband got to go to Las Vegas last year for the Finals as part of a support team, and he convinced her that this year she should play too.

What is Urban Challenge? A bunch of weirdos (nice people, those weirdos...) in teams of two run around a city taking pictures to prove that they've spent the day running around the city. Or, by the official word:

" The object of Urban Challenge is to visit twelve checkpoints in correct order and return to event headquarters. The first team back wins. The only allowed methods of travel are by foot or local public transportation — city bus, ferry, train, or trolley. [...] Urban Challenge is about using your mind, body, and spirit to complete the course as quickly as possible. "

There are riddles and clues, puzzles and teasers, profit and loss. The teams of two do a lot of running, but they can have support in the form of someone sitting by an internet connection and an encyclopedia to help them through the brain work. It gets wicked serious for the folks trying to get to New Orleans (site of this years' Finals). My co-worker, however, is simply looking forward to running around Boston for an afternoon. I would have thought she got enough of that during the Marathon, but then I guess that was proof enough that she's a weirdo.