Chiditarod V

120 teams.

150 volunteers.

50 degrees & sunny.

One EPIC start to rule them all.

14,525 pounds of food collected.

Chiditarod V ran into historic glory on March 6, 2010.  120 teams and over 150 volunteers participated in the largest and most successful Chiditarod to date.  The effort and creative prowess of our participants was raised to new heights this year.  Art Carts, Grill Carts, Tanks, Cupcakes, Star Wars, Old People, Fire Engines, BaconRod, ChiditaBoot, and more.  The weather was a balmy, sunny 50 degrees.  The Environmental Encroachment magic circus band celebrated their 5th Chiditabirthday by kicking off the race with their signature flair.  The hallowed Chiditarod breakfast fed nearly 700 people - being completely cleaned out by the time racers hit the streets.  For those of you who won prizes, we offer our heartiest of congratulations! For those of you who didn't, we remind you once again that it is the journey, not the destination that matters...and also that the Chiditarod's judges are distinguished not so much by their excellent taste as by their sheer insanity and ability to hold onto a clipboard while inebriated.  Chiditarod is many things to many people.  Whether it be a food drive, race, fashion show, art parade, soapbox, barcrawl, charity, or some of the greatest improv streat theater ever, the Chiditarod Coreganizers salute all who partipated in manifesting Chiditarod V.  EPIC.

Food Drive & Fundraising

The sheer generosity humbles us.  Thank you, THANK YOU, for your heart-felt contributions towards helping Chicago's hungry.  Through our noble and generous participants, Chiditarod V raised 14,525 pounds of food for the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation.  Our preliminary reports indicated that the sheer volume of food - delivered in 2 trucks - overwhelmed their warehouse!!  We nearly doubled last year's food intake.  The tri-teamed Area 3 Allstars raised over 3 tons by themselves!

Chiditarod V also empowered teams to raise funds online for the Federation.  We are ecstatic to announce that over $2,400 was raised for the Federation by these participating teams:

• Action Squad
• Flying Circus
• Ron Burgundy and the Channel Four News Team
• Redeye/Metromix

What an incredible show of generosity.  Be proud of your accomplishments, knowing that your efforts will benefit hundreds of fellow Chicago citizens. 

Chiditarod is and always will be a charitable and sponsor-free event.  Various organizations throughout Chicago donated time, expertise, goods and goodwill to this year's Chiditarod and our chosen charity - The Chicago Anti-hunger federation.  We'd like to publically thank the following non-exhaustive list of organizations:

• The Green Grocer (food donations)
• Transamoeba Studios & Sew-Op.net (studio space and expert screenprinting assistance)
• TimCorp (silkscreens)
• Trader Joe's (food donations)
• Whole Foods (food donations)
• Strack & Van Til (food donations)
• The Chicago Police Department (professionalism, tact, and good humor)
• Pabst Blue Ribbon (kickass beer specials & ribbons)
• New Belgium Brewery (beer for volunteers)

A huge thank you to our 2010 checkpoints for graciously hosting the EPIC this year.  In the spirit of giving, our checkpoints have been asked to donate 15% of their Chiditarod profits directly to the Federation.  We will provide updates on that front soon.  In the meantime, next time you find yourself in one of these fine establishments, mention it to your bartenders!

• Phyllis' Musical Inn
• Bottom Lounge
• Empty Bottle
• Innertown Pub
• Happy Village
• Five Star Bar
• Mahoney's

Prizes

Coreganizer Honor Roll

With the increase in teams each year, it becomes more and more challenging to spot and recognize teams of greatness within a 6 hour timespan.  The miracle of the interwebs let's us relive Chiditarod through photo, video, and caption.  This year we're introducing some post-race recognition for those who went above and beyond, but perhaps didn't bask in the glory as deeply as they were meant to on race day.  We salute you.

• Sunday Drivers - Always in character, crowd pleasers, shaking hands with bystanders.
• Men with Large Hoses - The confetti canon!
• Christians for Haiti (aka TBD All Stars) - Just plain hilarious.
• Holy Rollers - for being so inappropriately appropriate, and for runningjayhawk's twitter pics.
• Svengoolie One - Incredibly fun, supurb execution, great theme, and for staying up all night making chicken.
• Warenkorb der Feurigen Tod - Grill Carts serving ample amounts of superbly delicous meat and roasted veggies throughout the entire race.
• The BaconRod - bacon... and more bacon!  Gifting over 30 pounds of delicious mouth-watering bacon to fellow Chiditarodders.
• Super G Spot & Team Vagazzle - The perfect combination.
• Flying Circus - a fanfreakingtastic job challenging Action Squad on direct donations!
• The Breen Flickinger Breakfast Clan - For the EPIC BREAKFAST of deliciousness.

2010 Official Prizes

We gave out about as many prizes in 2010 as there were teams in 2006 (wow).  Scroll way down if you're looking for timing.

Photography and Video

There is an enormous amount of photography and videography out there.  We've created a Chiditarod 2010 Photo and Video page linking to everything we've found thus far.  You can comment on that page with additional links to media you discover across the web.

Sabotage

If you were new to the race, welcome!  Hopefully your bruises and egos have healed by now and you'll consider joining us again.  You may have been surprised at the presence of covert ops, greasy palms, overt sabotage, and general sneakiness present at Chiditarod.  Chiditarod is many things to many people, including an opportunity to "do a good thing, but do it all wrong."  Creative sabotage is possible and likely during Chiditarod, and its one of the characteristics that makes this event so unique.  We've received thoughtful feedback from teams this year about sabotage and how it affects racer dynamics.  We are especially interested in hearing additional feedback on this area.  We will be considering this information carefully as we move forward.  We're planning on creating a couple how-to guides for next year, including "How not to be a douchebag at Chiditarod" and "Chiditarod for Noobs".  Both will become instant bestsellers.

Wall of Shame

All teams submitting cart deposit refund proof have received their cart deposit refunds as promised as of this point.  The Leave No Trace effort of Chiditarod 2010 was a major improvement over 2009.  Thank you!!  As is (unfortunately) customary, a few teams left their carts behind.  We've archived these noble souls on the 2010 Chiditarod Wall of Shame. 

Flags - a Big Deal

The Chiditarod Coreganizers are a small group of volunteers who expend countless amounts of time and energy preparing, executing, and wrapping (cleaning) up the Chiditarod.  We hold the event and its purpose in the highest regard.  We set the stage for racers to play a very large, exciting, dynamic game in Chicago, all for a very good and needed cause.  It is with sadness that we must share that Yet Another Chiditarod Flag was stolen from the race this year.  The perpetrators were creative in fashioning a ransom note and Polaroid pictures of the captive flag (which was very clever), demanding first place (i.e cash and a trophy) in exchange.  We deplore this heinous act!  Stealing from Chiditarod is of the highest insult and the ugliest display of poor form.  Coreganizers devote countless unpaid hours towards the Chiditarod, which continues to grow in complexity, size, and effort every year.  It is disappointing to know that we are thanked with theft.  As a racer planning sabotage, you might not know where to draw the line.  This is that line.  If you like/love Chiditarod, and want it to continue, please do what you can to ensure that whomever stole the flag in 2010 (and the one in 2009) will have the heart and conscience to return them to us unharmed.  No questions asked.  We're serious.

We Want Your Feedback

Please participate in our post-race survey, which will be sent out to all racers in the next week. Choose your favorite teams in our new people's choice poll, and tell us what you liked about the race and what you think we should work on for next year.  If you have immediate feedack to get off of your chest, please contact us now.

Timing

This is the full list of teams reporting in at the finish line.  If you note any weird spelling of your team name, just let us know and we'll repair it. If - for whatever reason - your team info is missing from the tally, let us know all the details and we'll add you.  Yes, we know that the computerized timing system had problems (again).  We have top men working on it.  TOP MEN.

Epic mushers, veteran and new.  We salute your bravery, ambition, utter disregard for the resonable, and HEART.  The results of the 2009 Chiditarod are in.  First and foremost, the food drive.  The Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation is the recipient of the food drive this year.  Thanks to your generosity and cunning, the 2009 Chiditarod raised 7,758 pounds of food for Chicago's hungry.   That's almost 4 Tonnes!

7,758 pounds!

Congratulations, Chiditaroders!

Our hats go off to the 83 teams of the 2008 Chiditarod!

We were blown away by the sheer numbers of participants this year, but even more by the creative spirit, athletic prowess, and delightfully bad behavior that you all brought to the streets of our fair city. Even as the weather turned from mild and sunny to sub-freezing in true Chicago style, almost 400 of you muscled through five checkpoints, three talent contests, and over four miles of asphalt tundra to celebrate with us at the finish line. We know that some of you endured duct-taped wheels, chafing spandex, Criscoed handles, and even had cinderblocks chained to your sleds. But despite these hardships, you mushed on, knowing that there was glory waiting for you at that last watering hole - and failing that, an adorable robot that you could pummel incessantly with snowballs.

For those of you who won prizes, we offer our heartiest of congratulations! For those of you who didn't, we remind you once again that it is the journey, not the destination that matters...and also that the Chiditarod's judges are distinguished not so much by their excellent taste as by their ability to hold onto a clipboard while inebriated.

If you were new to the race, you may have been surprised at the presence of covert ops, greasy palms, overt sabotage, and general sneakiness in this year's event. We try to place limits on this kind of illicit activity, but...this is Chicago after all. One team took these hijinks to a whole new level, precipitating a heated controversy that we are calling Chiditagate 2008.

Food Drive

The number of teams doubled again this year, but the amount of food gathered per team grew as well. There was so much we lacked the logistical capacity to weigh it all. We dispatched four vehicles - a 15 foot cargo van, an SUV, a station wagon, and a pickup truck - full to overflowing. We think it topped two metric tons. The food was donated to Onward Neighborhood House in the Ukrainian Village and through Burners without Borders to King of Glory church on Chicago's south side. Another glorious success!

We Want Your Feedback

Please participate in our post-race survey, which will be sent out to all racers in the next week. Choose your favorite teams in our new people's choice contest, and tell us what you liked about the race and what you think we should work on for next year.

Once again, the Chiditarod reigned supreme in size, scope, and difficulty. The temperature hovered in the high twenties for the entire race, as opposed to last year's warm, clear skies. 50% MORE teams participated. Two additional checkpoints were added, bringing the total to four. The race was just around 4.5 miles. Sabotage reared its sinister head on numberous occasions. Carts tipped, everyone went home with bruises and frostbite, and the overall response was overwhelmingly positive.

The turnout was spectacular. The race was intense. The beer was cold. The carts were FULL of food!