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Crazy races that are fun to run —

Tired of running on the treadmill day after day? These crazy races make picking up the pace a lot more fun.

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The <a href="http://bostonurbaniditarod.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Boston Urban Iditarod</a> borrows its theme from the famous Alaskan sled dog race. Except in Boston, the dogs are humans and the sled is a shopping cart.

Crazy races that are fun to run —

The Boston Urban Iditarod borrows its theme from the famous Alaskan sled dog race. Except in Boston, the dogs are humans and the sled is a shopping cart.

Kateryna Odyntsova/Boston Urban Iditarod

Biscuitville Bowl —

Greensboro, North Carolina, is home to the Biscuitville Bowl's 7 Campus Scramble. The 5K race includes five Southern-breakfast themed obstacles -- the Sweet Tea Tumble, the Grit-Iron Tires, the Flour Shower, the Buttermilk Slip n' Slide and the Jelly Belly crawl.

The Color Run —

Nationwide, Color Run participants start out wearing white, but by the end of the 5K race they're covered head-to-toe in neon. At each kilometer runners pass through stations where volunteers throw colored dust -- yellow, blue, green, pink and purple -- onto the crowd.

The Color Run —

At the finish line runners gather to throw bags full of the colorful dust, which organizers swear is 100% natural and safe. Warning: You may be blowing rainbow kisses for weeks.

Rugged Maniac —

Yes, that's a guy leaping over fire. The nationwide Rugged Maniac 5K is for the more adventurous among us. It has more than 20 obstacles constructed by licensed contractors.

Rugged Maniac —

Who doesn't want to crawl through mud on their way to the finish line? Other obstacles for the Rugged Maniac include a 12-foot-high wall and a 50-foot water slide. At least the slide would be easy.

If this looks like fun, you can also check out your local Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder or Spartan Race.

Bare Buns Fun Run —

If it isn't obvious from the name, or the photo, the Bare Buns Fun Run is sponsored by a nudist group -- specifically the Fraternity Snoqualmie Family Nudist Park in Issaquah, Washington. Runners are welcome every July to participate with or without clothes, or simply ogle from the sidelines. After completing the 5K, participants can skinny-dip in the heated pool while waiting for the results.

Cupid's Undie Run —

Not quite ready to go bareback? Cupid's Undie Run aims to raise money for The Children's Tumor Foundation by having participants race about a mile in their underwear every Valentine's Day weekend.

Courtesy Children's Tumor Foundation

Krispy Kreme Challenge —

Ah, the Krispy Kreme Challenge -- one of the first races for binge-eating athletes. Now in it's ninth year, the challenge asks more than 7,000 runners to tackle 2.5 miles, eat one dozen doughnuts and then waddle back to the finish line at the North Carolina State University bell tower in Raleigh.

NYC Pizza Run —

Following in Krispy Kreme's heavy footsteps, the New York City Pizza Run held its first event in 2010. Runners complete a 2.25-mile run, inhaling three slices of pizza along the way. A portion of the race's proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Wife Carrying Championship —

Those looking for a shorter race might be interested in the Wife Carrying Championship held at the Sunday River ski resort in Maine during Fall Festival Weekend. The 278-yard dash is usually won by a couple using the "Estonian carry," seen here.

Wife Carrying Championship —

For the record, teams in the Wife Carrying Championship don't have to be married -- they simply have to have one female and one male, and the male is more than welcome to be on top.

Ultimate Mud Run —

The Ultimate Mud Run, NIGHT OPS series has 25 obstacles inspired by the U.S. military. Each obstacle glows neon in the dark via blacklights and the paths along the 7-mile course are illuminated with tiki torches and glow sticks. We're going to go ahead and say the race's tag line -- "Fear is your only obstacle" -- is a bit of an overstatement.

Run for Your Lives —

If you're the type of person who only runs when being chased, Run for Your Lives is your race. Volunteers dressed as zombies along the 5K course try to steal flags from your belt. If you make it to the end with at least one flag, you're alive and eligible for prizes. If not, revel with the undead.

Run for Your Lives —

Oh, did we mention there would be mud and obstacles along the way? It is the apocalypse after all.

Santa Speedo Run —

If you think you'll need more time to train, sign up for Atlanta's annual Santa Speedo Run in December. Participants don red speedos (or bikinis) and Santa hats to traverse the 1.5 mile course. Sure it's a bit chilly, but it's worth it to raise money for a worthwhile charity.

Courtesy Geoff Johnson/Santa Speedo Run

Crazy races that are fun to run

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Running is one of the most efficient ways to blast fat and burn calories

Do 20 to 30 minutes, four days a week to see significant improvements

For beginners, by week 8 you should be running without any walking

Follow the training plans below to up your speed and endurance

Health.com —

Running just might be the most convenient workout going. You don’t need to be a skilled athlete, and there’s no fancy equipment involved; just lace up your sneaks and go.

It’s also one of the most efficient ways to blast fat and burn calories – about 600 an hour.

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Your guide to running at any level

Crazy races that are fun to run

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