The third annual Itascamazing Race takes off at 1:00 p.m. on August 24th, and teams from all over the region are getting ready to race their way to first. As the kickoff approaches, here are the steps you can take to make sure you’re ready to race for the win.

1. Recruit your team: Gather a group of friends, family, or coworkers who you’d like to have fun with! Teams can include up to eight members of any age (teams with kids must include at least one adult). Choose your team wisely – you’ll want folks on your team who have abundant local knowledge and are unafraid to get goofy! Sign up as a group or use your invite link (generated once you’re registered) to welcome team members.

2. Create a team name: Your team name is how you’ll be identified on the race leaderboard – so choose something fun and unique! You also might choose to dress up as a team – and bonus points might be up for grabs for the best-costumed competitors.

3. Get a head start: The Head Start Challenge allows participants to get a leg up on the competition by doing something good for the community. When you sign up for the Race, you’ll get a unique fundraising page and tools to use to generate pledges from friends, family, and your social networks. 

Every time your team meets a fundraising threshold, you’ll get to shave another minute off of your finishing time. Additionally, the team that raises the most receives a wild card draw at the beginning of the race, which might contain free challenge points, an extra minute off of the finish time, or the ability to sabotage another team. Every second counts in The Itascamazing Race, and the Head Start Challenge begins the moment your team signs up – so register as soon as you can to allow the most time for raising support for your team!

4. Brush up on local trivia: The Itascamazing Race celebrates the region where we live, work, and play, and cryptic clues will lead you to notable locations, where you might take on a wacky physical challenge, solve a puzzle, or find the answer to a question. Your knowledge of the Itasca area might help you solve clues faster than other teams, giving you a competitive edge! 

5. Invite your cheerleading squad: Members of the public are welcome to join in the fun at the finish line! Extend an invite to your team’s supporters to visit the post-race rally at Rapids Brewing Co., where they’ll be able to watch as teams roll in and cheer you on in one final challenge. Spectators and supporters are welcome to stop by the brewery at any time before or during the race to get in on the action and support the community as we kick off United Way’s campaign season. 

Are you ready to have fun while supporting your community? Sign up for The Itascamazing Race at uwlakes.org/itasca-mazing. Still have questions? Visit the FAQ section or call 218-999-7570.