The Cinciditarod is a wacky shopping cart race through the city. It's named in tribute to the Alaskan Iditarod - a brutal 1,100-mile dog-sledding race - but instead of dogs, it's people; instead of sleds, it's shopping carts; and instead of Alaska, it's Cincinnati. The race starts on Fountain Square on Saturday, March 1 – the same day as the real Iditarod. And yes, we stole the idea from similar races in San Francisco, Portland, New York, and Chicago.

Special thanks to Cinciditarod sponsor Jack Rouse Associates.

Watch the 2008 video:

The race begins and ends on Fountain Square. While physically attached to their grocery carts, teams of five people push through a nearly five-mile course through the city, picking up items on a grocery list and stopping at three mandatory checkpoints. Grocery items benefit Cincinnati’s FreestoreFoodbank, and a challenge awaits team members at each checkpoint. Course details and grocery lists are not revealed until the day of the race, but typical challenges include performing for judges and consuming food and drink.

Congratulations to this year's winners, and thanks to all 18 teams that participated!

First place: Team Destiny
Second place: Chick Magnets
Third place: The Baums
Best Cart & Costume: The Dreaded Pirate Rangers
Best Performance: Team Oz
Best Glamour Shot: Run Fat Boy Run
Best Sabotage: Four Bucks and a Doe

And the goofball prizes went to...
Best Reversal: Dirty Ernie and the Skirts (Maggie B. got to taste the milk twice! Urgh!)
Best Video Game Theme: Pac Man Fever!
Best Cartoon Theme: Mystery Inc. (Scooby Doo, Where Are You?)
Best Sexually Perverted Theme: Dirty Ernie and the Skirts
Best Worst Team: Run Fat Boy Run (for coming in last)
Best Injury: The Dreaded Pirate Rangers (took a hit as the mast of their pirate ship caught on the pennant flags at the finish)

Eighteen teams participated in the race, resulting in the collection of $450 worth of food for the FreestoreFoodbank. Thanks to all our fans, volunteers, prize donors, and especially the event sponsor, Jack Rouse Associates.

Local TV news coverage for the event totaled $5,888 in media value. The Cinciditarod appeared in stories on:
Channel 5 on Saturday at 6 & 11 p.m. and Sunday at 6:30 a.m.
Channel 12 on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at 11 p.m.
Channel 19 on Saturday at 10 p.m.
My64 on Saturday at 10 p.m.

Article and photo in Sunday's Enquirer

Registration for the 2009 Cinciditarod will open in February 2009. Start preparing now!

Mush on!