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New race ‘Devil Takes the Hindmost’ to debut on June 27

Rocky 50K founder Rebecca Schaefer and local runner Wesley Celestino have teamed to bring you a very unique new running event. Devil Takes the Hindmost will take place on Saturday, June 27 starting at 11:30 a.m.

Are you getting a little bored with the average road race? Well, listen up!

Rocky 50K founder Rebecca Schaefer and local runner Wesley Celestino have teamed to bring you a very unique new running event.

Devil Takes the Hindmost will take place on Saturday, June 27 starting at 11:30 a.m at Temple University track, located at 1901 North 15th Street.

What in the world is that, you ask? Well the devil, as they say, is in the details. Schaefer explains:

Everyone starts together, but after a few laps, the slowest runners are taken off the track by the devil and they are done with their race. The first two laps are non-elimination laps. Starting at lap three, the last three runners to pass the start/finish line are eliminated. When there are 20 runners left, the last two runners to pass the start/finish line are eliminated. When there are 10 runners left, the last runner to pass the start/finish line is eliminated. The aim? Be the last person left on the track.

Schaefer and Celestino will play the part of the devil, eliminating the slowest runners throughout the race. There will be two heats; first males and then females.

How long the race lasts depends on how many people show up; the larger the field, the longer you run. Schaefer says the first 300 meters of the run is fairly casual, but the last 100 is an all-out sprint.

"This is a very strategic race, being fast helps but also having endurance is an important part of it," said Schaefer. "If you can hang on long enough, you could end up running a 5K or 10K."

How did they come up with this crazy idea? It actually goes back to Schaefer's high school track days growing up in Maryland:

"Every year we had this elimination meet where an opposing school's coach would dress up like the devil and chase us. I ran it my freshman year and totally chickened out; I couldn't keep up with the pace."

Then a few weeks ago, Schaefer was recalling the race to Celestino at the Penn Relays and they decided to bring it to Philly.

They are still in the midst of picking out a location but Schaefer promises it will take place at a track within city limits. She says the hardest part of planning was trying to find the best time to do the race.

"First, there was Broad Street Run, and then Philly 10K registration opened and we really wanted to make sure we had a good spot where this wasn't going to get drowned out by other races," Schaefer recalled.

So far, the response has been positive. The race was announced yesterday morning and already 50 people have signed up on Facebook.

"People are excited to try something they've never done," said Schaefer.

If you don't think this is a run you want to participate in, Schaefer encourages you to come as a spectator.

"We're also trying to pick a fun location to celebrate (read: beers) afterwards," said Schaefer. "This is about getting people together to enjoy a fun community fitness event."

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