Gorilla Challenge Houston, Houston

The Gorilla Challenge’s name evokes its elusive staffers, who romp through the race area in gorilla suits; when a team hunts them down, the gorillas dole out special prizes. The race draws its true inspiration from the popular TV shows The Amazing Race and Fear Factor, fusing the mental challenge of a scavenger hunt with the physical challenge of running rather than just analyzing a fast-forwarding VHS tape of yourself walking. As they trek across the city, teams must decode about a dozen clues and power through physical obstacles.

Though the race brims with silliness, it does so with a dash of social consciousness. Certain clues draw racers’ attention to issues such as literacy, poverty, and environmental concerns, and every Gorilla Challenge benefits a local nonprofit, such as a food bank or a bank that doles out free money.