The Pirate Run, Milford Township

On August 17, Kensington Metropark will play host to a horde of salty dogs competing in The Pirate Run. A nautically-themed obstacle course, the event invites competitors to don kerchiefs, corsets, and eye patches and compete under the banner of the Jolly Roger. The race features five kilometers of pirate-worthy challenges such as the Abandon Ship wall-climb, the frisbee-focused Gold Doubloon Toss, and the Defeat Jack Sparrow pirate shooting gallery, where they can take down buccaneers and ne'er-do-wells with tennis balls and Victorian insults. And the obligatory plank-walking obstacle adds a few twists to the classic scenario by requiring the cooperation of teammates, or at least a recently conscripted crew, to overcome it.

At the finish line, organizers hand out best-dressed prizes to pirates and wenches, as well as an award for most creative team name. Awards are doled out at the after party, which features live music, a Talk Like a Pirate Contest, and beverages over which runners can recount the harrowing tales of their race.