Mass Transit Racers

Co-Founder Liam B-P is still planning a return to Mass Transit Racing, but he still has some unfinished business on the track.

Tonight, he's lucky enough to be racing Distance Night at the Pre Classic in Eugene. He'll toe the line in the National 1500 against some of the country's best milers.

This running club isn'€™t for the slow and steady. Meet the Mass Transit Racers, who outrun city subways, trains, buses, cabs and more.

----

Think MTR is just an NYC thing? Wrong.

We're taking over public transportation one city at a time. Last weekend, Pat was joined by Pat Horst, and they crushed the Bay Area's finest form of public tran: The Trolley. 

Those hills take the lactic acid to another level, but that's the way MTR likes it...if it wasn't easy we wouldn't be racing. 

Hopefully we'll hit up your city next, be sure to join us whenever we're racing. Follow us on twitter and instagram, @MTRnyc, for real-time updates and impromptu races. 

I was ready to press the publish button on this story when the terrible news began pouring in from the Boston Marathon. A story from Mass Transit Racers wasn't important anymore.

There is not much to say coming from MTRnyc, other than that we support and are thinking of Boston and the Boston Marathon more than ever.

I thought about never posting this story, but that would be a disservice to many of the great things that happened yesterday. Whether it was the courageous response of everyone who rushed in to the explosions to help those in need or the outstanding community of runners who continue to support the race and the sport. There were many amazing acts of kindness in the aftermath of the bombing. Even just last night I had the privilege of attending a vigil where we jogged a mile around the high school track in honor of the Boston Marathon. This group of runners we are a part of is a resilient group. And I look forward to continue running with them.

Looking for bright spots in grim moments is one of our greatest qualities. And Mass Transit Racers was proud to notice Dulce Felix on Monday as she raced Boston’s T Train.

We can’t wait to join Felix as a member of MTRboston sometime soon.

———

One chilly night in November 2004, a 1 Train halted to a screeching stop at 110th street in Morningside Heights. Just minutes prior, Jonah Rathbun, a freshman middle distance runner at Columbia University tightened his shoe laces and rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. A perfect mixture of his young naïveté and the cheap beer he consumed earlier gave Rathbun an irrational confidence: he was going to race the train from 110th to 116th street on foot.

The doors swooshed open and Rathbun shot out.

About 90 seconds later, he was the first person to race the New York City Subway and win.

One brisk morning in April 2013, a T train carried passengers towards Boston for the city’s Patriots’ Day festivities. Just moments before, Dulce Felix, a professional marathoner lengthened her gutsy lead over a formidable field in the 117th running of the Boston Marathon. A perfect mixture of courageous racing and serendipitous timing made Felix a hero to many: she was racing the T train along the streets of Boston.

A camera on the back of a motorcycle focussed on Felix with the T train blurred and out of focus behind her. They both charged on, Felix determined to keep the lead over both her competitors and the train.

Rathbun’s antics eventually led to the founding of Mass Transit Racers: a crew of runners all over New York City who run instead of using public transportation.

Felix’s race eventually saw her falter through the last 4 miles and fail to hold on for the win. If it’s any consolation (which we’re sure it’s not), she is the hero of many a Mass Transit Racer. She impressed the MTRnyc founders thoroughly.

On Wednesday night, Pat and Zach took raced the 4 Train across the Brooklyn Bridge. They won. 

Have you ever beaten public transportation? If so, Tweet or Instagram at us at @MTRnyc or let us know on here on Tumblr. Maybe you'll be featured like James is below. He took part in one of Mass Transit Racers' first #Rogue #Races...

It's only one hour into 2013. James is riding a subway with his friends who have just finished racing the Midnight Run in Central Park. They goad him on, as the 1 Train pulls away from 59th Street up to 66th. "You won't race the train," they say. "You don't have the balls."

He doesn't answer.

The breaks screech as the train slows before jolting to a stop. "Bing." The doors swoosh open and James bolts out of them, out of the station, and up to Broadway where he runs full speed ahead.

He doesn't know it then, but below him, his friends are yapping it up with the other riders on the train.

"Oh he'll beat it," says one friend looking straight at a guy who just murmured under his breath there's no way some dude can beat a subway. "We do this all the time," chimes in another as the train once again slows and creaks to a halt. The bing that signals the door opening sounds as they all shoot out of the train. 

Above ground James races ahead. He crosses 68th Street and speeds up. He crosses the intersection at 70th as Broadway starts to curve to the right some and looks up to see the 72nd Street station. He grinds on and just beats the light to cross 71st. 

As he pulls into the station he sees his friends have reached the top before him. 

The train beat him this time, it's won't beat him again. That's a guarantee. Rogue Race or official MTR event, James will be back.

Everyone can be part of Mass Transit Racers. Check back as we continue featuring MTR Rogue Races on masstransitracers.com.

#ROGUE #RACE comin at you tonight. We might be taking on the Brooklyn Bridge!

It doesn't have to be an MTR event for you to dominate the streets and prove your mettle over public transportation. Race on your own. Race with friends. Race any city, any time.

We've been receiving reports from Chicago, London, and all around NYC of rogue races. Be careful, but race those trains, taxis, trolleys, and busses.

What is Mass Transit Racers? 

Have you ever sprinted down subway stairs to catch a quickly approaching 1 train? Ever just missed the crosstown bus? Ever raced down the street in midtown to hail a speeding cab?

At MTR, we say, “To hell with public transportation, we’ll run all over this city and we’ll get there faster.”

That’s exactly what we do: we race the trains, busses, cabs, and any other form of mass transit in NYC. And we beat them all.

Everyone is a Mass Transit Racer. The concept of beating public transportation is easy, it’s the execution that’s the hard part:

Step 1: Find an opponent. This can be a cab, bus, or train. Have a race official get on that vessel.

Step 2: Set the start and finish line. You’ll be an MTR winner if you can beat the race official, who will stay in the vehicle to the finish line.

Step 3: Race. As soon as the cab, bus, or train gets going, you do too. Run as fast as you can because transit doesn’t sleep. Knowledge of the city, its streets and shortcuts is crucial.

Step 4: Win. If you beat the race official to the finish line, then you’re a winner. Celebrate and get ready to do it again. 

Beating mass transit isn’t always easy. Alright, fine - It’s tough as shit. But Mass Transit Racers doesn’t care about tough as shit. We defeat tough as shit.

So next time you pay over $100 for a monthly metro card, hit traffic on the crosstown, or get lost in a cab, just remember: we’ve already arrived on foot. And you could too.

We’re Mass Transit Racers, and we’re Public transportation’s worst nightmare. 

The subway is not enough. We have a bone to pick. CABS AIN'T GOT SHIT ON US.

Coming 3/14 

#meetMTR

Don't let the smile fool you. Mwangi is angry . Angry at the injustice of a cab fair, the nerve of a crosstown bus, the gall of the subway. Don't get on his bad side, you may find yourself challenged to a foot race. 

#meetMTR

Not many can break the sub 4 barrier. Only one likes racing trains afterward. 

#meetMTR 

Luke remembers when he used to spend $104 on a monthly metro card. Now he gets around for free. 

#masstransitracers

#meetMTR 

Paul, or "P-Cash", is an MTR All-Star. The silent assassin has let to lose. If there's a train, bus, or trolley to race... Paul will beat it. 

#meetMTR 

Think Mass Transit Racers is just for men? Don't tell that to Patricia, she's undefeated against the train, and doesn't plan to stop there. She's got cabs and busses to destroy as well.

#meetMTR

Dan was going to be late for work taking the bus, so he ran instead. He ended up getting there early. He's 2 for 2 at MTR events. It's a good bet he'll end up 3 for 3.