The first walking Human Race was held in Manhattan in June of 2001, in what seems like a world away. More than just two decades ago, it was a completely different time - before the events of September 11th, 2001, and before everyone had the internet in our pocket.
With that said, to prepare for our return to the city that never sleeps, here's the entirety of that race. Bear in mind some of these clues haven't exactly aged well.
Given the march of progress, I have re-graded the clue difficulties for 2025. Do remember for some of them you have to think as if you were in 2001. Good luck.
Highlight the dark gray bars to find the answers.
Clue 1 (level 1)
Your next clue is found where the first ghost was found in the movie Ghostbusters.
"I have plan... get 'er!"
New York City Public Library, main building.
Clue 2 (level 1)
384.5402 C
J 979.46 C
Radio City (Music Hall).
Clue 3 (level 1)
... of Hollywood
First emperor of Rome
Simpson's bus drive
Spaceball's "force"
F(redericks) A(ugustus) O(tto) Swartz
Clue 4 (level 3)
The answer: "Count the animal sculptures on the Delacorte Clock"
Clue 5 (level 3)
Frick House
Clue 6 (level 1 then, 5 now...)
(This clue doesn't exactly translate outside of the actual race. The header was a reference to the handout I give at the beginning of the race which enabled you to decode the numbers into letters. If you can get it without those rules (I guess technically you can) then you're already ready for the level 5s!!!)
24 57 7 13 49 54
38 1 128 61 12 3 125 10 33 54
7 14
56 95 171
90 8 5 157
Alice's Adventures in the Park
Clue 7 (level 1)
Find your next clue in a haystack,
Maybe if Van Halen's bassist has a brother named Marc he could help.
Cleopatra's Needle
Clue 8 (level 1)
Shakespeare Garden (Central Park)
Clue 9 (level 1)
American Museum of Natural History (encoded AMNH as well as the trivia)
Clue 10 (level 1)
(Clue 10 does not directly translate outside of the 2001 race. The thrust of it was the racers had to run around inside the answer to the previous clue and count up various things to get a number that would lead them to the next clue.)
Clue 11 (level 1)
wxy prs def prs prs mno def wxy oper abc
def def mno abc
The phone number 973-776-3902 x 3362
Clue 12 (level 1)
(actually heard above)
Strawberry Fields
Clue 13 (level 1)
Columbus Circle
Clue 14 (level 1)
Your next clue can found where "Lilith" is singing
in the fall.
The New York City Opera
Clue 15 (level 1)
Find the capitals to find the finish line!
Madison Square Garden