What do you get when you put a bunch of costumed New Yorkers, a bunch of shopping carts and booze together? The most ridiculously entertaining race in the Big Apple, Idiotarod NYC, which returned for its 12th year on January 30, 2016. Inspired by the epic Alaskan Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the teams gathered at Seward Park in Chinatown then bolted down the streets of downtown New York City, across the Manhattan Bridge and into Brooklyn. Stopping off at three checkpoints, each of the teams, which included a band of Elvis impersonators, Power Rangers and a gang of Andy Warhols, were ready to outrun their opponents by any means necessary. (Yes, unlike other games, sabotages are allowed—from dousing others' carts with butter to spraying people with vinegar and squid sauce.)

We caught up with 11 runners and learned more about their plans for the day's race.

Justin, 30

NYC Neighborhood: Astoria
How many times have you done Idiotarod? I think this will be the fourth time.
Name of cart: This is the Chapel of Love.
What's the inspiration behind this year's cart? We wanted something that would be interactive. In the past, we went for something that would look really cool, but this time we thought, What's more interactive than getting people to get married? We'll be throwing bachelor parties and have people brawl over the flowers. We even have a bell we can ring. It'll be really fun.
Dream concept: I don't know. Honestly, it takes a while to come up with a good one. If only this were only 2020 and we had the hover boards, we would really come through. [Laughs]
Best Pre-race ritual: Coffee and bagels.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? At least 20 over the course of five hours.

Cowboy, 27

NYC Neighborhood: Oregon
Name of the cart: Covered Wagon
What's the inspiration behind this year's car? Your oxen have died while fording the river.
What would you have done to make this cart better? To make it all the way to the Gold Coast.
Best Pre-race ritual: Four wagon tongues and eight wheels.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? Well, Molly died of dysentery. So we're not trusting the water anymore.

Priya, 25

NYC Neighborhood: Fort Greene
How many times have you done Idiotarod? Two times.
Name of Cart: Derelicte.
What's the inspiration behind this year's car? It was really inspired by the streets. When you walk down 5th Avenue, you see the stores and the lights. But what we really wanted to capture was the gritty New York feeling, which was the trash. So our cart was inspired by the real people of New York.
So what's your concept for next year? Well, I've been really working on my look and how I want to represent myself. It's a secret.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? I think we'll have enough the moment we lose track.

Andy Warhol, 44

NYC Neighborhood: Soho
How many times have you done Idiotarod? Just as long as Warhol has been dead.
Name of Cart: Warholics Anonymous
What's the inspiration behind this year's car? Warhol
If you could do anything to the cart to make it better, what would that be? I think it's perfect. I'm happy.
Best Pre-race ritual: Listen to a lot of really good music.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? Hopefully as many as I can till I can't drink anymore.

Hanna, 26

NYC Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Name of the cart: Derelicte.
How many times have you done Idiotarod? This is our second year.
What's the inspiration behind this year's car? It's from Derelicte line from Mugatu, and we're the Slashies because we recently got into acting. But we started as models. And we're Slashies because now we're Derelicte's cart drivers. 
Best Pre-race ritual: We worked on the cart all night. We got a bunch of snacks because we knew we'd get exhausted and stuff. We got some chips and some other delicious goodies. Orange mocha frappuccinos.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? I don't know.

Janine, 28

NYC Neighborhood: Park Slope
How many times have you done Idiotarod?: This is my second.
Name of Cart: Chapel of Love
What's the inspiration behind this year's cart?: We all just really love each other and wanted to portray that through the Chapel of Love.
Dream concept: I would say my dream cart would be motorized, and I can ride on it instead of pushing it. A bed. My dream cart would be a bed.
Best Pre-race ritual: Morning meditation. I also ate a bagel.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? I have a higher tolerance so I'm going to say six or seven.

Paul, 24

NYC Neighborhood: Lawrenceville, NJ. I mean, I'm sorry I'm from Angel Grove, CA
How many times have you done Idiotarod? This would be my debut.
Name of Cart: Megazord
What's the inspiration behind this year's car? Because we each are an individual Power Ranger, but as a whole, we come together to become the Megazord.
Dream concept: An even better Megazord.
Best Pre-race ritual: Take a piss before I get into this costume.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? Too many to count.

James, 30

NYC Neighborhood: Currently I live out here on the East Coast, but I'm currently trying to move. Obviously.
Name of Cart: Wagon
What's the inspiration behind this year's car? Like our forefather hipsters before us, we are making the journey from Manhattan to the fertile grounds of Brooklyn with our covered bandwagon.
Dream concept: Our ox died while fording in the river. So we would have necromanced it out so we would have our undead oxen would be leading the cart right now and stay with us.
Best Pre-race ritual: We found a coat rack!
How many drinks do you plan to have today? I don't know this concept of counting.

Clara, 26

NYC Neighborhood: Flatbush
How many times have you done Idiotarod? This is my first one.
Name of Cart: We are the Bright Young Things, and that's the name of our cart, too.
What's the inspiration behind this year's car? Our inspiration is Prohibition, [art] deco, the Chrysler Building, and a great era in New York history where speakeasies and gunslingers run the walk.
Best Pre-race ritual: In the middle of the night, in a basement studio shop and swiggin' whiskey.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? None because it's illegal. We're not drinking in public.

Michael, 23

NYC Neighborhood: Lawrenceville, NJ
How many times have you done Idiotarod? Second Year.
Name of Cart: Megazord
What's the inspiration behind this year's car? We were sitting in Hooters one night, and we were thinking what better than a childhood fantasy and dress up as superheroes and kick some ass at a bar crawl.
Dream concept: We had ideas about doing a tank or Recess, the Disney cartoon, the Smrufs.
Best Pre-race ritual: We're going to take a shot of whatever we have in our cart and do our team pose.
How many drinks have you had already today? Definitely over 20.

Abby, 27

NYC Neighborhood: Crown Heights
How many times have you done Idiotarod? This is my first year.
Name of the Cart: Elvis Extravaganza
What's the inspiration behind this year's cart? I think it's easy to dress all of us as one unit. It's funny and recognizable. Everyone knows what the chapel is. It's fun. And there's a good number of us who have a big affinity to big hair. That was really the inspiration on my end.
Dream concept: I would a say a functional swimming pool, but in the winter, I don't think that would be good. But a functional hot tub! Yeah!
Best Pre-race ritual: Pre-gaming.
How many drinks do you plan to have today? I really want to stay focused. So I'm going to say four or five.