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Music

Running The EDM Marathon

All those nights you spent dancing until 6 AM have finally paid off.

Finally, electronic dance music is in the news for something other than overdoses and molly mayhem.

Despite what the mainstream media and some questionable politicians and nightclub owners would tell you (looking at you, Muzik), electronic dance music is not inherently unscrupulous or without morals. The dance music scene is more than just drugs, alcohol, and sex. Seriously, there is a bright and productive side to dance music. This probably sounds stupid to people who are actually, you know, fans of the music, but to everyone else who won't shut the hell up about the "evils of EDM," allow me to introduce you to a health conscious alternative to raving: EDM marathon running.

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EDM fans are used to sweating their asses off in the clubs and on the dance floor, but what about on the streets? More importantly, what about for a good cause? It looks like it's your lucky day, because all those nights you spent dancing until the sun came up are about to finally pay dividends. Can you say cardio? Maybe not those of you who chain-smoke Belmont's by the pack at every event, but I mean the rest of you.

Unlike your typical club or concert venue, the vast majority of EDM runs are open to people of all ages. The average EDM marathon is a 5K run or walk that incorporates great music with colorful and immersive environments (think Disney World meets EDC). We're talking about neon trees, laser light shows, and the entire visual splendor that one normally associates with a big-time festival, only with a racetrack in the middle of it all. To top it off, music is playing throughout the entire marathon and the lights and sounds get bigger and brighter the closer you get to the finish line.

For an EDM event, there is a marked absence of drugs and alcohol use (or abuse, depending on who you talk to). I don't know firsthand, but I assume that's because it's just not that fun to roll face or smash shots in the middle of a mini marathon. Forget kids ODing at all-age Avicii concerts and say hello to good exercise (and good press). Obviously, there are always going to be some people who feel the need to spice things up with some good old fashioned narcotics, but that's just life.

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It might sound crazy to many of you, but some of the biggest stars in EDM are also getting in on the action. Everyone's favorite: Mormonite, Kaskade, recently announced The Spark Run tour, a 5K run that culminates in a live performance from Kaskade himself. The first tour stop recently took place in Denver, and all the proceeds went to charity.

Kaskade recently spoke about the tour on his personal Tumblr: "This is an event that I'm really proud to be involved with. Connecting the music I love with an environment everyone is welcome in is an uncommon opportunity…Finding a way to combine two things that are both important to me, but more than that—actually FUN—is a treat. So when I had the opportunity to partner up with some friends and create The Spark Run, I was all in. Running? Check. Music? Check. No brainer."

Last year, Electric Run exploded in the US and attracted over 300,000 participants in Chicago, New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles, among others. Now, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Canada will all have their own Electric Runs. In Toronto, The Electro Dash 5K was held at Canada's Wonderland last year and donated a portion of the proceeds to the Canadian Cancer Society. This year, expect to see Electric Runs in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, and Toronto.

Some of you are probably reading this and saying, "There is no chance in hell that I'm getting up off my ass and running a marathon." Hey, that's your prerogative, but why not give it a shot? Worse comes to worst you just walk the 5K like the lazy shit that you are. The various runs are a far cry from Coachella, but at least it's something different.

For those interested, you can join the Electric Run newsletter to be notified of upcoming events here.