The EpicMan Goes. All. The. Way.

Life isn't a spectator sport.

But sometimes it is.

Like when two guys decide to kayak and bike 163 miles from Portland to Hopkinton, Mass and then run a little Boston Marathon with all that extra energy.

That's the very, very simple gist of the EpicMan. We talked a bit about the premise a few weeks ago.

As much as some of us appreciate participation - and as much as we all like to join in, take part, experience weirdness first hand, this isn't one of those times.

During EpicMan, there's no "I wanna get in on that." Instead we less-motivated (and perhaps less insane) folks say, "Man, that's a shipload of crazy. But hey, I'll still hang out at the bar and watch."

So that's what we did at Ri Ra yesterday, as the two EpicMen Will Thomas and Seth Bradbury launched their 24-hour journey. The guys kayaked from Peaks Island to Portland - and were welcomed by a bar-full of supporters at their first pit stop.

[Cara Slifka photos]

While we waited, we gambled on their split time. I decided a solid hour (bringing them in at 4:00 pm) would allow for solid paddling with a few pauses to appreciate the fine weather and the not-so-awful view.

I underestimated the duo, as they arrived smiling and no worse for the wear at 3:52 pm.

Two good-guessing people won prizes that included Red Sox tickets and Urban Epic entries. Turns out one was a friend, the other was my landlord. Weird. Proceeds from the raffle also went to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Southern Maine.

It wasn't long before Seth and Will bellied up to the bar to join in the best of gluttonous weekend activities: beering.

The gentlemen hung out for a while, posed for some photos and then readied for the bike ride south by swapping wet suits for really tight shorts.

We cheered them off onto the next leg of their journey (pit stop at the Portsmouth Brewery) and congratulated ourselves for being such supportive lushes.

As I write this at 9:51 am, the guys are without sleep and headed to the starting line of the Boston Marathon (the implication being that yes, they are still alive and functional).

Follow the updates on twitter/theepicman or The EpicMan blog.

See who wasn't ashamed to drink on a Sunday afternoon in support of EpicMan

163 miles isn't lunatic. It's EpicMan

Levels of insanity can be judged in miles.

For example, consider five miles the average distance the average human would choose to propel himself via sheer physical activity. A friend might say, "I biked five miles today," and you'd say "That's swell. Where are we going for lunch?"

If same friend said, "I ran 26.2 miles this morning," you'd probably exclaim praises for the noble accomplishment, nod in an impressed manner for a few hours and then begin formulating excuses in your head as to why you never ran no stinkin' 26.2 miles.

Should a friend claim he'd run, biked and swam 140.6 miles (just a little Ironman, people) you might press your eyes wide with shock, smile awkwardly and start peeking in said friend's medicine cabinet for an unfilled psychotropic medication.

But when numbers like 163 start flying around...well, then you run for the hills (er, jog for the hills - you're no crazy person).

But 163 miles is exactly what Will Thomas and Seth Bradbury plan to trek during the upcoming EpicMan adventure. The planned journey launches via kayak from Peaks Island at 2 pm on Sunday, April 19th. From Portland they'll bike overnight all the way to Boston and with the surplus energy the duo will run the Boston Marathon on April 20.

Yup. Full-blown insanity. The lock-up kind.

It's not without purpose, though. The EpicMan represents the birth of the 2009 Zone Urban Epic season.

And it's not without a little merriment mixed in either. Along the 163-mile journey, Will and Seth will be stopping in to celebrate with we sloths in Portland (at Ri-Ra), Portsmouth (Portsmouth Brewery) and after the marathon in Boston (Rattlesnake Bar & Grill, just two blocks beyond the finish line).

Even better, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Southern Maine benefits from the endeavor. At each pubstop, the folks from Tri-Maine will be on hand pushing raffles and consumption. And as my Tri-Maine "insider" says, "The more party goers the more cashola." The raffles will be based on Will and Seth's arrival time at each stop. And prizes include pairs of Red Sox tickets and cash toward bar tabs.

In preparation, all we spectators and supporters need to do is mark our calendars (that's April 19 & 20).

For Tri-Mainer Will Thomas and self-proclaimed everyman Seth Bradbury, some additional effort is required.

But never fear, folks. These fellows are hot on the training circuit, complete with the stationary gold stallion known as the Sunspirit.

[Photo from the EpicMan blog]

How'd this all come to fruition? The stories are conflicting, but according to Will it had something to do with a gentleman's bet, one-upmanship and a guy in an inappropriately small t-shirt.

Follow the training and the madness on the EpicMan blog: theepicmancometh.blogspot.com or on Twitter: twitter.com/TheEpicMan

Then get yourself out to one (or all) of the stops and show some support (no running involved).