Fun Runs

Concrete Hero participants traverse one of three school buses at Carmaggedon, the fifth obstacle at the Concrete Hero race in downtown Los Angeles on July 14. The race benefited AIDS Project Los Angeles, an organization dedicated to helping people who are dealing with HIV and AIDS. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)

Aug. 2, 2013 3:05 PM PT

Concrete Hero describes itself as the “ultimate urban obstacle challenge,” in which runners must leap over parked cars in a “Carmageddon” section, scale a mock Hollywood sign and swing through tar pits in a 5K timed course. The organization works directly with AIDS Project Los Angeles to raise money.

“Jarritos,” a local lucha libre, carefully makes his way down a net-draped school bus at Carmaggedon at Concrete Hero in downtown Los Angeles. This was his second year of participating in the race. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)

Runners carefully make their way down the nets during the Concrete Hero run. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)

Jumping over dozens of junkyard cars, race participants make their way through the Carmaggedon obstacle. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)

Jarritos, the lucha libre, weaves through the tires at Rubber Canyon, one of nine obstacles. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)

Jarritos heads toward the finish line. Concrete Hero is one of a growing number of races that are more about fun than logging miles and shaving minutes off 5K times. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)

Alfredo Hernandez, center, celebrates with Miles Maxwell, Timothy Tristan and Robert Rumsey as their final teammate crosses the finish line at Concrete Hero. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)

Runners begin to celebrate before crossing the finish line while volunteers help participants down the final obstacle. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)

Supporters line the last few feet before the finish line to cheer on the obstacle course runners. (Spencer Bakalar / Los Angeles Times)