The "Fall in Love with Running" Challenge

Are you ready to Fall in Love with Running? Our in-person race calendar is looking pretty grim for the rest of the year so we have created this fun and engaging running/walking challenge to keep you active during the Fall months.  We've come up with 50 tasks (some easy, some challenging, some fun, some funny, some likely to sit outside of your comfort zone) and if you complete 35 of them you will earn this beautiful custom hand-made wooden medal:

The challenge will begin on October 15 and runs through November 30 and can be completed anywhere, you do not need to live in the Hartford area!  You will log each completed task into Run Signup and earn an awesome virtual custom badge for each "scavenger hunt like" task completed.  Complete 35 tasks to earn a beautifully designed hand-made custom medal.  Complete all 50 tasks and in addition to earning a medal, you will be entered to win 1 of five $100 Fleet Feet gift cards when 100+ people register for the challenge.  We will add in an additional five $100 Fleet Feet gift cards for every additional 100 people registered so if we get 200 participants, we will raffle off ten $100 gift cards among those who complete all 50 tasks.      

The cost to register is $35 until October 15; after that, the price increases to $45. Registration includes a custom gender specific long-sleeve technical baseball tee.  Shirts will be available for in-store pick-up beginning on November 1. 

Once you register, don't forget to request access to our official challenge Facebook group: Fall In Love With Running Challenge Facebook Group

You can also join our Strava group: Fall In Love With Running Challenge Strava Group

Tasks: 

Pet A Cat Badge - Pet a cat during a run
Bookworm Badge - Read a book about running
3 Rights Make A Run Badge- Do at least a 2 mile run/walk where you make at least 3 turns (all right hand turns)
150 Mile Badge- Run/walk a total of 150 miles over the 6-1/2 weeks of the challenge 
Eat Sleep Run Repeat Badge- Run/walk the same route 2 days in a row

Bridge Badge:  Do a run/walk of at least 1 mile that includes a bridge 
Streak Week Badge: Run or walk at least 1 mile a day for 7 days straight
Selfie Badge:  Take a "before" and "after" selfie of your run and upload it
ABCs Badge: Make the map of your run/walk spell out a word
Marathon Weekend Badge: Run 26.2 miles in 48 hours

Track Star Badge:  Complete a track workout (example: 6X400m with 400m recoveries) 
Support Local Badge: Stop for a post-run coffee at a local coffee shop or find another way to use your run to support a local business
Scenic View Badge: Complete a run/walk of at least 1 mile that has an amazing view
Early Bird Badge: Run or walk before sunrise (at least 1 mile) 
Write It Down Badge: Keep a running journal for 2 weeks. Make sure to log your miles, shoes, the weather, and how the run felt

Buddies Badge: Run (socially distant of course) with someone else who is doing the challenge
All Weather Runner Badge: Run in the rain (at least 1 mile)
Clowning Around Badge: Run or walk in a costume but not on Halloween (at least 1 mile)
Butt Blaster Badge: Complete a run/walk that includes stairs (at least a 1 mile run, at least 10 stairs) 
Hip Hip Hooray Badge: Take a jumping picture before or after a run

Man's Best Friend Badge: Run or walk with a dog (at least 1 mile) 
Tech Free Badge: Run or walk without a Garmin, GPS watch or any tracking device (apps etc); at least 30 minutes 
Loopy Badge: Run or walk a looped course (not an out & back) of at least 3 miles
Freaks Come Out At Night Badge: Run or walk after sunset (at least 1 mile) 
Climber Badge: Do a run/walk with an elevation gain of at least 500+ feet as measured by a GPS device 

Two A Day Badge: Complete 2 runs or walks in 1 day (1+ miles each)
Yogi Badge: Take a yoga class. Try  Yoga For Runners With Melody
Woke Up This Way Badge: Do a run/walk with your shirt on backwards (at least 1 mile)
Beat the Train Badge: Complete a run (of at least 2 miles) that includes crossing train tracks (safely) 
Mallrats Badge: Complete a run/walk of at least 2 miles in a mall parking lot 

25 x 3 Badge: Run or walk at least 25 miles per week for 3 weeks (they don't need to be consecutive weeks)
Traveler Badge: Run or walk in 2 different states in one workout (at least 1 mile)
Etch-A-Sketch Badge: Make the map of your run/walk into a fun picture (puppy faces, hearts, dinosaurs, etc.)
Musical Badge: Complete a run/walk of at least 1 mile carrying a musical instrument
Lollipop Badge: Run while eating a giant lollipop (at least 1 mile) 

Hiker Badge: Go on a hike (at least 2 miles)
Companion Badge: Run or walk with a stroller (at least 1 mile, kid optional)
Gas Price Badge: Run or walk the same distance as the price of gas that day; Photographic proof encouraged
Tis The Season Badge: Take a picture with Christmas decorations on a run/walk (at least 1 mile) 
Hit Your Stride Badge: Add strides onto the end of a run (info about strides can be found here What Are Strides?)

Show Off Badge: Share photographic proof of at least 5 of your milestone accomplishments in the group facebook page
Superhero Badge: Run or walk wearing a cape (at least 1 mile)
Leftie Badge: Do at least a 2 mile run/walk where you make at least 3 turns (all left hand turns)
Flamingo Badge: Take a picture with a lawn flamingo on a run/walk (at least 1 mile)
The (860) Badge: Take a picture with a mailbox, house # or sign with the numbers 860 on it during a run/walk (of at least 1 mile) 

Nature Lover Badge: Complete a trail run/walk of at least 2 miles
Trick-Or-Treat Badge: Take a picture with Halloween decorations on a run/walk (at least 1 mile) 
Donut Badge: Complete a run of at least 2 miles and eat a full donut midway through 
Rock and Roll Badge: Find a set of post-run stretches or foam roll routine and do it every day for 1 week
Toy Badge: Complete a run/walk of at least 1 mile while carrying a children's toy

The rules: 
* All tasks must be completed between 10/15-11/30, tasks completed outside of the challenge window will not count.  
* Running and walking counts 
* All tasks must be marked complete in Run Signup to count, no exceptions.  Detailed instructions on how to mark tasks as complete will be emailed prior to the start of the challenge.  Once you mark the task complete, you will earn the corresponding badge.    
* This challenge is basically the honor system but participants are highly encouraged to share photographs of their completed tasks in the Facebook group.  You can also upload photographs onto your Strava account however your account will need to be public for others in the group to see 
* While this is an individual challenge, you can complete some of the tasks in small groups however we ask that you respect the current guidelines in place regarding masks, social distancing and group meet-ups.  
* Not really a rule but if you register with an email address that you don't check, you will miss the communications that we send to you.  Please either register using a relevant email address or commit to checking posts in the Facebook group, thank you!  

*Once you register, please share the challenge on your Facebook page.  If 5 people register through your link, you will receive $15 of your registration fee back!