Fleet Feet Poughkeepsie's "Spring Into Running" Challenge

If you are looking for a way to stay accountable as we head into the warmer months, then this challenge is for you!  We've come up with 50 tasks centered around running or walking (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 a beautiful custom-designed race medal.  Please read through everything carefully before registering to avoid confusion, disappointment etc.  

The challenge will begin on 4/1 and "runs" through 5/31 and can be completed anywhere, you do not need to live in the Hudson Valley!  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 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.  For every 100 participants registered, we will add in an additional five $100 Fleet Feet gift cards.  So if we get 200 participants, we will raffle off ten $100 gift cards among those who complete all 50 tasks, fifteen for 300 participants, twenty for 400 participants, etc.      

The cost to register is $30 on day 1 (with no tasks revealed) but will increase $1 each day starting on 3/22 as we release 5 tasks/badges each day until we hit $40 and all 50 tasks are revealed.  The price to register after the challenge begins on 4/1 will be $45, registration will close on Sunday 4/10.  

SWAG: Participants will receive a custom gender-specific tank or t-shirt with their entry fee.  All shirts will be available for pickup (or to ship, if selected) starting on Monday 4/18.  For those who select shipping ($7 fee), we are going to mail the shirts at the beginning of the challenge this year (the week of 4/18) and medals at the end of the challenge (if earned).  Medals will be available on or around June 1 (additional communication to follow).  Images of all shirts can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this page.  The shirts run very true to size and there really isn't any need to size up.  The image of the medal will be released shortly as soon as it is ready, but you already know that it will be amazing!  

You can expect to receive your first communication from us on Wednesday, March 30th (or within 48 hours of registering if registering after 3/30) with the specifics on how to log your tasks into Run Signup, additional info on sharing in the Facebook group, details on the local pickup, and more.  Please be patient and wait for this email.  There is really nothing you can do before 4/1 anyway, other than map out your plan of attack.  If you don't check your email or register with an email that you don't regularly check, you will miss important communications about the challenge.  Important communications will also be posted in our private Facebook group, which can be found here.  Please request to join once you are registered.  

Please note that we have discovered an issue with Hotmail where they are blocking our emails from info@fleetfeetpoughkeepsie.com. 
If you have a Hotmail account, you can follow the below steps to receive our pre-race emails (or you should associate a different email address with your RSU account): 
- Log into the WEB version of Hotmail (won't work on the app) 
- Click on "Settings" then "Mail" then "Junkman" to view the safe and blocked lists 
- Add info@fleetfeetpoughkeepsie.com and the domain @fleetfeetpoughkeepsie to the safe sender list 

Tasks (Will be revealed 5 at a time starting on Tuesday 3/22):
If you are registering before all tasks are revealed, you should be aware that nearly all of the tasks should be accessible everyone regardless of running or walking experience.  Some are definitely challenging and will require some effort, thinking, planning and creativity, but there isn't anything that is extremely physically challenging such as scaling a rock wall etc.  With that said, we believe that every single person who registers can absolutely complete at least 35 tasks.  Getting all 50 tasks will definitely be more difficult but that is exactly why it is called a challenge! Task/badge examples that are from our previous challenges include:  Pet a cat during a run, read a book about running, walk/run the same route 2 days in a row and do a walk/run of at least 1 mile that includes a bridge. These won't be making a reappearance but should give you a general idea of what to expect.  

Important Note:  If you sign up in advance of seeing all of the tasks/ badges you are taking a risk that you may not like or want to complete every single one of them.  If you have the mentality that you MUST complete all 50, you should probably wait until all 50 are revealed before committing so that you can make 100% sure that you are comfortable with each and every single task.  To keep the challenge fair and fun for all participants, we won't be offering any badge alternatives!  

Day 1 (3/22) Task/Badge Reveal: 
AROUND THE WORLD BADGE: Complete a run/walk that passes restaurants featuring cuisines from 3 different countries 
BACKTRACK BADGE: Complete a route used during the challenge but going in the opposite direction 
BALLERINA BADGE: Complete an outdoor run/walk wearing a tutu, take a picture 
BAZOOKA BADGE: Complete a run/walk chewing gum 
BORING BADGE: Complete a run/walk wearing only one color 

Day 2 (3/23) Task/Badge Reveal: 
BREW CREW BADGE: Run/walk past a brewery (beer optional) 
CHEF BOYARDEE BADGE: Complete an outdoor run/walk carrying a kitchen cooking utensil 
CHOO CHOO BADGE: Run/walk past a train station or train tracks 
CLOWNING AROUND BADGE: Complete an outdoor run/walk wearing a bow tie and a red nose 
DONUT STOP RUNNING BADGE: Run/walk past a donut shop (eating donuts is optional, but highly encouraged) 

Day 3 (3/24) Task/Badge Reveal:
DOUBLE TIME BADGE: Complete the exact same outdoor running/walking route 2 times during the challenge 
DRIVER'S ED BADGE: Take a picture during a run/walk that includes a "Do Not Enter" or "Wrong Way" sign 
EARTH DAY EVERY DAY BADGE: Pick up trash before, after or during an outdoor run/walk
EGGSTATIC BADGE: Complete a run/walk carrying a raw egg in each hand without breaking them 
EXITING NEW YORK BADGE: Take a picture with a "for sale" sign during a run/walk

Day 4 (3/25) Task/Badge Reveal:
GARBAGE PAIL KID BADGE: Run/walk by at least 5 garbage cans during a single activity
GAZEBO BADGE: Take a picture in a gazebo during a run/walk
GET INKED BADGE: Run/walk by a tattoo parlor (tattoos are optional)
GET LEI'D BADGE: Run/walk outdoors wearing a Hawaiin Lei, take a picture
GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT BADGE: Find a hill and complete at least a mile of hill repeats running or walking

Day 5 (3/26) Task/Badge Reveal: 
GREEN THUMB BADGE: Take a picture of a flowering tree on a run/walk 
HIGHER EDUCATION BADGE: Run/walk by or through a college or university
HIPPITY HOP BADGE: Take a picture running or walking by an inflatable Easter Bunny
HOLE IN ONE BADGE: Run/walk past or through a golf course
HOOPS BADGE: Run/walk past a basketball court

Day 6 (3/27) Task/Badge Reveal: 
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BADGE: Run/walk past a firehouse
JAVA BADGE: Run/walk past a coffee shop
LIFE GUARD BADGE: Run/walk by a swimming pool
MALL RATS BADGE: Run/walk past or around a shopping center
NATIONAL PET DAY BADGE: Take a picture of someone's pet during a walk/run on Monday 4/11

Day 7 (3/28) Task/Badge Reveal: 
NATIONAL WALKING DAY BADGE: Go for a walk of at least 1 mile on Wednesday 4/6
NEW ADDITION BADGE: Run/walk by any new construction
NEW WHIP BADGE: Run/walk by a car dealer
NO MORE GAS BADGE: Take a picture with an electric car charger during a run/walk
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST BADGE: Take a picture of a birdhouse on a run/walk 

Day 8 (3/29) Task/Badge Reveal: 
SLEEPY TIME BADGE: Complete an outdoor run/walk wearing pajamas
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE BADGE: Run/walk past a diner
SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN HERE BADGE: Take a picture of a far away license plate during a run/walk 
SPECIAL DELIVERY BADGE: Take a picture of a mail truck during a run/walk
SPREADING KINDNESS BADGE: Give someone a compliment during a run/walk

Day 9 (3/30) Task/Badge Reveal: 
SPRING FLOWERS BADGE: Run/walk by and take a picture of beautiful Spring flowers
SPRING SHOWERS BADGE: Complete an outdoor run/walk in the rain
STEVE URKEL BADGE: Complete a run/walk wearing suspenders, take a picture
SWINGER BADGE: Stop and swing on a swing during a run/walk 
TRACK ATTACK BADGE: Complete a run/walk around a running track

Day 10 (3/31) Task/Badge Reveal: 
TRANQUILITY BADGE: Complete a run/walk without any music/media etc. 
WHAT YEAR IS IT BADGE: Run/walk a total of 202.2 (or more) miles during the challenge
WISTERIA LANE BADGE: Run/walk past a white picket fence
WORK HARD FOR THE MONEY BADGE: Run/walk past a bank
X MARKS THE SQUARE BADGE: Complete a run/walk where the course is the shape of a square or rectangle

The rules (please read everything before registering): 
* All tasks must be completed between 4/1-5/31, tasks completed outside of the challenge window will not count.  You can't start early!
* Running and walking counts
* All tasks should be completed during a run or walk of at least 1 mile.  
* NEW RULE:  While you CAN complete multiple badges during a single run or walk, you will need to do a mile for each badge you are marking off.  So if you are marking off 3 badges, your run/walk will need to be at least 3 miles.  
* All tasks must be marked complete in Run Signup to count, there are absolutely 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.  We will have a specific post for each task/badge.  It's a lot of fun to see how other participants are tackling the challenge!  
* PLEASE register with an email address that you regularly check, not your old account with 150,000 unread messages that you haven't looked at since 2006.  We communicate with participants via email and the Facebook group and you will miss important communications if you aren't checking either.  Please also see above note about hotmail emails.  

Once you register, please share the challenge on your Facebook page.  Our challenges are way more fun when done with friends! If 5 people register through your link, you will receive $15 of your registration fee back.