Going Loppy Over the 465 Challenge

I received entry into the 465 Challenge as a part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews. 

This year I participated in a new Virtual Challenge designed to kick of the New Year right and get people moving, the 465 Challenge. Basically how it worked is you commit to run, walk, swim, bike, skip, crawl, whatever... for 53 miles between Jan. 1 and Feb. 29. And since it is a virtual challenge, you have the convenience of completing it anytime, anywhere! Why 53? It represents the 53 miles that make up the I-465 loop that circles Indianapolis, IN. 

The cool thing about this Virtual Race Challenge, was that it was kind of a like a Choose Your Own Adventure sort of Virtual. Don't want to run all the miles, walk some. Bike some. Ski some. Heck, swim some! As long as you are moving and can track the distance, it was all good. For me, it meant all of my miles were running miles, but for others, whatever they want. Mix and match, just get out there and get it done! I totally appreciated the uniqueness of the Challenge which opened it up to more than just runners. 

Additionally, there were some Mod Ups if you wanted to challenge yourself even more. There was special recognition for those who completed all 53 miles within a 24 hour period and recognition for those who completed multiple loops, aka Looper Club members. Since I focused all my miles as running miles, doing 53 in 24 hours wasn't something I really wanted to try, I focused on how many loops I could complete withing the 2 months. I was able to complete 6 Loops!! I finished out my 6th Loop (or 318 miles) the day before the Challenge ended. With a few more miles on the final day, I logged 323 running miles for the Challenge time frame. 

So what did you get when you completed the challenge? Well, there were two registration options, Basic and Premium. If you know anything about me, you know I love me some good swag, so I went for the Premium. Here's what each included:

PREMIUM

• 465 Challenger Super Soft Finisher Shirt
• 465 Race Car Slider Finisher Medal*
• Super Cool Bumper Sticker
• Training Program
• Motivational Emails
• Virtual Bib
• Certificate of Completion

BASIC

• Super Cool Bumper Sticker
• Training Program
• Motivational Emails
• Virtual Bib
• Certificate of Completion

I got my items pretty much immediately at the completion of the Challenge. I actually would have received my swag the last day of the Challenge, Feb. 29, but that was totally on my Post Office (my USPS alerts said it was coming on the 29th, but I guess the PO just didn't actually feel like delivering for some reason). Anyway, it was awesome to get it so quick, unlike some other Virtual Races I've done where you wait and wait. And the items were SUPER COOL. Like it says super soft finisher shirt, and they were not kidding. So comfy! And the medal is really cool. It has a tiny little car on it that moves around the medal on the tiny road. Check out my Insta here for a Boomerang of it in action: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9PwtC3nqZM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

And while I love a good Virtual Challenge (see here for the reasons why: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-benefits-of-racing-virtually.html, I fully admit that not everyone does. There is a certain support and camaraderie aspect that Virtual Racing lacks. Well, that was not the case for this challenge as there was a private Facebook Group for Challengers to join that was super interactive and supportive. By the end of the Challenge, there were 361 members of the group all offering support and cheers. Seriously, each time I posted anything I would get so many cheers and comments, it was really awesome. I met some really great people and now that the Challenge is over, the group is still going strong. I've met some awesome people there that I look forward to remaining in touch with. 

Overall, it was a fun, unique Challenge and I would totally do it again. It is a great way to be stay motivated to move while be flexible enough to do your own thing. Couple with awesome swag and a supportive crew, and I cannot recommend this Challenge enough. I'm so glad that I got to be a part of it's inaugural year and look forward to participating next year.

If you are intersted, be sure to follow the 465 Challenge on socials for updates:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/465challenge

Twitter: https://twitter.com/465Challenge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/465challenge/