Two Mile Challenge

[Melalvai]

Maybe we could do a simultaneous 2-mile challenge here at TE. The one I'm planning is restricted to locals as far as the participant packets & prizes. But here at TE we already have a forum, we just start a new thread in October, and we don't need prizes etc.

And the TE community is better qualified for "consultations" than any one member!

Catrin, a 23 mile commute would be super impressive! Or you could consider alternatives. Drive halfway (or more) and bike the rest, leaving your car in a church or business parking lot (with permission). Or drive one way, bike home, bike in the next way, drive home.

[Tri Girl]

Oh, I didn't mean to ask about the prizes for us.

I was actually wondering how you were going to do it, because I thought that might be something fun to do at my work (stealing your idea and all). I like the idea. My bike to work challenge in May didn't go over too well. I'm not done trying to get my lazy co-workers to get off their duffs and move!

[TsPoet]

Oh, I didn't mean to ask about the prizes for us.

I was actually wondering how you were going to do it, because I thought that might be something fun to do at my work (stealing your idea and all). I like the idea.

I was thinking we could maybe pair up with 'real' people in the challenge. Then if my partner got a prize, I'd go buy myself something
I like this idea, lets do it.
My only comment is, if we are going to virtually do it, why wait until October - why not start in 100 degree September. Heck, it's August first, i could start tomorrow.

[Tri Girl]

I was thinking we could maybe pair up with 'real' people in the challenge. Then if my partner got a prize, I'd go buy myself something

hee hee- any excuse to buy something new. If my person lost, I would buy something to console myself.

My only comment is, if we are going to virtually do it, why wait until October - why not start in 100 degree September. Heck, it's August first, i could start tomorrow.

Uh... I don't want to die. That's why!
The latest day we've ever had 100 in August is the 17th (since they started keeping records). The first 10 days in August are at 106 or higher. This is not looking good. I'm seriously hoping that it cools off by October.. or August 11th. I can't take this anymore.

[Possegal]

Oh, I didn't mean to ask about the prizes for us.

I was actually wondering how you were going to do it, because I thought that might be something fun to do at my work (stealing your idea and all). I like the idea. My bike to work challenge in May didn't go over too well. I'm not done trying to get my lazy co-workers to get off their duffs and move!

I didn't even notice the thing about prizes. I was just looking for motivation and accountability.

Though I can offer this - I'm a bit addicted to 'customizing', meaning I've made a number of things that have my 'team' logo (my family/friends who run and ride to kick cancer's butt, all in my sister's name). So, I have a couple of cycling things with our team name/logo on it. I sell them to put the money back to fundraising. But I have a bit of stock, shall we say. Long story a bit less long - I could send a prize or two to people in our challenge here.

[Deborajen]

I hear you about wanting to wait for a little less heat, TriGirl! It's forecast to get up to 113 here today. Our highest temperature ever was 114. But then it's supposed to "cool down" to just 100-105 the rest of the week. I hear that down in Oklahoma it will "stay hot" - I heard OKC is forecast to be 110+ today and tomorrow and then 105+ the rest of the week. I'm really tired of it, and you're probably hotter! Ugh! Is this part of the country trying to spontaneously combust or what?

On the two-mile challenge, we had a local challenge here a few years ago called the "walk across Kansas." The idea was that Kansas is 400 miles east to west, so you could put together teams (of 4) and log your walking (or running, cycling or exercising) to try for a total of 400 miles. Running a mile counted for 5 miles (or maybe it was 3 miles?), cycling a mile counted for 1 mile (?), and 20 minutes of vigorous exercise counted for a certain number of miles depending on the intensity of the workout, etc.

I know this is different from the two-mile challenge, but I wanted to throw out the ideas of how the teams and substituting worked for that event. Maybe if you have a team in a two-mile challenge that has members in the city with short commutes and errands and members in the country with longer commutes and errands, you could have "goal points" - ?

[Melalvai]

I was actually wondering how you were going to do it, because I thought that might be something fun to do at my work (stealing your idea and all). I like the idea. My bike to work challenge in May didn't go over too well. I'm not done trying to get my lazy co-workers to get off their duffs and move!

This certainly is not an original idea, I'm stealing it from several places. I don't know where I heard of it first. Clif Bars is doing a Two Mile Challenge and I think August is the last month of it.

So feel free to steal anything you like.

A cliche I keep hearing when people talk about bike/ped is "low hanging fruit". I'm starting to hate the term but there is something to the concept. Instead of going after your lazy and resistant co-workers, you go after people who are already doing it or on the verge of doing it, who don't need much incentive or prodding to try it (or increase what they are already doing). Get experience, build momentum, then go after the more difficult tasks.

I was thinking we could maybe pair up with 'real' people in the challenge. Then if my partner got a prize, I'd go buy myself something

I like that! Pairing you all up with people in Kirksville, MO will help them feel motivated, it will be kind of a buddy-system, an extra resource for them. That's awesome! When we get a bit closer to October, I'll have people pm me if they want to be a buddy to one of our commuters. (And you can feel free to buy yourself something to celebrate your buddy's success, or console yourself on his/her failure, TriGirl! lol)

We can definitely start a two-mile challenge of our own long before October. The reason I picked October is because it is further away than September. (August is still too hot for most people here.) When I did the No Car Diet in 2007, it was in September. Once during that month I rode 25 miles one-way to go for a 20 mile bike ride. And then 25 miles home. A 70 mile day so I could ride 20 miles with friends! It was beautiful weather all month.

Deborajen, I like the substitution thing, and teams. I'll keep it in mind for future events--I want to keep it simple this year. Or, the team concept is definitely something we could do here on TE. And Possegal could send the winning team a bit of schwag!

I'm continually amazed at how many great ideas people come up with, every time I talk about this project. So fun!

[Thorn]

It was the Clif 2 mile challenge a while back that got me thinking. I rode for fun, not utility. But, the concept kept nagging at me.

It took me a while before I put the idea into practice, picking up more and more trips by bike....the dentist, the farmer's market, the grocery. And then I changed jobs and started commuting.

Now most days my car is a $25K helmet shelf. It goes for a drive every 2 or 3 weeks while my bikes get 200 miles/week (150ish utility miles and 50ish miles of fun). I'm in better shape that ever and stress is way down.

I love the idea of your challenge and applaud your starting this. A challenge would have been that kick that got me started sooner. That said, our Bike Fed is running a summer time challenge. The goal is 1 million utility miles during the summer months. While I participate, I'm already in the converted....that doesn't mean I don't look forward to see whether I won anything in each month's drawings For ideas ( http://www.endomondo.com/campaign/wi# ) [Note: endomondo is a *terrible* site, but the idea is sound]

[Possegal]

And Possegal could send the winning team a bit of schwag!

Absolutely!

[bluejellybean]

count me in as a virtual participant too!

[Groundhog]

count me in as a virtual participant too!

Mee too!

[Trek420]

Those of you in the CA Bay area can also compete in this challenge:

https://www.ridematch.511.org/SanFra...ient=greatrace