Last Rita Running

Remember, mileage is inclusive! Although most of us are going to run our miles, we have other options. Hiking, walking, nordic skiing and pool running all count towards total mileage.

Every couple of weeks, a new Distance Challenge will open. There are two ways to be successful: win a specific challenge or finish all the challenges and become the Last Rita Running. Even if you don't believe you can win a specific distance, enter the challenge! The whole trick to winning this game is consistency and building cumulative success.

You can make your first attempt at a Distance Challenge on the day that it opens, try it on a run later that week or even save it for a weekend race or run. You can count your challenge miles towards your weekly total. You can redo a challenge at any time if you feel like you want to keep working on your performance at that distance. It's up to you!

When we get a week that only one Rita completes the new Distance Challenge, the game will be over and we will crown our Last Rita Running.

July 3: 30k

July 17: 20M

August: We'll keep going if Ritas are still running!

Let's all pitch in five dollars and a piece of running gear we don't use. The Rita with the most cumulative mileage and the Last Rita Running will get to donate the cash to a local non-profit of their choice. The running gear will be awarded to challenge winners and to random Ritas for Feats of Grit and Bravery. You can leave cash and running gear in the marked bag by my office door--just let me know what's from you so you don't win your old tee shirt back.

• Entrance Fee: let's all pitch in five dollars and a piece of running gear we don't use. The Rita with the most cumulative mileage and the Last RIta Running will get to donate the cash to a local non-profit of their choice. The running gear will be awarded to challenge winners and to random Ritas for Feats of Grit and Bravery.

• Feats of Grit and Bravery: we'll know them when we see them. Someone who's admirably consistent. Someone who ran a hard route just to see if she could. Someone who set aside her own goals to help another runner. Gives good advice. Told a great joke at just the moment you needed one. Shared her snacks. i will take nominations in this category, so let no Rita go unrecognized! Be immodest in your praise because in addition to redistributing gear, I'll have a shit-ton of Tailwind samples to give away.

• Where do i log my miles? I'll set up this page to do that once the game starts. It will also have a schedule of the distance challenges so you'll have fair warning. The leaderboards will be posted here too and a link to my PayPal for the entrance fee. Our Facebook page is a great place to organzie group runs, but I can't code the challenges with the tools available there.

• Trail or Roads? Whatever floats your boat, babe.

• Solo or group efforts? Both will count, but are you really going to log all these miles alone, or are you going to get some spicy group runs going? This is going to be a great chance for us to reconnect!

• Distance Challenges: Distances challenges will be announced ahead of time so you can plan. We'll start at 5k, then 5M, then 10k and keep gently increasing distances until we top out. i want these jumps in distance to be safe and accessible.

• Can I repeat a distance challenge? Absolutely. Once a distance challenge drops, you can repeat it until you're satisfied with your time. Just can't get enough? The whole podium could be you, you and you. But this also means that no winning time is ever safe....

• I can run ten miles right now. We're proud of you! That will give you an edge racking up your cumulative mileage, but you have to run the ten-mile challenge the week it drops. This is where it starts to get tricky!

• Won't the Last Rita Running also have the most cumulative miles? Not necessarily. Anyone who's done a tough race know that they need to back off for a few days after. You might not make it to a challenge more than 10k, but if you're persistent and you don't need as many recovery days as folks taking a big swing at the challenges, you have a decent shot of putting up the most cumulative miles. It's about making the plan that's best for your body.

• I want to do this but my body can't run right now. This can be inclusive. I will count nordic skiing, hiking and walking miles for your cumulative mileage. However, challenges must be runs to count.