The Challenge Factory discussion

Choose your race:
Signing up for your race is the easy, exciting part of it all. The task for this section is to read one book for the race you choose. It should be a book that puts you in your happy place!

Relay teams must run the same marathon together. Each relay team member must read a book to complete this section. Neither team member can proceed with training until both members complete this section.

Choose from among the popular races listed here.

1. Big Sur International Marathon in Big Sur, California - read a book set in California, or that has a MC who comes from California, or with an author who has three letters from the words BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL in their name.
2. New York Marathon in New York, New York - read a book set in New York City, or that has a MC who comes from New York, or with an author who has three letters from the words NEW YORK CITY in their name.
3. Chicago Marathon in Chicago, Illinois - read a book set in Chicago, or that has a MC who comes from Chicago, or with an author who has three letters from the words CHICAGO ILLINOIS in their name.
4. London Marathon in London, England - read a book set in London, or that has a MC who comes from London, or with an author who has three letters from the words LONDON ENGLAND in their name.
5. Paavo Nurmi Marathon in Turku, Finland - read a book set in Finland, or that has a MC who comes from Finland, or with an author who has three letters from the words PAAVO NURMI in their name.
6. Berlin Marathon - read a book set in Berlin, or that has a MC who comes from Berlin, or with an author who has three letters from the words BERLIN GERMANY in their name.
7. Tokyo Marathon - read a book set in Tokyo, or that has a MC who comes from Tokyo, or with an author who has three letters from the words TOKYO JAPAN in their name.
8. Paris Marathon - read a book set in Paris, or that has a MC who comes from Paris, or with an author who has three letters from the words PARIS FRANCE in their name.
9. Dublin Marathon - read a book set in Dublin, or that has a MC who comes from Dublin, or with an author who has three letters from the words DUBLIN IRELAND in their name.
10. Rome Marathon - read a book set in Rome, or that has a MC who comes from Rome, or with an author who has three letters from the words ROME ITALY in their name.
11. Athens Marathon - read a book set in Greece, or that has a MC who comes from Greece, or with an author who has three letters from the words ATHENS GREECE in their name.
12. Great Wall Marathon - read a book set in China, or that has a MC who comes from China, or with an author who has three letters from the words GREAT WALL in their name.
13. Marine Corps Marathon - read a book set during any war, or that has a MC who is a Marine, or with an author who has three letters from the words MARINE CORPS in their name.
14. Grandma's Marathon - read a book set in Minnesota, or that has a MC who is a grandma, or with an author who has three letters from the words DULUTH MINNESOTA in their name.

Completion Post🔹LaurLa
Choose your race


Task🔹4. London Marathon in London, England - read a book with an author who has three initials from the words LONDON ENGLAND
Book🔹Two Wrongs Make a Right
How it fits🔹 letters O, E, L from Chloe Liese in the words
Date Read🔹02.04 ★★★★

You're ready to gear up and start training! You must read one book for each kind of training run to complete this section. Relay teams may divide the tasks between them as they see fit.
After these 4 books are completed, roll a single die for your next prompt. Relay teams only roll once for the team.

https://www.random.org/dice/

Your four kinds of training runs are:
1. Regular runs. The base of your training where you just go out and rack up miles. You may read any book you like to complete your regular run.

2. Intervals. These are speed workouts. Either read a book in 24 hours -OR- read a mystery/thriller that gets your heart racing to complete this run.

3. Hill Repeats. These build leg strength. Read a book that pushes your boundaries - whether it's a different genre, longer than your usual, or demanding in some other way (your interpretation - tell us how).

4. Long Runs. These build endurance. Read a book that is at least 300 pages long to complete this run.

Completion Post🔹LaurLa
Training Runs



1. Regular runs
💟read any book you like to complete your regular run
💟Bone Crossed🔹02.07 ★★★★

2. Intervals
💟read a book in 24 hours
💟Hungry for You🔹02.10 ★★★★

3. Hill Repeats
💟read a book that pushes your boundaries
💟YA fantasy is not one of my preferred genres and only read to complete a challenge…
💟Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone🔹02.09 ★★★★

4. Long Runs
💟read a book that is at least 300 pages long
💟You Can Run🔹02.11 ★★★★

Next roll🔹6

6 = Your boss needs you to work overtime for two weeks to push a project through, so you can't fit in your regular morning workouts and have to run late in the day when you get home - NOT your idea of fun. Spell out UNMOTIVATED -or- read a book with the word Inconvenient or Inconvenience in the title.

Completion Post🔹LaurLa
Obstacle🔹Overtime

Spell out UNMOTIVATED



💜U🔹Under Currents🔹02.21 ★★★★
💜N🔹The Night Is Watching🔹03.29 ★★★★
💜M🔹The Miles Between Us🔹03.21 ★★★
💜O 🔹On the Rocks🔹03.13 ★★★★
💜T 🔹Time Lock🔹02.12 ★★★
💜I🔹Ice Planet Barbarians🔹03.15 ★★★★
💜V 🔹Vaugh, Carrie🔹Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand🔹02.25 ★★★★
💜A 🔹American Vampire🔹02.17 ★★★★
💜T🔹Talent for Trouble🔹03.16 ★★★★
💜E🔹The End of Tomorrow🔹03.26 ★★★★
💜D🔹Drive Me Crazy🔹03.04 ★★★

Your training is going well and you are ready to run some tune-up races! You will run three different kinds of races. Relay teams may divide the tasks between them as they see fit.
After these 6 books are completed, roll a single die for your next prompt. Relay teams only roll once for the team.

https://www.random.org/dice/

1. 5K Race. A short and fairly speedy race. Read a book of 200 pages or less in a single day -OR- read a book of over 200 pages in two days to complete this race .

2. 10K Race. A bit more effort and taxes the body more. Read two books that are over 200 pages long to complete this race.

3. Half marathon. The half marathon is a demanding event that is a good indicator of your overall training. Read three series books to complete this race. The books do not have to be from the same series.

Completion Post🔹LaurLa
Tune-Up Races



1. 5K Race
💟read a book of over 200 pages in two days to complete this race
💟Finding My Happy Pace🔹03.30 ★★★

2. 10K Race
💟read two books that are over 200 pages long to complete this race
💟Always You🔹03.31 ★★★★
💟Sizzling Summer Nights🔹03.31 ★★★

3. Half marathon
💟read three series books to complete this race
💟Her Dakota Man🔹03.31 ★★★
💟The Buzz Kill🔹04.01 ★★★
💟Hot Single Dad🔹04.02 ★★★★

Next roll🔹1

1 = You pull a ham string in one of your tune-up races. Spell out HAMSTRING -or- read a book where a character goes to physical therapy or is a therapist of some kind.

Completion Post ➖ LaurLa
Obstacle ➖ Hamstring Pull

Spellout HAMSTRING



💟H ➖ How Much I Feel ➖ 04.15 ★★★★
💟A ➖ All In With Him ➖ 04.23 ★★★★
💟M ➖ Moonlight and Magic ➖ 04.14 ★★★★
💟S ➖ Son of the Morning ➖ 04.12 ★★★★
💟T ➖ Twisted Threads ➖ 04.28 ★★★★
💟R ➖ Reasor, Teresa J. ➖ Breaking Chains ➖ 04.09 ★★★★
💟I ➖ Ivy, Alexandra ➖ When Darkness Ends ➖ 04.22 ★★★★
💟N ➖ No Breaking My Heart ➖ 04.07 ★★★★
💟G ➖ The Game ➖ 04.16 ★★★

You have done all of the hard work getting ready for your event. It's the night before the race - now you just need to set up for tomorrow and get out there and do it! To complete this section, read one book for each task. Relay teams may divide the tasks between them as they see fit.
After these 5 books are completed, roll a single die for your next prompt. Relay teams only roll once for the team.

https://www.random.org/dice/

1. Race expo - most marathons have a large expo where lots of running gear is sold - read a book where a character goes to or works at an expo.
2. Pasta dinner - read a book where the MC cooks or eats a lot of pasta.
3. Set your alarm - read a book that is alarming to you in some way (explain how).
4. Lay out your clothes - read a book where the MC is a real clothes hound.
5. Morning ritual (beverage, food, gear) - read a book where any character has a set ritual for something that they always do (explain what).

Completion Post ➖ LaurLa
Night before prep



1. Race expo
➖read a book where a character goes to or works at an expo
➖two of EarthCent Intelligence's agents work a job fair/expo on a alien planet to recruit some new agents
➖Vacation on Union Station ➖ 07.15 ★★★

2. Pasta dinner
➖read a book where the MC cooks or eats a lot of pasta
➖Mac cooks dinner for Gage twice, both times cooking a spaghetti dish, telling him it's the only thing she can cook
➖Hungry Like the Wolf ➖ 05.06 ★★★★

3. Set your alarm
➖read a book that is alarming to you in some way
➖it is scary how an innocent glance in a window where you see something awful happen can then pull you into a life on the run
➖The Collector ➖ 05.20 ★★★★

4. Lay out your clothes
➖read a book where the MC is a real clothes hound
➖Darcy loves all things pretty but most especially smart new clothes
➖Heart of the Sea ➖ 05.04 ★★★★

5. Morning ritual
➖read a book where any character has a set ritual for something that they always do
➖MC Kurt Crawford, a recent military vet, has certain way of waking up and starting the day to minimize his PTSD
➖Sit, Stay, Love ➖ 05.14 ★★★★

Next roll ➖ 3

3 = You forgot to pack your bagel for breakfast and have to make do with an unripe banana from the hotel. Spell out UNRIPE BANANA -or- read a book with a character who is obsessed with health foods (say who).

Completion Post ➖ LaurLa
Obstacle ➖ Unripe Banaba

Spell out UNRIPE BANANA




U ➖ Unlocked ➖ 07.17 ★★★★
N ➖ The Night Is Alive ➖ 07.26 ★★★★
R ➖ Role Playing ➖ 07.30 ★★★★
I ➖ In the Company of Wolves ➖ 08.27 ★★★★
P ➖ Precious and Fragile Things ➖ 08.26 ★★★★
E ➖ The End of Lies ➖ 08.09 ★★★

B ➖ By Any Other Name ➖ 07.16 ★★★★
A ➖ American Royals ➖ 08.07 ★★★★
N ➖ Neptune's Honor: A Story of Loyalty and Love ➖ 08.12 ★★★
A ➖ All Good Things... ➖ 09.03 ★★★
N ➖ The Night Is Forever ➖ 08.31 ★★★★
A ➖ Asking for Trouble ➖ 09.05 ★★★★

Today is the big day!! You have worked long and hard for this. To complete this section, read one book for each task. Relay teams may divide the tasks between them as they see fit.
After these 4 books are completed, roll a single die for your next prompt. Relay teams only roll once for the team.

https://www.random.org/dice/

1. Early miles: Smiling - at the beginning of a marathon everyone is generally very excited and happy because today is the BIG DAY. Read a book where one or more characters are very excited and happy about an event. Say what the event is.
2. Mid miles: This is getting hard - as the race miles build up, most runners start to experience some fatigue. The body definitely sends signals that it is working much harder. Read a book where a character gets into a situation that becomes progressively more difficult as time wears on. Say what the situation is.
3. 20 miles: Why did I sign up for this??? There is often a point in a marathon where runners begin to doubt themselves and have serious second thoughts about what in the world they are doing out there. Read a book where a character has serious self doubt about a course of action they have set out on. Say what it is.
4. Race finish: Exhultation, hunger and exhaustion. You have DONE IT! At the end of a marathon you are depleted of all energy stores but also ecstatic because of your accomplishment. Read a book where a character completes some monumental effort and is now wiped out but also happy. Say what it is.
5. (optional - after your die roll is complete...) Sign up for another race! Lots of runners feel a let down after the intense cycle of training for and running a marathon. One common result is that many will start looking for their next race challenge shortly after their marathon finish. If you are among this infected group, simply go back to Section I and start again!

Completion Post ➖ LaurLa
The Big Day



✅1. Early miles: Smiling
➖Read a book where one or more characters are very excited and happy about an event
➖Jace is excited about the start of his new job that allows him to say on the island indefinitely
➖Resilience After Dark ➖ 09.12 ★★★★

✅2. Mid miles: This is getting hard
➖Read a book where a character gets into a situation that becomes progressively more difficult as time wears on
➖Matthew and Dian work to repeal the 'covenant' and keep running into sometimes violent opposition
➖The Book of Life ➖ 09.16 ★★★

✅3. 20 miles: Why did I sign up for this???
➖Read a book where a character has serious self doubt about a course of action they have set out on
➖Riley doesn't like using her psychic gifts because she feels like she will mess things up instead of helping
➖Riley Thorn and the Corpse in the Closet ➖ 09.15 ★★★★

✅4. Race finish: Exhultation, hunger and exhaustion
➖Read a book where a character completes some monumental effort and is now wiped out but also happy
➖Corrinne and Mike successfully test the robotic arm and are excited and exhausted
➖Her Perfect Stranger ➖ 09.17 ★★★★

✅5. (optional - after your die roll is complete...)
➖roll dice
➖rolled: 3 and 4

You just need one die, so I'm going with

4 = A band at the 15-mile marker is playing one of your favorite songs and it really jazzes you up. Spell out ROCK-N-ROLL.

Completion Post ➖ LaurLa
The Big Day - Band playing my favorite song

Spell out ROCK-N-ROLL

Colt

R ➖ Ross ➖ 09.30 ★★★★
O ➖ Only You ➖ 11.27 ★★★★
C ➖ Colt ➖ 09.22 ★★★★
K ➖ Kellan ➖ 11.14 ★★★★
N ➖ The Naughty, The Nice and The Nanny ➖ 12.11 ★★★★
R ➖ The Reveal ➖ 10.05 ★★★
O ➖ Off the Grid ➖ 12.14 ★★★
L ➖ Lingus ➖ 09.27 ★★★★
L ➖ Lethal Nights ➖ 11.04 ★★★★

CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOU FINISHED YOUR MARATHON!