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.

Hi Wende, any preferences? :)

Do we do all the races? If so let's us start at the beginning

I think we do only one to complete the challenge but just in case we can start with the first one

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 initials from the words BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL in their name.

My current book's author is Vivien Chien so I can use the three I's found in BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL since they also appear in the name.

(I think that's what she means with the initials, what do you think?)

I think so

👍

I am going to read A Hidden Magic as it is set in California

Kari wrote: "My current book's author is Vivien Chien so I can use the three I's found in BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL since they also appear in the name.

(I think that's what she means with the initials, what do you..."

Yes, that works since there are three I's in the name of the marathon!

ok thanks, Erica!

Race chosen: Big Sur
Training task: Set in California
Book: A Hidden Magic
Author: Angela Benedetti
Date Read: 2/16/23
How it fits: it is set in California

Did I post it right? What do you think Kari?

Wende wrote: "Did I post it right? What do you think Kari?"

Yes that is just fine. Once Kari reads her book I'll send you the next set of tasks!

Erica wrote: "Wende wrote: "Did I post it right? What do you think Kari?"

Yes that is just fine. Once Kari reads her book I'll send you the next set of tasks!"

Thank you for answering. New challenges have a learning curve

Race chosen: Big Sur
Training task: author initials
Book: Hot and Sour Suspects
Author: Vivien Chien
Date Read: 2/17/23
How it fits: three I's found in BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL since they also appear in the name

Wende wrote: "Did I post it right? What do you think Kari?"

Looks great, I copied your format.

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.

So what run do you want to do Kari?

I don't have anything picked, if you want to go first. We can read 2 books each for this run? I'll see if I can find a book that fits both our challenges.

I will do 2 and 4
Unless you want to

Wende wrote: "I will do 2 and 4
Unless you want to"

That works for me! I'll look for 1 and 3

I found one that fits romcom and here Hex Appeal

I'll read Tentacles & Triathlons for #3. I don't normally read about characters with tentacles so it's different for me. And it's also romcom.

Race chosen: Big Sur
Training task:4. Long Runs
Book: Hex Appeal
Author: Kate Johnson
Date Read: 2/17/23
How it fits: 318 pages

Race chosen: Big Sur
Training task: 3. Hill Repeats.
Book: Tentacles & Triathlons
Author: Ashley Bennett
Date Read: 2/18/23
How it fits: different theme for me

For 1. Regular runs, I'll start How to Defy a Vampire to finish the series.

I also want to get to Jon's Boom Shaka Laka Problem and Dead Serious Case #1: Miz Dusty Le Frey soonish.

for 2. I am reading a book in 24 hours. What a Duchess Does
I think you might like it Kari
I am changing this! It is 512 pages and even for me that would be a tight call for reading in one day 😂😂

I am going to read a Tessa Dare book

Wende wrote: "for 2. I am reading a book in 24 hours. What a Duchess Does
I think you might like it Kari
I am changing this! It is 512 pages and even for me that would be a tight call for reading..."

I added it, I love her dress.
I agree 512pgs is cutting in close even for us, lol. But I can totally wait if you want to finish it first and then read another for the challenge.

Kari wrote: "Wende wrote: "for 2. I am reading a book in 24 hours. What a Duchess Does
I think you might like it Kari
I am changing this! It is 512 pages and even for me that would be a tight ca..."

I need a book I can read in 24 hours 😂😂

Wait what about "read a mystery/thriller that gets your heart racing to complete this run"?

I think I found one The Beastly Duke and his Wallflower: A Steamy Beauty and the Beast Regency Romance Novel it looks good

The one I'm reading is a mystery/thriller. I can take #2 since I'm already reading it and you can switch to #1 and continue your book...

Oh mysteries sounds good also. I will look for that

Wende wrote: "Oh mysteries sounds good also. I will look for that"

I don't mind switching and you'd have more options, I'm really enjoying mine.

No need to switch found one!!!!
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb which also will fit both as it is a mystery thriller and very easy to get done in one day 😂😂

👍Great but if you later want to switch we totally can. Mine's going great but slowish, I'm not at my normal speed with the meds.

I hope you can go off of meds soon

Thanks, Wende. A couple more days at most *crossing fingers*

Kari wrote: "Thanks, Wende. A couple more days at most *crossing fingers*"

That is good. I hate taking medication but I have to everyday now

Race chosen: Big Sur
Training task: 2. Intervals
Book: Naked in Death
Author: J.D. Robb
Date Read: 2/18/23
How it fits: read a book in 24 hours - I started at 3:30 pm and finished at 11:18 pm. Almost 8 hours of reading.

Wende wrote: "Race chosen: Big Sur
Training task: 2. Intervals
Book: Naked in Death
Author: J.D. Robb
Date Read: 2/18/23
How it fits: read a book in 24 hours - I started at 3:30 pm..."

👍👍wow!
I'm still reading, loving my book.

Kari wrote: "Wende wrote: "Race chosen: Big Sur
Training task: 2. Intervals
Book: Naked in Death
Author: J.D. Robb
Date Read: 2/18/23
How it fits: read a book in 24 hours - I start..."

No hurry. Take your time and enjoy

Race chosen: Big Sur
Training task: 1. Regular runs.
Book: How to Defy a Vampire
Author: Alice Winters
Date Read: 2/19/23
How it fits: any book

Finished! That was fun, so much action at the end *phew*

Completed 4 Training Tasks in posts 24, 25, 41 and 44

Die roll: 2 (I think we roll once for the team, I went ahead since I finished last)

Kari wrote: "Completed 4 Training Tasks in posts 24, 25, 41 and 44

Die roll: 2 (I think we roll once for the team, I went ahead since I finished last)"

Perfect

I read the first book in the series but did not go on with it. I even gave it five stars

It makes me laugh so much, the characters are all nuts.

2 = It's absolutely awful weather out for your first really long training run, so you decide to do it on the treadmill instead. Spell out TREADMILL -or- read a book about a rodent or with any "rodent" word in the title - think hamster, gerbil, rat, mouse, etc.