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.

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.

Fae Games by Aria Storm
Read: 4/9/23
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: has three letters of BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL in their name

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.

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.

Fugitive by Erik Schubach
Read: 4/11/23
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: Read in 24 hrs

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.

Lexi's Cup of Tea: A Worlds Apart Romance by Amber Perez
Read: 4/12/23
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: Read any book


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

Uprising by Fletcher Delancey
Read: 4/13/23
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: 502 pages

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).

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Read: 4/16/23
Rating: 3 stars
Fits: I don't read a lot of horror

Rolled a 5

5 = You get a horrible cold during your training and have to take it easy for a few weeks. You can run minimally, but you'll heal faster if you truly rest and let yourself get better first. Spell out FRUSTRATED -or- read a book where a MC has to put off a large task in order to recover from an illness (say who and what).

F-Falling For Her Bodyguard: A Lesbian/Sapphic Romance by Emily Hayes 4/24/23
R-Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey 5/4/23
U-Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott 6/21/23
S-House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas 4/23/23
T-Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni 4/19/23
R-Mountain Witch by Rachel Ford 5/5/23
A-Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh 4/28/23
T-The Panther and the Dove by Tiffany E Taylor 5/8/23
E-Aetherbound by E K Johnston 4/19/23
D-The Dark Wife by S E Diemer 5/17/23

Ready for next part

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.

1. 5K Race. A short and fairly speedy race. Read a book of 200 pages or less in a single day

Rooting for You by Roz Alexander
Read: 6/26/23
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: 151 pages within 24 hrs

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.

Finders Keepers by Radclyffe
Read: 6/27/23
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: 240 pages

Still the One by Harper Bliss
Read: 6/28/23
Rating: 3 stars
Fits: 229 pages

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

Big London Dreams by Clare Lydon
Read: 6/30/23
Rating: 3 stars
Fits: #8 in series

Trigger by Jessica L Webb
Read: 7/2/23
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: #1 in series

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Read: 7/4/23
Rating: 4.5 stars
Fits: #1 in series

2

2 = You slip on wet leaves during your 5K event and bang up your knees pretty badly. Spell out SCRAPED KNEES -or- read a book where the MC gets badly injured or with the word Injured in the title.

Enchanted Hunt by L L Raand
Read: 7/6/23
Rating: 3 stars
Fits: MC Trent was badly injured

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).

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.
Book: Juniper Wiles by Charles de Lint
Read: 8//21/24
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: has a Faerie Fest/con

2. Pasta dinner - read a book where the MC cooks or eats a lot of pasta.
Book: Interlude by lexie winston
Read: 8//25/24
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: MC eats a huge meal of pasta due to expending alot of power

3. Set your alarm - read a book that is alarming to you in some way (explain how).
Book: Spectacle by lexie winston
Read: 8//25/24
Rating: 4 stars
Fits: it's alarming that MC has so many mates and can shift into so many different species from around the galaxy

4. Lay out your clothes - read a book where the MC is a real clothes hound.
Book: Mixing Up Mayhem
Read: 9/5/24
Rating: 3 stars
Fits: Vexx Loves punk style clothes and band tees