OVERVIEW

GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY OUR REGION!

ABOUT

The Capital District Challenge, presented by ARE Event Productions, is all about motivating you to log miles by running or walking - and to enjoy it too!

Need more motivation? Check out this awesome, absolutely one-of-a-kind blanket you'll get!

WHEN

The 5 week series begins on Monday, June 1 and ends on Sunday, July 5. As each week is its own challenge, you can sign-up at anytime!

BATTLE OF THE CITIES

Playful competition always makes things more fun, and so we've got you covered! Each week is its own competition between our 4 major cities: Albany, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, and Troy. Simply pick the one you want to represent when you register and your miles count towards that city too!

CHARITY PARTNER

AREEP is excited to partner with the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY. Participants are encouraged to donate to support the critical work that they are doing and AREEP will match the first $5 of each donation made by a participant as a part of their race registration.

Non-Race Food Bank Donation Page*
*Use this page to make a donation without signing up to participate in the event.

CHALLENGE FEATURES

  1. Set a weekly mileage goal and track your progress.
  2. Create a team and motivate one another.
  3. Represent your community in the Battle of the Cities Challenge.
  4. Weekly Recap Videos
  5. Build our 'We Run the Capital' Heat Map by using Strava to import your runs.

WHAT YOU GET

  1. The super cool blanket you see above!
  2. A customizable virtual bib to share/print.
  3. Count towards the community effort.
  4. Get featured in weekly recap videos.
  5. Optional: Recognition for race efforts.
  6. Optional: Commemorative T-Shirt.

THE SHIRT

T-shirts are available as an add-on for $20, and you have 3 colors to choose from.
  1. Red Women's Red Men's
  2. White Women's White Men's
  3. Blue Women's Blue Men's

SUBMITTING YOUR RUNS & WALKS

As you complete each one, submit it via your confirmation page (linked in the email you receive when you register). We also you encourage to be active on our Facebook page - feel free to post pictures there too or tag @CapitalDistrictChallenge.

CONTACT US

Reach us at events@areep.com

REGISTER

Click the button below to sign-up.

REGISTER ($30)

FAQ

How do we get our blankets and shirts?

The blankets and shirts are scheduled to arrive at our Albany office at the end of June. Once we know their exact arrival date, we will inform you via email and update this website letting you know when can pick yours up from our office (21A Railroad Avenue, 12205) along with other pick-up options throughout the Capital District.

I registered a few weeks into the challenge, how does this affect how my miles count?

Good news! You're welcome to add any miles you've done and they'll all count. The only way in which they don't count is for the weekly competitions between cities and teams. At the end of each week, we'll announce the winners. We will not retroactively change those results - but for the entire challenge tally, your retroactively added miles will count.

Can I join a team after I've registered?

Sure can! Your best bet is to contact the team captain, who can add you via the team captain's confirmation page.

Alternatively, submit an inquiry via your own confirmation page, telling us what team you'd like to join, and we'll get you added.

Can I be on more than one team?

Unfortunately, no. You can only represent one team.

Do I have to do all my miles in the town I live/'city team' I choose?

No, you are not restricted in any way as to where you get in your mileage. You are welcome to do it absolutely anywhere, including on a treadmill. The purpose of choosing one of the 4 major cities is simply so we can attribute how much distance everyone is covering based upon the location they most closely call their 'home city'.

How do I log my miles?

Each time you run/walk, you submit your miles via your Confirmation Page, which is linked in your confirmation email. You can also access it here.

Do I need to use a distance measuring watch/app to participate?

No, you do not. The logging program simply asks for the distance and time that you covered. If you don't use a distance measuring device, we simply ask that you map your route so that you know how far you covered. MapMyRun.com is a good program for this.

You should also time yourself to submit the duration of your exercise.

What is Strava and do I need to use it?

Strava.com is a popular program (app/website) used by many to keep track of their exercise. You do not need to use it. With that said, we do recommend it because if you use it, you'll be able to contribute to our 'Heat Map the Capital District' mission. Strava is free to use and can either sync to your distance measuring device or you can simply use their app when you exercise. (A paid version of Strava provides more features, but you do not need those features for this challenge.)

What is Heat Mapping?

Our general concept of 'heat mapping' is to overlay a map of the Capital District with a colored line that indicates that someone in this challenge has literally run/walked in that location. Put in other terms, picture a basic map of your neighborhood. If you ran down your road for 1 mile and back, that section would then get filled in on the map. Our goal is to fill in the whole map.

How will we Heat Map the Capital District?

To contribute to the heat mapping, you must:
  1. Use Strava
  2. Either use the Strava app with GPS or include your GPS data in your upload to Strava
    This simply means be sure that Strava displays a map of your route.
  3. Import your run from Strava via your confirmation page
When you import your run from Strava, Strava sends our system the map of your route. We then save that information and display it on a map of the Capital District, along with every mapped route submitted by everyone.

No route is personally identified. It is simply colored in. No one will know where you personally are running.

What is the purpose of the Weekly Goal?

You have the option to set weekly goals when you register as well as to modify them at any time after. The purpose of the Weekly Goal is that for those who set one, their logging page will show how they are tracking each week towards their goal. To that end, it serves as a tool to keep you organized as the week unfolds.

The Weekly Goal exists solely for your personal guidance. It is not public and there is not penalty if you do not attain it.


COVERAGE

Live Tracking

Heat Map