We miss seeing those huge smiles when you cross the finish line (and even the grimaces and dirty looks), and definitely the high fives and hugs. So, we’re going to focus on the good things and give you an opportunity to run an event with us safely right now. The Favorite Place Race is a virtual 50K where you have two weeks to get in the miles, but more importantly, you get to show off your favorite places.
Our races are usually showing off and introducing people to some of our favorite spots, but this time it’s your turn to show us what gives you joy and makes you happy. Which restaurant is your current favorite? Where is your favorite spot in your city to take in the sunset? Which is your most favorite trail? As a virtual race, you get to choose where you run, but we want you to incorporate favorite places into your route(s).
Yep, there are prizes. At each Favorite Place (see below for the list), take a photo and share it on Instagram with the hashtags #favoriteplacerace, #gobeyondracing, and tag the sponsor of that Favorite Place. This way the rest of us can discover the spots you love, so that maybe we can check them out someday too.
Include as many of these Favorite Places on your route(s) as you want. Take a photo/selfie there and post to Instagram and tag the place’s sponsor and use the hashtags #favoriteplacerace and #gobeyondracing to earn a virtual raffle ticket. Instagram Stories won’t work since they disappear, you’ll need to make actual posts. You’re encouraged to also tag any of the businesses you are highlighting to show them some love too.
Example Instagram posts with hashtags and tagged sponsor
Of course you need to follow your local guidelines and restrictions about where you run, which may make it extra challenging or impossible to get to some of your true Favorite Places. Get creative! Can you represent your Favorite Place in another way instead of just standing in front of it? Just follow your local rules and be safe about it.
You have between February 14 – 28, 2021 to complete a 50K. That’s 15 days so just 2.01 miles a day! You can spread it out over as many days in that two weeks as you want, or go for the whole thing all in one run.
There are t-shirts! You can optionally purchase a Favorite Place Race t-shirt during registration (through 2/13). These are shipped with the finisher awards at the conclusion of the race.
Did you discover this race after it already started? That’s ok, we’re glad you’re here now. You can still sign up and start running after February 14, you just need to be done by February 28. After the race has started, we’ll send out an email to any new signups, with your bib, once a day. You can start running after you sign up, but you won’t be able to enter results until you receive that email.
If you don’t have the money to spare right now, contact us and we’ll figure something out. We know a lot of people have lost their jobs and income and we don’t want that to be a reason you can’t show off your Favorite Places.
There are no transfers to other runners, and no credits or refunds are given if you decide you cannot run the race.
The “winners” of this race are the people who win the prize packages from the virtual drawing. We’re not awarding winners for the fastest 50K times because, well, you all are running a different course with different elevation, weather conditions, and terrain, so it wouldn’t really be fair to say someone was faster than another.
You earn tickets into the drawing for each Favorite Place you capture and share on Instagram. See the Favorite Place section above for more on how that works. Here’s what our sponsors are providing and is up for grabs in the drawing. Note: you can only win one prize package, so if you have multiple tickets and your name is drawn a second time, we’ll move onto the next name drawn. Spreading the love!
Prize Package #1: Hydrapak reservoir, Peet’s shoe dryer, Black Diamond headlamp, Goodr sunglasses, Nossa Familia coffee, Portland Bee Balms, Territory Run Co item
Prize Package #2: Nike beanie, Pro-Tec Orb, Hydrapak flask, Peet’s shoe dryer, Mountain Shop down booties, Goodr sunglasses, Portland Bee Balms, Territory Run Co item
Prize Package #3: Black Diamond headlamp, Peet’s shoe dryer, Hydrapak cup, Pro-Tec Spiky, Goodr sunglasses, Portland Bee Balms, Territory Run Co item
All 50K finishers will earn a really cool wood medal. Or call it a coaster. Or call it a coastermedal. Or medalcoaster. It’s a wooden coaster with the race logo on it. Perfect for holding that favorite mug of coffee or catching the condensation off your post-run beer or chocolate milk. If you’re into medals more than coasters, fine, it can come with a lanyard and you can put it around your neck. Or have one of your family members or housemates put it around your neck in your own award ceremony. When you take it off, set it on your coffee table and now you have a coaster.
Join us, live, for the online prize drawing and race celebration: Tuesday March 2nd, at 7:00 p.m. PT. We’ll email the link to all participants.
You will upload times/distances as you complete them. There are two ways you can submit your results:
There is also a Strava Club for this race. It’s just another way fun way to connect and share and motivate each other so join it if you’re a Strava user.
Treadmill miles do count, but we hope you are able to get outside and run past your favorite spots, if possible. Strava “Moving Time” is used, not “Elapsed Time”.
To summarize:
You can find your bib number on the Entrants list.
Because everyone is running a different course, it isn’t fair to compare times. This is non-competitive event in that regards and results will not be posted to Ultrasignup.
In order to win prizes, you’ll need to use Instagram for this event. It’s all about sharing Favorite Places. If you don’t have that free app, download it now and get ready to share your favorite spots. If you don’t have Instagram and don’t want it, you can still run and submit your miles and time and you will show up in the race results – you just won’t have any virtual raffle tickets to enter the prize drawings. Make sure your profile/posts are public, so we can see them!
Like the race’s Favorite Place Race Facebook page to see some of the Favorite Places we’ll highlight and stay current on what’s happening with the race.
Get inspired with Go Beyond Racing’s Instagram and search the #favoriteplacerace to see your fellow racers shots.
We do have a few rules that apply to all Go Beyond Racing races. Since this race is virtual, we aren’t there with you and the rules are a bit different:
Need help getting ready for this or another of our races? Talk to our friends at Wy’east Wolfpack. They provide excellent coaching and training services.
