The TFP "Race Across the World" Challenge!!!

[Baraka_Guru]

In the spirit of TFP's Situp, Push-Up, and One-Million-Pound challenges, I propose the following: Race Across the World! You can bike, walk, run, etc, any exercise-based activity of which you can record your distance and post to this thread. The distance accumulation acts like the other challenges, you simply post the previous total and add your session's total.

I'd love to add the following incentive: we're going to do this virtually! I propose we start in Barrow, Alaska (see below) and travel across the Western Hemisphere. We can do it!

The incentive is personalized: whoever records the "winning" post of the current destination, gets to post a lovely picture of said destination, offer an interesting fact or two about it, and also gets to choose the next destination. I suggest keeping the chosen destination to something reasonably short so we can win more often and choose really small and interesting spots to hit.

The first leg of our journey will be... Barrow, Alaska, to Fairbanks, Alaska. Details below. This is a much bigger chunk of travel than I'd like to normally see here, but I had trouble determining distances between Barrow and much smaller settlements... (I'm not getting into Geography and Cartography for this, I'd rather Google Maps do the work.) ... so bear this in mind when you're a winner... let's go to some small and interesting places whenever we can!





Barrow, Alaska (My choice of lovely picture. Lovely, ain't it?):

Barrow is a city in North Slope Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. Barrow is the northernmost settlement in the United States, and one of the northernmost towns of more than 2,000 residents in the world. Nearby Point Barrow is the northernmost point of the United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 4,218. (Source:Wikipedia)

The distance from Barrow to Fairbanks is: 502.4 miles (808.5 km).

Now go!

My next workout is tomorrow, so I will begin logging then. When you post, also tell us what type of exercise you did, if you wish.

I hope you can join me. (Dress warmly.)

[ironman]

OK, let me be the first one to contribute to our journey, I ran 6.34km or 3.94 miles today morning. I will start training for a half marathon on tuesday the 20th, so i think i'll be able to contribute at least 20miles a week.

TOTAL DISTANCE SO FAR: 3.94 MILES
(add your miles at the end of your post)

[aberkok]

Brilliant!!!

Let's do this in kilometres... we are about to cross into Canada, after all.

6.34 km + 1.96 km on the treadmill =

TOTAL DISTANCE SO FAR: 8.3 km

[Charlatan]

Did a 10.2km walk through the MacRitchie resevoir today (the sign posts told me how long the trail was that we walked).

TOTAL DISTANCE SO FAR: 18.5 km

[matteo101]

Ran 7km last night.

Total distance so far: 25.5 km.

[soccerchamp76]

8km just an hour ago.

Total: 33.5 km

[Baraka_Guru]

I did 8.5 km on an elliptical trainer earlier today. (Fri.)

Total Distance So Far: 42 km

[meanSpleen]

It's time to nearly DOUBLE the distance! I hammered out 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) on my bike this morning rolling up and down Irvine Center Rd/Moulton Parkway through Irvine and Laguna Hills, California. I need a shower.

42 + 40 = 82 kilometers

Another 11 kilometers, and we are in Atqasuk, Alaska, a mere 95.5 kilometers south of Barrow, Alaska. This is only if we divert from the straight ahead course planned to Fairbanks.


*question: once we get into more urban areas, will be be taking a straight shot course, or just map driving directions? Understandably, the northern reaches of Alaska are accessible by flight only (disregard boats for now). This would require a straight shot with a straight edge ruler. Google Earth provides just that tool, so you can do radial distances from whatever center you want. Example - Barrow to Atqasuk above.

If we get to more populated areas with decent roadway systems, should we switch to the mapped driving directions, or continue with straight shots? And if we go overseas, the boat/plane ride will be straight, but any distances over land would be assumed plane as well? Have to take travel into account! Example: There is no airport in Hollywood, California. I would have to drive to Los Angeles, California, then fly to London/Heathrow Airport and then drive down to Kingston England. Those drives could be mapped with driving directions.

blah, making it harder than it probably should be, so it may just be better to leave it to whomever is the winner and chooses the next destination

[Baraka_Guru]

I've also thought of this. I would imagine that using roadways is the way to go once we have them available.

I propose the following guidelines in general:

1) Choice of destination should bear in mind an ultimate destination. Currently, the southern tip of South America.

2) Air/Seaports can be used in special cases, including wanting to get to an island area or otherwise inaccessible or roundabout area. (e.g. Caribbean islands.) The winner can decide to use these ports to assume a new destination. This does, however, indicate that they should give info on both the winning destination and the new embarking destination. We should use this minimally and only in cases where it will have an impact. (i.e. We don't want to miss the Caribbean islands nor getting to another continent.)

3) We should cover as much of a country as is reasonable before leaving it. I don't mind zig-zagging, but we should have a general direction; currently, south/southeast for example... What I suggest is that we hit every country plus every province/state/region in them as well. What's the point in running across the world if you don't actually hit everything, eh?

I would, of course, like to hear your feedback.

[Carno]

Holy cow. This is freaking complicated.

[aberkok]

Carno, we're only doing one destination at a time, with what I expect to be days if not weeks in between. I'm sure we have the intellect to handle it.

82 km + 3.6 km (treadmill) = 85.6 km

[Daniel_]

3 sessions at the gym since the thread went up - each one covering 3km on treadmill and 6km on a bike, so that's 9 + 18 = 27km.

85.6 + 27 = 102.6km.

[Charlatan]

Walked 5.1 km yesterday.

102.6km + 5.1km = 107.7km

[Baraka_Guru]

Did 11.4 km on an elliptical trainer.

107.7 km + 11.4 km = 119.1 km

[aberkok]

119.1 km + 4.6 km = 123.7 km

[ironman]

Just ran 6.85km.
Total so far: 130.55km

[aberkok]

130.55 + 3.3 km = 133.85 km

[Xazy]

133.85+10 miles (16.093km I believe) = 149.943km

[meanSpleen]

Sunday morning bike ride! Went from my apartment, in Irvine, north through Tustin and ended up at the Orange County Zoo. I didn't see any animals though so I don't know where they were hiding. It's possible that the actual zoo portion of the zoo is a distance away from the front gate. Anyway, looped back and did some random turns near the apartment before giving up and came back inside.

Todays contribution = 35km

Total self contribution = 40+35 = 75km

Total towards Fairbanks Alaska goal = 149.943 + 35 = 184.943 km (of 808.5 km)

[aberkok]

184.943 km (of 808.5 km) + 4km (across 2 runs... out on the street, baby!) = 188.9 km

I talked to Baraka_Guru and we decided to round off to one decimal place.

[kurty[B]]

Sunday walk along the river 7.3 kilometers.

188.9 km + 7.3 km = 196.2 km

Only a few more weeks until I pull my bike out from under the tarp. We'll start covering some distance after that.

[Jove]

11KM

[meanSpleen]

Originally Posted by kurty[B]

Sunday walk along the river 7.3 kilometers.

188.9 km + 7.3 km = 196.2 km

Only a few more weeks until I pull my bike out from under the tarp. We'll start covering some distance after that.

You're in Colorado. I thought every cyclist out there had extreme cold weather gear!!

Especially those near Boulder, since that is a HUGE cycling area

[aberkok]

196.2 + 11 (MonomAnny...please add your distance to the total) + at least 2 (gotta figure out how much this route is) = 209.2 km

[kurty[B]]

I'll add another 1.6 km from a walk yesterday.

209.2 + 1.6 = 210.8 km

meanSpleen, I'm sparing my roommates having to deal with my bikes in the apartment (bike are currently in a tarp cocoon on the porch). Roommates are moving back to south america next week!

And just to keep interest, we are halfway to views like this.

[aberkok]

210.8 km + 3.3 km = 214.1 km

[soccerchamp76]

Let's chalk up another 9 km.

Total: 223.1 km

[meanSpleen]

I took the Mountain to Sea Trail in Irvine, going south this time instead of north. It was a nice 71f/21c degrees outside, so it was neither too hot nor too cold. JUST RIGHT. Minimal wind in the city areas, but it picked picked up when I was near the ocean.

The trail itself is rather nice, and there is a moderate amount of other cyclists/walkers/runners/strollers on the trail. Not enough to affect safety, but just enough that no matter where you are you know there is someone somewhere in front of you in sight, and no one breathing down your neck. On average, I would say I would prefer about 2 people less per 5km, so its not enough to cause problems at all and and completely negligible.

Possibly the best part was hitting the Back Bay loop near the ocean. It is an inlet (right?) of water inland from the ocean. You can see Kayakers floating around the loop, and the air is pretty clean as well. Aside from the 1-2 cars that are on the road, it is wide and mildly curvy (its still a loop).

Coming back home, I got lost somehow. I was still on the trail, but I missed my turn and decided to take the surface streets back. A few wrong turns later, and some extreme luck, I finally got to a place that looked familiar and got back home. Fun! At least there is the chance I committed some of the area to memory and can ride out there knowing more of the city.

Todays contribution = 38km

Total self contribution = 75+38 = 113km

Total towards Fairbanks Alaska goal = 223.1 + 38 = 261.1 km (of 808.5 km)

[soccerchamp76]

Let's add another 9km
Total: 270.1 km

[aberkok]

another 4.4km = 274.5 km

[fatbob]

ran a half marathon today 21 km

total distance = 295.5

[meanSpleen]

Just rolled around the streets trying to not get hit by cars! (Well, went north on the Mountain to Seas Trail, and just rolled around coming back)

Todays contribution = 29km

Total self contribution = 113+29 = 142km

Total towards Fairbanks Alaska goal = 295.5 + 29 = 324.5 km (of 808.5 km)

[kurty[B]]

Another 2.8 km

324.5 + 2.8 = 327.3 km

[aberkok]

327.3 + 2.6 = 329.9 km

[Baraka_Guru]

329.9 + 8.1 = 337.9 km

[Hektore]

337.9 + 2.1 = 340km

[aberkok]

340 + 3.5 = 343.5 km

[Daniel_]

Six more trips to the gym since I last posted here.

3 km on foot, 3 km rowing, 6 km on a bike each time = 12 x 6 = 72 km.

343.5 km + 72 = 415.5

[aberkok]

415.5 + 6.7 (treadmill!!! my furthest yet)= 422.2 km

[Charlatan]

We should use this program to visually chart where we are running. You can post a link to the route.

Maybe Guru or Aberkok could manage it.

Just a thought.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/


By the way: 422.2 km + 2.3 km = 424.5