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.

Hey, Rebecca! Yay, which ones interest u??

I’m thinking Paris or Marine. I have a lot of marine military romances on my TBR.

K, marine is fine- im on the hunt!!

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 initials from the words MARINE CORPS in their name.

Perfect!

Does a navy seal count?

Rebecca wrote: "Does a navy seal count?"

We have to post here to Erica on the question thread. I posted a question too:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

We can change our mind too if we need to

I’m going to be reading heartbreak warfare by Kate Stewart and Heather M Orgeron :)

Race chosen/Training task: Marine Corps
Book: Heartbreak Warfare
Author: Kate Stewart & Heather Orgeron
Date Read: Feb 21,23
How it fits: main character is a marine
4/5 Stars

Oooo love it!

Race chosen/Training task:
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 initials from the words MARINE CORPS in their name.
Book: The Ultimate Hood Betrayal
Author: Patrice Balark
Date Read: 3.14.23
--/5🌟
How it fits: an author who has three initials from the words MARINE CORPS in their name.
M, A, & R in the ultimate and betrayal are all in Marine

Yay we can move onto our next task :)

Rebecca wrote: "Yay we can move onto our next task :)"

yup <3

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.

I can do 3 and 4 if that works

hmmmm, have you picked out your books yet??

Yes but they can also work with 1 and 2 if that helps.
My current read I’m 40% into definitely is one of the most emotional demanding books I’ve ever read I think. And then my second book is a buddy read that just started for two wrong hearts by Jennifer Hartmann

I have a book picked out for each prompt so just let me know what works best for you :)

Rebecca wrote: "Yes but they can also work with 1 and 2 if that helps.
My current read I’m 40% into definitely is one of the most emotional demanding books I’ve ever read I think. And then my second book is a bud..."

what's the one called that you're 40% into??

Pack up the moon by Kristan Higgins

Rebecca wrote: "Pack up the moon by Kristan Higgins"

k, what are your other 2?? lol i'm just being nosey now...

For more then 300 pages my buddy read for The wrong heart by Jennifer Hartmann is 394 pages

Regular book would be before I let go by Kennedy Ryan it’s my physical library book I’m about 25% into

Thriller would be five survive audiobook from my library

oh ok lol i was just bein nosey! 😁

I’m probably going to finish pack up the moon tonight definitely tomorrow morning. I’m at 68%. I’m doing well surprisingly since I’ve needed to take breaks to compose myself and be able to see the page from crying.

Rebecca wrote: "I’m probably going to finish pack up the moon tonight definitely tomorrow morning. I’m at 68%. I’m doing well surprisingly since I’ve needed to take breaks to compose myself and be able to see the ..."

🤦🏽‍♀️🤣😂🤣k--

This is the saddest book ever I’ve never cried this much reading a book except one book. This definitely tops that. It’s heartbreaking but beautiful too.

Finished my book!

Race chosen/training task: 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).
Book: Pack up the moon
Author: Kristan Higgins
Date Read: March 16,22
5/5 stars
How it fits: This is the most emotional demanding book I have ever read! I've never had to take so many breaks from a book to regain my composure from crying so much. This book was very real to me.

Race chosen/task: Long Runs. These build endurance. Read a book that is at least 300 pages long to complete this run.
Book: The Wrong Heart
Author: Jennifer Hartmann
Date read: March 18
Stars: 4/5
How it fits: Book is 394 pages doing a buddy read with my friend

Cool, well it'll be a minute 🤣 I'm a slow reader ❤️

That’s ok take your time :)

Finished The Wrong Heart I definitely liked Lotus more but still good book.

Rebecca wrote: "Finished The Wrong Heart I definitely liked Lotus more but still good book."

I am almost halfway through my second book, just a minor update-- 📚💛 of course i am reading it for another challenge too

That’s awesome! Thanks for the update! Hope your enjoying :)

oh definitely, this is the last book-- it's the finale!

Race chosen/Training task:
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.
Book: Sven the Collector
Author: Denali Day
Date Read: 3.14.23
🌟🌟/5🌟
How it fits: read any book you like to complete your regular run.



Race chosen/Training task:
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.
Book: Paint it All Red
Author: S T Abby
Date Read: 4.25.23
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 /5🌟
How it fits: mystery/ thriller about a female serial killer...my heart has been racing though all 4 books before this one and this is the last one-- this series hit the faves list!

I can’t read what you wrote post is blank for some reason

Oh yay we can move onto our next task!!

Okay ladies - great work! Now it's time to roll a single die (switch the app from two dice to one) for your next prompt.
Relay teams only roll once for the team.

https://www.random.org/dice/

Rebecca wrote: "Oh yay we can move onto our next task!!"

you can roll if you'd like. not sure why you can't see my post. GR is acting weird, i couldn't see my post on another thread either- then it came back.

Rolled a 4 :)

🎉📚🌟🎈...

4 = Your family has a big event planned that you can not skip - but it means you will miss out on a week of your training. Spell out CONFLICTED -or- read a book with a MC who gives up something important to them to fulfill a family obligation (say who and what).

So a book that has the letters conflicted in the title? Am I understanding that right

No I think we would have to read books that correlate with each letter of conflicted so like for the letter c we could read a book that starts with a c

Ok I think I’m going to read wreckage of us by Brittainy Cherry :) it fits the prompt for giving up her life to raise her baby sister.

Training Task: Family Obligation
Book: Wreckage of Us
Author: Brittainy Cherry
Date Read: May 10
How it fits: Hazel gives up her dreams in order to care for her baby sister the only family she has left after her mom is arrested

Finished my book :)