My Place to Race - 40 Day Challenge

Take the 40-Day Virtual Trek Challenge! 🌟

Ready to feel better body, mind, and spirit? Join us for a 40-day Virtual Trek where movement meets mission and faith fuels fitness!

Your goal?
Travel 40, 80, 120 miles—or more in 40 days. Walk, jog, run, bike, swim, dance—anything that gets you moving counts! (Every 20 minutes of activity = 1 mile.)

Do it your way, at your pace, wherever you are.

 

👟 How it Works:

• Log your miles daily on our online tracker
• See where you rank on the leaderboard
• Cheer others on through our social community
• Invite friends & family to support you with prayer (and maybe a few dollars!)

 

🎁 Every Trekker Gets:

• Printable race bib
• Event t-shirt (optional)
• Race Medal (optional)
• Finisher certificate
• Digital milestone badges
• A virtual high five (and maybe a real one, too)
• That awesome feeling of doing something good—for YOU and others
  

Let’s do this together!
Take the challenge. Move with purpose. Let God lead the way.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Q: Do I have to complete a certain number of miles each day, or can I break it up and run more on the weekends?
A: You can run, walk, bike or exercise as much or as little as you want on a given day. In order to earn your finisher's medal, you'll have to finish your mileage before October 24th.

Q: Can I set a personal mileage goal?
A: Yes. After entering your first activity (available on Day 1 of the 40 Day Challenge), you can set your individual goal. Look below the Submit Goals button when you enter your results. Look for the blue Goals button, click on the pencil icon next to Edit Personal Goals. 

Q: Do I have to run the whole way?
A: No. You can run, jog, or walk on the road, on the trail, on the treadmill, at the gym or on the track. If you are cycling the challenge you can do your miles outside on your non-electric two-wheeled bicycle, or inside on your stationary bike, Peleton or elliptical machine. You can even substitute exercise activities for miles (20 Minutes of activity = 1 mile).  You get to complete your own race, at your own pace, and track it yourself. New this year we will convert miles to the baseline of walking 1 mile.

Q: Do I need a GPS watch/tracker? Will I need to show my watch or device for proof of running?
A: You can use one if you wish. You are on the Honor System to track and record your miles. There are many apps on the market that will help you track your mileage including FitBit, Strava, Garmin Connect or even Google Maps.  

Q: Do treadmill miles count? What about trail miles?
A: Yes for treadmills.  Yes for trail miles.

Q: Do elliptical miles count?  Stationary bike?
A: For the purpose of The Challenge, elliptical machines and Pelotons are considered bicycles.  And yes, all forms on inside biking count toward your mileage.

Q: I'm participating in another race during the same period as The My Place to Race 40-Day Challenge. Can I count those miles during toward my total?
A: Yes.

Q: Can I register after March 14th?
A: You can register anytime, even after March 14th, but you'll still need to finish by April 23rd at midnight Central Time.

Q: How long do I have to complete the mileage?
A: The rules state you have 40 days to complete your miles. However, in the virtual world, there is no one to enforce the rules, other than yourself. You can start entering results on March 14th. You have until April 23 to submit your results. In a perfect world you would do 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 miles per day to reach the goal you set for yourself. However, you have some flexibility with when you start and end your tracking. If you need a break or want to take a 7-day vacation, that is up to you as the judge and jury in this challenge.  You may need to do some extra miles on some days to make up for days off.

Q: How much does it cost to register?
A: Early Bird $49 on or before 3/01/2026.  Regular $55 from 3/2/2026 until the day the race begins, 3/14/2026.  $65 if you register after March 14th. 

Q: Do you offer any discounts?
A: Yes, Social Teams with 10 or more members get $10 off their entry fee.  Registrants 1-9 will receive a refund once their team grows to 10 members. Also, individual who donate $125 to our charity through this site will receive a FREE Race Entry (automatically discounted when you checkout).  There is also special pricing for youth participants.  Registrants 11 to 17 get 30% off; Youth age 6 to 10 save 40% off; Kids 5 and under are free (no shirt offered for 5 & Under registrants.)  No code needed.  Youth discount is applied automatically during registration. Please note, you cannot combine youth and social team discounts.

Q: How will I report my miles?
A: You can submit your results HERE.  You can add multiple entries each day and make notes about that day's miles.  You can also see your progress across the map on your personal results page.  You can learn more about how to submit your mileage HERE.

Q: Do all my miles in a day count?
A: The My Place to Race - 40-Day Challenge is a personal quest -- you against the miles ahead of you. You are on the honor system to track and record your distance. Only miles accumulated from direct physical activity intended for the challenge should count. In other words, steps you earn in your daily activities should not count. Distance traveled via car to get to the trail you are walking on should not count. We all know some trackers tend to encompass additional motions throughout your day so use your best judgement when logging your Challenge miles.  You can enter multiple entries in the same day.

Q: Do my bike or swim miles equal walking miles?
A: No. You will need to convert your bicycle, swim and exercise activity into the baseline of one walking mile. Walking is the baseline for comparison (1 walking mile = 1 mile). Cycling is approximately 4x easier than walking for the same distance due to the efficiency of the bike. Swimming is roughly 4x more challenging than walking for the same distance, depending on effort and stroke.

Conversion factors for different exercise activities:

• Cycling: 1 mile of cycling = 0.25 walking miles
• Swimming: 1 mile of swimming = 4 walking miles
• Other Exercise Activity: 20 minutes = 1 walking mile

Q: Can you give me an example of converting my exercise activities?
A: Yes.

Step 1: Example 3 miles walking, 15 miles biking, 1 mile swimming, 45 minutes strength training

Step 2: Convert to Walking Miles. Apply the formulas to calculate walking equivalents for each activity.

• Walking: 3 miles × 1 = 3 walking miles
• Biking: 15 miles × 0.25 = 3.75 walking miles
• Swimming: 1 mile × 4 = 4 walking miles
• Strength Training: 45 minutes / 20 minutes = 2.25 walking miles

Q: Can you clarify some of the Results Page notations and what they mean?
A: Sure. Here you go:
    Tally-  The number of miles you have traveled.
    Gun Time- The time you have traveled (optional)
    Pace-  The time per mile (based on time is inputted. This is optional and will be in error if you don't input times with each activity.)

Q: Can we have a relay team?
A: The event was set up as an Individual event. However we do have SOCIAL TEAMS which will allow you to compete against your team members.  Social Teams of 10 or more save $10 off the registration fee.  Learn more HERE.

Q: Are the shirts unisex or gender specific?
A: The shirts have both a women and a unisex/men cut option.  

Q: What do the shirts look like?
A: You can see an image of the initial design on the AWARDS & PRIZES section of the website.   All finishers get the same T-shirt regardless of distance.

Q: When will I get my shirt 
A: New this year. If you register before September 1st, we will ship your t-shirts and race badge out by the end of September.  If you register after September 1st, we will ship your swag out towards the end of the race.

Q: Where is my bib and how can I print it out?
A: See the race bib section here.

Q: Where do I find the Facebook Group?
A:  You can find our event Facebook group HERE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/myplacetorace (if the hyperlink does not work, type this URL into your browser.)

Q: Where can I access my finisher certificate?
A: Once you submit your full results, click on your name and then click on the CERTIFICATE button on the upper right hand side. You can print and/or share the image on your social media pages.

Q: Can I change my zip, address, name, etc.
A: Yes, you can edit your registration information. Here is a guide on making these changes.

Q: If I am not a First Place for Health member, can I still participate?
A: Absolutely! 

Q: If I live outside of the United States, can I still participate?
A: Yes, however we are only able to shipping packages inside the continental USA, so please choose the No T-shirt Option.

Q: How do I find out more about the First Place for Health (FP4H) Ministry?
A:  Access the First Place for Health website at www.firstplaceforhealth.com to find out more.

STUFF WE ALL GET (aka SWAG)

Each registrant will get the following benefits for registering for the My Place to Race - 40-Day Challenge:

• A unique printable race bib for you to wear while you are logging your miles.
• An event T-Shirt (optional)
• A race medal (optional)
• Digital milestone badges for individuals and for teams
• A printable finisher certificate
• Access to our social media community that will keep you motivated
• Daily Blog to keep you encouraged and entertained
• The blessed feeling that you will get by being both physically and spiritually active and supporting a very worthy cause.

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GET $10 BACK ON YOUR REGISTRATION by joining a Social Team.  Learn More Here

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EARN A FREE ENTRY by making a $125 donation towards First Place for Health during registration. Learn More Here.

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FUND RAISE - GET BACK YOUR REGISTRATION by setting up a Fund Raiser for your Race.  Learn More Here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BASICS - You can run, jog, or walk on the road, on the trail, on the treadmill, at the gym or on the track. Ride your bike, swim.  You choose.

One of the beauties of a virtual race is there are limited rules. Want to bring your dog?  Sure.  Want to push a stroller? OK. Want to run some and walk some? Yup. You can even add distances multiple times per day so do some in the morning and more in the evening.

You get to complete your own race, at your own pace, and time it yourself if you wish. You make the call!

YOUR MILES -  The My Place to Race - 40-Day Challenge is a personal trek-- you against the miles ahead of you. You are on the honor system to track and record your distance. You might consider setting your personal goal:

• 40 Miles is 1 mile per day for 40 days or 1.33 miles per day with 10 days off
• 80 Miles is 2 miles per day for 40 days or 2.67 miles per day with 1 days off
• 120 Miles is 3 miles per day for 40 days or 4 miles per day with 10 days off

You will have the flexibility to complete your miles when it best suits your schedule.  We will provide guidance along the way to help you reach your goal.  You can set your personal goal once the race begins on the page where you submit your results.

LOG YOUR MILES - Participants will have access to a Results webpage to record their distances and times (optional) each day. Here you will be able to view a leaderboard and see where you stand against others in the challenge. For instructions on logging your miles, visit HERE. Those who are on a SOCIAL TEAM will be able to search other members of their team from this Results site as a means to compare your efforts.

REGISTER - Once you are ready SIGN UP for the distance you plan to complete during The Challenge.  You can start submitting miles starting on March 14. Any miles accumulated prior to this date should not count.  If you join after March 14, you can submit any miles accumulated only after you join. There is special pricing for youth 17 and under as well as discounts for social teams.

PRICING -  Early Bird pricing $49 from February 12th to March 1st.  Regular pricing $55 from March 2nd to March 13th. Pricing after the race begins March 14th, $65.

Fund Raiser - Recruit your family and friends to encourage your efforts with prayer and possibly additional donations. What better way to keep you motivated to run each day then knowing that you are doing good not only for your body and metal health but also helping raise funds for a great cause. You can learn more about First Place for Health HERE.

FACEBOOK GROUP - We encourage you to follow us on our Facebook Group for this event.  This is where we will post training tips, motivational stories and interact with you along your journey.  We will have games and activities where you can earn gifts and prizes for posting photos, commenting on posts and being an active part of our online community.

* CONVERT YOUR EXERCISE TO MILES - NEW IN 2025 *

Walking is the baseline for comparison (1 walking mile = 1 walking mile). Conversion factors for different exercise activities:

• Cycling: 1 mile of cycling = 0.25 walking miles
• Swimming: 1 mile of swimming = 4 walking miles
• Other Exercise Activity: 20 minutes = 1 walking mile

You can learn more about what type of miles should count toward your Challenge on our FAQ page. 

 

 

SOCIAL TEAMS OF 10 OR MORE SAVE $10

You are encouraged to create a SOCIAL TEAM and hold a mini competitions among yourselves.  Teams are a great way to stay motivated throughout the journey.  Plus teams of 10 or more will get a $10 discount off the entry fee. When registering you will have the option to Join a Group/Team. All Members of a SOCIAL TEAM are linked by their team name and password. As your team grows, everyone benefits, event those who register first! The system will automatically refund everyone on the team who has already registered and charge the new team members the new rate.

Running with friends really is so much more fun than running alone. Once the race is over, a team is there to celebrate, and relax after the accomplishments. Plus, they’ll keep people going and motivate them to finish strong if they’re starting to feel sluggish mid-race. Teams get bonus points if they wear matching team t-shirts or costumes!

A team is a built-in training support system. A dedicated team will spend some time running together (socially distanced of course) getting to know each member’s quirks and pace. An individual can push off or ignore scheduled runs, but a team won’t let them get away with skipping them! Besides support, team members also make for great accountability partners, and will help members to be completely prepared for the challenge ahead of them.

Need help creating or joining your social team?
You can easily create or join your social team during registration! If you already registered, and didn't join or create a team, it's not too late! For all instructions CLICK HERE!

To See What Social Teams Have Already Registered CLICK HERE.

40-Day Challenge: T-Shirt