Superheroes of Summer Running Challenge

Superheroes gather from around the world to run, defeat the heat and save the children! Which squad will answer the SOS and become the Superheroes of Summer?

If you enjoyed our Game of Zones challenge, we would like to invite you back for our Superheroes of Summer challenge.

Theme: Superheroes!

How will each state perform under Summer running conditions?

Superheroes of Summer will be the same concept but with new titles, new leaders, a new prize money system and lots of advance notice to gather your Superhero Squad. Each entrant will receive a Superheroes of Summer medal and $5 from each entry will go towards the Children’s Hospitals around Australia.

In June we raised $6000 for the winning hospital plus around another $1000 in signup bonuses and weekly challenge winnings for the other hospitals.

This year we are offering event singlets which can be ordered here but there are very limited numbers.

So how does it work?

Superheroes of Summer is a battle of the states (now known as squads!) around Australia. You need to recruit Superheroes for your squad then get out and run during January. Every km that you run or walk will go towards your squads total. The squad that runs the most kms from 1st January to the 31st January 2020 will be declared the winner and take away the major prize money for their hospital. In June, in our challenge group, we shared lots of friendly banter and competition among the states. We got to share the amazing places that we run and inspire each other with our individual feats and accomplishments.

Based on feedback from our last battle of the states, we have changed prize money format this year. The major prize money will be worth 40% of the overall prize pool and the remainder 60% will be divided amongst the states based on how many kms they run.

FAQ:

1. Who can enter? The challenge is open to Australian and Overseas runners. Overseas runners will need to sign up via Mum Runner directly as the postage rate will vary. This year our overseas runner’s will be referred to as “Sidekicks: a close companion, partner or friend who comes with you on your adventures.”
2. You’re “Mum Runner”, can men enter? Yes
3. How do you track the kms? We use Strava to track kms. When you sign up you will be required to submit your Strava Athlete link (found by accessing your profile page on a web browser and copying the URL) so we can follow you and see the kms that you run. We then tally these to your state’s total each week. Strava is free to download and use.
4. Will there be alliances this year? No. As we are changing the prize money format there will be no alliances.
5. How much does it cost to enter? The entry fee will be $20 which includes your medal, postage and a charitable donation. This price is the early bird price and is valid until the 8th of December. After that the price will go up to $30.
6. Can I order a singlet after the pre-order closes? There will be a very limited number of singlets available to purchase after pre-order. If you want a singlet please pre-order one to avoid disappointment.
7. Will there be weekly challenges? Yes
8. Will there be titles on offer? Yes
9. Which hospitals are the beneficiaries of the prize money? WA – Perth Children’s Hospital, NT – Royal Darwin Hospital, SA – Women and Children’s Hospital, QLD – Queensland Children’s Hospital, NSW – Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, ACT – Canberra Hospital, VIC – The Royal Children’s Hospital, TAS – Royal Hobart Hospital
10. Can you count treadmill runs? Yes, if you provide proof on Strava of your run (ie a photo of the treadmill, heart rate data from a watch, or if you have a watch that tracks indoor runs and syncs to Strava).
11. Do I have to use Strava? We would prefer you to use Strava. If for some reason you absolutely cannot, we will accept proof of your kms via another running app but the onus is on you to submit these each Sunday before leaderboards are produced.
12. I don’t want a medal, can I enter without receiving one? If you don’t want a medal we will redirect your entry fee into a donation for your hospital but you MUST let us know at sign up in the order notes section.
13. Strava leaderboards are confusing and incorrect! That’s ok, we don’t use the strava leaderboard. We get your individual kms from your strava profile.
14. Do walking kms count? Yes
15. Do cycling or swimming kms count? No
16. Does my Strava account need to be public? No. We are not out to compromise anyone’s privacy or safety. We will need to follow you to see your runs but you do not need to make them public.
17. When will I receive my medal? Medals will be posted in February at the conclusion of the challenge. These generally take 3-4 weeks to get them all dispatched.
18. If I get injured during the challenge, will I still get my medal? Yes
19. Is there a minimum number of kms I must run or walk? No