Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge: Updates

Updates

Content from all the participant emails send during the challenge will be below.

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Friday 1/26 Results Update

Today is the fourth and final Friday of the challenge (tear...) so it's time to check in on the results!

As a reminder the challenge ends on Wednesday next week January 31st. I'll send out a separate note with instructions and timelines for the end of the challenge.

Please stay on top of entering your miles as the leaderboard provides motivation to everyone...no matter if you are in second place or 1000th place.

Shipping Update
All the swag was sent out including to those overseas. If you haven't received your swag yet, it should arrive soon. Please let me know if you have any questions about the swag. We hope you like it!

IFP $25 giftcard giveaways...
Long-time EX2 racer and financial advisor extraordinaire, Erik Scudder, is the go-to resource for all all your financial, retirement, investment, business owner and estate planning strategies! At the virtual awards ceremony for the challenge, Erik will be giving away some fabulous gift cards. Fill out this form to enter.

Sheehy $250 off car purchase through end of January
Vince Sheehy, President of Sheehy Auto Stores, is an EX2 racer and a big supporter of grassroots racing! If you are thinking about purchasing a new or preowned car, definitely checkout Sheehy.com. With 30 dealerships and 14 brands through VA & MD, Sheehy has the largest selection of cars, trucks, and SUVs in the Mid-Atlantic.

If you are interested in a new or used car, you can let me know and I'll put you in contact with Vince directly (seriously). He'll then personally connect you with the correct sales manager at the right dealership. How is that for personal service? He did that for an EX2 staff member last year and several EX2 racers and they all had a wonderful and stress-free buying experience.

Each and every one of you is doing AMAZING! Finish up strong!

Remember what I said at the beginning of the challenge...while it's totally OK to look at what others are doing and use it as a source of motivation, the most important part of this challenge is challenging yourself and working towards your own goal.

Results (as of this morning)
We have 1,344 people participating in the challenge from 43 states and DC and 5 countries.

The average participant age is 46. There are 35 participants over 70 years of age (4 in their 80s), and 15 participants that are 10 or younger. About 60 percent of participants are women and 40% men.

So far, we've collectively accumulated over 117,077 miles across 24,332 different "non-pushup" activity submissions (49% have been outside). We've also accumulated over 134,790 pushups! Incredible!! The individuals and teams with the most miles are listed below.

Keep on being amazing and getting outside!

Individual Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles (F) - Isadora Blachman-Biatch (1391)
- Total Miles (M) - Jason Lilly (1670)

- Total Miles Outside (F) - Randi Lombardozzi (595)
- Total Miles Outside (M) - Kevin Klaes (909)

- Running (F) - Syreeta Fields (336)
- Running (M) - Jason Lilly (344)

- Running Outside (F) - Laura Berlin (273)
- Running Outside (M) - Douglas Martin (272)

- Walking (F) - Karen Wandelt (184)
- Walking (M) - James Bernhardt (176)

- Walking Outside (F) - Karen Wandelt (184)
- Walking Outside (M) - James Bernhardt (176)

- Biking (F) - Isadora Blachman-Biatch (1274)
- Biking (M) - Derrick Nauflett (1509)

- Biking Outside (F) - Randi Lombardozzi (438)
- Biking Outside (M) - Kevin Klaes (714)

- Swimming (F) - Cynthia Hutchings (45)
- Swimming (M) - Sandy McRae (54)

- Paddling (F) - Sarah Pease (99)
- Paddling (M) - Michael Pease (344)

- Skiing (F) - Erin Smith (204)
- Skiing (M) - Kevin Klaes (160)

- Push ups (F) - Jill Carey (5075)
- Push ups (M) - Joon Lee (14020)

Team Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles - Book'in it 2024 (3961)
- Total Miles Outside - Old Dude Dirt Clan #1 (2089)
- Running - Sole Sisters 1 (1267)
- Walking - Clifton Cycling Chicks (642)
- Biking - Book'in it 2024 (3259)
- Swimming - Stinky old guys and beautiful mermaids (243)
- Paddling - Chill Folk (348)
- Skiing - Monsters on Maple (212)
- Push ups - NT Concepts 1 (14790)

Corporate Team Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles - NT Concepts 3: NTC Gives BRRRack (1703)
- Total Miles Outside - NT Concepts 3: NTC Gives BRRRack (568)

Some of these results are updated in real time, while others are a result of many Excel pivot tables :)

If you'd like to see all the team overall totals...I've created this Google sheet.

I've added two new worksheets to the Google sheet...Team OUTSIDE Miles - 1/26/2024 and Individual OUTSIDE MILES - 1/26/2024. The individual outside miles sheet has overall total outside miles, total outside running miles, and total outside biking miles.

Charity Partner - Homestretch
When I add the 10% EX2 match, together we raised over $45,000 for Homestretch! This is so awesome!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! There is still time to make a donation.

Share Your Photos
Keep those photos coming!! The EX2 Facebook group, Instagram, Facebook, and RunSignUp race page are all great places to share. Use #backyardbrrr and please tag @ex2adventures when you post to the socials.

Remember...the week 4 photo contest theme is "Friends, Family, Teammates...Furry or Otherwise." This will be last photo theme so any pictures posted through the end of the challenge will be eligible.

Corporate Partners
Huge shoutout to our corporate partners!! Collectively these companies have donated $25,000+ to Homestretch!

NT Concepts
Absolute Business Solutions Corp (ABSC)
Fairfax Neonatal Associates
Objektiv Solutions
Sheehy Auto Stores
Excella
Mobomo
Acclaim Technical Services (ATS)
Black Cape
Veros Technologies

Thanks to our sponsors!

Baird Automotive
For this challenge, we’ll be randomly giving away $100 to a lucky participant during the virtual awards ceremony at the end of the challenge. This is courtesy fellow racer and all around good guy, Joey Baird of Baird Automotive. Joey's shop in Arlington is open...give him a call at 703-527-1770. All EX2 racers receive 10% off any service.

Integrated Financial Partners - Erik Scudder
Long-time EX2 racer and financial advisor extraordinaire, Erik Scudder, is the go-to resource for all all your financial, retirement, investment, business owner and estate planning strategies! Give Erik a call at 703-840-4288. Don't forget to enter to win the REI gift cards! Fill out this form to enter.

Good Wolf Gear
Good Wolf Gear is an awesome local outdoor gear exchange in Herndon, VA. They buy and sell new and used outdoor gear, apparel, and accessories with a focus on backpacking, camping, and hiking. All the photo contest prizes this year are generously being provided by our friends at Good Wolf Gear. I encourage you to go check out this great shop...I've attached a coupon to this email that you can use!

If you ever have any questions, please reply to this email or get in touch via call or text. You can also check the FAQs page.

Have an awesome weekend and keep it up!

Andy

Andy Bacon
Race Director/Owner
EX2 Adventures
703-338-3965

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Photo Contest Week 3 Winners...and Week 4 Theme

Happy Monday! As a reminder, each week of the challenge we have an optional photo contest with special prizes. The theme for week 3 was "frozen."

We saw some amazing and very creative photos uploaded to RunSignUp and posted on social media!

Congrats to Andrea Creech Ham, Frank Squillaro, and Sandy MacRae on submitting such creative photos.

Each of you will receive a Cotopaxi duffle bag courtesy of our friends at Good Wolf Gear.

The week 4 photo contest theme is "Friends, Family, Teammates...Furry or Otherwise."

This will be our last photo contest theme and will run through the end of the month.

The photo must be uploaded to RunSignUp and shared on social media (if you are on social) to be considered. The EX2 Racers and Volunteers Facebook group is an awesome place to post photos!

Please tag @ex2adventures and use #BackyardBRRR when posting on the socials. I'll pick the winners at the conclusion of the challenge. Have fun!

Have an awesome week!

Andy

Andy Bacon
Race Director
EX2 Adventures
703-338-3965

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Friday 1/19 Results Update

Thank you again for participating in the Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge!! Today is the third Friday of the challenge (wow...already!) so it's time to check in on the results! As a reminder, I will be sending out these updates each Friday in January.

I have a few announcements before we get into the results...

Shipping Update
My team and I are going to pack up all the swag this weekend and next. You may start receiving shipping notifications as early as today.

Keeping your Miles Updated
As we head into the last week of the challenge, please make an extra effort to update your miles on a regular basis.

Share your Stories
The Backyard BRRR means something different to each of the over 1,300 participants and there are many inspirational stories happening with the event. I’d love to be able to share some of those stories in hopes that all of us are inspired to live a healthy lifestyle and enjoy life one day at a time and to support each other. This is part of the greater mission of EX2.

If you have a story you'd like to share, please reply to this email and let me know.

...back to the results...each and every one of you is doing AMAZING!

Remember what I said at the beginning of the challenge...while it's OK to look at what others are doing, the most important part of this challenge is challenging yourself and working towards your own goal.

Results (as of this morning)
We have 1,344 people participating in the challenge from 43 states and DC and 5 countries.

The average participant age is 46. There are 35 participants over 70 years of age (4 in their 80s), and 15 participants that are 10 or younger. About 60 percent of participants are women and 40% men.

So far, we've collectively accumulated over 82,868 miles across 17,581 different "non-pushup" activity submissions (50% have been outside). We've also accumulated over 97,707 pushups! Incredible!! The individuals and teams with the most miles are listed below.

Keep on being amazing and getting outside!

Individual Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles (F) - Isadora Blachman-Biatch (917)
- Total Miles (M) - Derrick Nauflett (1123)

- Total Miles Outside (F) - Randi Lombardozzi (416)
- Total Miles Outside (M) - Kevin Klaes (484)

- Running (F) - Syreeta Fields (244)
- Running (M) - Jason Lilly (250)

- Running Outside (F) - Laura Berlin (183)
- Running Outside (M) - David Humphrey (187)

- Walking (F) - Karen Wandelt (134)
- Walking (M) - James Bernhardt (116)

- Walking Outside (F) - Karen Wandelt (134)
- Walking Outside (M) - James Bernhardt (116)

- Biking (F) - Isadora Blachman-Biatch (830)
- Biking (M) - Derrick Nauflett (1117)

- Biking Outside (F) - Randi Lombardozzi (299)
- Biking Outside (M) - Pierre Martel (408)

- Swimming (F) - Cynthia Hutchings (32)
- Swimming (M) - Sandy McRae (34)

- Paddling (F) - Sarah Pease (74)
- Paddling (M) - Michael Pease (257)

- Skiing (F) - Cynthia Hutchings (122)
- Skiing (M) - Kevin Klaes (108)

- Push ups (F) - Jill Carey (3575)
- Push ups (M) - Joon Lee (9950)

Team Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles - Clifton Cycling Chicks (2561)
- Total Miles Outside - Old Dude Dirt Clan #1 (1654)
- Running - Sole Sisters 1 (948)
- Walking - Clifton Cycling Chicks (486)
- Biking - Bookin it in 2024 (2025)
- Swimming - Stinky old guys and beautiful mermaids (163)
- Paddling - Chill Folk (257)
- Skiing - Monsters on Maple (212)
- Push ups - NT Concepts 1 (10550)

Corporate Team Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles - NT Concepts 3: NTC Gives BRRRack (1281)
- Total Miles Outside - NT Concepts 3: NTC Gives BRRRack (432)

Some of these results are updated in real time, while others are a result of many Excel pivot tables :)

If you'd like to see all the team overall totals...I've created this Google sheet.

Cold Weather Workout Tips
This week I want to share more about "base layers." By base layer I'm referring to the layer of clothing that you typically wear against your skin. There are several types of fabric out there for base layers, but the most common ones you see are polyester and wool. I used to see a lot of polypropylene (polypro), but I don't see it as much any more. Sometimes you'll also see spandex (or elastane) mixed in to add to make the fabric more "stretchy." Know also that some companies have their own brand name for their polyester. A good example is Patagonia's Capilene.

Base layers generally come in different "weights"...light weight, mid weight, and heavy weight are common...although different companies call them different things. Heavy weight base layers often feel "fleecy."

Polyester has excellent wicking properties, which is why it's so common in workout clothing. However, the light weight and even some of the mid weight polyester base layers won't keep you warm if you get wet. Wool, on the other hand, has excellent wicking properties AND will keep you warm when wet...even the light weight ones. Therefore, my favorite base layer fabric is wool. When it's really cold, my go-to running combination is a light weight wool short sleeve shirt underneath a mid weight wool long sleeve. That combination with a light windbreaker keeps me comfortable running down into the 20s. Wool is more expense than polyester, but I believe it's absolutely worth the extra cost. Smartwool is a well-known and respected brand of wool base layers. They aren't cheap, but they are rock solid gear.

The second topic I want to briefly touch on is gloves for winter training. Gloves can be very sport specific...meaning the gloves you wear for winter cycling will be different than winter running. The technology has gotten really awesome and there are even gloves that are battery heated these days. My advice on gloves is that you really have to experiment with what works for you...I've probably had 30+ pairs of gloves over the past 20 years and what I liked changed over time. I will say there are a few types of gloves that you should know exist. First, is thin base layer type gloves that are awesome for running and walking if you hands don't get too cold. Many people don't need heavy gloves when running and prefer something lighter. Second, is gloves that are a combination of glove and mitt. There are different variations on this type (clamshell type gloves...thumb and only two fingers for example...are awesome for winter cycling). There are many combo glove and mitts that have a mitt cover that you can pull over and cover all your fingers. If your hands get cold easily, this type is super handy. For general multi-purpose winter activity gloves, I've found that Outdoor Research makes some really solid products.

A few reminders

Don't forget the photo contest theme for week 3 (through Sunday) is "frozen."

Corporate Partners
Huge shoutout to our corporate partners!! Collectively these companies have donated $24,500 to Homestretch!

NT Concepts
Absolute Business Solutions Corp (ABSC)
Fairfax Neonatal Associates
Objektiv Solutions
Sheehy Auto Stores
Excella
Mobomo
Acclaim Technical Services (ATS)
Black Cape
Veros Technologies

Thanks to our sponsors!

If you ever have any questions, please reply to this email or get in touch via call or text. You can also check the FAQs page.

Have an awesome weekend and keep it up!

Andy

Andy Bacon
Race Director/Owner
EX2 Adventures
703-338-3965

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Swag Shipping Soon!

Just wanted to let you know that your swag from the Backyard BRRR will be shipping soon. We will be packing things up this coming weekend (and the weekend of the 27th if we don't finish this weekend).

When we create a shipping label for your swag, you will receive an email with your tracking number. All items will be shipped via USPS. We will start creating the shipping labels as early as tomorrow, but no packages will be dropped at the post office until Monday.

If you need to update your shipping address, please do so no later than tomorrow January 18th by noon. You can do so by following these steps:

Kind regards,

Andy

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Photo Contest Week 2 Winners...and Week 3 Theme

Happy Monday! As a reminder, each week of the challenge we have an optional photo contest with special prizes. The themes for week 2 were:

"BRRR...it's cold" and "Abbey Road"

and we saw some amazing photos uploaded to RunSignUp and posted on social media!

For "BRRR...it's cold"...congrats to our winner Beth Miller, who won a Smartwool top! Congrats Beth!

...and because we received so many great photos...we are awarding runner-up prizes to Anna Padlan, Janet Eaker, Jessica Lucas-Judy, and Nancy Johnson Harris. Each of these incredible women will receive a pair of Darn Tough socks.

Thanks to Good Wolf Gear in Herndon, VA for supplying the prizes!

For "Abbey Road"...congrats to Barbara Benson, Donna Viens, Julie Crane, and Julie Peasley! I couldn't pick just one! Each of you will receive a coupon code good for 4 free entries into any EX2 Adventures events!

...and now on to the week 3 theme...

The theme for week 3 is "Frozen"

The photo must be uploaded to RunSignUp and shared on social media (if you are on social) to be considered. Please tag @ex2adventures and use #BackyardBRRR when posting on the socials. I'll pick the winners on Monday January 22th. Have fun!

Have an awesome week!

Andy

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Friday 1/12 Results Update

Thank you again for participating in the Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge!! Today is the second Friday of the challenge so it's time to check in on the results! As a reminder, I will be sending out these updates each Friday in January.

I have a few announcements before we get into the results...

First, Shipping...
My team and I are going to pack up all the swag over the weekends of January 20th and 27th.

If you need to update your shipping address, please do so no later than Wednesday January 17th. You can do so by following these steps:

Go to your RunSignUp profile
Under your upcoming events, find Backyard BRRR and then select manage registration
Then find "Shipping" in the navigation menus...this is where you can update your shipping address.
Second, IFP $25 giftcard giveaways...
Long-time EX2 racer and financial advisor extraordinaire, Erik Scudder, is the go-to resource for all all your financial, retirement, investment, business owner and estate planning strategies! At the virtual awards ceremony for the challenge, Erik will be giving away some fabulous gift cards. Fill out this form to enter.

If you have a story you'd like to share, please reply to this email and let me know.

...back to the results...you all are CRUSHING it!!

Results (as of this morning)
We have 1,341 people participating in the challenge from 43 states and DC and 5 countries.

The average participant age is 46. There are 35 participants over 70 years of age (4 in their 80s), and 15 participants that are 10 or younger. About 60 percent of participants are women and 40% men.

So far, we've collectively accumulated over 50,782 miles across 11,107 different "non-pushup" activity submissions (50% have been outside). We've also accumulated over 63,226 pushups! Incredible!! The individuals and teams with the most miles are listed below.

Keep on being amazing and getting outside!

Individual Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles (F) - Isadora Blachman-Biatch (540)
- Total Miles (M) - Derrick Nauflett (561)

- Total Miles Outside (F) - Randi Lombardozzi (252)
- Total Miles Outside (M) - Kevin Klaes (466)

- Running (F) - Syreeta Fields (155)
- Running (M) - Jason Lilly (156)

- Running Outside (F) - Laura Berlin (110)
- Running Outside (M) - Douglas Martin (125)

- Walking (F) - Jane Rabinovitch (84)
- Walking (M) - Michael Campbell (75)

- Walking Outside (F) - Jane Rabinovitch (84)
- Walking Outside (M) - Michael Campbell (75)

- Biking (F) - Isadora Blachman-Biatch (480)
- Biking (M) - Derrick Nauflett (555)

- Biking Outside (F) - Randi Lombardozzi (183)
- Biking Outside (M) - Kevin Klaes (342)

- Swimming (F) - Cynthia Hutchings and Lynn Introcaso (17ish)
- Swimming (M) - Jason Davidson (19)

- Paddling (F) - Sarah Pease (53)
- Paddling (M) - Michael Pease (157)

- Skiing (F) - Cynthia Hutchings (122)
- Skiing (M) - Kevin Klaes (101)

- Push ups (F) - Jill Carey (1975)
- Push ups (M) - Joon Lee (5540)

Team Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles - Clifton Cycling Chicks (1140)
- Total Miles Outside - Old Dude Dirt Clan #1 (1014)
- Running - Sole Sisters 1 (589)
- Walking - Water Wizards (263)
- Biking - Clifton Cycling Chicks (1000)
- Swimming - Stinky old guys and beautiful mermaids (97)
- Paddling - Chill Folk (157)
- Skiing - Stinky old guys and beautiful mermaids (122)
- Push ups - NT Concepts 1 (6140)

Corporate Team Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles - NT Concepts 3: NTC Gives BRRRack (882)
- Total Miles Outside - NT Concepts 3: NTC Gives BRRRack (338)

Some of these results are updated in real time, while others are a result of many Excel pivot tables :)

If you'd like to see all the team overall totals...I've created this Google sheet.

Cold Weather Workout Tips
Last week I talked about using your hat, gloves, and buff to help moderate your temperature while working out. I also mentioned my 5-minute rule...the first 5 minutes of being cold while running outside doesn't count (typically a bit longer when cycling or walking...unless you start going uphill). That's because it takes a few minutes for your body to start generating heat.

This week I want to share what I consider to be the most important piece of cold weather gear - it's something that I mentioned last week. I think the most important piece of cold weather running gear is a light jacket that breaks the wind. A windbreaker, a wind shell jacket...they have lots of names. By shell, I mean a jacket typically made of very tightly woven nylon. By light, I don't mean a heavy shell jacket that you'd wear mountaineering, skiing, etc. My go-to is the Patagonia Houdini jacket (3.7 ounces...that's light), but pretty much every running/outdoor apparel manufacturer makes one. Why do I think this type of jacket is so useful? Well, there are three reasons. First, this type of jacket blocks the wind and wind makes everything feel colder. Always. Second, the tightly woven nylon traps your body's heat that you generate when you workout. Trapped heat equals warmth. Third, it's light and can be easily carried in your hand or tied around your waist if you get hot.

The other gear items that I consider essential for winter training gear are:
- fleece or wool hat (stays warm when wet)
- buff (keeps your neck warm and can be pulled up to make a balaclava...or take off easily if too warm)
- the right gloves (I'll share more about gloves next week)
- tights
- the right base layer (I'll share more about base layers next week)

A few reminders

Charity Partner - Homestretch
When I add the 10% EX2 match, together we raised almost $40,000 for Homestretch! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! There is still time to make a donation.

Don't forget the photo contest themes for week 2 (through Sunday)...and remember that we have not 1...but 2 photo contest themes in week 2.

The themes are "BRRR it's cold” and "Abbey Road."

Both themes are open to individuals and teams. The prize for the "BRRR it's cold" is one long sleeve Smartwool top. The prize for "Abbey Road" is 4 free entries into any EX2 event in 2024 or 2025.

Corporate Partners
Huge shoutout to our corporate partners!! Collectively these companies have donated $19,500 to Homestretch!

NT Concepts
Absolute Business Solutions Corp (ABSC)
Fairfax Neonatal Associates
Objektiv Solutions
Sheehy Auto Stores
Excella
Mobomo
Acclaim Technical Services (ATS)
Black Cape
Veros Technologies

Thanks to our sponsors!

If you ever have any questions, please reply to this email or get in touch via call or text. You can also check the FAQs page.

Have an awesome weekend and keep it up!

Andy

Andy Bacon
Race Director/Owner
EX2 Adventures
703-338-3965

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Skiing/Snowboarding Clarification

I'd like to clarify the intent (and rules) around winter sports and reporting miles and elevation gain for the challenge.

Only human powered distance, elevation gain, and time should be reported...so chair lift distance, elevation gain, and time should NOT be included.

It's my understanding that Strava includes chair lift distance, elevation gain, and time in the statistics it reports for alpine skiiing...so those metrics are not valid for the challenge and need to be adjusted before adding them.

If you recorded winter sports activities and included non-human powered distance, gain, or time, please adjust your entries accordingly. If you have any questions, please give me a shout.

Thanks!

Andy

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Week 1 Photo Contest Winners and Week 2 Theme

(sent Monday 1/8/24)

Happy Monday! As a reminder, each week of the challenge we have an optional photo contest with special prizes. The theme for week 1 was:

Sunrise to sunset…light to dark…no matter the time of day…”If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” —Laura Ingalls Wilder

and we saw some amazing photos uploaded to RunSignUp and posted on social media.

The three winners are...Pat Sullivan, Sarah Pease, and Gina Welc. Congrats! I'll be sending each of you a new headlamp courtesy of our friends at Good Wolf Gear.

...and now on to the week 2 theme...or themes actually!

I've decided to have not 1...but 2 photo contest themes in week 2.

The themes are "BRRR it's cold” and "Abbey Road."

Both themes are open to individuals and teams. The prize for the "BRRR it's cold" is one long sleeve Smartwool top. The prize for "Abbey Road" is 4 free entries into any EX2 event in 2024 or 2025.

Have an awesome week!

Andy

Andy Bacon
Race Director
EX2 Adventures

Friday 1/5 Results Update

(send Friday 1/5/24)

Thank you again for participating in the Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge!! Today is the first Friday of the challenge so it's time to check in on the results! As a reminder, I will be sending out these updates each Friday in January.

The Backyard BRRR means something different to each of the over 1,300 participants and there are many inspirational stories happening with the event. I’d love to be able to share some of those stories in hopes that all of us are inspired to live a healthy lifestyle and enjoy life one day at a time and to support each other. This is part of the greater mission of EX2.

If you have a story you'd like to share, please reply to this email and let me know.

Results (as of this morning)
We have 1,309 people participating in the challenge from 43 states and DC and 5 countries.

The average participant age is 46. There are 34 participants over 70 years of age (4 in their 80s), and 15 participants that are 10 or younger. About 60 percent of participants are women and 40% men.

So far, we've collectively accumulated over 17,790 miles across 4,209 different "non-pushup" activity submissions (50% have been outside). We've also accumulated over 25,046 pushups! Incredible!! The individuals and teams with the most miles are listed below.

Keep on being amazing and getting outside!

Individual Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles (F) - Isadora Blachman-Biatch (168)
- Total Miles (M) - Jason Lilly (210)

- Total Miles Outside (F) - Randi Lombardozzi (105)
- Total Miles Outside (M) - Derrick Nauflett (180)

- Running (F) - Syreeta Fields (67)
- Running (M) - Jason Lilly (70)

- Running Outside (F) - Laura Berlin (41)
- Running Outside (M) - Douglas Martin (47)

- Walking (F) - Jane Rabinovitch (36)
- Walking (M) - Michael Campbell (29)

- Walking Outside (F) - Jane Rabinovitch (36)
- Walking Outside (M) - Michael Campbell (29)

- Biking (F) - Isadora Blachman-Biatch (133)
- Biking (M) - Benjamin Parrish (193)

- Biking Outside (F) - Randi Lombardozzi (75)
- Biking Outside (M) - Derrick Nauflett (177)

- Swimming (F) - Lynn Introcaso (8.6)
- Swimming (M) - Jason Davidson (9)

- Paddling (F) - Sarah Pease (24)
- Paddling (M) - Michael Pease (55)

- Skiing (F) - Cynthia Hutchings (102)
- Skiing (M) - Kevin Klaes (38)

- Push ups (F) - Jill Carey (600)
- Push ups (M) - Joon Lee (3,110)

Team Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles - Clifton Cycling Chicks (428)
- Total Miles Outside - Old Dude Dirt Clan #1 (389)
- Running - Old Dude Dirt Clan #1 (201)
- Walking - Water Wizards (106)
- Biking - Clifton Cycling Chicks (321)
- Swimming - Stinky old guys and beautiful mermaids (32)
- Paddling - Chill Folk (55)
- Skiing - Stinky old guys and beautiful mermaids (102)
- Push ups - NT Concepts 1 (3140)

Corporate Team Leaders (miles)

- Total Miles - NT Concepts 3: NTC Gives BRRRack (300)
- Total Miles Outside - Veros Trail Blazers (98)

Some of these results are updated in real time, while others are a result of many Excel pivot tables :)

If you'd like to see all the team overall totals...I've created this Google sheet.

Cold Weather Workout Tips
There is a saying that "there is no bad weather...only bad gear." This certainly holds true for working out in the cold. For this tip, I actually want to focus NOT on staying warm...but rather staying appropriately comfortable and not over heating during winter workouts. It's a natural tendency to overdress for outdoor activity, but even more so when you are still gaining experience and learning what works for you. And learning what works takes lots of trial and error, so I encourage you to take note of the temperature, sun, wind, and precipitation before your next outdoor activity and note what you are wearing. The more you do this, you'll soon be able to say...OK...it's 40 degrees and sunny with no wind...I should wear this. OK, back to staying comfortable and not over heating.

Tip #1: You should be a bit chilled when you first start your workout or you'll overheat quickly as your body starts generating more heat. I always say...the first 5 minutes of a workout (10 for biking) don't count when it comes to being comfortable. After a few minutes minutes, your body will start to warm up and generate a ton of heat.

A light nylon wind jacket is an excellent outer layer since it does an great job at trapping body heat, but can be shed easily and carried in your hand or pocket...and put back on again if you get cold.

Tip #2: Besides a light wind shell, here are three additional ways to moderate your body temperature during activity. They are your hat, your buff (neck gaiter), and your gloves. Simply removing them (one item at a time) or adding them back on as needed will do wonders for keeping your temperature where it should be. Exposing just your ears will cool you down as well. Hint...if you start a workout and after 5 minutes you take them all off...then you dressed too warmly to start with and didn't follow tip #1.

A few reminders

Charity Partner - Homestretch
When I add the 10% EX2 match, together we raised almost $40,000 for Homestretch! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! There is still time to make a donation.

Share Your Photos
Keep those photos coming!! The EX2 Facebook group, Instagram, Facebook, and RunSignUp race page are all great places to share. Use #backyardbrrr and please tag @ex2adventures when you post to the socials.

Don't forget the photo contest theme for week 1 (through Sunday) is:

Sunrise to sunset…light to dark…no mater the time of day…”If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” —Laura Ingalls Wilder

Corporate Partners
Huge shoutout to our corporate partners!! Collectively these companies have donated $19,500 to Homestretch!

NT Concepts
Absolute Business Solutions Corp (ABSC)
Fairfax Neonatal Associates
Objektiv Solutions
Sheehy Auto Stores
Excella
Mobomo
Acclaim Technical Services (ATS)
Black Cape
Veros Technologies

Thanks to our sponsors!

Baird Automotive
For this challenge, we’ll be randomly giving away $100 to a lucky participant during the virtual awards ceremony at the end of the challenge. This is courtesy fellow racer and all around good guy, Joey Baird of Baird Automotive. Joey's shop in Arlington is open...give him a call at 703-527-1770. All EX2 racers receive 10% off any service.

Integrated Financial Partners - Erik Scudder
Long-time EX2 racer and financial advisor extraordinaire, Erik Scudder, is the go-to resource for all all your financial, retirement, investment, business owner and estate planning strategies! Give Erik a call at 703-840-4288.

Good Wolf Gear
Good Wolf Gear is an awesome local outdoor gear exchange in Herndon, VA. They buy and sell new and used outdoor gear, apparel, and accessories with a focus on backpacking, camping, and hiking. All the photo contest prizes this year are generously being provided by our friends at Good Wolf Gear.

If you ever have any questions, please reply to this email or get in touch via call or text. You can also check the FAQs page.

Have an awesome weekend and keep it up!

Andy

Andy Bacon
Race Director/Owner
EX2 Adventures

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Backyard BRRR Video and FAQs

(emailed out on 1/2/24)

Happy Tuesday! Thanks again for joining the Backyard BRRR...I have a few quick things for you this morning.

First, there is a video on the BRRR website describing how to add activities (1:00), edit activities (4:45), view results (5:40), and share photos to RunSignUp (8:50). Check it out when you have a few minutes.

Second, there is also a FAQs page on the BRRR website that includes common questions that I've received over the past few years. This page is a great first place to look for answers to questions such as what types of activities count and what types do not count, how come I can't see myself in the participant list, can I complete more than one activity in day, etc. You are always welcome to email, text, or call me as well.

Third, there is still time for family and friends to join in the challenge. I closed registration briefly yesterday when we hit the original cap for the swag items that I ordered. I was able to place another order this morning. There will likely be a delay in shipping some of the swag for those that register now, but everyone will receive the swag.

And don't forget to share your referral link, which you can find in your confirmation email.

Fourth, I encourage you to spend a few moments thinking about your goal(s) for the challenge. The basis for the challenge is to complete 31 outside activities and 31 total miles...but are there other things you want to accomplish? Do you want to complete more than 31 miles? If so, how much more? In the video, I cover how to set your own goal distance (4:20). Perhaps you have goal not related to distance at all.

As an example, I have three goals for the challenge. The first is to run, walk, or ride bikes at least one mile outside every day with my daughter, Emily. We've done this each year of the challenge and it means a lot to both of us. The second goal (and most important) is to stay healthy, listen to my body, and not get injured. The third goal (which may be at odds with goal 2) is to complete 500 total miles in the month with at least 150 miles being running or walking. This is a massive stretch for me and I don't know if I'll make it, but I'm going to give it a go...but not at the expense of getting injured. This means that I'm going to continually listen to what my body is telling me and back off when I need to.

One more note about the results that you see on RunSignUp and in my weekly emails.

There is going to be a HUGE range of distances completed overall and in each discipline (running, cycling, etc.).

While it's OK to keep an eye on what others are doing, try to keep the focus on accomplishing your own goals rather than comparing yourself to others.

Thank you again for participating in the Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge! I'm having a ton of fun so far and hope you are as well. Please keep on posting pictures (to RunSignUp and social media) as it's such a great way to feel connected to one another.

I'll be back in touch on Friday with my first results update and a few cold weather workout tips!

Andy

Andy Bacon
Race Director
EX2 Adventures

PS...we've accomplished over 4,000 miles together already!!

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Introductory Email

(emailed out on 1/1/24 or participants first day of challenge)

Happy New Year and welcome to the 4th annual Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge! We are SO excited and hope you are as well!

This email covers all the basic information that you need to know about the challenge. This information is also on the challenge website, in particular the FAQs page, and it is a good place to reference if you have any questions.

You are always welcome to send me an email or call me if you have any questions. My contact information is at the bottom of this email.

What is the Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge?
Your challenge this month is to complete at least 31 total miles in 31 outside activities. That's one mile per day outside. You don't have to stop at 31 miles and we want you to be inspired to log as many miles as possible from January 1st to 31st!

What types of activities count in the challenge?
Running, walking, cycling, swimming, paddling/rowing, and skiing/snowboarding all count towards your milage goal for the month. We limit submissions to these disciplines to keep things fair and consistent across participants.

Do both inside and outside miles count?
Both inside (e.g., treadmill) and outside miles count towards your overall milage total. However, remember that the purpose of the challenge is to get you outside! Besides racking up the miles, your goal is to get outside every day in January.

How do I indicate that an activity was outside?
To record whether or not an activity was outside, then simply write "outside" in the comments section of your activity submission. You do NOT need to write the word "inside" for inside activities.

A special prize will be given for the following individuals (man, woman, non-binary) and team accomplishments:

Individuals with the most overall total miles
Individuals with the most overall total miles outside
Individuals with the most miles in each of the following disciplines (walking, running, cycling, skiing/snowboarding, swimming, paddling)
Individuals with the most pushups
Individuals with the most miles outside in each of the following disciplines (walking, running, cycling)
Team with the most overall total miles
Team with the most overall total miles outside
Teams with the most miles in each of the following disciplines (walking, running, cycling, skiing/snowboarding, swimming, paddling)
Team with the most pushups
Corporate team with the most overall miles
Corporate team with the most overall miles outside

You will be able to see some of these results via RunSignUp as activities are submitted, but others I calculate manually. Each Friday during the challenge I will send out an update with the results to date. You might be wondering where the pushups came from since they don't add to your miles...we added this element two years ago and it was super fun so we decided to keep it going. Keep on reading to see how to submit your miles and pushups.

Charity Partner - Homestretch
I first came to know Homestretch back in 2010 when I volunteered a few times at Homestretch events. It’s an absolutely wonderful organization based in Falls Church, VA that breaks the cycle of homelessness and uplifts the lives of their program’s graduates and their families. One thing that makes Homestretch so unique is that it exclusively serves homeless families with children. In fact, the average age of someone in Homestretch is only 8 years old.

EX2 is thrilled to support Homestretch and we are grateful for any donations that you made during registration. To date, participants and our corporate partners have donated over $33,700 to Homestretch. EX2 always adds 10% to every donation, so the total amount raised so far is over $37,000! Over the past 4 years, the Backyard BRRR has raised over $109,000 for Homestretch. There is still time to make a donation.

Share Your Photos
During the challenge we encourage you to share photos from your activities. Since we aren't together in-person, sharing photos is a great way to feel and stay connected to one another. I'll be sharing a picture every day and encourage you to do the same.

Please use #BackyardBRRR and tag @ex2adventures when you post to social media. There are also two awesome places to share your photos that make it easy for other participants to see them. First is our EX2 Facebook group. Second is the RunSignUp photos page - note that you must be signed into RunSignUp to upload photos. Both places are SUPER easy to share pictures.

If you haven't followed us on social media yet, please consider following EX2 on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.

Weekly Photo Prize
Each week we are going to have a photo contest with special prizes. The theme for week 1 is:

Sunrise to sunset…light to dark…no mater the time of day…”If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” —Laura Ingalls Wilder

The photo theme is intentionally a bit vague this first week of the challenge. There are no right or wrong photos, just an invitation to share photos of you with the natural beauty that surrounds us all.

The photo must be uploaded to RunSignUp and shared on social media (if you are on social). Please tag @ex2adventures and use #BackyardBRRR. At the end of the week, I'll pick two winners and you'll both be sent a special prize. The Facebook group is also a great place to post your photos.

Teams
Many of you have created or joined a team (see the team list). Teams make it easier to keep track of your friends, family, and colleagues that are participating in the challenge. When you click on a team name, it will show you the team members, their individual milage to date, and the aggregate milage of the team. Pretty cool, huh?! See our FAQs for more info on teams. If you want to join a team, posting in our Facebook group is a place to ask!

To create, join, or modify a team, please follow these instructions: Log in to RunSignUp --> Select Profile (top right) --> Select the Manage Registration link in the Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge section under upcoming races --> Select Team in the top navigation. Then use the options on the page to create, join, or manage your team. You can do all sorts of cool things like create a new team, add members (if you are the captain) to your existing team, invite others to register, etc. If you have any questions about teams, please rely to this email and I'll be happy to help out.

Very important note on teams...adding brand new people to your team if they just registered is totally OK. Adding people to your team that previously were NOT on a team is totally OK. However, individuals changing teams after they've already entered in activity data is slightly ungood and causes one part of the team results to get a bit wonky. This should be avoided if possible. Please get in touch with me if your team finds itself in this situation.

Corporate Partners and Teams
I want to welcome our corporate partners and teams to the challenge! Huge shoutout to our friends at NT Concepts, Absolute Business Solutions Corp (ABSC), Sheehy Auto Stores, Objektiv Solutions, Mobomo, Excella, Acclaim Technical Services (ATS), Veros Technologies, Black Cape, and Fairfax Neonatal Associates, P.C. I want to especially recognize NT Concepts and Tucker Newberry. Tucker has been incredibly supportive of the challenge and NT Concepts has led the way in corporate participation and donations the past three years. We are very grateful for their support and the support of all our corporate partners.

Logging Your Miles
Logging your miles is not a complicated process. The hardest part will be to remember to do it! To help you remember, each Thursday during the challenge I will send reminder emails with instructions. In these reminder emails, I’ll also give you some cold weather workout tips and perhaps some other ramblings. You can log your miles starting today.

To submit your miles, do the following:

Go to the Results page.
Click Submit Virtual Results and then search for your registration (searching by first and last name works well).
Click the Log Activities link next to your name. If you aren't logged in, you can quickly verify yourself by email or the last 4 digits of your phone number.
Select your activity, the date, and the distance of your activity. You may also enter the time and elevation gain and a comment. Entering the time will enable the system to calculate your average pace during the challenge. Entering elevation will enable the system to aggregate you total elevation. Pretty cool huh!! Reminder...type "outside" in the comment field if your activity was outside.
To record your pushups, select the pushup activity type and enter just the number completed in the comments box. For example, just type "25" in the comments box.
To add multiple activities, just click "Add Another Activity."
Don't forget to hit Submit Activity when you are done.

Notes: After you enter an activity, results take 2-3 minutes to update. Also, activity entries can be modified if you make a mistake. A list of all your previously entered activities is at the bottom of the activity entry page. Just click "manage activities" and modify whatever you need to correct.

Personal Distance Goal
I set everyone's distance goal to be 31 miles, but you can change this to be whatever you want. Just above your previous activities on the activity entry page you'll see "Goals" and an option to "Edit Personal Goals." This goal can be changed at any time.

What if I don't have a way to measure my distance?
No problem at all! Just use this conversion information to calculate your distance based on the activity time.

Walking…20 minutes = 1 mile
Running…15 minutes = 1 mile
Cycling…10 minutes = 1 mile
Swimming...40 mins = 1 mile
Paddling/rowing…10 minutes = 1 mile
XC Skiing…10 minutes = 1 mile
Downhill Skiing…15 minutes = 1 mile

Swag (Shirt/Hat, Buff, and Medal)
All the challenge swag will be mailed out at the conclusion of the challenge. I'll also keep you posted on shipping information once our shipping dates firm up.If you happen to move in the next 30 days, please let me know so I can change your shipping address. Please make any changes to shirt sizes, style of shirt, etc. by Thursday 1/4. You can see/edit your swag and any add-on selections in via your RunSignUp profile. From your profile, select Manage Registration next the Backyard BRRR in upcoming events.

Invite your friends and family
There is still time to help us spread the word about this challenge by sharing it with friends and family. Simply copy and paste your personal referral link (below) and post on social media and/or share via email. As a thank you, your referrals earn the following rewards:

Refer 5 people and receive a $25 refund!
Refer 10 people and receive a $25 refund and an EX2 sweatshirt!
Refer 15 people and receive a $25 refund, an EX2 sweatshirt, and a custom Running Trucker from Boco!

Our Amazing Sponsors
A huge thank you to both of these businesses that have supported EX2 events for a very long time. Please show them some love...Joey and Erik are the BEST!

Baird Automotive
Benjamin, C-note, Hundie, Charlie, 100 Clams, Big One..call it what you will but it all means the same thing...$100 of cold hard cash. During our in-person events, the $100 give-a-way is always a fun end to our awards ceremony. For this challenge, we’ll be randomly giving away $100 to a lucky participant during the virtual awards ceremony at the end of the challenge. This is courtesy fellow racer and all around good guy, Joey Baird of Baird Automotive. Joey's shop in Arlington is open...give him a call at 703-527-1770. All EX2 racers receive 10% off any service.

Here we go! 2024...and Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge...start today!!

Andy

Andy Bacon
Race Director
EX2 Adventures

Backyard BRRR Virtual Challenge

Updates

Friday 1/26 Results Update

Photo Contest Week 3 Winners...and Week 4 Theme

Friday 1/19 Results Update

Swag Shipping Soon!

Photo Contest Week 2 Winners...and Week 3 Theme

Friday 1/12 Results Update

Skiing/Snowboarding Clarification

Week 1 Photo Contest Winners and Week 2 Theme

Friday 1/5 Results Update

Backyard BRRR Video and FAQs

Introductory Email

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