By Emma Uber
This new year, Vision Event Management is helping people maintain healthy resolutions with the inaugural 465 Virtual Challenge. Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 29 participants are challenged to complete 53 miles of exercise, the distance of the loop I-465 forms around central Indiana.
“Because the challenge is virtual, (you) are not doing this on I-465. You are doing this on treadmills, your favorite trail, really however you want,” said Jeff Graves, president of Westfield-based Vision Event Management. “You can walk, run, bike, skip, crawl, whatever you want to do to get your exercise and get your 53 miles.”
Participants will record their own progress and report it online. Vision Event Management plans to send frequent emails including encouragement, updates on how many miles participants should have completed and a suggested training program.
Registration is open with two different registration options: premium and basic. Premium registration costs $39.99 and those who complete the challenge will receive a T-shirt, medal, bumper sticker, bib and certificate of completion. Basic registration is $24.99 and includes a bumper sticker, bib and certificate of completion upon conquering the challenge.
There are additional programs for those who want to challenge themselves even further. A 24 Hour Club is available for those who complete the 53 miles in less than 24 hours and a Looper Club waits for those who complete the challenge multiple times.
“We’ll be promoting those people on the website, getting their name out, getting them certificates,” said Graves, a Carmel resident. “We want to keep developing what we can do for those people because that’s pretty cool that they’re willing to take the challenge and go above and beyond.”
Graves said a virtual running event would allow people to exercise during the winter months while also fostering a sense of community.
“Because of New Year’s resolutions, it’s a perfect time. I think it’s a real way to keep people motivated in these upcoming months, and it’s a good way to do something with friends from all around the country and all around the world,” Graves said. “You can all be competing and sharing an experience together but doing it wherever you are. I think it is going to bring a sense of community to people in a different way than an actual running event that’s on the street will.”
Learn more and register at 465challenge.com.
