Schedule of events.
-
December 4, 2025 / 12:01 a.m. EST - Registration Opens
-
December 29, 2025 / 12:01 a.m. EST - Challenge Starts
-
January 8, 2025 / 11:59 p.m. EST - Registration Closes
-
January 25, 2025 / 11:59 p.m. EST - Event Ends
What is the Winter Virtual Challenge?
4 Weeks. Team or Solo.
Mileage and Vert Goals. Weekly Challenges.
Exploration. Engaging in the Community.
​
Sign up with a team or solo, and go for your own distance and vert goals, with fun twists along the way each week with our unique and exciting challenges!
The SEOTR Winter Virtual Challenge is all about bringing together the community, albeit virtually, in a fun and social way. This month-long challenge will give you a platform to help explore and stay motivated during the otherwise cold and dreary winter days.
​
This challenge is open to anyone, no matter where you live, by running, walking, hiking, or trekking (any foot powered mode!). You can make it as fun, difficult, or as social as you want, go at it on a team or by yourself. We hope to have a lot of fun and engage with activity on social media, with our Facebook Group and Strava Club, so feel free to participate socially as much or as little as you wish. If you want to join this challenge and stay low-key while completing the goals and challenges, that is completely up to you as well. Whatever you want from this challenge, you will get it!
​
There are two parts of the SEOTR Winter Virtual Challenge:
-
Overall Goals for Mileage and Elevation Gain (Vert!). Each runner and team will be able to choose their own mileage and elevation gain goals for the challenge. The challenge will compile a leaderboard for total miles and elevation gain for individuals and teams to see where they rank!
-
Weekly Challenges. Each participant, whether you're on a team or solo, will also have challenges to complete each week! Stay excited and motivated with these tasks that will keep you on your feet, literally. Each challenge (3 each week for 4 weeks) will provide a hard workout, give you a reason to explore, as well as have fun twists!
​
​
Setting Your Personal and Team Goals!
Create your own mileage and elevation gain goals and work your way up your own personalized progress meter! Teams and individuals are able to set their own mileage and elevation goals for the duration of the challenge, and see your percentage of completion in real time!
Charitable Partnership!
We're excited to support local Youth Running in the area by partnering with the Athens Athletic Club during this year's SWVC Winter Challenge!
​
-
Participants have the ability to donate money to the AAC upon checkout or via our "Donate" tab at the button below.
​
One of our goals is to uplift and support local youth runners, so this year we are supporting the Athens Athletic Club by donating a portion of our proceeds to their organization. The youth in our community will be the runners of our future, whether it's on the trails or on the roads, so let's support them as they are in the beginning of their running career.
​
Athens Athletic Club (AAC) is a nonprofit organization that supports the development of young Cross Country and Track & Field athletes through community engagement and youth development so that all who wish to participate are empowered, welcomed, and encouraged. Athens Athletic Club is an affiliate member of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), to which they are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization under the RRCA group exemption policy. ​
Registration.
*We have lowered the price from $25.00 to $15.00 for this year's Winter Challenge! We hope this more affordable option allows for more access to those wanting to participate! With that said, we have altered how we are giving away items as part of registration; see the "What You Get" section below about how all swag items are optional add-on purchases for the SEOTR Winter Virtual Challenge.*
How to register as a team: ​
​*Each team member can sign up individually, but one person on a team needs to be the "Team Captain" and register first to establish a team name.
-
Click "Sign Up"
-
Check the "Yes" box when it asks "Would you like to join or create a Team?"
-
After agreeing to the waiver, the next screen will ask you if you would like to "Join an Existing Team" or "Create a New Team".
-
If you are the team captain and creating a team for the first time, you can name your team and set a password to share with your other team members.
-
If you are joining an existing team you'll be able to find your team with the drop down menu or by searching the name of your team. Type in the team password if your captain created one.
-
After a few more registration questions you'll arrive at check-out.
​
How to register as a solo runner:
-
Click "Sign Up"
-
Check the "No" box when it asks "Would you like to join or create a Team?"
-
Follow the rest of the registration process until you check out.
​
Registering Late? Didn't hear about this event until after January 1? Don't worry, you can still participate in the Winter Virtual Challenge as registration remains open until January 10. You'll be able to backlog your mileage and vert, and we'll send you all the Weekly Challenge details when you register.
​
Waiver and Insurance: This event is sanctioned through membership with the American Trail Running Association (ATRA). With this sanction, SEOTR has obtained Virtual Running Event insurance and every participant needs to initial the waiver before participating. You will be prompted to read and initial the waiver during the registration process.
*There will be no refunds, deferrals, or transfers of registration for this event.
What do you get?
​
-
A community driven experience to keep you motivated for a full month!
-
An invite into private SWVC Facebook Group and Strava Club.
-
A chance to win prizes for overall team and solo award categories.
-
A Digital Bib #.
-
Digital Challenge "Badges" with unique designs for each weekly challenge.
-
Digital Milestone "Badges" when you reach mileage and elevation milestones.
-
A choice to add-on a 2026 SWVC Keychain and/or SWVC Long-Sleeve Shirt.
*All swag and material will be shipped after the event ends, around the first week of February*
Add-On Swag Items
We have altered the price of this event compared to previous years to give people the option for an even more affordable virtual event! We have lowered the price from $25 to $15!
With that said, all participants will no longer receive one of the SWVC ornaments/keychains as part of their registration. However, everyone will have the option of "adding on" one of these SWVC ornaments, which this year will be in the form of a sweet 2026 SWVC keychain! This add on will cost $10, which would make the total ($25.00) the exact same as previous years if you choose. This $10 add on will include shipping of this items as well.
​
We're doing this to give people the option of an even more affordable virtual event without any required frills or products, while letting those that want those swag items have the option to add it on. Everyone part of the event will still have access to all the other virtual challenges, community pages, and event emails! We hope this gives everyone more access to the event in the form of lower entry cost!
​
In the same manner, all participants will have the option to purchase a 2026 SWVC Long-Sleeve t-shirt for $25.00 as well, as an add-on purchase. This add on includes shipping and handling. All add-on items can be selected during this registration period.
​​
Long sleeve shirts are available in adult unisex sizing. Short sleeve shirts are available in youth sizes.
Below is an image of the shirt design from last year - we'll have pictures of this year's shirts and keychain design posted soon!
Design of shirt may be slightly different than shown in photos.
Awards
​​
In addition to each participant getting a medallion for participating in the overall mileage and vert challenge, each team and solo runners will have a chance to compete for some top overall awards as well. These will be unique hand-crafted awards that show your accomplishment! Here is a breakdown of the special category awards:
​
-
Most Total Miles for 4-person Team
-
Most Total Vert for 4-person Team
-
Most Total Miles for Solo Runner M/F
-
Most Total Vert for Solo Runner M/F
​
-
Most Total Miles High School/Middle School Solo Runner
-
Most Total Vert High School/Middle School Solo Runner
-
Most Total Miles High School/Middle School Team
-
Most Total Vert High School/Middle School Team
.png)
How logging works.
Once you're registered and the challenge starts you'll be able to report each day's activity by logging into your RunSignup account here: https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Athens/SWVC
​
You'll be able to access your "Participant Profile" to record your activities each day during the challenge. More detailed instructions for logging runs during the virtual challenge will be sent via email once the challenge starts.
​
Share your challenge completion on our Strava Club and Facebook Group to post your fun challenge photos and selfies so everyone can see!
​
As you and your team accumulate distance and vert you'll be able to track your progress in the individual or team results! Individuals that are on a team will also show up in the solo mileage and vert results. If you click your profile or team name you'll also be able to see how your progress bar for mileage and elevation gain, and see your trophy case with all the milestone badges you earn!
​
Weekly challenges.
Each week there will be challenges in addition to your personal or team mileage and vert goals. Each week there will be a list of new challenges that each person will aim to complete, whether you are on a team or a solo runner. Challenges will be sent out via email on the Sunday before the next week.
The weekly challenges will aim to add some fun and excitement to each week as you work toward completing your total mileage and elevation gain goals. There will be challenges that help you explore new places, see new things, and push you to new limits! Completing the weekly challenges will help you reach your mileage and elevation goals easier!
​
To show that you completed each challenge use the Strava Club and Facebook Group to share your experience! Post those fun selfies and photos to social media and be sure to tag SEOTR Events and use the hashtag #SWVC. If you're on Strava be sure to add those photos to your activity for everyone to see! We’ll be browsing through all the challenge photos and entries to choose our favorite to post to our Instagram story on a daily basis!
​
Participants will receive uniquely designed "electronic badges" for each challenge so they can share it on social media or Strava.
-
Complete each challenge on separate days and within the week! Once we send the upcoming week's challenges out, you have seven days to complete them!
-
Be sure to bring your phone with you on runs to snap those selfies and pictures of your challenge! After that, post to the SWVC Facebook Group and Strava Club!
2025 Challenge Badges
.png)
Join the community.
After your register, be sure to join our Facebook and Strava group's to share your experiences and also be inspired by others! Post your photos, selfies, and stories about your progress.
​
Facebook Group: SEOTR Winter Virtual Challenge​
Strava Club: SEOTR Winter Virtual Challenge
Be sure to tag us in those Instagram and Twitter posts as well, use #SWVC
​
​