The Conqueror Virtual Challenge

Yellowstone National Park turns 156 years old today!

“The world famous site became the first national park in the U.S. on March 1, 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law.”

NPR.org

This law acted as a kickstarter for other states and countries to follow suit in protecting their beautiful natural landscapes. I’ve never been to Yellowstone National Park in real life but I did join the Yellowstone Park Virtual Challenge. What’s that? I’m glad you asked! “The Yellowstone Park Virtual Challenge takes you 75mi (120km) through an incredible range of landscapes and ecosystems — a paradise of mountains, rushing waterfalls, volcanic phenomena, and endangered species of animals. Each time you complete a distance-based exercise such as running, walking, cycling, swimming, etc you advance along with the map of the Yellowstone Park.” Instead of making the 75-mile trek through the actual park, my current situation does not permit that, I’m making the trek virtually. I’ve given myself 12 weeks to complete the challenge via outdoor walking, outdoor running, and most indoor cycling. The challenges can be completed in any timeframe you designate. You complete it at your own pace individually or on a team. You also have the option to connect your fitness app to their app or log your miles manually the way I do. I track my miles using the Samsung Health app on my phone and then I manually log them into the Conqueror app.

As I reach milestones in my trek, I receive postcards, via email, of popular sites with in-depth descriptions of the locations and the surrounding areas. While the pictures on the postcards aren’t all that impressive, the descriptions give great visuals of what it’s like to really be there. As a bonus, every 20% of the challenge that I complete stops 10 plastic bottles from entering the ocean. It’s part of a collaboration they have with Plastic Bank. During my first virtual challenge, I opted to have a tree planted for every 20% I completed so I switched it up a bit this time.

One thing I like about this challenge that I didn’t experience with my previous challenge is the street view. Some of the challenges only offer an interactive progress map but the Yellowstone virtual challenge has a street view map. When that option is activated I can move my phone from left to right and view where I’d actually be if I was in Yellowstone National Park! A former co-worker of mine is at the real Yellowstone Park as we speak and the pictures he’s been sharing are breathtaking. It’s such a beautiful place and I’m glad he’s sharing his journey with all of us.

What’s really sweet is that once you complete your challenge, you are mailed a legit medal. It’s pretty and it’s got some weight to it. I was surprised when my first one arrived. I thought it was going to be a dinky plastic medal, not one made of metal. $29.95 for entry and a medal is worth it. They also have apparel, which increases your cost if you want to add that to your entry + medal purchase.

There are so many cool features to these virtual challenges but at the end of the day it is about holding yourself accountable and having fun while getting healthy. The last quarter of 2021 was, physically, a bit bumpy for me. A new virtual challenge is just what I need to give me that extra “oomph” to create a new workout routine.

Happy Birthday, Yellowstone National Park!