Vicki and Trisha's Relay Marathon Challenge

[Trisha]

3. 20 miles: Why did I sign up for this??? There is often a point in a marathon where runners begin to doubt themselves and have serious second thoughts about what in the world they are doing out there. Read a book where a character has serious self doubt about a course of action they have set out on. Say what it is.

Book: Redemption
Author: Deborah J. Ledford
Read: 2/7
Rating: 3 stars
how it works: Eva starts to really struggle and doubt if she can find Paloma before the drugs permanently take Paloma from her. She's not sure she'll find her first and she promised both Paloma and Paloma's son Kai that she would.

[Vicki]

Completion Post

Task. 4: Read a book where a character completes some monumental effort and is now wiped out but also happy.
Book: More or Less Maddy
Author: Lisa Genova
Read: 14 February 2025
Rating: 4 stars
How it works: Maddy makes strides in two ways: controlling her bipolar disorder and trying to be a standup comedian which drains her energy and physical being. However, by the end of the book she's accomplished a great deal and is happy with where she is in life.

[Trisha]

Completion Post

1. Read a book where one or more characters are very excited and happy about an event. Say what the event is.
Book: Indian Burial Ground
Author: Nick Medina
Read: 2/28
Rating: 3 stars
How it works: the younger Louie is really excited to be a part of the Pow Wow at 16 because it's the first time he will be treated as an adult

[Trisha]

Race Day:

Completion Post:
1. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

2. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

3. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

4. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Trisha]

Vicki, did we want to pick another race?

[Erica, Quality Control Supervisor]

There's a last die roll too...

[Trisha]

Erica wrote: "There's a last die roll too..."

oop, sorry

Rolled a 6

[Erica, Quality Control Supervisor]

6 = You hit the 20-mile mark and you are not actually dying. You trained well, and you're going to make it! Spell out GOING HOME.

[Trisha]

Spell Out: Going Home

G: Heartwood (author: Amity Gaige)
O: A New Lease on Death (author: Olivia Blacke)
I: In Bed with a Highlander
N: Nameless Things
G: This Book Kills (Ravena Guron)

H: The 8 Mistakes of Amy Maxwell: An Amy Maxwell Cozy Mystery (author: Heather Balog)
O: Oliver: The True Story of a Stolen Dog and the Humans He Brought Together
M: The Teacher (author: Freida McFadden)
E: The Wild Huntress (Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones)

[Trisha]

Letter: O


Read: 3/4
Rating: 4 stars
How it works: author name: Olivia Blacke

[Vicki]

Letter: M


Read: 3/4
Rating: 5 stars
How it Fits: ALN: Freida McFadden

[Vicki]

I'm going to read for E, but if you get one done first feel free to use it. I'm starting it today but since it's my last day in FL I will be having family members coming to see me and say goodbye so I might not finish until tomorrow. If I get it done tomorrow it might be late before I can post it since I won't be home until 10:30 or 11:00 PM

[Trisha]

E is all yours!! I have the "I" !

I hope you have a good last day and flight home!

[Vicki]

Letter: E

Read: 3/6
Rating: 4 stars
How it Fits: AFN: Emily Lloyd-Jones

[Vicki]

Letter: H

Read: 3/7
Rating: 4 stars
How it Fits: AFN: Heather Balog

[Vicki]

You can use this or not. I read this book for the Bachelor challenge so IF you want to use it feel free. If not, that's fine too.

Letter: I

Read: 3/10
Rating: 3 stars
How it Fits: Title

[Trisha]

Letter: N


Read: 3/14
Rating: 3 stars
how it works: title

[Trisha]

Letter: G


Read: 4/3
Rating: 5 stars
How it works: author name: Amity Gaige

[Trisha]

Letter G


Read: 4/6
Rating: 3 stars
How it works: author name Ravena Guron

[Vicki]

Letter O



Read: 9 April
Rating: 4 stars
How it Fits: Title starts with O

[Trisha]

YAY! Finished the spell out. I don't see a dice roll so I think it was just this:

Spell Out: Going Home

G: Heartwood (author: Amity Gaige)
O: A New Lease on Death (author: Olivia Blacke)
I: In Bed with a Highlander
N: Nameless Things
G: This Book Kills (Ravena Guron)

H: The 8 Mistakes of Amy Maxwell: An Amy Maxwell Cozy Mystery (author: Heather Balog)
O: Oliver: The True Story of a Stolen Dog and the Humans He Brought Together
M: The Teacher (author: Freida McFadden)
E: The Wild Huntress (Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones)

[Vicki]

There is no actual check-in, right?

[Erica, Quality Control Supervisor]

Correct.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOU FINISHED YOUR MARATHON!

[Vicki]

This challenge is over already?

[Trisha]

Our next race:

2. New York Marathon in New York, New York - read a book set in New York City, or that has a MC who comes from New York, or with an author who has three letters from the words NEW YORK CITY in their name.

[Erica, Quality Control Supervisor]

Vicki wrote: "This challenge is over already?"

Lol. Yes, you were quick!

Glad you caught marathon fever... it's common enough among runners.

[Vicki]

Completion Post

Task. 2. Read a book with an author who has three letters from the words NEW YORK CITY in their name.
Book: All Rhodes Lead Here
Author: Mariana Zapata
Read: 13 April 2025
Rating: 4 stars
How it works: The author's name has these 3 letters in in from NEW YORK CITY: N, I, T

[Trisha]

Erica wrote: "Vicki wrote: "This challenge is over already?"

Lol. Yes, you were quick!

Glad you caught marathon fever... it's common enough among runners."

I remember crying after my first marathon and telling my husband to NEVER let me sign up for that again

and then I signed up again for the next year 😂🤣😂

[Trisha]

Completion Post:



Task: read a book set in New York City
Book: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Read: 4/19
Rating: 4 stars
how it works: takes place in New York City

[Erica, Quality Control Supervisor]

I remember crying after my first marathon..."

LOL!! How many have you done now? I did a total of 5 and then one ultra of 50 miles. I would love to do that again but not sure my body will let me...

[Trisha]

Oh my gosh, I don't know if I could ever do an ultra!!

I've done 2 marathons and hope to do the Dopey one day. . .but hoping to start doing marathons again next year! 🤞🏼🤞🏼

[Erica, Quality Control Supervisor]

Oh, you could do it. I picked one that had a VERY generous time cut off (Run Amok in Harrison State Park, TN). I think my average pace was 21:00 something (I finished in about 17 hours and 45 minutes). It is a surreal experience.

[Trisha]

Completion Post: New York Marathon

Vicki: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Trisha: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I didn't see anywhere where we need to roll a the dice but let me know if we need to!

[Erica, Quality Control Supervisor]

Nope! You're off and running!!



You're ready to gear up and start training! You must read one book for each kind of training run to complete this section. Relay teams may divide the tasks between them as they see fit.
After these 4 books are completed, roll a single die for your next prompt. Relay teams only roll once for the team.

https://www.random.org/dice/

Your four kinds of training runs are:
1. Regular runs. The base of your training where you just go out and rack up miles. You may read any book you like to complete your regular run.

2. Intervals. These are speed workouts. Either read a book in 24 hours -OR- read a mystery/thriller that gets your heart racing to complete this run.

3. Hill Repeats. These build leg strength. Read a book that pushes your boundaries - whether it's a different genre, longer than your usual, or demanding in some other way (your interpretation - tell us how).

4. Long Runs. These build endurance. Read a book that is at least 300 pages long to complete this run.

[Trisha]

WOOHOOO!! TRAINING!! LET"S GOOOOOOO!

[Vicki]

OK, I know we can both do any of the 4, so I'm going to do these. As always, though, if you need me to switch up either one (or even both) I can do that.

[Vicki]

Completion Post

Task. 4. Read a book that is at least 300 pages long to complete this run
Book: Broken Country
Author: Clare Leslie Hall
Read: 30 April 2025
Rating: 5 stars
How it works: 320 pages

[Vicki]

Completion Post

Task. 3. Read a book that pushes your boundaries - whether it's a different genre, longer than your usual, or demanding in some other way (your interpretation - tell us how).
Book: Homeseeking
Author: Karissa Chen
Read: 3 May 2025
Rating: 5 stars
How it works: It's a longer book at 512 pages.

[Trisha]

Completion

Task: 1. Regular runs. The base of your training where you just go out and rack up miles. You may read any book you like to complete your regular run.
Book: The Thrashers
Author: Julie Soto
Read: 4/30
Rating: 4 stars
how it works: any book

[Trisha]

Completion

Task: 2. Intervals. These are speed workouts. Either read a book in 24 hours.
Book: Deep Cuts
Author: Holly Brickley
Read: 5/1
Rating: 2 stars
How it works: I read it in one day - 5/1

[Trisha]

Training runs are done! See above (1-4) completion posts.

and I rolled a 6

[Erica, Quality Control Supervisor]

6 = Your boss needs you to work overtime for two weeks to push a project through, so you can't fit in your regular morning workouts and have to run late in the day when you get home - NOT your idea of fun. Spell out UNMOTIVATED -or- read a book with the word Inconvenient or Inconvenience in the title.

[Vicki]

YAY! I'm about to finish a U book in short bit.

[Trisha]

oh no! Our darn boss! lol Spell out it is!

UNMOTIVATED

U: Up in Smoke
N: The Left-Handed Booksellers of London (author Garth Nix)
M: Overgrowth (author: Mira Grant)
O: The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency (Peter Oxley)
T: The Gatsby Gambit
I: My Name Is Emilia del Valle (author: Isabel Allende)
V: Cutting for Stone (author: Abraham Verghese)
A: This Book Will Bury Me (author: Ashley Winstead)
T: The Sinister Booksellers of Bath
E: The Sirens (author: Emilia Hart)
D: Necessary Lies (author: Diane Chamberlain)

[Vicki]

Completion Post

Task. U
Book: Up in Smoke
Author: Nick Brooks
Read: 5 May 2025
Rating: 3 stars
How it works: Title starts with U

[Trisha]

Completion Post

Task: M
Book: Overgrowth
Author: Mira Grant
Read: 5/7
Rating: 4 stars
How it works: title starts with O

[Trisha]

Completion Post

Task: O
Book: The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency
Author: Peter Oxley
Read: 5/7
Rating: 3 stars
How it works: author last name starts with O

[Trisha]

Completion Post

Task: N
Book: The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
Author: Garth Nix
Read: 5/10
Rating: 3 stars
How it works: author name Garth Nix

[Trisha]

Completion Post

Task: E
book: The Sirens
Author: Emilia Hart
Read: 5/8
Rating: 3 stars
how it works: author name Emilia Hart

[Trisha]

Completion Post

Task: A
Book: This Book Will Bury Me
Author: Ashley Winstead
Read: 5/8
Rating: 4 stars
How it works: author name Ashley Winstead