Running the Numbers

My 6 year old daughter told me the other day that she wanted her name to be Penelope and was downright pissed that we didn't consult her before giving her such an awful name. In response, I promptly pulled out my phone, hit the Spotify app, and pulled up the immortal classic "A Boy Named Sue". While I didn't win the argument, it did get me thinking. What's in a name? Had I named my daughter Penelope, there's no way that sweet named little princess would ever be the dangerous pit viper we'd named Keaton (Truth be told, she's actually pretty sweet when she's not shooting lasers with her eyes and burning holes into my soul). My wife, Liz, always hated her original birth name. In the Mellem household, her name may as well be Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise. It doesn't get mentioned and hence we call her Liz. Hell, I'm afraid to put her real name here. So, when it came time to look for a challenge idea the question of "what's in name" was fresh on my mind. Some people look to numerology for guidance in love, career, personality, etc. As far as I know, my in depth, internet bathroom research has shown that this months challenge may be the first of it's kind (don't go digging too deep in the internet to prove me wrong).

This months challenge is to Add up the letters in your name (your Strava Profile FIRST Name) and run the distance (ride the distance x 3) in one continuous run/ride. Here's how we're going to do it. Each letter in your name will equal the numerical value of it's place in the alphabet (example A=1, B=2, C=3, etc.). Add all of the numbers up. Continue adding them until you get a single number. For instance, Ryan =58. Add 5+8=13. Add 1+3. Final distance Ryan has to run is 4 miles (12 miles on the bike). You need to have at least 1 qualifying mile of 15 minutes or less for your run. Some of you will have to run farther than others. Blame it on your parents. That's what any good child does. Once you've completed the challenge, tag @Ryan Mellem and @Josh Pierce in the comment section of your run/ride and sign up for the event on the club page. This challenge starts 1/4/2024. If you've already done the distance, well you get to do it again, you lucky dog. We will award one monthly challenge finisher (drawn at random) with a prize. Please reach out with any questions and remember: Have fun, be safe, and anything worth doing is worth overdoing.