Big Sur Marathon Launches Virtual Challenge: The Big Surreal

July 20, 2020

Registration is now open for the challenge, which takes place this September

CARMEL, CA – On Monday, the Big Sur Marathon Foundation opened registration for a month-long, interactive virtual challenge: The Big Surreal. A play on the organization’s namesake race, The Big Surreal draws inspiration from the artistic, funky vibes of the coastal region’s culture while nodding to the strangeness of our current, virtual world.

The Big Surreal invites participants to complete a series of challenges and earn cumulative swag items during the entire month of September. Each challenge mirrors a distance usually offered on the Big Sur Marathon weekend in April: 5K, 12K, 11-Miler, 21-Miler, and Marathon. The more challenges a participant completes, the more swag they earn. All challenge participants will also receive a handmade medal corresponding to the longest distance they complete between September 1^st and 30^th.

“The Big Sur Marathon has always stood apart from other races both for the beauty of the course along beautiful and rugged Highway 1 on the central coast of California and for the atmosphere of the area,” said Doug Thurston, Race Director. “From the distinctive Big Surreal logo featuring the iconic Bixby Bridge to the range of prizes and options available to participants, this virtual event will stand out as well.”

In addition to earning exclusive swag, participants will be able to access interactive features including an exclusive Big Surreal Spotify playlist, custom printable bibs and finisher’s certificates, and a leaderboard to determine their finishing place in each challenge. Participants can link most wearable run tracking devices to their participant account in haku, the organization’s registration platform, in order to automatically sync challenge results. A manual upload option will also be provided.

When the challenge ends on September 30th, race organizers will send each participant one big swag bag with all earned swag items and a handmade medal corresponding to the longest distance challenge completed. While this challenge is open to international participants, all participants must have a U.S. address in order to have the medal and swag shipped.

The cost to register for The Big Surreal is $65 for the general public and $55 for 2020 Big Sur Marathon entrants. Here’s what participants can expect to earn for completing each challenge:

• 5K Finishers: 2020 Big Sur Marathon Recover Brands shirt made from 100% recycled materials.
• 12K Finishers: One of four custom Fitsok sweat-wicking running socks.
• 11-Miler Finishers: Custom rainbow tie-dye silicone beer pint.
• 21-Miler Finishers: Custom “The Big Surreal” running gaiter from Recover Brands, also made from 100% recycled materials.
• Marathon Finishers: Sustainable 2020 tote bag from Recover Brands.

Registration opened on Monday, July 20^th and runs through September 15^th. To register, please visit https://bsim.info/BigSurreal. For more information about The Big Surreal, including images of all the swag participants can earn, please visit https://www.bigsurmarathon.org/the-big-surreal/.

About the Big Sur Marathon Foundation

The Big Sur Marathon Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create beautiful running events that promote health and benefit the community. Under the brand are three individual race weekends:Big Sur International Marathon in April, Run in the Name of Love 5K and 2K in June, and the Monterey Bay Half Marathon, 5K and 3K in November. All events are canceled for 2020 due to the pandemic. In addition, the Foundation oversees the award-winning JUST RUN® youth fitness program. www.bsim.org

Media Contact:

Hillary Fujii, Big Sur Marathon Foundation

hillary@bsim.org / 831-915-3820