Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 1200 Mile Club Challenge?
The Birmingham Track Club (BTC) promotes fitness and a healthy running/walking lifestyle for its members. To encourage consistent activity, the BTC established the 1200 Mile Club Challenge. By averaging 100 miles per month, you can complete 1200 miles in one calendar year and earn entry into the 1200 Mile Club.
How do I participate?
First, you must be a member of the BTC to participate. The rewards that accompany the Challenge are just a few of the many benefits of membership in the BTC. Joining the Challenge is free, but you must register to participate. Register at: runsignup.com/btc-1200.
When can I register?
Registration for the 1200 Mile Club Challenge is open from January through March each year.
What type of activities qualify to be counted?
The mission of the Birmingham Track Club is to promote the “benefits of jogging, running, and walking for fitness, health and recreation.” Therefore, only activities that can reasonably be classified as running or walking under your own power can be counted toward the Challenge. Training runs count. Races count. Indoor and outdoor tracks count. Treadmills count. Ellipticals, stair steppers, and other machines do not count.
How do I keep a log of my miles?
Record your miles any way that you like. Many runners use GPS watches or smartphone apps to record their activities. That’s a handy way to keep track of your miles but it is not required. Logging miles in a spreadsheet or writing them on a paper log are both just fine. In other words, how you keep track of your miles is completely up to you.
How do I report my miles?
Just after the start of a new month, all registered participants will receive an email that includes a link for reporting miles for the previous month. The link is customized with your name and the reporting month already encoded in the link. Just click the link, complete the form by entering your miles, and click submit.
What if I don’t get the monthly email?
The BTC uses the services of RunSignUp to manage registration for the Challenge and for the monthly email reminders. This is a robust system and the delivery rate for our emails is consistently reported to be very nearly 100 percent. In other words, essentially all of our emails get delivered and you probably did receive yours. If you don’t see it, check your spam filter or any automated rules that you may have on your email account. This is especially important if you use a corporate email account instead of a personal email account.
Do I have to wait for the monthly email to report my miles?
No, you do not have to wait for the monthly email. You may wish to add the link as a favorite in your browser or simply refer to an email from a previous month. If using a link from a previous month, just remember to select the correct month before entering your miles.
How do I check my progress?
When you report your miles, you will receive an email that confirms your submission and provides additional information about your progress for the year. Your miles are also recorded in a spreadsheet that is always available on the BTC web site. Please note: the spreadsheet is automatically updated every five minutes so it may take up to five minutes after a submission before it appears in the spreadsheet.
Where are the fractions of miles that I reported?
Modern GPS devices generally record distance to the nearest hundredth of a mile and you are free to enter all of those digits when you report your miles. However, for displaying everyone's miles in a concise manner, all numbers are rounded to the nearest whole mile. The rounding is only for display proposes. Your fractions of miles are included in the calculated total for the year.
What if I miss reporting miles for a month?
Miles can be reported for any month at any time. The monthly email will contain a link that automatically selects the previous month, but any other month can be selected. If you need to report another month, just complete the form again, being careful to select the correct month.
What if I need to correct the miles I reported for a month?
Simply report the correct value by completing the form again and the reporting system will replace the old value with the new value.
What do I get if I complete 1200 miles?
Everyone who completes 1200 miles earns membership into the 1200 Mile Club. The first time the Challenge is completed, you have the privilege of purchasing the coveted 1200 Mile Club jacket at a significant discount from its actual cost. For each year that the Challenge is met (including the first year), you earn an embroidered patch that is suitable for adding to your jacket.
Are there special awards for repeat participants?
Participants who complete the 1200 Mile Club Challenge for consecutive years (in multiples of five years) receive an award to commemorate the accomplishment. Only one award is earned when the participant first completes a given consecutive-year streak.
