Announcing Men in the Arena's 2023 Fitness Challenge!

3,058 miles in 2023, here we come!

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

On this page:

Example Programs
Registration Form
FAQs
Mileage Tracking Calendar PDF

Here's How Men in the Arena's Coast-to-Coast Team Fitness Challenge Will Work:

Register your team of 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 using the form below.

If your team logs 3,058 mile self-propelled miles before midnight December 31, 2023, you have officially slayed this challenge!

Bike, swim, hike, run, or row. You can achieve those miles any way you want to, and split them up among team members any way you wish. 

Team leaders are responsible for recording and reporting each team's reps. You and your team members can record your miles on our custom PDF calendar, downloadable at the bottom of this page. This PDF also includes a Cumulative Miles page for team leaders to track cumulative miles for your team. 

At the end of each month, we'll send an email asking for your team's total mileage. The team leader will reply to the email with a picture of your team’s Cumulative Miles page.

This year we'll also have a Challenge Leaderboard, updated monthly. We'll send the link to that in our first monthly check-in email so you can see how your team stacks up!

Finishing teams will get bragging rights and access to an exclusive custom challenge finisher’s T-shirt. Here's what last year's looked like:

FAQs and Housekeeping Stuff:
  • Q: What does it cost?
    A: Nothing! We’re a donor-supported, crowd-funded ministry.

  • Q: Can I participate in this challenge from outside the U.S.?
    A: Yes! This is a remote, online challenge. You'll do your exercises and log your miles wherever you are, and then just submit your totals to us online through email and the leaderboard web page.
  • Q: How do I log my miles?
    A: You can use this calendar to log your miles, or use any kind of fitness tracker you want. We like this one.

  • Q: Do Peloton, treadmill, stationary bike, rower, etc. miles count?
    A: Yep! Anything that logs your mileage counts, as long as you are achieving the distance through your own physical activity.

  • Q: Will my electric scooter miles count?
    A: NO, bro! SELF-PROPELLED.

  • Q: Do I need to send in app log data from each individual team member to prove we did them?
    A: Nah, honor system. You'll send us photos of your Cumulative Miles page for accountability more than anything. If you give me your word of honor that you did them, I'll believe you.

  • Q: I did 3,057 miles because [insert excuse here]. Can I still get finisher’s merch?
    A: No participation trophies.

  • Q: What inspired this challenge?
    A: Every year I do some sort of personal physical challenge. Last year, I threw it out to the Men in the Arena community, asking if anyone wanted to do 65,000 push ups with me. I was expecting 5 guys to take me up on it. 400 did! By the end of the year, 40 remained. 35 more guys completed it than I expected to even start!

    You can hear an inspiring interview with the elite finishers of last year’s challenge in the official challenge announcement podcast episode on the Men in the Arena podcast, coming up in January - follow the podcast to hear it the moment it drops.

  • Q:  Where did the number 3,082 come from?
    A: Coast to coast. Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine.

  • Q: How many emails am I going to be getting here?
    A: For the challenge, you'll get one each month for your check-in. Maybe also an occasional one if I think of something inspirational to say to you about it, but it's not going to be frequent.

    You'll also automatically start receiving our Weekly Equipping Blast each Friday. It's designed to equip you to be a better man, so I'd encourage you to check it out, but if you don't want it you can manage your email preferences to only receive emails about the Coast-to-Coast Challenge. We won't share your email or identity with anyone.

  • Q: Will you share my social media posts about my challenge progress?
    A: You bet! When you post videos or pics to social media about your progress, use the hashtag #coasttocoastchallenge and tag us @themeninthearena so we can reshare and hype you up! Also make sure you're following us at @themeninthearena on Instagram and TikTok to see videos by Jim Ramos about the challenge.

  • Q: I just learned about the challenge and want to start late. Is it too late to join?
    A: Nope! If you want to start late, fill out the registration form and get started. The more the merrier.

  • Q: Can I still sign up even though 2023 is in full swing? 
    A: YES!!!! You have ONE year after your start date to finish. We will add you to the Facebook group until the end of your challenge or January 31,2024 when we shut the group down for good.

  • Q: I already registered but I'd like to add a friend to my team. How do I do that?
    A: If you saved your registration link, you can edit your registration to include your friend through the end of January. After that point, email us at info@meninthearena.org with your friend's first and last name, email, and the Team Name that you'd like us to add him to.

  • Q: What's Men in the Arena all about?
    A: We exist to help men become God's best version of themselves. If you're not familiar with Men in the Arena, check out the Men in the Arena podcast learn more about us.

  • Q: Is the challenge open to women?
    A: Yep! Our ministry exists to inspire and equip men, so our messages are always addressed to men. However, women are welcome to participate in our challenges. This year, Jim Ramos will be doing the challenge with his wife as a team of 2. So men, feel free to get your wife involved!

  • Q: How can I connect with other guys in the challenge?
    A: We’ve created a Men in the Arena Coast to Coast Challenge Facebook group for you to connect with each other, commiserate, and share progress. I’d highly suggest you join. 

If you have any questions I haven't addressed here, feel free to email us at info@meninthearena.org or DM me on our Men in the Arena socials.

Here's a printable PDF calendar to help you track your reps!

     

Register Here:

If you’re in, please register using the form above so we can send you the welcome email, check-in emails, and leaderboard info. REGISTRATION IS CLOSED