Virtual Challenge - How do I join a challenge? Expand Q: How do I join a challenge? A: To join a challenge, participants will need a private url link to the challenge AND a passcode. When you enter the passcode on the private challenge page, you'll be prompted to create an account on our tracking platform - you'll then be guided through this when you click on the challenge link & enter the event passcode. Registration process: Once your account is created and you’re logged in, you cand connect fitness apps here. It’s also possible to enter activities manually for those who choose not to use fitness trackers. Every time a participant completes an activity they’ll receive an automated email from our tracking platform with stats. The email will look like this:
Virtual Challenge - Can I leave a challenge? Expand Q: Can I leave a challenge? A: Yes! To do this please contact the challenge administrator - this is usually the person that invited you to the challenges. It is best to contact them because then they'll know why participant counts have changed.
Virtual Challenge - What is the code to join my challenge? Expand Q: What is the code to join my challenge? All virtual challenges are private by default and accessibly only through privately shared links. Codes are added to virtual challenge by the challenge administrator to further prevent uninvited participants from joining. Participants will need the private link AND the private code in order to join the challenge. Codes can be changed at any time by the challenge administrator. If you are a participant, you will need to contact the challenge administrator for details related to the challenges, like codes, private links, start dates, and activities allowed. Challenge administrators manage these parameters.
Virtual Challenge - What is a group on your tracking platform? Expand Q: What is a group on your tracking platform? A:Groups are simply ways to organise challenges. They can be used in a variety of ways, but the main two are team challenges and a challenge series. Team Challenges A group can be used to host a single team challenge. In this case, the group actually becomes the challenge container with each team having it's own challenge. This allows teams to compete against each other with a challenge per team. All the team challenges in this group have the same parameters, but are named differently. For example:- Team Competition (the group)- Team A- Team B- Team C- etc This way each team can track their progress within the team/challenge page and at the group level. You can see an example of a Team Challenge progress tracking below: Challenge Series Groups can also be used to host a series of challenges. For example, a specific "Yearly Running Challenge" could be a group and inside that group there'd be challenges for "2017 run", 2018 run", "2019 run", "2020 run", etc.
Virtual Challenge - Are challenges public or private? Expand Q: Are challenges public or private? A: All challenges are private by default, and require a passcode to join. We enable a public view of challenge progress, but a private link is still required to join. On the public view, only general progress, participant first names, and charts are shown - no detailed participant information or leaderboards are displayed. Here is an example of what is displayed.
Virtual Challenge - What's the difference between a team and individual challenge? Expand Q: What's the difference between a team and individual challenge? A: With individual challenges, each participant completes the full challenge goal by themselves. Our platform tracks individual performance. With team challenges, everyone combines efforts to complete the challenge goal together - for example, attempting to cover the 1,553 kilometre distance between Land's End & John O'Groats. The challenge is completed as a group, and teams can compete against each other. Our platform will track the teams' overall progress, as well as how much individuals are contributing to each team's success.
Virtual Challenge - Does your platform keep tracking activities when the challenge is over? Expand Q: Does your platform keep tracking activities when the challenge is over? A: No - once a challenge is completed, the platform stops adding activities to the challenge. If some participants achieve that goal before others, it is more motivating for participants that have not yet achieved the goal to continue, when numbers aren't being inflated beyond the goal. To put it another way, running up the scoreboard can demotivate participants still trying to complete the challenge.
Virtual Challenge - What if an App tracks something erroneously? Expand Q: What if an App tracks something erroneously? If one of the third-party apps (Garmin, MapMyRun, etc) tracks something erroneously, you can just delete the activity in the app, which will then sync the delete to outr platform, then manually enter it into our platform with the correct parameters. You can also try to adjust the activity in the app, however that functionality varies by app and isn't always possible.
Virtual Challenge - Why are my activities doubled? Expand Q: Why are my activities doubled? A: Our platform will automatically sync activities from third party apps (Garmin, MapMyRun, Strava, etc). If you are using a third party app do not manually enter activities into our platform, or else things will be doubled. You can remove any duplicates by going to the main Activities link, click into the duplicate, then edit, then remove. If you sign-up for more than one third party app, then activities can also be duplicated. If you use Garmin and have Garmin synced with Strava, then connect both Garmin and Strava to our tracking platform, then the activities will be ingested twice. Our platform will attempt to flag duplicates automatically. Flagged activities are not counted in the challenges, but will show up under your main Activities link - our platform flags activities with the same start and activity type. There is no problem in having flagged activities in this scenario.
Virtual Challenge - Why isn't my activity being added to the challenge? Expand Q: Why isn't my activity being added to the challenge? A: Our tracking platform automatically determines if an activity qualifies for a challenge. Some common reasons that an activity does not qualifying are: Wrong Activity Type - If the challenge only accepts runs and walks, but you logged a hike, it will not count. Contact the challenge administrator with questions surrounding allowed activity types. Activity Date - Activities must be logged after the displayed start date and before the end date. Challenge Already Completed - If you've already completed the challenge, then our platform does not continue to add activities to the challenge. Backfilling and Join Dates - Only activities logged after you've joined will count. You can find your join date, and backfilling rules, on the main challenge dashboard. Activity Not Long Enough - If the challenge is a virtual race, or has a distance filter, then activities must be long enough to qualify. For example, if it is a 5k race, 4.98k activities will not count. Flagged - Our platform will automatically flag some activities, such as blatant duplicates. Flagged activities will not count towards challenges.
Virtual Challenge - How do I sync Garmin, Strava, or MapMyRun to Challenge Hound? Expand Q: How do I sync Garmin, Strava, or MapMyRun to your tracking platform? Start by selecting the "Apps" tab at the top of the website when logged in to your tracking platform account: Once re-directed to the "Apps" page, choose which tracking app you would like to pair with your tracking platform account. Your options will include: Garmin Under Armour Connected Fitness (MapMyRun, MapMyRide, MapMyFitness) Strava Note that you should create an account or have an account set up with one of these applications before attempting to sync it to our platform. Once you have selected which tracking app you would like to use, select "Authorize" on the following page to allow our platform to access your app's data: If prompted, complete the log-in process on your fitness tracking app. A correct sync will show a green check mark and say "Your [app] activities will sync automatically":
Virtual Challenge - How do I add an activity to a challenge? Expand Q: How do I add an activity to a challenge? A: There are a couple different ways to add activities to challenges. You can manually enter activities directly into our tracking platform, or you can use an App to record activities, which are then automatically synced to our platform. No matter how you enter your activities, our platform will record the specific activity against your active challenges. For example, if you are in a ride challenge and log a run, the platform will not add it to the ride challenge. Our platform only adds activities to challenges that are active, and which meet the activity types set up in the challenge. If you are in more than one challenge, you only need to add the activity ONCE. Challenge Hound will associate the activity to all applicable challenges. To add an activity manually, simply click the Activities link at the top of our platform and then add new activity. Enter the name of the activity, the start date and time, select the activity type, and then fill in the duration, distance, and elevation (if applicable). To add an activity with an app: Connect the App on the main Apps page. This only needs to be done once. Use the App functionality to record an activity. It varies based on the App, but most commonly requires you to hit start, perform the activity, then end. Our platform will automatically sync the activity. You'll get an email confirmation with your challenge status update as soon as the activity has synced with our platform. You'll be able to see the synced activity on the main Activities page. Activities normally sync immediately, but can take up to 10 minutes to sync in some cases. If you edit an activity in the App, the edits will also sync If you delete an activity in the App, the delete will also sync
Virtual Challenge - How can I delete an activity? Expand Q: How can I delete an activity? A: You can delete manually entered activities from the main Activities page. Click on the activity you'd like to delete. Click edit towards the bottom. If you do NOT see an edit button, then it is a Strava activity and will need to be removed from Strava, which will sync to our tracking platform. 3. On the edit page, click the delete button If it is a Strava activity, you'll have to delete the activity in Strava and the removal will sync to our tracking platform.
Virtual Challenge - How long does it take for activities to sync with Strava? Expand Q: How long does it take for activities to sync with Strava? A: After first joining a challenge it can take up to 10 minutes for activities to sync up. Once you've joined, new activities should sync immediately. Occasionally, there are some delays and activities can be backed up longer. We do our best ensure all activities are synced in a timely manner.
Virtual Challenge - I've joined a challenge and my Strava activities are not syncing. What can I do? Expand Q: I've joined a challenge and my Strava activities are not syncing. What can I do? Check your Strava account and make sure the activity has been successfully uploaded. In our tracking platform, check the main Activities link to see if the activity has been added to our platform. If the activity is recordwed, but NOT being added to the challenge, it is most likely due to how the challenge has been configured - please contact the challenge administrator. Make sure you've actually joined a challenge. On the main Challenge page, you should see your challenge listed at the top under Active challenges. If it is not there, that most likely indicates you have not joined the challenge. Find the private link & passcode that was sent to you and follow that & input the passcode to join the challenge. Once you join, you'll get a confirmation email and activities will start to sync. Double check that the challenge you have joined accepts the same activities you are completing. If you join a Run and Walk challenge, then rides and swims will not be added to those challenges. Sometimes challenge administrators select Run, but not Virtual Run, so in that case Virtual Runs would not be counted. If you have questions concerning activity types, contact the challenge administrator.
Virtual Challenge - If I join late, do previous activities logged during the challenge timeframe count? Expand Q: If I join a challenge after the start date, do my previous activities during the challenge timeframe count? A: Yes - a participant’s previous activities, logged before joining but after the start date (max 60 days), are automatically added to the challenge when they join. If a challenge lasts longer than 60 days, then our platform will only backfill 60 days’ worth of activities. You can always see when you joined on the main challenge dashboard.
Virtual Challenge - Why do you need my email to create an account on your tracking platform? Expand Q: Why do you need my email? A: Our tracking platform only uses your email to send you updates concerning challenges you've joined. You'll receive emails after you've logged an activity (for a challenge status update), as well as when challenges are completed. You can unsubscribe at any time. We also need your name & email address in order to issue your digital finisher's badge at th end of your challenge.
Virtual Challenge - How can I switch from miles to kilometers? Expand Q: How can I switch from miles to kilometers? A: Under the main Account link at the top of your tracking platform account, you can toggle metrics; our platform will try to sync preferences from Strava, but this can be overridden or changed at any time under Account.
Virtual Challenge - How do I edit or update my profile on your tracking platform? Expand Q: How do I edit or update my profile on your tracking platform? A: The main Accounts link enables you to edit or update your name, email address, measurement preference, and profile photo.