Yellowstone Birthday Events
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1 BIRTHDAY - 150 YEARS - 7 WAYS TO CELEBRATE
Break out the party hats. It’s Yellowstone National Park’s sesquicentennial! (Try saying that word 10 times fast.)
A sesquicentennial is a fancy way of saying the 150th anniversary. This year, we’re celebrating the big 1-5-0 of America’s first national park. Lace up your shoes and join the party! We have 7 races centered around Yellowstone National Park landmarks for you to choose from.
YELLOWSTONE VIRTUAL RACES
OLD FAITHFUL
INN
Race Date: Your choice
Distance: 5k, 10k, or half marathon
Event Swag: Commemorative medal
Built almost 120 years ago, the Old Faithful Inn is said to be the largest log structure in the world. This national historic monument features stunning focal pieces, like a giant stone fireplace and handmade clock in the lobby.
Bonus Challenge: Find a log structure or stone fireplace to take a post-race photo! Feel free to share it with our private Facebook group, Yellowstone Races & Challenges.
GRAND
PRISMATIC
Race Date: Your choice
Distance: 5k, 10k, or half marathon
Event Swag: Commemorative medal
The Grand Prismatic in Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in the United States. It gets its name from its rainbow sequence of bold colors. No wonder it’s one of the most photographed sights within the park.
Bonus Challenge: Since the Grand Prismatic is one of Yellowstone’s most photographed spots, share a picture of you with your Grand Prismatic finisher medal! Tag us @virtualrunningclub on Instagram, or @vrunningclub on Facebook.
YELLOWSTONE
ANIMALS
Race Date: Your choice
Distance: 5k, 10k, or half marathon
Event Swag: Commemorative medal and apparel.
We can’t celebrate 150 years of national parks without turning our attention to Yellowstone’s incredible wildlife. From bison to grizzly bears, elk to wolves, bighorn sheep to coyotes – there’s a fascinating critter at every corner.
Bonus Challenge: Count how many different animals you can spot along your race route. Dog owners, we challenge you to cover some of the miles with your four-legged friend!
ROOSEVELT
ARCH
Race Date: Your choice
Distance: 5k, 10k, or half marathon
Event Swag: Commemorative medal and apparel
This 50-foot decorative structure was named after Theodore Roosevelt by pure chance. The president happened to be vacationing in Yellowstone during this landmark’s construction. He was asked to speak at the dedication ceremony, when a time capsule was placed inside the monument.
A plaque on the arch bears a phrase from the law that established Yellowstone as a national park: For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.
Bonus Challenge: Do something for the benefit and enjoyment of others! Throw on a pair of protective gloves and pick up trash along your race route, leave positive chalk drawings on the sidewalk post-race, or anything else you can think of.
Race Date: Your choice
Distance: 5k, 10k, or half marathon
Event Swag: Commemorative medal and apparel
This large complex of hot springs was created over thousands of years, as hot water cooled and deposited calcium carbonate.
Bonus Challenge: Like the hot springs, let’s turn up the heat! Make the last mile of your race your fastest one of the day.
YELLOWSTONE
FALLS
Race Date: Your choice
Distance: 5k, 10k, or half marathon
Event Swag: Commemorative medal and apparel
This landmark actually consists of two waterfalls – the Upper and Lower Yellowstone River Falls. The Lower Falls are the most famous ones in the park, boasting a 308-foot drop.
Bonus Challenge: Add a downhill section to your race route!
OLD FAITHFUL GEYSER
Race Date: Your choice
Distance: 5k, 10k, or half marathon
Event Swag: Commemorative medal and apparel
This geyser was named for its predictable eruptions. It’s spouted every 44-120 minutes in Yellowstone National Park since the year 2000.
Bonus Challenge: Go up high like a geyser eruption! Add an uphill section to your race route – if you live in a flat area, you can even use stairs.
how to participate
- 1Register for your event and distance of choice.
- 2Receive your medal in an upfront shipment.
- 3Have a friend or family member reward you with your medal at the end of your race, and/or report your finishing time in our mobile app. (This is an optional step.)
- 4Complete your race’s bonus challenge for an extra dose of fun.
HAVE A QUESTION? LET US HELP!
Nope. You can complete your race distance in your movement method of choice. Running is great, but so is walking, hiking, dancing, swimming, rucking...
These events can be completed anytime, on your schedule, between now and December 31, 2022.
For those who registered for Old Faithful Inn & Grand Prismatic before February 1, 2022:
For these events, there are two ways to report your mileage. You can either (1) download our free Spark Challenges app and sync it to your Virtual Running Club account, or (2) use this alternate reporting form on our website. Unless you opted to get your medal up front, reporting your race completion is required to receive it.
For everyone who registered for a Yellowstone virtual race after February 1, 2022:
Your registration includes free access to our new VRC mobile app. Reporting your mileage through this app is completely optional.
Medals and shirts are shipped separately. You will receive an email confirmation from Virtual Running Club once your medal ships. If you order a shirt, it will ship to you about two weeks after you register.
Series passes are sold out.
Those who purchased series passes received email communications from us in early February 2022 with your new coupon codes for each of these events.
As a reminder, your pass includes all 7 stunning medals from our Yellowstone virtual races. Shirts will be available for purchase at an additional cost.
The Yellowstone Races & Challenges group is a great place to connect with your fellow racers. It's a great source of motivation and encouragement, and joining the group is entirely voluntary.
For those who registered for Old Faithful Inn & Grand Prismatic before February 1, 2022:
Unless you opted to get your medal up front, reporting your race completion is required to receive it. You'll receive an email confirmation from us as soon as your medal ships.
For everyone who registered for a Yellowstone virtual race after February 1, 2022:
You will automatically receive your medal up front. You'll receive an email confirmation from us as soon as it ships.We encourage you to have a friend or family member award your medal to you upon race completion!
Shirts are available for purchase. They are printed on-demand and expected to ship to you approximately 2 weeks after your registration.
Yes! Aside from these virtual races, we also have a long-term mileage challenge. The Yellowstone 150 Challenge is your opportunity to tackle 150 miles through December 2022 and earn commemorative coins along the way. Click here to learn more.
Yes! A portion of proceeds will benefit Wander Project, a non-profit organization that engages with athletes and endurance racing events to support local communities through inspiring fundraising and service.
Since 2015, Wander Project participants have raised over $2 million through running events, with over 95% of that money going to national park and public lands preservation and conservation.