In case the algorithms got confused and you are actually hoping to read a blog post on Capitol Hill politics and/or people running for election this fall, please move along. Nothing political to see here (well except that one time). I’m talking about running. And hills. Ok, yes, this one in particular. But that’s just because I live in DC, home of thousands of Type A people who like to spend their mornings, evenings, and weekends running around the city. It’s utterly delightful.

Take, for example, the inaugural Scavenger Hunt on the Hill, sponsored by Summit to Soul and Coeur Sports. Summit to Soul is a local, woman-owned athletic clothing store on Capitol Hill in DC (and online!). The owner and her staff are extremely supportive of the local community, hosting weekly fun runs, yoga sessions, and happy hours (often combined into run-yoga-run-beer “multi sport” bonanzas). Everything the store carries is from a female-and/or American-owned company that looks amazing and makes a positive impact in the world—including Coeur. As a Coeur ambassador, I was given the challenge of leading a community event to build camaraderie and show that fitness is fun. It was a perfect match to partner with Summit to Soul for the event.

But with so many events offered around the city, how could we entice people to attend this one? What kind of activity is fun and social, promotes fitness, but doesn’t deter people who don’t see themselves as athletes? Two words: scavenger hunt. This way, it became a team challenge and we could reward people for speed as well as creativity. We gave each team a clue sheet with five required “Coeur” (get it?) clues, as well as some bonus ones. In order to receive a point, a member of the team had to take a photo of the entire team (minus the photographer) with the clue. Thanks to Coeur’s generous donation, we were able to offer awards to three teams: fastest to return to Summit to Soul with photos of all the Coeur clues, highest total number of points (Coeur + bonus items), and most creative photo spread.

Intrigued? Sad to have missed it? Here are the clues, with a hyperlink to the answer:

Coeur Clues:

• Running should be fun, but sometimes the wear and tear gets you down. That’s why it’s important to smell the roses. This location is new to Navy Yard and will get you fixed up in no time!
• Feeling sleepy? Sip, or should we say slip, from this caffeinated stream new to the SE neighborhood.
• Tie your laces as you take a picture around (the outside of) these national bases!
• While water flows under, you run over this dramatic (toll-free) Navy Yard pedestrian landmark.
• This big box’s WOD lifts the district fitness scene to another level!

 

Bonus Items:

• Capitol Hill Alphabet Animals
• A dog
• A cat
• A cyclist
• At least two people dressed the same
• Ice cream
• Something quintessentially DC
• Something quintessentially fall
• Something that smells good
• A statue or sculpture

 

The result of the scavenger hunt? We definitely found the fun (hey-o!). Approximately 40 folks participated, including a lot of men and families. We had crafted the invitation to promote inclusion and were thrilled that such a diverse and enthusiastic bunch turned out for it. Many of the teams posted their photos to Instagram and Twitter, so search for #summittosoul . Here are some of my favorites:

Thank you to everyone for coming out on such a hot day, the local businesses who served as photo locations, and of course to Coeur Sports and Summit to Soul for sponsoring! Hope to see you next time!