What is the difference between the two divisions? The competing division is for AERC members who have started or will start at least one AERC-sanctioned endurance or LD ride in the 2026 season. The non-competing division is for AERC members who not be doing an AERC-sanctioned LD or endurance ride in 2026.
I don’t own a horse, can I still participate? Yes! You can complete the miles riding a horse or mule or donkey you do not own.
If I compete in other mileage challenges can I also compete in AERC’s mileage challenge? Yes, you can sign up for the AERC mileage challenge concurrently. It’ll give you more chances to get different awards, and truly what we are hoping is that riders will find themselves in good company enjoying the trails, sharing photos of those trails, and connect with riders from all the nine regions! However they need to be conditioning miles, not miles completed in competition. The only exception to that is if you participate in an AERC Intro Ride, then those miles would count.
Can I participate on foot, without an equine? No and yes. This mileage challenge is ridden, for both divisions. However, just like in an endurance ride and conditioning, if you do part of the ride in the saddle and end up doing some of the distance on foot alongside your horse, those miles will count. You must however be in the company of an equine for the miles to count and at least some of the ride must be on board of the horse (or long ears).
Do miles completed at an AERC-sanctioned event count? Yes and no. You can count miles completed on an AERC Intro ride but not miles on an LD or endurance ride because the challenge is intended as an incentive for conditioning miles.
Must I be an AERC member to participate? Yes, the mileage challenge has been created in the spirit of keeping our community together, so you need to join or renew before signing up. Check out all the additional perks of being an AERC member here:
https://aerc.org/compete/member-benefits/
When is the deadline to enter this event? How do we pay the fee? Entries will remain open until 11/7/26 and you’ll need to complete and enter all 100 miles by 11/30/26. You can pay via credit card (or debit card with a Mastercard/Visa logo) on the registration website.
If I sign up after the event starts, when do I start counting my miles? We encourage all entrants to complete their mileage between the date of their entry and 11/30/2026. Don’t delay on signing up!!! Get credit for all your miles now!
What if I sign up for “not competing” and I end up doing an endurance ride later in the year? No problem. Sign up for whichever division fits your situation now. After the event date closes, if you’ve logged at least 100 miles, the AERC office crew sorts you into a division based on your rider record. Anyone who’s completed a ride in 2026 by the closing date of each challenge goes into “competing.” Anyone who hasn’t goes into “non-competing.” If you do an endurance ride later in the season, that’s great! It won’t count against you, and there will be future challenges to jump into.
How often should I log my miles? Do I log them as I complete them or all at the end? We recommend that you log your miles as you complete them for the best interactive experience. See our how to submit your virtual mileage tutorial for entering in the completed miles.
How best should I track my miles? We recommend one of the free GPS phone apps, there are quite a few to pick from. Gaia, EquiLab, Map My Ride/Run, or Ride with GPS are all popular and offer different features. You can turn on the app, start the track, and then put your phone in airplane mode if you would like to conserve battery (note airplane mode blocks any incoming/outgoing communication such as calls or texts). Use whatever works best for you. The admins reserve the right to validatie any miles submitted.
How do I log my miles on the website? First login to your RunSignUp account and then select the AERC Mileage Challenge as your race. At the top of the race page click on results, then submit virtual results, search for yourself, then log activities.
Do the 100 miles have to be completed in 24 hours or less? No! This event is designed to be FUN and keep our membership on the trail in the company of good horses and mules. While some people have chosen to challenge themselves by setting a time, there is no overall time limit on how long it may take you to complete your mileage. All mileage must be completed by August 30, 2026.
How can I participate more with other riders, share my photos, ask questions about the actual trail, etc? Join the AERC Facebook Group and share your stories! We would love to have you contribute at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/aerc.org
When will the awards be sent, when I complete the 100 miles? We will be shipping awards once the ride end date
What are the prizes? There will be top 5 awards for the riders with most miles in each division and also, in the spirit of “To Finish Is To Win”, there will be completion awards for everyone who logs at least 100 miles.
100-mile challenge for each event, complete the mileage by in 9 weeks
Two divisions: one for AERC members who are actively doing AERC rides and one for AERC members who are enjoying the trail but not participating in any competitive events
Completion prizes for everyone who reaches 100 miles
Additional top 5 prizes in each division for participants who log the most miles, plus a beautiful trophy for the highest mileage rider in each division
Ride where you are, on your own schedule, within the event dates. The Spring challenge ran June 15 to August 30, 2026, and Fall challenge runs September 22 to November 30, 2026.
A fun way to stay motivated, connected, and involved in the endurance community