I am caught up for the most part on both sites for getting the data.  I still need to grab emails off the PM systems though.  If you make a change to your mileage goal and go back and correct your post then chances are I will not see it.  If you make a change then make certain I get a PM on it.  At a later date I will publish a list for you to check your data before it comes time to shuffle the deck.

I am looking to finally make a full calendar year where I am running consistently.  Hopefully this challenge and teammate to encourage me is what I need.  Count me in!

1)lewjeffrey

2)1200

3)Team

4)sent in PM

1.) daisymae25

2.) 1200

3.) team

4.) Will PM to venomized

It does not matter to me which site hosts the game so long as data is still entered in a weekly thread.  Christian cannot use the runningahead log since its app is not compatible with his Kindle.  I will likely post for him regardless of which site but I do still rather insist he keep track of his own miles.

What are the benefits and differences in being on a team versus participating as an individual?

It will be my first time to take part in a mileage game. Feel free to look at my log. I am confident I can reach the goal. Feel free to ask questions.

What are the benefits and differences in being on a team versus participating as an individual?

I've played on various mileage games for almost 10 years as a member or captain. 2013 was the 1st year I participated as individual. As the rules are set up in this particular game I can't see myself going back. As individual I have all the benefits [except the weekly challenges / playoffs] as a team member w/o any of the hassles, and due to a loophole a benefit that's isn't possible if you register on a team.

My biggest gripe with the MG isn't the competitive aspect, I embrace that, but getting everyone else on board to participate / post. People sign up, with good intentions, and then either not show up or severely underperform on their bloated projections or post late and the team is penalized. After awhile this becomes a hassle and erodes the very aspect of being on a team. Being a captain for a number of years this is even more true but non--captains have expressed the same dissatisfaction as well.

The benefit of rolling as individual is you avoid this entirely as you're not dependant on others to perform or post. Instead you focus solely on your training and mileage, while at the same time you can still compare your numbers to what everyone else - team members / individuals - are doing in the weekly results thread. You could say, but aren't you missing out on the team comraderie aspect? You could but this year I started an individual's thread [Bohemians & Benchwarmers] for those going solo or needing a place to hang out while waiting to be placed on a team. I had no idea if the idea would take off but here we are in week 45 and it's going strong - 1,500 posts [much to my surprise]. We talk about the same things they do in all the other team threads EXCEPT the whinning about non-posters and the head-to-head challenges / playoffs. In fact there's very little chat about the MG at all. Instead we focus on our running and lives.

The other benefit that is exclusive to registering as an individual vs team is that unlike a team we're not disbanded at the end of the game [like the Miles Game] and reshuffled to new teams. Since we never were assigned to begin with there's the options to re-regsiter as an individual and continue our association from one year to the next. I have no idea if our thread will continue to be as popular as it was this year, that's dependant on the members and myself to keep it rollin'. Another benefit is there is zero pressure to run mileage, and the associated disappointment felt, because you're behind goal pace and hurting your team. Our thread is open to anyone and not limited to those playing in the MG.

 

Well, sometimes it means you get to have an awesome and supportive Facebook group, make new friends and go around saying things like Auhugh!!

 

But oftentimes, Mike is right that it means dealing with those who are unwilling or unable to participate and manage to drag the whole team down.  When a team clicks, it is the best.  When it doesn't, it kind of stinks.

I joined the Miles Game almost a year ago and we have an awesome FB group too. For months is was only about 8 of us but we like to gab and our fortunes turned around pretty quickly - going from the bottom of the standing to 1st. We have a team thread on RWOL too that more members seem to gravitate too but for some reason our FB group is where it's at.

If anyone is reading my previous post and thinking I'm talking about past teams I was a member - don't. I've been a part of some of the best teams, It's just impossible to get 25+ people with similar priorities.