THAT’S A WRAP!
The 2026 Virginia Capital Trail Summer Challenge has officially come to a close, and we're celebrating a truly extraordinary achievement.
This year, participants walked, ran, rode, and rolled their way to a record-breaking 69,912.19 collective miles, the highest total in Summer Challenge history. To put that into perspective, our community logged nearly three times the circumference of the Earth, showcasing the incredible dedication and enthusiasm of Trail users across the region.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this year's challenge our biggest yet. And, of course, congratulations to our Summer Challenge winners! Your accomplishments inspired us all.
SUMMER CHALLENGE 2026 AWARD WINNERS
RUNNING
CYCLING
E-BIKING
Most Overall Miles: 482.019
GUILLERMO USECHI ELIZARI
Most Single-Day Miles: 103.6
TUCKER FOSTER
Most Overall Miles: 3,206.33
GEORGE BROWN
Most Single-Day Miles: 251
JACKIE STONER
Most Overall Miles: 3,831.90
ROBB MYER
Most Single-Day Miles: 55.4
JENNIFER TOMICH
WALKING
MISC
SKATING
Most Overall Miles: 350.8
ANNE FAUNTLEROY
Most Single-Day Miles: 13.7
AMANDA & JOHN MCENROE
Most Improved: 845.87 > 2,407.59
KEITH PERRIN
Best Photo
IRA MCCLURE MORRIS
First Dog’s Summer Challenge:
MYA DRAGOO
Most Overall Miles: 151.77
PATRICK RAND
Most Single-Day Miles: 55.05
BREE CAMPBELL, MISSY BENDINSKIS, CLAY STROUD, NOVA STROUD, GIANNA MILLER, ISAAC PURCELL, PATRICK RAND
TEAM MOST OVERALL MILES
WABbits Ride & Rock: 14,122.35
Best Team Name
Joint Effort: 1,142.82
Best Team Spirit
Peninsula Bicycle Association: 9,817.44
The celebration continued at our Summer Challenge Party at 5 Fields Brewing, where participants gathered to connect, share stories from the Trail, and recognize this remarkable milestone. The event was a wonderful reminder that the Virginia Capital Trail is more than just a pathway. It's a community that brings people together through recreation, wellness, and adventure.
We can't wait to see what our Trail community achieves next year. Keep moving, keep exploring, and we'll see you on the Trail!
2026 cap trail summer challenge
May 22nd - September 7th
WHAT IS THE SUMMER CHALLENGE?
The Cap Trail Summer Challenge is a 3.5-month long, friendly community competition featuring three distinct distance options. Choose the goal that best fits your pace and lifestyle:
Conquer the Capital Trail (51.7 Miles): Travel the entire length of the trail.
There and Back Again (103.4 Miles): Double down and complete a full round-trip.
The Birthday Challenge (568.7 Miles): Go big! Tackle 11x the trail's length to help us celebrate 11 years of the Capital Trail.
Participants have from May 22nd to September 7th to gradually rack up miles until they reach their distance goal (or beyond). How you log your miles is entirely up to you; we just want to see you getting out there and enjoying the trail. From walking and running to cycling and e-biking, skating and handcycling, moonwalking, crawling.... the Trail is your playground!
Hitting your target comes with perks. Keep your eyes on the prize(s):
The Summer Challenge Crusher t-shirt: Earned by every single competitor who reaches their chosen distance goal.
Top Finisher Awards: Want to push for gold? Keep tracking your miles to compete against fellow trail enthusiasts across the region for special categories:
Most Miles Overall (per activity type)
Most Miles at Once (per activity type)
Best Photo 📸
Most Variety of Activity 👟🚲🛼
and more!
Team UP & WIN BIG!
Want to make the summer even better? Gather your crew and tackle the Trail together! The Team Competition is the perfect fit for local fitness groups, corporate / office challenges, families, or just a group of close friends looking for an excuse to hang out.
🏆 Team Prizes Up for Grabs:
Most Miles Overall: For the ultimate distance-crushing squad.
Best Team Name: Time to get clever, funny, or wildly creative.
Best Team Spirit: Show us your matching outfits, mid-trail high-fives, and maximum enthusiasm!
👀 Staff Challenge: Think your crew has what it takes? See if your team can out-pace the VCTF Staff team this summer. We'll be out there logging miles too, but we dare you to show us how it's really done! 😂
Conquer the Capital Trail YOUR way this Summer!
Don’t forget to share your summer experience with #CapTrailChallenge
Check out some of our previous Cap Trail Conquerors below!
