What really jumped out to me about Run to Escape: Mission Mt Olympus was that it differentiated itself from virtual races in so many ways that it became a unique running experience that didn't fit the mold of any runs/races I have run before. It certainly didn't fall into the category of virtual race that has more or less become pretty standardized. You will not be shipped a finisher’s award or a t-shirt. The creators intentionally wanted to distinguish this running experience from virtual races by not emulating what is standard practice for virtual race registrations. Additionally, they wanted to reduce waste produced from packaging and shipping materials and make this experience as environmentally friendly as possible.

I really enjoyed the puzzle aspect of the experience, some of which truly challenged me. Even though I was uncertain I would be able to figure them all out at a few points, it was comforting to know that hints and ultimately the solutions were all available so you would never get completely stuck on any of the challenges.

Just for clarification, the only reason why I rated the "SWAG" rating at 3 stars is because there was no physical swag distributed. Even so, the recipes, playlists, and giveaways at the pantheon party upon completion of the challenges was a pretty cool replacement for the typical t-shirt and medal that are mailed out for virtual races.

Read my full report at: https://www.beastcoasttrailrunning.com/2021/06/run-to-escape-mission-mount-olympus.html