BOOM! You’re a fish. But not just any fish, you’re a mother-lovin’ SALMON.

But what’s that, you say? Oh, you’re just now noticing that while you may be that most majestic of fish, the salmon, you’re also a very small fish with a loooooooong freakin way, literally and figuratively, to not dying.

So while you may be sleek and shiny and scaly, you’re still up a creek without a paddle, but who cares?! You’re a fish! You’ve got fins. And best of all, you’re not alone–you’ve got LOTS of fellow fish to swim with. So as that most saucy and forgetful fish Dory is so fond of saying, Just Keep Swimming.

A Salmon’s Tale is a totally rad virtual run. It’s two months long. Pick one of three distances (80, 140, 200 miles) and chip away at the distance over the course of two months as you virtually make your way from a small creek to the Pacific Ocean, overcoming scaly setbacks and current challenges along the way.

Benefits Long Live the Kings!

What Now?

WHO: You!

WHAT: A virtual running challenge. Run in the real world and virtually complete a salmon’s journey from hatching to the open ocean. Choose from 80, 140 or 200 miles to run over the course of two months. 

WHEN: Registration opens December 27th. You run from February 1st to March 31st.

WHY: To learn more about salmon, to keep healthy and active, and to benefit Long Live the Kings.

WHERE: Wherever you live! You can run, walk, treadmill or bike.

HOW: Via our online app, Gravlax. Available starting February 1st.

Sauk
Digital Entry
$10

  • Access to online app Gravlax & Facebook group
  • Free contest to hold your breath as long as possible

Skagit
Deluxe Entry
$85

  • Access to online app & Facebook group
  • Super smooth 1/4 zip running top OR t-shirt
  • Custom handmade wood medal
  • A Salmon’s Tale Sticker
  • Handmade Washington Rivers Map
  • 1 Dorsal, 1 Caudal, 2 Pectorals

Sumallo
Standard Entry
$50

  • Access to online app & Facebook group
  • Tri-blend gender specific t-shirt
  • Custom handmade wood medal
  • A Salmon’s Tale Sticker
  • Permission to go as a spawning salmon for Halloween

Swag

Measures 7.5×11″
Only for Skagit registration level

1/4 Zip for Skagit registration level

Weekly Challenges: The Swole Salmon

Earn the chance to win prizes and upgrade your online salmon with weekly challenges! Challenges will be emailed out weekly, posted to the Facebook group and available in the app. 

Benefitting:

Brought to you by:

FAQs

Am I a fish?

Are you a fish? You tell me. Can you breathe underwater? Can you twerk? Do you have scales?

Do I have to run through rivers and streams and out into the ocean like a real Salmon?
Of course not! In order to run the virtual 220 mile route of Salmon migration, you can run or walk wherever you’d like and we’ll be assigning you a default mileage multiplier based on your selected real distance goal:
Steelhead (80 mile goal): 1 real mile = 2.75 virtual miles
Coho (140 mile goal):  1 real mile = 1.57 virtual miles
Chinook (200 mile goal): 1 real mile = 1.1 virtual miles
When will my swag arrive?

We will ship it out in mid to late March. We will let you know when its on it’s way!

Can fish talk?

Only if watch Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire backwards.

When do I start running?

Things get started on February 1st! You have until March 31st to finish.

What happens if a fisherman catches me?

Offer him some Baitcoin.

How do I switch distances?

This is a challenge, don’t sell yourself short! That said, we realize things come up and hindsight is 20/20. You can change your real distance goal (in other words, the number of miles you need to actually run) after March 1st. To do so, click or tap on the menu icon at the top right of Gravlax and select ‘Settings’ in the menu. From the settings page, you’ll see an ‘Update Goal’ button – click or tap on that and you’ll be mere moments away from a new goal. Note that goal changes are retroactive, so all distance you’ve logged up until the change will be recalculated with the new default multiplier in effect.

What happens if I can't finish my route?

The vast majority of salmon don’t make it to the ocean!

If you don’t finish, don’t worry, you’ll still get your swag!

Does this count towards the Orca Running R-Pod medal?

Ya sure you betcha!

What does this run benefit?

A Salmon’s Tale benefits Long Live the Kings. A portion of each registration fee goes to Long Live the Kings, and participants can opt to donate to Long Live the Kings when they register as well.

How will I know what to say to a new fish?

Most fish are natural introverts and tend to be type INTP types on the Myers-Briggs test, so being the first to break the ice can go a long ways. Remember: most fish like to talk about themselves, so ask them about their hobbies and interests, and THEN decide if they are predator or prey.

What is the sizing like on the shirts?

Check out the sizing chart here!!!! (‘standard’ fit)

1/4 Zip sizing: Women’s Sizing Men’s Sizing

Do I need to use Strava?

Nope! If you already use Strava, you may also like using our integration to submit runs you’ve already logged on Strava – but you can always submit details for your run manually.

I heard something about Garmin?

Strava allows you to connect their garmin device with their Strava account. Thus, using our existing Strava integration, you can log miles on Gravlax that you’ve tracked using your Garmin device. Find out more here.

Do you ship internationally?

We can only ship to the USA and Canada. Shipping to Canada is an extra $25. For those living elsewhere who still would like to participate, we recommend the digital registration option.

Do bike miles count?

Yes! At a ratio of 3.14 bike miles to 1 running mile.

The connection to my Strava account quit working, what can I do?
Please try to remedy the situation by A) clicking the ‘disconnect Strava’ button on the settings page, B) revoking Spyhop’s access within your Strava account, and C) reauthorizing the connection via the ‘Strava’ button on the Gravlax homepage.
What if I accidentally logged incorrect run details?
We’ve put measures in place this time to help ensure this doesn’t happen. After each run submission, you’ll be asked to confirm the details of your run, and you will receive an warning if your submission looks like a duplicate. Alas, if both of these preemptive measures fail, submit a customer service and we’ll be happy to help you out.
What if I forgot to log yesterday's run?

THEN IT CEASES TO EXIST!

Just kidding! Enter yesterday’s date when you submit your run, or if using Strava, just select yesterday’s run from the list of available runs. Any mileage you run during the tracking period (February 1st to March 31st) is eligible to count towards your goal and you can submit it retroactively – but we recommend staying up-to-date by logging your runs at least weekly.

Will Taylor Swift be there?

A fish who identifies as Taylor Swift will be there, yes indeed. You can spot her by her Cardigan, she’ll be standing by the Willow and Jake Gyllenhaal is a fool.

The Things About Salmon

Salmon

Salmon are vital to the cultures, economies, and ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, they are also in serious trouble. Twenty-eight populations of Pacific salmon and steelhead are listed under the Endangered Species Act. Loss of habitat, poor water quality, migration barriers and climate change are all contributing to the growing risks that salmon face. Governments, Tribes, scientists, fishers, and conservationists are working together to recover salmon for generations to come: learning with us is one action you can take to help ensure their future.

Long Live the Kings

Long Live the Kings is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring wild salmon and steelhead and supporting sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest. We work with partners across the region on scientific research, planning, and outreach programs for a healthy future for salmon, the environment, and our communities.

Contact

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