Being a runner-up means you missed on the requirement of letting no more than 72 hours pass between assignments (or more specifically, between using the entry form to post that you completed your assignments) but made the overall goal of completing all assignments in the challenge before the end of this month. The difference between the two is a merit badge (you still get into the NaNaWriMo forum connected to this challenge.) Refer to the text in the section above the forum messages for more details

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Regards,
Eric Fretheim
Assistant Prep Leader, 2015 October NaNoWriMo Prep Challenge

"It is perfectly okay to write garbage-- as long as you edit brilliantly." ~C.J. Cherryh

“No, writing 50,000 words in a month is normal. You are not crazy. This is not insane.” ~Teri Brown