January 2020 Monthly Running Challenge

Elise4270
Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
edited December 2019 in Challenges
It's time for the JANUARY 2020 Running Challenge!

WARNING: Following this thread may be addictive; it gets very talkative...miss a day and you can be 50 posts behind. This is the most popular challenge on MFP. If you found us in the middle (or end) of the month, you're still very welcome to join in - no requirements or special invite needed. Once you post, that's it you're in. And yes, we do this every month.

You set your own pace and distance for the month. We will all be doing it together. This is your virtual running group to help keep you accountable, to enjoy a virtual post-run coffee with your fellow runners, and to make new friends and learn a few things.

This is a continuation from the December 2019 Running Challenge which can be found at: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10774041/december-2019-monthly-running-challenge#latest

Anyone can join in, new and old, and if you found this thread late, you can join in at any time.
We have members ranging from total beginners all the way to Boston Qualifiers and beyond. We are a friendly and encouraging bunch. You never need to be ashamed of your miles. If you are making the effort, you will find only support here.

Here are the details from last month that apply again:

Anybody want to join in for a running challenge? Set a goal here and update us every day. OPTIONAL: You can post your progress by creating a ticker at http://www.tickerfactory.com (if creating one seems difficult, or you're like me and can't be bothered, then just type in your daily miles in this thread).

You can run, walk, or do treadmill - just be consistent. Don't let the high (or low) goals of others intimidate you. Some do 25 miles, others do 50, some go higher than that, some do lower; it's entirely your goal and therefore completely up to you. We help motivate each other, so what do you say? If you're new to running, set a low goal. If you're from a part of the world where miles aren't your thing, log your distances in KMs. And if you'd rather log your progress by time rather than distance, then you're entirely free to do that as well.

Feel free to set your goal now but wait until JANUARY 1, 2020 to start logging your runs!

Also, don't forget to join our group which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/21182-monthly-running-challenges
Bookmark the previous and past challenges:https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10393468/current-past-challenges#latest
Find a small group of runners that encourage and offer food support:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10573619/runners-that-need-some-nutritional-accountability#latest



There you will find lots of good info, and it's a place where everyone can talk to each other for further motivation. It's also a place to find help when there is a problem with this thread.

Note: we also have a group on Strava and Facebook.

After you run, come into this thread and post what you did (don't forget to hit the star in the upper right corner to bookmark this thread). Simply keep a running tally of what you've done this month, and interact with the others. Many folks come in here and chit-chat it up, even on their rest days or while recouping from injury. This is a very social group and we talk about many things (sometimes even about running ). It's a very friendly bunch here so don't be afraid to say hi (even if this is your first time), talk about a recent or up-coming race, ask questions, provide answers, or just lurk-n-learn. Participation is what makes this group successful.

Not quite sure how to log your runs? Follow the examples of many other challenge members. Even take a peek at last month's thread (posted above).


*******OPTIONAL TICKER*************
Info on tickers since I know there will be questions. Sign up for an account at http://www.tickerfactory.com and create your ticker. Then you need to update it after you finish a run and post it here. Here is what you will need to do.

After setting up your ticker, you will need to make note of the weblink they give you so you can return. An example would be:

http://www.tickerfactory.com/exercise/w6K1EiX/ <<<< the last part will be a part of the image link (explained below) that will be supplied to you after you initially create your link.

When you return to TickerFactory with the weblink, go to your settings page. Make sure you type your PIN in that you set when you created your ticker account. Then, where it says "Your current cumulative value", there is an add button. Simply add the distance that you just did, and the cumulative value automatically changes. Then hit next.

After adding your new miles (or KMs) to your ticker, you need to post it here.

After you hit next, it will give you a bunch of codes suggesting how to display your ticker.
Use the one at the bottom where it says Direct Image URL:

It will look something like:
http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/w6K1EiX/exercise.png

To display that correctly in your post, make sure you place the image (img) tags around that link. So it will look something like the following (but removing the spaces in the img tags):

[ img ] http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/w6K1EiX/exercise.png [ /img ]

^^^^^^^ Don't forget to remove the spaces between the brackets ^^^^^^^^^^

Some key things to pay attention to when posting your ticker:
Use the link that ends in .png
Remember the [ img] and [ /img] tags go in between the link
Remove the spaces in the img tags before posting
YES, there is a / in the second /img tag

By the way, everyone here should consider themselves a runner no matter how fast or slow. There's no judgment, we all started somewhere. And no comparisons, except with your former self. Don't compare your Chapter 1 to somebody elses Chapter 20.

“I often hear someone say I’m not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner.” – Bart Yasso

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius

"We all know that if you run, you are pretty much choosing a life of success because of it.” – Deena Kastor

“Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.” – Steve Prefontaine

“Get going … walk if you have to, but finish the damned race.” – Ron Hill

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." - John Bingham
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Replies

  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    Welcome to January 2020 all!

    Interested joining the Run The Year group? It is a purchased package (25 USD unless you want more) and not affiliated with MFP. They can be found here and the MFP group can be found here.

    Have a healthy happy new year!

    ...now tell me your goals!!!
  • Tramboman
    Tramboman Posts: 2,482 Member
    edited December 2019
    @Elise4270 Thanks for getting us set up.
    I'm in for 135 k (again).
  • greenolivetree
    greenolivetree Posts: 1,282 Member
    Thanks @Elise4270 😊

    I think I'm gonna have 41 miles for December so I'll say 45 for January.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,145 Member
    Thanks for setting us up @Elise4270 . I'm in for 100 miles for January. I'll have to go back and look at my goals for 2019 and set my goals for 2020 in a bit.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    SammyDee2015 wrote: »
    Hi all. I am joining you running folks fresh n rosy (eyed). Running goals are starting from a place I was sitting at a long ways back - feels like I lost a game of snakes ‘n ladders!
    Registered RTY2020, and if I do well enough I will sign up for a hometown HM in May. I am a walk/run kinda gal so steps/duration is my thing cuz the distance naturally racks up when I do the time. Here’s to a year of healthy bodies and fitness adventures, one month at a time. 🤗

    We have teams if you are interested in joining
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    SammyDee2015 wrote: »
    Hi all. I am joining you running folks fresh n rosy (eyed). Running goals are starting from a place I was sitting at a long ways back - feels like I lost a game of snakes ‘n ladders!
    Registered RTY2020, and if I do well enough I will sign up for a hometown HM in May. I am a walk/run kinda gal so steps/duration is my thing cuz the distance naturally racks up when I do the time. Here’s to a year of healthy bodies and fitness adventures, one month at a time. 🤗

    Welcome!
  • PastorVincent
    PastorVincent Posts: 6,668 Member
    katharmonic wrote: »
    Thank you for getting us going for the new year/new decade @Elise4270!

    Updating on teh goals I wrote down for the year in the January 2019 thread:
    1. Race every month of 2019 - Did not accomplish - I did not race in February (back injury, DNS scheduled race) or September (just didn't, I guess). But I did run 22 races total for the year including Spartans and running races.
    2. Successfully finish Spartan Race - YES! And then did 7 more!
    3. New HM PR - closer to 2:00 - NO, did not beat my PR this year
    4. New 5k PR - Also no.
    5. Run a HM in another new state - YES. Two of them, Iowa and Missouri.
    6. Decrease average running pace - MAYBE? A little hard to say because of Spartan races in there and more trail running. Overall I think so but not a huge change.
    7. Real pull-up - YES! But still working on being able to do more than one strict pull-up at a time consistently
    8. Handstand - NO. Never really attempted this. It was a spur of the moment goal. Maybe I will try this year.
    9. Try rock climbing - YES! Loved it, doing it every week now.
    10. Do more yoga - Maybe not more overall, but have done yoga fairly often over the course of the year.
    11. decrease body fat, increase muscle - Not sure about this, should do the body scan at the gym again. I feel like yes, but abdominal area is tough.
    12. don't give up = I would call this a yes.

    I'm still thinking about 2020 goals, but I feel like my focus has changed a lot over the year. I'm less into speed and PR attempts and more into new challenges maybe? I see more hiking, climbing, trail running, and Spartan racing with maybe fewer road races.

    January goal - January can be a dicey month but I'll say 100 miles

    Dang. I say you did great! Well done!
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited December 2019
    Here are the teams If you are in the fence about joint joining a RTY team for a minimum of 25USD through RTE.
    Anyone?

    Team A
    1. @adampeart 1000 miles
    2. @seestephierun 800 miles.
    3. @VanVanDiane 300 miles
    4.
    5.
    Total 2100.

    Team B
    1. @Camaramandy648 1300 Miles
    2. @hamsterwheel6 1000 miles
    3.
    4.
    5.
    Total 2300

    Team Bad*ss
    No1! @eleanorhawkins 2020 Miles!!!! 👍

    Team C
    1. @kgirlhart 1000 Miles.
    2.
    3.
    4.
    5.
    Total 1000. Need 1020 miles

    2020 R.I.O.T
    1. @shanaber 1000 Miles
    2. @elise4270 100 Miles 🤫
    3.
    4.
    5.
    Total 1020. Need 900 miles

    Team E
    1.
    2.
    3.
    4.
    5.
    Total
  • noblsheep
    noblsheep Posts: 593 Member
    shanaber wrote: »
    noblsheep wrote: »
    @Elise4270 Thanks for setting us up!

    The plan wants 170 something kms for January, setting my goal at 140km because winter AQ is awful and I need some wiggle room.

    I didn't set any goals last year! Buahahahaha.

    This year, I want to:
    • Work out more consistently. Run 3 times a week, preferably. I need to get out of the mindset that "I need to do exactly the workout prescribed or I'm not going to run", and work toward "even a quick 3km is better than nothing at all". Add more stretching and more running-specific strengthwork into the cycle.
    • Lose 5kg. Right now I'm hovering around 65kg. 60kg is closer to (but still higher than) the upper boundary of optimal racing weight for my height.
    • Eat more carbs. No really. Even before that whack doctor told me it would up my Chi last week, I was thinking about fiddling with my intake because I was getting far more hungry during long runs than back when I was eating whatever I wanted. How to do that while losing weight... it'll be interesting.
    • Racewise, I'm already signed up for an HM and a full in the spring. I'm thinking about a second HM after the marathon. A marathon PR is unlikely, but an HM PR seems possible. Still haven't decided what to race in the second half of the year.

    Doubt I'll do too well on all of them, but doing well on even one of them would be pretty nice.

    @noblsheep - my ortho doctor, years ago recommended Chi running. Essentially relaxing your body and running more naturally. There are books written about it and a website dedicated to it.
    Also when I was having so many problems when running, feeling dizzy, etc. I was referred to a nutritionist who a) increased my daily calories by about 600 and b) increased carbs to be just over 50% of my daily calories (I had been trying to eat way more protein). I have lost weight even while eating more, so it is possible but it does assume you are maintaining a level of activity.

    Yes, I've heard of it but have never tried. Maybe I'll get the book one of these days.

    The Chi in traditional Chinese medicine is a mumble jumble concept that's, basically, the stuff that keeps us animated, pushes forward metabolism, and keeps us from succumbing from every sickness that comes our way. I have no respect for this branch of Chinese medicine, so I was poking fun at the doctor who told me that I needed to eat more carbs to boost my Chi :D

    The plan from your nutritionist seems pretty sound. I'm in a similar position, currently eating far more protein, and in a deficit. I'll try to incorporate a similar approach for a month or two and see what happens. Thanks!

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