April 2021 Monthly Running Challenge
martaindale
Posts: 2,316 Member
in Challenges
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 March 2021 Running Challenge which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10825967/march-2021-monthly-running-challenge/p1
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 April1, 2021 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 else’s 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
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay on track.
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 March 2021 Running Challenge which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10825967/march-2021-monthly-running-challenge/p1
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 April1, 2021 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 else’s 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
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay on track.
3
Replies
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My plans adds up to 67 miles, so I'm setting a 70 mile goal. Quite a jump from March!7
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Woo-Hoo! This is so exciting!
It's difficult to predict my future mileage so soon after starting to run again, so I'm going to optimistically target 50 miles and see what happens.10 -
Have my big race on the 11th, so taper and recover could impact my mileage - but knowing my trainer, probably not!7
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ContraryMaryMary wrote: »Have my big race on the 11th, so taper and recover could impact my mileage - but knowing my trainer, probably not!
0 -
Um, I don't know my plan or goal yet. I need at least 85 miles so that's my must hit but I like to get to 100 because it's a nice number.6
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Woo hoo!
Goal for this month is a HM race at 2:03 or faster!7 -
My goal is 100 miles this month. I need to get some miles.8
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100 miles minimum (yes, again) because I never know what life is going to throw my way.7
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10 runs again. Failed miserably last month. Also, thanks for setting us up! @martaindale9
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So Yeti was my big event for 2021. I've got a couple short trail races this spring and probably in the fall too. Plus a couple of virtual runs (Pat's Run series for Pat Tillman).
What do I do now?
I'm reading Fast 5k, do I want to focus on speed (when my shoulder heals so I can pump my arms lol)? Or do I think about a real ultra in January 2022 and focus this year getting ready?
I don't want to do as many virtual races as I did last year. I don't mind a few but I went a bit nuts, especially towards the end of the year.8 -
Will probably focus more on hiking this month but will set 100 miles as my running goal.7
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RunsOnEspresso wrote: »So Yeti was my big event for 2021. I've got a couple short trail races this spring and probably in the fall too. Plus a couple of virtual runs (Pat's Run series for Pat Tillman).
What do I do now?
I'm reading Fast 5k, do I want to focus on speed (when my shoulder heals so I can pump my arms lol)? Or do I think about a real ultra in January 2022 and focus this year getting ready?
I don't want to do as many virtual races as I did last year. I don't mind a few but I went a bit nuts, especially towards the end of the year.
I'm debating virtual Boston now. Send help lol 😆7 -
@RunsOnEspresso - Do you feel you need to run faster for the ultra or Boston? If so then I would focus on speed and keep those as longer term goals. Otherwise if the distance is calling and you're ready for them, I say go for it! As far as Boston or ultra, I guess it comes down to which one you find the most shiny.2
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WhatMeRunning wrote: »@RunsOnEspresso - Do you feel you need to run faster for the ultra or Boston? If so then I would focus on speed and keep those as longer term goals. Otherwise if the distance is calling and you're ready for them, I say go for it! As far as Boston or ultra, I guess it comes down to which one you find the most shiny.
I would probably use Boston as training for the Ultra.
The problem is I don't know what I want 🤣 I keep changing my mind every 6 months or so. I've been a little lost since I broke my leg and lost my coach (unrelated other than chronologically).2 -
Guess I'll do 150k again and try not to go crackerdog like I did in March.6
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Newish to running and mfp! I'm going to try for 31. Everyone's goals look so impressive and inspiring!8
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Welcome @ammeleigh9! We all started at the same base of zero. Glad you are here. Feel free to ask any questions at all, there are a lot of great perspectives and experiences here.
@RunsOnEspresso - I think using Boston as training for the ultra is a great idea. That way you can do both! There's nothing wrong with wanting it all (so long as you don't overdo it, of course). I'm going to have the song "I Want it All" stuck in my head for a while now.6 -
Welcome @ammeleigh9!1
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Guess I'll do 150k again and try not to go crackerdog like I did in March.
You're going to have to explain this one @Tramboman!1 -
100 mile club 🔥8
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Aiight, ya girl has signed up for virtual Boston. Now I'm off to find a plan. Or write my own. Undecided.11
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Guess I'll do 150k again and try not to go crackerdog like I did in March.
You're going to have to explain this one @Tramboman!
From "All Creatures Great and Small" by James Herriot. Think "wild and crazy." Suspect it derives from the British expression "crackers," but when exhibited by Mrs. Pumphrey's dog Trickie Woo, it becomes "crackerdog."6 -
Hello, I'm new to the MFP community but not new to running. Been running for 4 years and I mostly run trail/mountain.
Mileage goal for April is 100 miles (did 98 miles in March) and elevation goal is 10,000 feet (did 9,366 feet in March).9 -
Guess I'll do 150k again and try not to go crackerdog like I did in March.
You're going to have to explain this one @Tramboman!
From "All Creatures Great and Small" by James Herriot. Think "wild and crazy." Suspect it derives from the British expression "crackers," but when exhibited by Mrs. Pumphrey's dog Trickie Woo, it becomes "crackerdog."
As long as you don't go "flop bott" you'll be fine!5 -
Welcome @emptydog , @ammeleigh9 ,and @sweetdaisy13 !
Not sure what I want to set as my goal for this month. I thought I would start my HM training plan after the 8th, when I'm allowed to go all out, per my cardiologist. But, the first week of the plan has the long run being 6 miles and says that I should be running up to 6 miles before starting the plan. So, I thought about maybe doing the 10K plan to get to the 6 miles. However, if I do that, followed by the HM plan, I won't have time to complete it by the middle of September, should I decide to sign up for the AF HM. Plus, I just looked and the 10K plan, at my slow pace, doesn't actually have you ever run 6 miles. Maybe I should just work up to 6 miles this month and then start the HM plan in May.
I am going to set my goals to be: 40 miles running, 40 miles walking faster than 3.0 mph, continue my streak and run at least one 6 mile long run.9 -
ContraryMaryMary wrote: »Guess I'll do 150k again and try not to go crackerdog like I did in March.
You're going to have to explain this one @Tramboman!
From "All Creatures Great and Small" by James Herriot. Think "wild and crazy." Suspect it derives from the British expression "crackers," but when exhibited by Mrs. Pumphrey's dog Trickie Woo, it becomes "crackerdog."
As long as you don't go "flop bott" you'll be fine!
"Flop bott" is my middle name!6 -
I'm in for 100 miles in April.8
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April goal is to get back in the swing of things - due to weather, being tired, and various other life events we missed a few runs in March and lost some fitness. Want to run three times weekly with a long run 8 miles and one weekly session speedwork or hills.
Hoping to be fully vaccinated by the end of the month and able to run a few more places and do a few more things. Maybe even sign up for a real race!9 -
Going to stay conservative and set a goal of 50 miles again for April. Wanted to push above March’s total but realistically I’m going to have to lose a few running days after having a wisdom tooth extraction later today. Argh - wish me luck!!
Wishing everyone a great start to the month. I have already caught out my youngest with an old BBC April Fool’s story about the discovery of a colony of flying penguins... 😉 😂9 -
Was a pretty relaxing 6 miles on the treadmill this morning. This is probably the end of my streak of running every other day since Christmas. Going to Houston tomorrow through Sunday to spend Easter with both kids, and wifey was giving me the stink eye when I was asking about our itinerary. She thinks I can skip running this weekend and be with family. I don't know where that is coming from. I always plan my runs when everyone is still sleeping. I have always ran while visiting the kids (rare that I can run outside of my neighborhood). She is just in one of her moods I guess. So I'll probably cave and just not deal with the guilt (but I will still pack my running gear just in case).
10
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