OCTOBER 2023 Monthly Running Challenge
AlphaHowls
Posts: 2,004 Member
in Challenges
OCTOBER 2023 Monthly 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 August 2023 Monthly Running Challenge which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10898353/september-2023-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 October 1, 2023 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
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 bookmark 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.comandcreate 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
You may see some phrases / words that are unique to our little group when it comes to describing some of our runs. It is a mash-up of words that seem to best describe the way the run felt that day. Here are some examples. Feel free to come up with your own to add to the dictionary 😃
'sleasy' - Slow and Easy
'sneasy' - Slow Not Easy
'scrappy' - mix of Slow and Crappy
'wun' - mix of Walking and Running
'wog' - mix of Walking and Jogging
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay on track.
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 August 2023 Monthly Running Challenge which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10898353/september-2023-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 October 1, 2023 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
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 bookmark 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.comandcreate 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
You may see some phrases / words that are unique to our little group when it comes to describing some of our runs. It is a mash-up of words that seem to best describe the way the run felt that day. Here are some examples. Feel free to come up with your own to add to the dictionary 😃
'sleasy' - Slow and Easy
'sneasy' - Slow Not Easy
'scrappy' - mix of Slow and Crappy
'wun' - mix of Walking and Running
'wog' - mix of Walking and Jogging
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay on track.
2
Replies
-
thank you for starting the thread @AlphaHowls
I am in for 100 again this month. I set my goals fairly low... LOL.3 -
Thanks for setting us up for October @AlphaHowls!
Just a few months left for this RTY challenge, so in for my monthly 170 miles. Have a double race weekend towards the end of the month, but shouldn't effect my mileage much.
7 -
Thanks for setting up October @AlphaHowls
Hmmm tricky one
Fly out on the 11th... so that's 10 or 11 till then.
May get in a run or two there. India is a terrible place for outdoor running!
I'm gonna go for a very lowball 70Miles for October 😔8 -
Checking in!
400 miles, but push for 500 miles. On track to make 6000 running miles this year!
One race this month, Hoptown Half with my running partner.9 -
I’m gonna say 125 miles this month. The training plan is ramping up a bit. There are interval workouts with distances for the fast portions and times for recovery so I’m doing a bit of guess work as to how those will add up. Come on cooler mornings! Speed work is so much better when it’s not a swamp. Right now it’s looking like this week is more of the same but maybe next week we’ll see a drop. Soooooo looking forward to that!6
-
I'm going to up my goal for Oct to 90 miles total of running and walking fast. If I keep up with my HM schedule pretty closely, that should be easy to do. It's getting those long runs in that seem to be an issue....and what I really need to do. Anyone have a couple of extra hours I can add to my Saturdays?
6 -
Thanks @AlphaHowls! I am going to stick with my modest 25mile walking goal. Hopefully I can keep it up!9
-
Thanks for setting us up @AlphaHowls! I'm going to set my goal at 130 for October.7
-
Thanks @AlphaHowls! I’m going to set 100 miles as my goal for the month. I’m supposed to go on a hike next Saturday and have a few days of vacation scheduled but I should be able to run every day on vacation.
I started October by running 8.17 miles this morning. Saw a lot of squirrels out storing up nuts for the winter, a few cats, and two deer. It was cool and in the low 50s when I started my run.9 -
Well done @chris_in_cal on your 10K race
Well done @__Tams__ on completing 100K for September... and raising £340 for GOSH3 -
Hi everyone! My goal for October will be 100 miles, but hoping for more
. Thanks for setting everything up @AlphaHowls !
Great job @chris_in_cal on your race!!!8 -
Thank you @AlphaHowls
I’m sticking to my usual 50 mile goal. Why change what isn’t broken😁. Hopefully I make it! It was a lovely bright breezy day here 2day but I still managed to get rained on. Got 3.5 miles done. My toes is still swollen & got a blueish tinge. It’s 5 weeks 2moro since I stubbed it. My daughter just shakes her head at me & says Mum maybe it will fall off. 🙈
01/09 3.51 miles
Total 3.51/50 miles8 -
Hi @AlphaHowls
I just found this thread. I used to run 5Ks, 8Ks, 10Ks, 10-milers, 1/2 marathons and even a few marathons. My husband and I even once did the Goofy Challenge in Disneyworld, where we ran a 1/2 marathon on a Saturday and then a full marathon the very next day on Sunday. I was over 50 years old when we did these.
I’ve gained weight and gotten out of shape over the past 9 or so years mainly because one of my sons ended up with cancer, battled it for 5 years and still died 4 years ago this month, 11 days after his 34th birthday.
Watching your son suffer and go through hell and still die is devastating.
I overate throughout that whole time and had quit running.
I’m trying to get back on track to at least walk again daily. Found this group and will aim for 62 miles this month (a two mile per day average). It’ll be mostly waking, but I think I’ll dust off my Garmin watch and try setting up a 5 K training program to help me along.
So, my goal for this month of October is 62 miles 😀11 -
3
-
Hello October!
10/1 18.41 miles, 1980 days on the run, 1162 days HM+ Streak, County Line and back
10/21 Hoptown Half Marathon!
8 -
1 Oct
8.03 miles out of 100
I didn’t plan a long run but it was slightly cooler and I like to start the month off strong.
Oct is supposed to be cooler and wetter than usual here. Haha. I will believe it when I see it.
The moon was still pretty bright and high in the sky today
Still doing my little 10 min strength training every other day and hope my neighbor will be back and ready for tennis 🎾 next week
6 -
October Goal: 130 miles
10/1: 11.11 miles
It was really quite pleasant this morning. It was about 71°F at the start and it was 78°F by the time I finished, but it was still pretty nice. The dew point was 57° and that really makes the difference. I got out about 7:30, so just as the sun was coming out, but I still had plenty of shade and a breeze that kept it from being too hot. I ran 11 miles, so October is off to a good start.
I did have a dog try to follow me today. I was barely around the corner from my house when I heard thundering footsteps behind me. I didn't recognize the dog, but I think he belongs to my neighbor across the street. I think he was a German Shepherd mix. He had one blue eye and one brown eye and was ready pretty and super friendly. I tried to lead him back home, bit he got distracted and so I started off again only to hear him running up behind me again. We crossed the highway and I really didn't want to lead him too far from home so we headed back. Then this little dog I didn't recognize came running out of his yard and chased the big dog away. The little dog didn't even seem to notice me, so I took that as my cue to head on out. After that it was pretty uneventful. I only saw a couple of other digs but they were both on leashes and with someone.
11.11/130 miles completed for October
9 -
Nice start to Oct @Teresa502 !
I hope your toe is okay @Mari33a ! Great running.
Welcome @daria0919 . I'm so sorry to hear about your son losing his battle with cancer. My husband did also, back in 2006. It's good that you are ready to get back into walking and maybe running a bit. I hope you stick with this crazy group.
Beautiful sunrise @AlphaHowls !
Definitely a strong start to Oct @SummerSkier !
@kgirlhart Great start to Oct. My Tippy is, we think, a German Shepherd mix and has one blue eye and one brown. I understand your description of thundering footsteps. Tippy only weighs about 60 pounds but when she bounds up on the porch it sounds like a herd of elephants.
9 -
10/1: 2.00 mile walk - driveway laps
I walked two miles on the driveway after church and a nap. I didn't sleep well last night and was falling asleep during the sermon, even taking notes. I hate it when I do that. I feel much better after the nap. Not the stellar start to Oct that most of you have, but it is my "rest day."7 -
I’ll dust off my Garmin watch and try setting up a 5 K training program to help me along.
So, my goal for this month of October is 62 miles
@daris0919 I'm so happy you joined this thread. It is a very good part of MFP. You have been through a lot, yet you are here and tough enough to write this post. I have confidence you are the newest rock star in this thread. I'm looking forward to sharing in your progress.
6 -
Sunday, October 1st:
Did 2 walks today:
That’s 2.5/62 miles for October. 😀6 -
Thanks for this inspirational reply. Made me smile! I’m motivated to do this again, but I’m realistic knowing I need to lose 40 pounds to get back into running shape. I walk/ran a 5K last summer and it wore me out with these extra 40 pounds. Walking first, then intervals, then a slow jog…. I’ll get there….chris_in_cal wrote: »I’ll dust off my Garmin watch and try setting up a 5 K training program to help me along.
So, my goal for this month of October is 62 miles
@daris0919 I'm so happy you joined this thread. It is a very good part of MFP. You have been through a lot, yet you are here and tough enough to write this post. I have confidence you are the newest rock star in this thread. I'm looking forward to sharing in your progress.
8 -
October Running Goal: 15 runs, 60 miles
1.8 lbs. September weight loss gain (240.5 lbs -> 242.3 lbs)
I'm Chris, I live in San Diego, California. Since covid I'm doing work from home. I've been on MFP since 2009 and during that time I've had some wild swings with health and fitness. My most fit years were 2010 and 2019, when I did lots of food tracking, Iyengar yoga, and running. This year 2023 is my post covid/get back to running year. This is my eighth month on this thread, it is great accountability.
I signed up for a Spring 2024 Half Marathon. This December I will start an overarching training plan for this race.
For this month and this autumn, I'm just going to strive for consistent distances, running every other day. It will be a couple of months of base miles. Each run distance will be one podcast worth.
I'll be focusing on the MFP food diary and dropping 10+ lbs.
Please connect on Garmin if you have one.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/profile/chris_in_cal
7 -
Welcome @daria0919! You found a great group to cheer you on to wherever your goals lead you!4
-
martaindale wrote: »Welcome @daria0919! You found a great group to cheer you on to wherever your goals lead you!
Thank you! I’m looking forward to the support and friendships.3 -
Morning everyone.
Got in a 4 to start October (09"46).
Welcome @daria0919
So sorry to hear about your son 😔
To second what @chris_in_cal said... it's a great group! I've been a year now!
And for me... even on days I don't run (like fat day yesterday lol), I still log in here and Strava like I would Facebook just to see how everyone got on!7 -
Hi @AlphaHowls
I just found this thread. I used to run 5Ks, 8Ks, 10Ks, 10-milers, 1/2 marathons and even a few marathons. My husband and I even once did the Goofy Challenge in Disneyworld, where we ran a 1/2 marathon on a Saturday and then a full marathon the very next day on Sunday. I was over 50 years old when we did these.
I’ve gained weight and gotten out of shape over the past 9 or so years mainly because one of my sons ended up with cancer, battled it for 5 years and still died 4 years ago this month, 11 days after his 34th birthday.
Watching your son suffer and go through hell and still die is devastating.
I overate throughout that whole time and had quit running.
I’m trying to get back on track to at least walk again daily. Found this group and will aim for 62 miles this month (a two mile per day average). It’ll be mostly waking, but I think I’ll dust off my Garmin watch and try setting up a 5 K training program to help me along.
So, my goal for this month of October is 62 miles 😀
@martaindale hey Sarah, that's the one you ran back in January right... ??3 -
Hello Everyone! Welcome @daria0919! We are glad to have you join. I’ve found to be a very supportive and motivating group. Hopefully it will be the same way for you!
I didn’t have much time for my run today but am counting it as a big win, because I wasn’t too motivated to go at all (a bit sore from hiking I must say) and I did intervals for the first time in a long time. They were hard, but I got through them.
Our weekend hiking adventure was great. We walked almost 18km the first day and 7 the second. The kids did great. I did have to carry the almost 4 year about half of the time, and he never stayed on my shoulders too long, so there was a lot of weight lifting there. We all slept great our first time sleeping in a tent (although our friend put actual mattresses in the tent, so maybe it was more glamping than camping . I was a bit worried about sleeping because we were next to the church and there were church bells all night every 30 minutes then every full hour there were as many dings as the hour, but we were all tired, so we slept fine. Anyways, we definitely want to do it again. The only downside is that my husband really is not into that kind of stuff and the kids always really miss him when we go on our adventures.
Anyways, so far I have 6/160km for October.
7 -
Welcome @daria0919! You found a very supportive, positive, (and chatty) group Sorry for your loss. We are always ready to lend an ear and a shoulder. Glad you found us and jump in whenever you feel ready.
Did a 10K this morning. Still very warm @ 73F, but end of the week looks promising (upper 50s). Started very slow and really wasn't feeling it, then after the 1st mile I just ran without really thinking about anything. Ended up being my fastest 10K in 6 months.
10 -
tarun_yadavA wrote: »@martaindale hey Sarah, that's the one you ran back in January right... ??
Same race weekend but I did the Dopey challenge.3
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions