APRIL 2025 Monthly Running Challenge

APRIL 2025 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 MARCH 2025 Monthly Running Challenge which can be found at:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10933730/march-2025-monthly-running-challenge/p1?new=1
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 APRIL 1, 2025 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.
Strava
https://www.strava.com/clubs/mfpmnthlychlng
Have not seen anyone there in a year...
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/133628317200269/about
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.
Replies
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Plan to run 25 days out of the 30... Put me down for 140!
6 -
I'm going to aim for 70 miles running again, 200 miles on the bike and yoga every morning. It's an exciting month with a new grandchild due around the 12th and our 1st grandchilds 2nd birthday on 7th.
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@tarun_yadavA taking 1/6 of days off from running seems a smart way of dealing with an over-use injury. I hope you hold up with that.
@Mari33a >It's an exciting month with a new grandchild due around the 12th and our 1st grandchilds 2nd birthday on 7th.
Awww, that's great. I've always been a little jealous of the adoration Grandmothers generally get. I adored mine. I hope it's a health happy new little kid.
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Thank you @AlphaHowls!
My goal this month is to run OUTSIDE at least 1 time!!! 😏10 -
thank you for setting us up @AlphaHowls i hope the scans go well today for you! My goal is 100 miles as always.
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@AlphaHowls Thank you for getting us to April!
My main goal for April is a marathon PR on Sunday the 6th!
…And then a good recovery and some nice weather running outside, with regular gym weight training. I have a half marathon at the beginning of May, so depending on how much the marathon takes out of me, I will try in the second half of the month to do some targeted training for that.
I’m putting down 300km, but that’s just a very rough guess.
8 -
April has begun with a 5k for me. Definitely feeling autumnal here - I was a bit chilly for the first 5 minutes.
We have an atmospheric river headed or way later in the week so our drought may finally be over!
8 -
200 miles is goal, but may have to lower.
I met with neurosurgeon, nothing spectacular. He is a surgeon, so he wanted to 'fix it.' I have opted for steroid injection/epidural. Well, that is another consultation with another doctor and the dreaded drive to Nashville.
L1-L2: Unremarkable
L2-L3: Unremarkable
L3-L4: Unremarkable
L4-L5: Minimal broad-based posterior disc bulge without canal
stenosis. Facet joint hypertrophy and sclerosisL5-S1: Disc desiccation and moderate disc space height loss.Broad-based posterior disc bulge with central annular fissure.Minimal canal stenosis with encroachment on the transiting S1 nerve
roots bilaterally. Mild right and moderate left foraminal narrowing.11 -
April Running Goal: 30 miles
9.3 lbs. monthly weight loss (218.6 lbs -> 209.3 lbs)
————————————————————I'm Chris; I live in San Diego, California.
I have eased back into running. I returned to carefully tracking my meals, and I'm on one of those fancy new weight loss drugs…it's all working now. I'm a radically raw beginner in strength training. I really like having a weightlifting tracker app (Hevy) that works well on my watch.
My Pixel Watch puts everything on Fitbit. It's not very social, but connect on Fitbit if you are ever over there. It isn't obvious how to link, but search for my username— chris-in-cal —or maybe the following link will work. www.fitbit.com/user/9VWPFN
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Thanks @AlphaHowls for setting us up for April.
My goals for this month are 70kms of Walking and being able to run at ANY pace for 10 minutes without keeling over 😆. Currently only able to sustain 2 minutes at a fairly slow pace before the leg fatigue hits.
5 -
Hey folks: @ng6whgrpgt @AmunahSki @briscogun @connor_manning , jump back in with April.
That's the good part of this challenge, like Groundhogs Day, just wipe away last month and start again new. I hope to see you around.
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5
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I'm gonna say 100 miles for the month. I will need to be adaptable early in the month while I figure out what my body is able to do. Not quite 100% but getting closer but I don't want to overdo it out of the gate and be fighting fatigue.
5 -
@AlphaHowls that is some serious xray… We used to have someone here who was really good at reading them. I can never see the details well and the reports always sound dire on medical stuff. sigh. I agree with you about alternatives vs cutting right away.
Happy April fool's day everyone.
6 -
@Mari33a Sounds like you are going to have an exciting month.
@Scott6255 I think you should ad "pain free" to your goal. I hope that happens for you!
You've got this @Laurz9191 . You've been training really hard.
Great start to the month @ContraryMaryMary . I do hope you get some drought relief.
@AlphaHowls I hope the injections help and you don't have to have surgery.
You can do it @CaityP27 . Increase in small increments and take a cut back week/day every once in a while so you aren't pushing it every run.
Great run @tarun_yadavA .
Happy April Fools to you too @SummerSkier .
I'm going to keep my goal at 80 miles total of running and fast walking. Mowing season is upon us, so that is going to take up some of my "free" time. I would also like to lose a pound or two. I've been riding a small sine wave for a couple of months…between 147 and 143. I'd like to get the trough number lower and the amplitude too.
6 -
Minimal canal stenosis
That's good. I hope you are able to do well managing all this.
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@AlphaHowls thanks for setting this up and I'm always down for more spinal scans lol. I'm a nerd.
Ok yesterday did a 4k test run and gawd it was awful. Went from 5/1 galloway intervals to 2/1 to 45/30 to 30/30 to 0/30 sigh. What happens after 2.5 months off…
Time to pick up the bootstraps and get going again. 120km goal for the month. I have a 25k race in May. Will be just happy to finish.
8 -
1 8.13 miles, Running Partner A, 3555 Days on MFP
Howllo April!
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I found it! I searched and couldn't find this a few minutes ago!
How is that April is already here? My goal for this month is 140km. I have my goal for each day on my calendar on the side of my fridge. Today I didn't bring my gym bag as it was showing heavy rain until mid-afternoon. The rain stopped already. I could be out running right now!! Now to stay motivated to get out the door when I get home after work!
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> Now to stay motivated to get out the door when I get home after work!
You got this!
3 -
01/04 2.86 miles
Total 2.86 / 70 miles
Can hardly believe we are in April. First run done.
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Thanks for setting up @AlphaHowls & hope the injections do the job for you!
I'm going with 161K / 100 miles for April as I'm hoping for good weather. If it's back to winter instead, I may drop it to 130K as I'm falling behind on my cycling challenge.April:
01/04 - 7.10K / 4.41 miles
Today's treadmill run was actually split into 2 as a contractor showed up unexpectedly, so I had an undesired 60 min break between runs!Total = 7.10K / 4.41 miles (Goal - 161K / 100 miles)
7 -
Got to run outside today! It was a beautiful day, and I felt GREAT!!! Ran 18 miles @ 7:30/mi pace. And ZERO pain 😁
!!!!!!!!April Fool's!!!!!!!
Just HAD to do it. You probably saw right through that, huh? Oh well, one can dream 🤩
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Ha! Excellent.
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Ease back into it @WarmJellyfish . You don't want to get injured on top of everything else.
You are amazing @AlphaHowls !
Great start to April @Mari33a .
You did great @John772016 . Sometimes it's hard to go back once you've stopped….at least it can be for me.
Hahaha @Scott6255 . One day soon!
4 -
1 April - Walk 1.50 miles - Run 3.10 miles - Treadmill - Gym 24m56s
4.60/80.00 goal
Today was arm day. I did a little bit more bench press today - 2 sets of 10 reps at 45# and one set at 55# for 5 reps (one more than normal). Also did assisted dips, dumbbell lat raises (5#), and dumbbell front raises (7.5#). I'm trying to get my left arm stronger…maybe one day be the same as my right arm.
While there, I did half a mile each of warm up and cool down walks on the treadmill.
After I got home, I did my run. Quarter mile warm up and cool down walk. The run was a run/walk for 3/1 min. The paces were from 4.5-5.0/4.0, then 6.0-6.6/5.0/5.1-5.7/4.0 mph, if that makes sense. (ex. 6.6/5.0/5.7/4.0 mph, one min each) Avg pace was 11:54 min/mile. Avg HR was 132 with a max of 158 bpm. It wasn't too bad. I was pretty pleased with it overall.
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April total: 3.2/100 miles
YTD: 244.4 miles
4/1: 3.2 miles
I tried a short run this morning. I'm not quite ready to jump fully back into running. It got hard to breathe properly about halfway through despite a very slow pace. I was coughing so much and my HR was way too high for the effort. Tomorrow I think I will aim for 1.5 miles or so then walk for a bit. Give it another day or two then try again.
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Morning all
Got in 5.5M at 10'44. Real struggle today!
@quilteryoyo thank you 😊
@martaindale sorry to hear you still feel ick! Hopefully you're back to normal by weekend.
@Scott6255 glad to see you got a run in too
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@Scott6255 Haha, it wouldn’t surprise me though if that were true! I hope your knee keeps behaving and it will be true in no time!
@martaindale Sorry you still aren’t feeling so good! It’s good you are adjusting based on what your body is telling you!
@tarun_yadavA Sorry your run was a struggle! I hope the next one (tomorrow ;)) is easier!
Today I did a tempo run. It will be my last hard run until the marathon this Sunday. Now I just have 2 short easy runs and a rest day to go ;). I did 5x 1km repeats with 200m rest in between, then 3x 200m repeats. My splits were good, so I suppose I am ready (although I don’t know if I will ever really feel “ready” to run 42km). I ran 11.5km.
11.5/300km for April.
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@martaindale It's so hard to run when you are coughing. I hope you'll be back to normal in a couple of days.
Sorry it was a struggle today @tarun_yadavA . Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
You are going to do great on Sunday @Laurz9191 . I don't know if anyone ever feels completely "ready" for a marathon.
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