The January 2016 Running Challenge

Stoshew71
Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
The monthly tradition continues. A new year & a new forum section perfect for the new you and your new goals for 2016. This is your virtual running group to keep you accountable and enjoy a virtual coffee with your fellow runners after you run. Make new friends and learn a few things.

Hi everyone. This is a continuation from the December (2015) Running Challenge which can be found at:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10292327/december-2015-running-challenge

Anyone can join in. New & Old. And if you found this thread late, you can join in at any time.
We have members that are total beginners all the way to marathon maniacs and beyond. We are a friendly and encouraging bunch.

Here the details from last month that applies here again.

Anybody want to join me for a running challenge? Set a goal here and mark it every day here. OPTIONAL: You can post your progress by creating a ticker at http://www.tickerfactory.com (If creating ones seems difficult, then don't let that stop you. Just type in your daily miles here.)

You can run, walk, or do treadmill. Just be consistent. I am setting a goal for 200 miles. Don't let my high (or low) goal intimidate you. Some can do 25, 50; whatever you like. We can help motivate each other. What do you say? If you are new to running, set a low goal. (You can also log your miles in km's if you choose.)

You can set your goal now but wait until Friday January 1st to log your runs.

Also, don't forget to join our group which can be found at:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/21182-monthly-running-challange

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.

After you run, come in here and post what you did. Keep a running tally of what you did this month, and interact with the others. Many folks come in here and 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 to include running. Very friendly bunch here so don't be afraid to say hi (even if this is your first time). Talk about a recent race or one coming up. Ask questions, provide answers, or just learn. Participation is what makes this group sucessful.

Not quite sure how to log your runs, follow what many other people are doing. Even look at last month's thread that I posted above.


*******OPTIONAL TICKER*************
Info on tickers since I know there will be questions. Sign up for an account http://www.tickerfactory.com and create your ticker.
Then you need to update it after you do 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 cumlative value, there is an add button. Just add what you just did and the cumlative value automatically changes. Then hit next.

Now after you added your new miles (or km's) to your ticker you need to post it here.


After you hit next, it will give you a bunch of codes suggesting on 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 img tags around that link. So it will look, (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.

1: Use the link that ends in .png
2. Remember the [ img] and [ /img] tags go in between the link
3. remove the spaces in the img tags before posting
4. YES, there is a / in the second /img tag



Good luck! And happy running (or walking or treadmilling, ect). If you have any trouble or have questions, please feel free to PM me.

Stan



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Replies

  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    edited December 2015
    January's goal is 185 miles... I'm six weeks into my 50k training...

    DATE...............MILES...............TOTAL
    1/1
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
    January's goal still to be determined, but I'm in again!
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    January's goal is 210, according to my Google Calendar! Got a few more base rebuilding weeks before marathon training starts on Jan 24. Excited to get back at it!
  • aldousmom
    aldousmom Posts: 382 Member
    My goal is 100 miles. My goal race isn't until October (not training until April or so), so I'm just maintaining fitness and focusing on other areas for a couple of months.
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    @kristinegift ... nice monthly goal!
  • vandinem
    vandinem Posts: 550 Member
    In for another 100 miles. Assuming our Northeast weather regresses to the Mean, this may be a Treadmill Challenge, but we'll see.
  • ceciliaslater
    ceciliaslater Posts: 457 Member
    Just checked my marathon training schedule and added up the miles. My goal for January is: 145.1 miles. :# Seems like a lot after my 96 mile goal for December, but I'm up for it. Hopefully no injuries this month!
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    edited December 2015
    Hope everyone had a great 2015!

    I'll see if I can get in 50 this January. I am doing things a little differently now and I'm honeslty not sure what my total mileage for this month will be. I took my 800m interval pace (10:29) from when I started running again in December and am looking to run that same pace but extend the distance over time. I have managed to extend it to a mile in 10:20 and from looking at my HR I believe I can extend that further next week, I just have to overcome the mind on that one.

    I am only running 3 days per week to do this, and resting in between, so no filler miles at the moment. One day is fartleks of sorts with the first segment as far as I can go at target pace of 10:20ish (yesterday was 1 mile) and repeating on the following intervals however far I can go at that pace/effort (about half the distance usually). The second day is a perceived effort run at a pace that feels near (but a little under) my 10:20 effort and run as far as I can without reducing the effort. The third day is a long run of 2+ hours which I do at a perceived steady run effort and see how far I can go without stopping or slowing down (I take water with me so I can drink on the run).

    The long term goal of all this is to increase my pace without actually making myself run faster at current volume. Instead I'm taking a known pace I could do without injury (10:20ish 800m) and train to extend that, but sacrificing miles to do so. So, in a weird way it's still about going further distances, I've just reset my starting distance back to 800m and will build back up to 5k, 10k, HM, full, etc.

    Hope you all have an amazing 2016!
  • Amandajs232
    Amandajs232 Posts: 194 Member
    I'm in for 80km. Will need to walk first week or so but am determined to do it.
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    January's goal is to follow my Boston training plan, which calls for 51 to 62 miles per week for the weeks falling entirely in January. Expected distance for the month is in the 245-251 mile range, but the mileage goal is really weekly.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    I'm in for 135 Miles.

    Thanks @Stoshew71!
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    edited December 2015
    Some of the marathon training plans you are following seem to be calling for crazy high mileage. I am doing a 50k plan and my highest month will only get to 195 miles and only two weeks that get to 50 miles... Doing 245-250 miles a month is intense...
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    edited December 2015
    Some of the marathon training plans you are following seem to be calling for crazy high mileage. I am doing a 50k plan and my highest month will only get to 195 miles and only two weeks that get to 50 miles... Doing 245-250 miles a month is intense...

    @MorningGhost14 I wrote my own training plan, adding about 5 miles per week to my range from my last training cycle. I peak around 250/month and 66/week. It's a lot, but I really enjoy doing lots of runs and a few longish ones per week. I saw huge gains in speed last cycle doing ~220/month and a peak week of 62, so I'm hoping to really solidify my BQ chances with this plan. Plus, somehow, I have fewer aches and pains when I run this kind of mileage (45+ per week) than when I used to run 30-40, so I keep at it.
  • deannaaaaaaaaa
    deannaaaaaaaaa Posts: 238 Member
    I'm in for 120 miles. Trying to get back in the swing of things :p
  • MorningGhost14
    MorningGhost14 Posts: 441 Member
    Some of the marathon training plans you are following seem to be calling for crazy high mileage. I am doing a 50k plan and my highest month will only get to 195 miles and only two weeks that get to 50 miles... Doing 245-250 miles a month is intense...

    @MorningGhost14 I wrote my own training plan, adding about 5 miles per week to my range from my last training cycle. I peak around 250/month and 66/week. It's a lot, but I really enjoy doing lots of runs and a few longish ones per week. I saw huge gains in speed last cycle doing ~220/month and a peak week of 62, so I'm hoping to really solidify my BQ chances with this plan. Plus, somehow, I have fewer aches and pains when I run this kind of mileage (45+ per week) than when I used to run 30-40, so I keep at it.
    That makes sense... I do best when I get to 40-45 miles a week and I don't really race. I only sign up for races because they keep me motivated to keep upping my overall mileage. I love the training so much more than the races themselves... I get all wiggy with people around me... lol... On two occasions, I signed up for races, did all the training and then on race day, stayed home and went out and ran the distance on my own... I think I'm a bit of a head case.
  • Abakan
    Abakan Posts: 361 Member
    Hi, I'm back after a hamstring injury, haven't run for weeks, it feels like for ever.
    I'm not going to put a mileage goal for the month, I intend to take it really slowly so as not to aggravate the injury which still niggles but I've been given the thums up from the physio to start running again but only on the flat, no hill running allowed.
  • kimlight2
    kimlight2 Posts: 483 Member
    Happy New Year everyone. I wanted to hit 25 miles last month for my first month back after injury and I ended up at 30+. I think I will try for a stretch goal of 40 miles as I am trying add miles so I have a longer run once a week and 3 miles each of the rest of the runs.
  • ncfitbit
    ncfitbit Posts: 1,058 Member
    exercise.png

    Newbie to the group and fairly new to running. I'm setting a conservative mileage goal because I really need to rebuild my base without injury this month. My metetarsalgia's been acting up last few months, especially when I increase my mileage too quickly.
  • dan323
    dan323 Posts: 271 Member
    My January goal is 100 miles. My first marathon this year is June 4th so I need to keep up the pace. My 2nd marathon is in November, the date hasn't been posted yet to register.
  • rune1990
    rune1990 Posts: 543 Member
    edited December 2015
    I followed along the December group as I built up my strength and confidence, and you have all inspired me to join this month.

    I'm simply running with the zombies5k and c25k apps and I am loving it. Suffered with bad shin splints at the start and extensor tendonitis. Was not impressed. Started running tiny little steps on the treadmill aiming for 180ish bpm and guess what? NO shin splints and no tendonitis pain when running. PS any advice is welcome :)

    So I like running every other day, about 4 miles and I hope to do a bit more some days.

    So 16 days in jan at 4 miles is a goal of;

    64 miles for Jan!

    counter.png
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    Some of the marathon training plans you are following seem to be calling for crazy high mileage. I am doing a 50k plan and my highest month will only get to 195 miles and only two weeks that get to 50 miles... Doing 245-250 miles a month is intense...

    @MorningGhost14 I wrote my own training plan, adding about 5 miles per week to my range from my last training cycle. I peak around 250/month and 66/week. It's a lot, but I really enjoy doing lots of runs and a few longish ones per week. I saw huge gains in speed last cycle doing ~220/month and a peak week of 62, so I'm hoping to really solidify my BQ chances with this plan. Plus, somehow, I have fewer aches and pains when I run this kind of mileage (45+ per week) than when I used to run 30-40, so I keep at it.

    This will be my third marathon training cycle so I plan to get to 65-70 miles/week range eventually this time around. I made it to 60-65 miles/week for a couple of months this past go round and about 55-60 my first time around. I can definetely see a difference when I up my mileage.

    I am going to start out with a base build for a few weeks and add in some leg strength exercises and plyo.
    I already agreed to a mountain long run 2 saturday's from now. lol But hill sprints and VO2max workouts will also be on the list eventually. I hope all of this will shave 15-20 minutes off my time and get me a BQ. And hopefully the weather won't be in the 60's next December like it was for this year's RCM. lol

    best of luck on your BQ quest @kristinegift

  • ddmom0811
    ddmom0811 Posts: 1,881 Member
    I have a HM on 2/7 in Daytona Beach but I haven't been good about training for it like I did for the one I ran in October. The Holiday streak sort of took over all plans!
    I ran about 85 in December but I will have to taper the last week in January so I suppose I will just go for 75.

    Thanks @stowshew71!
  • ekoth_09
    ekoth_09 Posts: 50 Member
    In for 25
  • pichu318
    pichu318 Posts: 172 Member
    edited December 2015
    I'm in for 45km

    exercise.png

  • GBrady43068
    GBrady43068 Posts: 1,256 Member
    edited December 2015
    Still determining what my goal race will be but I signed up to start an "official" half marathon training program with a goal of under 2 hours time with the RunKeeper program set to begin on 01/03 (it's the Gaudette program if I remember trainer's name right). I will not make goal for December but I'm close enough that I feel confident in upping goal to 70 for January.

    I'm also going to shoot for 720 miles in 2016 overall. I may adjust that upward later in the year because I see my training program says it should end up with me doing around 45 miles a WEEK at some point. :o
  • Becky_44
    Becky_44 Posts: 227 Member
    I'm setting my goal at 35, which was December's goal but I didn't reach it.

    I'm not sure about where to go from here, I completed c25k, but I haven't ran for about 2 weeks I think, except trying to get back to it the other day and that didn't go well. I downloaded the 10 k app, which starts with 4 ten minute runs and 1 min walk in between them. Should I just start there and work on it, or back track a bit and build back up?
  • RunTimer
    RunTimer Posts: 9,137 Member
    Winter means
    • Colder Weather
    • Less Sunlight
    • Fewer RUNS

    January
    In it for 50

    exercise.png
    !

    Year Totals - 2016 (Goal:600miles)
    0ddb253816294d1.gif


  • GBrady43068
    GBrady43068 Posts: 1,256 Member
    @becky_44: I would say that depends what "it didn't go well" means. Depending on pace, each 10 minute run interval could be anywhere from 1.25 miles down to around .3 . Can you give an idea of about how many miles you went and at what pace? That might give a better idea whether you should repeat part of the C25K or just go with the C210K and maybe make it a slower pace on the jogging intervals and build back up pacewise.
  • WushuDiamond
    WushuDiamond Posts: 4 Member
    im new to all of this, but i want to do it. I have bad knees so i may be walking alot, but i will do something. Thanks for the add
  • kbolton322
    kbolton322 Posts: 358 Member
    I'm new to the running challenge... My goal for this month will be 140miles