February 2019 Monthly Running Challenge

Sometimes FB memories can be pretty cool. I first started running about 8 years ago with a series called "super sevens", which was a 7k run every week for seven weeks. This was my second run...


Now can do 7km in around 42 mins! (I had a 7 year break in there though lol)

@smarziii Welcome. I'm just getting back into running. My goal for last month was 25 miles. I was a little over 2.5 miles shy of making my mark. AND, I'm really slow. No one has been anything but encouraging to me. You'll find this to be a great group!

Since I am going to be in FL for nearly a week this month, and, from experience, I know that I am highly unlikely to do any running while I am there, I am going to set my goal the same as last month - 25 miles. I was close in Jan.

My real goal is to not let my FL trip sidetrack my progress and continue to be consistent after I return home.

I've got 205 or 206 on the schedule this month... so I'll go for 200 miles, give myself a little bit of leeway. Building up distance, fine tuning speed, and strengthening my mental game continues in February!

2019 Races
March 24: Caesar Rodney Half Marathon (Goal: PR)
April 7: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (Goal: Sub-75)
April 28: New Jersey Marathon (Goal: BQ)
July 6: Finger Lake Fifties 50k (Goal: Finish)[/quote]

RunsOnEspresso wrote: »

I haven't had a chance to look at my February plan. Coach says it's not as high mileage as January. Not sure I buy it.

LOL discussion about my plan involved 'so how comfortable are you really pushing mileage this month?'

So, my town apparently decided it didn’t do well enough on the polar vortex test, and wants to retake it next week. Combined with it being a “short” month.... ummm yeah really just making excuses. I think I said I made it to 20 some miles in January. Let’s see if I can be consistent enough to make it to 30 for February.

I know I get 4 in the form of a “freeze your fanny” race on Sunday. Strangely, I think Sunday morning is forecasted to be above freezing, at the time of the race, start dropping about 10am... and then by nightfall we fall below zero and don’t recover the rest of the week.

But, my friend got me a most amazing nox light thingy as a belated bday Xmas present when I finally saw her this month. And it is obnoxiously and amazingly bright, so it should make it possible to run safely in my sidewalk deficient town even in the dark. Which should help the running thing.

I haven't been on MFP or the Running Challenge for quite a while! Sometimes life just gets on the way. I have been muddling through, healing from three herniated discs in my neck and a sudden job change.

At the end of July, I was having some severe pains down my left arm. Knowing what I know about human anatomy, I went to the chiropractor. One MRI later, I learned I had 3 severely herniated discs in my neck and some serious arthritis in my spine. Lovely. I couldn't work for 3 weeks, and absolutely no exercise. I spent the next 8 weeks going to the chiropractor twice a week and for spinal decompression twice a week... and still not allowed to exercise. No heavy lifting. No impact exercises. No running. No lifting my arms above my head. I couldn't even play disc golf, and I had to host at work instead of serve. Ugh!

When I was finally on the mend at the beginning of November and able to add a bit of exercise back into my routine and wait tables instead of host, the restaurant I worked at closed...permanently...after being open for 40 years! Ugh!!! Looking for a job at 52 kind of sucks. Just sayin'.

I'm happy to say that God is good! Even though I wasn't working for so long, we managed to pay all of my medical bills and keep the lights on!! I have a new job that I like and the neck held up so nicely through LIIFT 4 and 21DFX that I'm finally back to my regularly scheduled training routine! Yay!! I'm pretty sure that the fact that we don't use trays at my new job has definitely helped my neck, lol!

I spent the month of January slowly getting my running legs back. And I do mean slowly!! I'm finally back up to 4 runs a week. I have some big running goals this year and thought I'd come back to MFP for some serious motivation and inspiration to keep me on track.

So, for February, I'm going to shoot for 50 miles, and 5 strength, balance, agility, or stretching type workouts a week. I'm not 100% sure how I hurt my neck to begin with, so I'm a bit nervous right now and carefully testing my boundaries while completely ignoring the arthritis issue.

Thought for the day: Don't get old!

Hi everyone!
Am thankful for this challenge post as it keeps me motivated to run every month and post my mileage. Sometimes I have to take a break to balance weightlifting and running but I can never stay away from running for too long. I am a wallflower in this group mostly but I love to read posts of all seasoned and novice runners' post here. Very helpful and inspiring.
Upping my goal 15 km from last month, so 75 km in February for me.

Given the weather and road conditions this morning I should have run into work instead of drive. I mean it is only 21ish miles...

I hate it when the 1st of the month is a rest day. Plus I am cycling on Saturday and probably Sunday so my first run won't be till the 3rd!!

2/1 - Rest Day
2/2 -
2/3 -