April 2019 Monthly Running Challenge

falmouthfan wrote: »

Hi, just about to get started on getting fit again and need some inspiration to get me going. I would rather count minutes run rather than miles covered at least to begin with. I there a challenge for that?

In any case I am signing up for 150 minutes of running in my first month. Now that I have said it, I will have to do it

@falmouthfan tracking minutes is every bit as appropriate for this thread as tracking distance. In this thread you set your own rules for what you track and do it your way. We're all here to support you. Welcome!

I'm in for 85 miles in April. Monday's are rest days so I will have to wait until tomorrow to start.

Monthly questions:
I don't follow any particular diet. I just eat whatever foods I like in amounts that meet my calorie goal. I have found over the years that restrictive diets do not work for me. I don't think I would ever be happy eating low carb or doing Keto. Nothing will make me crave a food more than telling myself I cannot have it. I lost ~80 pounds just restricting calories. (I actually was only restricting calories for the first 60. Then I started running and I have had to make a conscious effort to eat enough because the last 15-20 pounds I was not actually trying to lose.) I do try to make sure I get enough protein. I never have trouble getting enough fat and I don't pay attention to carbs at all. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, but I also eat candy and fast food and some processed foods. I have at least some chocolate almost every day. I don't have a problem with potato chips. I eat them occasionally, but most of the time I don't think they are worth the calories. Cookies and cakes are harder for me to moderate, so I just try to get single serving packages. I usually run mostly fasted. In the morning I have coffee (with sugar and half & half) before most of my runs. I might have some crackers or toast before a long run or race and I will use energy chews during a long run. If I run at lunch or during the afternoon I just eat as usual during the day. I have only done a couple of HMs and I sort of carb load, but not really. I just usually eat pasta the night before a race. But I have pasta a couple of times a week, so that isn't really any different than what I normally eat.

I've never been one to do a lot of April Fool's pranks.

I'm in for 40 miles this month! Hello spring running!!

No run yet in April, but I did go to the chiropractor this morning for my sore left hamstring and hip. I was fairly stressed out during the appointment and felt like I was on the edge of another panic attack until I realized something - I’m embarrassed about asking for help with this. As a person with social anxiety, embarrassment is my kryptonite, and while this isn't the only stressful thing going on right now, it's certainly a big one.

I’m not sure why exactly I'm embarrassed about this, but just identifying what I was feeling made me feel a little better. Maybe I feel like I’ve overreacted by worrying about it and taking a week off of running and lifting, maybe I feel like I’m not “really” an athlete so I don’t deserve to complain, maybe I’m worried that I caused this by racing the day after a massage or by getting out the habit of doing the strengthening exercises the chiropractor recommended when I went in with knee issues a year or so ago. Maybe some of all of the above.

A couple of hours after the appointment my hip is feeling better, but I do wish that either the massage therapist or the chiropractor had taken a little time to talk to me about it, if only to reassure me that I didn’t do something wrong or overreact, or tell me that I did so I can correct that in the future. This particular clinic is generally very quick turnover, which I usually appreciate, but a little reassurance would have been nice today and I didn’t have it in me to ask.

I did ask if it was okay to get back to running and lifting and the chiropractor said yes, so I’m going to try both either this afternoon or tomorrow and see how that goes. Fortunately the vet visit this AM went pretty well and kitty seems to be on the mend. Unfortunately my husband has come down with something, so we’ve traded one barfing mammal for another. So it goes.

Jumping in to share some exciting (for me) news!

I've taken to weighing daily since the beginning of Feb - so much better and its interesting where my fluxuations actually happen. For example for the last couple of months I've gained a little right before I ovulate, then drop off dramatically just before my period. The complete opposite of what I would have expected. I'm really good at ignoring the daily weight and just looking st the trend - until this morning...

I started this particular weightless journey in January 2016 (I was a typical yo-yo dieter for YEARS, losing and gaining the same 10kg/20lb). I was obese, with a BMI of 33. Today, for the first time in my entire adult life, I am not obese, I am not even overweight. This morning my BMI is 24.8!!!!

I have been overweight or obese my entire adult life, from at least the age of 17. Now I'm running most day, have done a HM, am training for another and all my health markers are perfect!! My next goal is to lose the last little bit to get down to closer to the mid range of healthy weight for my height so I have some wiggle room. Yes I'm well aware that my weight may well bounce back up tomorrow, but for today I'm taking the victory!!!

I'm so so happy!

*yes I know BMI is a crap metric but given I'm an average person, it's a good one for me to use in this situation.

I'm aiming for 100 miles this month.

1/4- 4.3 miles

Total -4.3/100

@Avidkeo YAY THAT IS SO AWESOME I'M YELLING IT!!!!

@Scott6255 Wow I really feel for you. I'll stop complaining about mine being so low and blaming it on being a small woman after reading that. I have however (may or may not be helpful or of interest but I'm throwing it out there) found that I've been able to increase my maintenance calories very very slightly since I've started strength training religiously 3 days per week. I've gone from 1350 to 1450 and that extra 100 makes me a much happier person :-)

@Avidkeo YEAH!!!! That's fantastic!

@MegaMooseEsq Glad your hip and hamstring are feeling better, that you avoided a panic attack, and that you were cleared to run! All great things. Sorry the DH is sick. Glad the kitten is on the mend.

Oh boy, already 4 pages in on the first of the month, lol.

So, this will be my first monthly goal in months! I just checked Strava and I ran 39.3 miles in March. So, I am setting a goal of 50 miles for April.

I have a 5k this Saturday and my annual Run For the Wild 5k at the Bronx Zoo the last Saturday of the month! One of my favorite races ever and my 5th year in a row participating/fundrasing! If anyone is an animal-lover like me and wants to help out giraffes, my fundraiser page is here - https://my.wcs.org/fundraiser/1836605

Question of the month: I'm another 'calories in vs calories out' person - I don't deal well with cutting out or seriously reducing entire food groups, lol

2019 Race List
Bill Fortune 5k - 4/6
Run For the Wild 5k - 4/27
Women's Distance Festival 5k - 7/13
South Nyack 10 Miler - 9/8
Marine Corps Marathon - 10/27
WDW Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon - 11/3 (possibly I'm crazy registering for this the weekend after what will hopefully be my 1st marathon, lol)