January 2020 Monthly Running Challenge
Replies
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So I've been thinking this morning and decided that the world is far from perfect, and my current knee issues are likely to be my body telling me it doesn't like the idea of me sustaining my current mileage. I'm considering a few options...
1. Reduce my distance slightly and stick to this, then increase the mileage a month before race day following the last month of my last training plan: 3 x 5km and 1 x 15km (I'm currently doing 5km, 8km, 5km, 18km and wanted to up the long run to 20km next month)
2. Dial it back: my target race, the road HM on March 22nd which I'm already signed up for (I'm coming to terms with the fact that a trail HM 3 weeks beforehand would probably be too much) is 12 weeks away so I could cut my mileage right back and start a 12 week training plan now. This would lead to 2 options:
a. Use the same plan I used last time, ie 4 runs per week
b. try a 3 run per week plan which spreads the same weekly mileage over 3 runs instead of 4, leaving 2 cross training days and 2 rest days. I would swim one XT day and hike the other.
Thoughts, opinions? I know I know you're not doctors etc etc etc.5 -
I haven’t looked back at last year’s goals, but my goals for this year are:
Train well and hopefully PR in March’s marathon.
Focus more on other exercises so I can improve overall strength.
Post in here more consistently.
Goal for January is 100 miles.6 -
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eleanorhawkins wrote: »So I've been thinking this morning and decided that the world is far from perfect, and my current knee issues are likely to be my body telling me it doesn't like the idea of me sustaining my current mileage. I'm considering a few options...
1. Reduce my distance slightly and stick to this, then increase the mileage a month before race day following the last month of my last training plan: 3 x 5km and 1 x 15km (I'm currently doing 5km, 8km, 5km, 18km and wanted to up the long run to 20km next month)
2. Dial it back: my target race, the road HM on March 22nd which I'm already signed up for (I'm coming to terms with the fact that a trail HM 3 weeks beforehand would probably be too much) is 12 weeks away so I could cut my mileage right back and start a 12 week training plan now. This would lead to 2 options:
a. Use the same plan I used last time, ie 4 runs per week
b. try a 3 run per week plan which spreads the same weekly mileage over 3 runs instead of 4, leaving 2 cross training days and 2 rest days. I would swim one XT day and hike the other.
Thoughts, opinions? I know I know you're not doctors etc etc etc.
I would suggest the 12-week plan to get ready for the HM since that is your target race. 3 runs or 4 is a harder question I think could be argued either direction. I would say try one and see how it goes, switch if you need to.1 -
PastorVincent wrote: »eleanorhawkins wrote: »So I've been thinking this morning and decided that the world is far from perfect, and my current knee issues are likely to be my body telling me it doesn't like the idea of me sustaining my current mileage. I'm considering a few options...
1. Reduce my distance slightly and stick to this, then increase the mileage a month before race day following the last month of my last training plan: 3 x 5km and 1 x 15km (I'm currently doing 5km, 8km, 5km, 18km and wanted to up the long run to 20km next month)
2. Dial it back: my target race, the road HM on March 22nd which I'm already signed up for (I'm coming to terms with the fact that a trail HM 3 weeks beforehand would probably be too much) is 12 weeks away so I could cut my mileage right back and start a 12 week training plan now. This would lead to 2 options:
a. Use the same plan I used last time, ie 4 runs per week
b. try a 3 run per week plan which spreads the same weekly mileage over 3 runs instead of 4, leaving 2 cross training days and 2 rest days. I would swim one XT day and hike the other.
Thoughts, opinions? I know I know you're not doctors etc etc etc.
I would suggest the 12-week plan to get ready for the HM since that is your target race. 3 runs or 4 is a harder question I think could be argued either direction. I would say try one and see how it goes, switch if you need to.
I must say, I've spent most of this year following that up and down cycle and it has gone well. Post injury I started from scratch and repeated c25k, then I followed an 8km plan, then a 15km plan, then a HM plan. It's only been since I tried to just maintain that higher 'month-before-race' mileage that it's started to be an issue. Although that might not even be the issue, it could also have been that I couldn't swim last week (which really loosens up my legs) or that my shoes have almost 450km of running on them, plus warm up and cool down walks.
But yeah, I'm leaning towards doing the sensible thing and starting a plan from the beginning again, thus reducing mileage drastically for a few weeks and building back up again. Just need to convince my brain that there's nothing wrong with doing that!
I've just been for a swim and the knee feels a lot better, so I'll take it for an easy jog tomorrow and see what it has to say for itself
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Hello all! New to this for 2020, but very excited to get involved. I'm training for my first marathon (May 3rd), so I need all the help I can get to stick to the training plan, especially in the cold winter months.
My 2019 started well, but after the half-marathon I was training for in September (which I finished in 1:45), I slacked off in the fall. Total mileage for the year will end up around 815 and mileage for December will be a little over 60.
My goal for January is 105 miles, which would be just ahead of my best month from 2019 (May, 103.03). That was coming off a down month in April (37.5), so I know it should be attainable if I'm focused and run smart (and the weather cooperates for my weekend long runs).10 -
I’m in!
Goals...
1. Run an average of 1 mile per day (and walk many more than that).
2. Loose 20 pounds.
Abi
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So far the new "squirrel resistant" feeder is working (just missed focus, bah!)
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Thank you @PastorVincent! Also love your acrobatic squirrel photo.
Big welcome to the new people joining us!!! Please feel comfortable to jump right in and share, no matter your level or goals. If you run at all, whether slow as a sloth or fast as a cheetah, even if not currently running due to injury, etc, you're a runner and you are among friends!
Still working on my goals but I thought I'd share this - someone in my run group shared it on facebook so all I have is this jpeg but it might be a fun way to track running/workout days throughout the year. I wish it could be colored in digitally though.
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katharmonic wrote: »Thank you @PastorVincent! Also love your acrobatic squirrel photo.
Big welcome to the new people joining us!!! Please feel comfortable to jump right in and share, no matter your level or goals. If you run at all, whether slow as a sloth or fast as a cheetah, even if not currently running due to injury, etc, you're a runner and you are among friends!
Still working on my goals but I thought I'd share this - someone in my run group shared it on facebook so all I have is this jpeg but it might be a fun way to track running/workout days throughout the year. I wish it could be colored in digitally though.
Awesome!
Though we get a bonus day this year, lol1 -
katharmonic wrote: »Thank you @PastorVincent! Also love your acrobatic squirrel photo.
Big welcome to the new people joining us!!! Please feel comfortable to jump right in and share, no matter your level or goals. If you run at all, whether slow as a sloth or fast as a cheetah, even if not currently running due to injury, etc, you're a runner and you are among friends!
Still working on my goals but I thought I'd share this - someone in my run group shared it on facebook so all I have is this jpeg but it might be a fun way to track running/workout days throughout the year. I wish it could be colored in digitally though.
If the JPEG can be shared through google docs or the like, maybe even screenshot . It can be downloaded to paint or GoodNotes and colored in. Also just a printed version would work. Is the idea to color the days that you ran? That’s kind of a need motivator, would even work for did I eat right today goals or any other daily goal. One could get neurotic and color code the run distances.
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katharmonic wrote: »Thank you @PastorVincent! Also love your acrobatic squirrel photo.
Big welcome to the new people joining us!!! Please feel comfortable to jump right in and share, no matter your level or goals. If you run at all, whether slow as a sloth or fast as a cheetah, even if not currently running due to injury, etc, you're a runner and you are among friends!
Still working on my goals but I thought I'd share this - someone in my run group shared it on facebook so all I have is this jpeg but it might be a fun way to track running/workout days throughout the year. I wish it could be colored in digitally though.
Stealing this (I’ll draw in an exclamation mark for Feb 29 @avidkeo)6 -
I have two goals this month.
First and foremost, to get back to being a regular contributor to this group.
Second, run 120 miles.
Goals for 2020
1500 total miles
600 trail miles
100 miles per month, minimum
First 50M trail race
First 100K+ trail race
5 trail races of marathon length or longer
PR in the 5K
PR in the 10K
PR in the HM
Incorporate regular strength training and stretching
Toss my goals aside if I feel it jeopardizes my ability to run regularly
Avoid injury which takes me out of running for more than 2 weeks9 -
katharmonic wrote: »Still working on my goals but I thought I'd share this - someone in my run group shared it on facebook so all I have is this jpeg but it might be a fun way to track running/workout days throughout the year. I wish it could be colored in digitally though.
Love it! Totally gonna use it as a tool of fitness inspiration - thanks for sharing 🤗0 -
ContraryMaryMary wrote: »katharmonic wrote: »Thank you @PastorVincent! Also love your acrobatic squirrel photo.
Big welcome to the new people joining us!!! Please feel comfortable to jump right in and share, no matter your level or goals. If you run at all, whether slow as a sloth or fast as a cheetah, even if not currently running due to injury, etc, you're a runner and you are among friends!
Still working on my goals but I thought I'd share this - someone in my run group shared it on facebook so all I have is this jpeg but it might be a fun way to track running/workout days throughout the year. I wish it could be colored in digitally though.
Stealing this (I’ll draw in an exclamation mark for Feb 29 @avidkeo)
Much better than my thought which was to just do a line below the 28 and split it into 20 -
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katharmonic wrote: »Thank you @PastorVincent! Also love your acrobatic squirrel photo.
Big welcome to the new people joining us!!! Please feel comfortable to jump right in and share, no matter your level or goals. If you run at all, whether slow as a sloth or fast as a cheetah, even if not currently running due to injury, etc, you're a runner and you are among friends!
Still working on my goals but I thought I'd share this - someone in my run group shared it on facebook so all I have is this jpeg but it might be a fun way to track running/workout days throughout the year. I wish it could be colored in digitally though.
If the JPEG can be shared through google docs or the like, maybe even screenshot . It can be downloaded to paint or GoodNotes and colored in. Also just a printed version would work. Is the idea to color the days that you ran? That’s kind of a need motivator, would even work for did I eat right today goals or any other daily goal. One could get neurotic and color code the run distances.
I already saved and printed it. If you joined the RTY there is a similar coloring chart in the swag for miles run leading to 500, 1000, 1500 and 2020 miles. I got a beautiful set of colored pencils for my birthday from dd so now I know what I will be using them on!3 -
I am shyly joining in, considering I am not a runner yet and I am recovering from a right foot fracture. But I will try to walk/ treadmill and jog/run as much as possible.
My small goal is 100 kms in Jan. let’s see how that goes first.
@Aquarian - Welcome! I was recovering from a stress fracture in my right foot this time last year. Make sure you are cleared to run by your doctor and then go easy and build up distances slowly. Maybe even consider something like C25K or walk/run intervals to get going.2 -
@SammyDee2015 - you can find our RTY group here
Please post your RTY name in that group so we can follow you. I am thinking you will likely be on the 2020 R.I.O.T. (running is our therapy) team1 -
katharmonic wrote: »Thank you @PastorVincent! Also love your acrobatic squirrel photo.
Big welcome to the new people joining us!!! Please feel comfortable to jump right in and share, no matter your level or goals. If you run at all, whether slow as a sloth or fast as a cheetah, even if not currently running due to injury, etc, you're a runner and you are among friends!
Still working on my goals but I thought I'd share this - someone in my run group shared it on facebook so all I have is this jpeg but it might be a fun way to track running/workout days throughout the year. I wish it could be colored in digitally though.
If the JPEG can be shared through google docs or the like, maybe even screenshot . It can be downloaded to paint or GoodNotes and colored in. Also just a printed version would work. Is the idea to color the days that you ran? That’s kind of a need motivator, would even work for did I eat right today goals or any other daily goal. One could get neurotic and color code the run distances.
I already saved and printed it. If you joined the RTY there is a similar coloring chart in the swag for miles run leading to 500, 1000, 1500 and 2020 miles. I got a beautiful set of colored pencils for my birthday from dd so now I know what I will be using them on!
I have some I got from a facebook group that are running shoes, off the top of my head I remember there being a 100 (mile or kilometre), 500, 1000 and one with 12 shoes, one for each month with (I think) 100 spaces to colour in each. I printed out the 1000 kilometre one, took me just over 13 months to complete (thanks stupid leg injury) and I also printed out a 100 per month one and went totally OCD with the colour coding on that one, but I ripped it up in frustration when the stupid injury stopped me from completing December, d'oh!
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Preliminary Race Schedule for 2020. I won't be doing all of these, but am going to use this list as a placeholder and reminder for myself.
2020 Races
01/11/2020 - St Croix Winter Ultra (Volunteer)
01/25/2020 - Securian Half Marathon - St. Paul, MN
02/22/2020 - Pyscho Wyco 50K - Kansas City, MO
04/10/2020 - Zumbro Endurance Run (Volunteer)
07/11/2020 - Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon - Carlton, MN
07/25/2020 - Riverboat Days River Run 10K - Wabasha, MN
09/12/2020 - Superior Fall Trail Marathon
09/26/2020 - In Yan Teopa 10M - Frontenac, MN
10/04/2020 - Medtronic TC 10 Mile - Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
10/10/2020 - Heartland 100M - Cassoday, KS
10/17/2020 - Wild Duluth 100K - Duluth, MN
10/24/2020 - Glacier Hills Ultra 50K - Sioux Falls, SD or Surf the Murph 50M - Savage, MN
12/05/2020 - Alternate Chili 10M Trail Race - Kansas City, KS
Registered
Planned but not yet registered5 -
Reflections of 2019 goals:My 2019 Goals:
Remain injury free. My number primary goal. In 2016 I strained my Achilles in the final weeks of my marathon training. In 2017 I developed ITB syndrome which delayed my training cycle leading up to my 50M race (DNF). In 2018, after the best start to a training cycle yet, I ruptured a tendon in my foot which required surgery and took me out of commission for 12 weeks. Let's see if I can avoid all that crap in 2019. Not running sucks. I consider this goal met if I don't have to take more than a week off from running due to injury. - Failed. I strained my Achilles in March and had hip flexor issues in November. Still, it was a better year the two prior years.
1350 to 1500 miles - This is going to be tough to do, since my maximum in the past has been 1200 miles, and I want to avoid injury, but I think I can do this without injury if I include more walking in my long trail runs, and if I do more strength work. Since 2015 when I started I've gone 739, 1180, 1213, and 973 miles. (ETA: Revised downward after some consideration. January will be a low mile month.) - Failed. I'll finish with about 1140 miles due to my November/December recovery.
100,000 feet of vertical gain, as reported in Strava. For this goal to be met I need to climb stairs at work on my breaks, in addition to trail running. Since 2015 I've climbed 18,000, 31,000, 61,000 and 68,000 feet. Hills, hills, and more hills!!! - Failed - Just 74,000 feet. Still, it was a new high for me.
More strength work - Mostly core and upper body. I started doing some of this while in a cast but then got sick as a dog and got out of the habit. I need to force myself to do this on my off days. Goal is to do this 2 times per week. - Failed. I did more than the prior year, but not enough to count as a success.
More stretching - During my ITB rehab my PT gave me three stretches to do every morning...a hip flexor stretch, an ITB stretch (it looks like I'm hip checking someone when I do this one) and downward facing dog. I need to do this every morning right after I wake up. - Failed
ETA: After looking at my failed 2018 goals, I'm going to add a few more to 2019:
600 trail miles - Failed, just 500 trail miles
Finish running every road in my town (about 8 more runs left, maybe 75 miles) - SUCCESS!
First 50 mile race finish - Tillamook Burn 50M in late April - this will be tough, considering my late start to training - Failed, though I did come close with 47.5 mile finish (45 official) in my 12 hour race.
Three ultramarathons (races or solo endeavors) - Tillamook Burn, Superior Spring 50K, and a race to be named later - SUCCESS! In fact, I completed four, including 3 ultras in 3 weeks in 3 states.
5K road PR (currently 23:44) - Close, but no cigar. 23:57 was as close as I got in my only 5K of the year.
10K road PR (currently 1:03:42 - beating this is a gimmee. Current PR was set 3 months after I started running)
Distance PR of 50 miles (currently 43.8 miles) - Failed. I never did any 10k this year
Avoid running breaks of 7 days or more - Failed. I had 5 such breaks (not counting surgery recovering in January).
Here's to a more successful 2020!! I suppose I could temper my goals but I'd rather fail at something big than succeed at something small.9 -
Happy new year!
I did nothing for NY eve. I really couldn't care less. Was asleep by 9pm.
Trying to decide what I do for a run today. I really should just do an easy 2k since I did the 6k yesterday instead of taking it easy, but training plan falls for 5k at race pace... It does have a 2.4k warm up at easy pace so may go out, start said plan and see how the legs feel after the warm up.2 -
Given we have a mix audience here and the fact some of you are in a different decade already...
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Those are some pretty awesome accomplishments @7lenny7! I agree, set your goals high and even if you don't make it, you've achieved some pretty amazing things along the way.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
While I'm still mulling over my 2020 goals, here's a monthly question:
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of in 2019? I'm thinking running/health/fitness related but if you want to share other things as well, go for it!
I'll go with top 5, not necessarily in this order:- Being brave enough to go for it with Spartan races and completing a double trifecta in my first year of Spartan racing (sprint, super, beast distances x 2).
- Getting that rope climb for the first time in the 7th race.
- Ranking first in my age group among the open class for that same race.
- Getting a pull-up.
- Running two half marathons in two days.
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"What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of in 2019?"
Good question!
For me it's that I'm still here, 2 years after losing the weight I've kept it off, that I kept running last year and still enjoy it.
Last year was so much change that I didn't really accomplish anything personal... Staying married during an incredibly rough patch during and after moving across country, and both realising and dealing with the fact a lot of the issues stemmed from my own mental illness that I will forever be dealing with - that was a good achievement.
Oh and learning how to fit and remove contacts! That's hard!9 -
katharmonic wrote: »Those are some pretty awesome accomplishments @7lenny7! I agree, set your goals high and even if you don't make it, you've achieved some pretty amazing things along the way.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
While I'm still mulling over my 2020 goals, here's a monthly question:
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of in 2019? I'm thinking running/health/fitness related but if you want to share other things as well, go for it!
I'll go with top 5, not necessarily in this order:- Being brave enough to go for it with Spartan races and completing a double trifecta in my first year of Spartan racing (sprint, super, beast distances x 2).
- Getting that rope climb for the first time in the 7th race.
- Ranking first in my age group among the open class for that same race.
- Getting a pull-up.
- Running two half marathons in two days.
Thanks, @katharmonic ! You had a beast of a year yourself!
My proudest running accomplishment was running 3 ultras in 3 weeks in 3 states with 3 PRs.- Loopet Loppet 12 hour race (45 miles official, 47.5 miles on my Garmin - 12hr PR)
- Glacier Hills 50K (6:03:47 - a 50k PR)
- Icebox 480 8 hour race (38 miles - an 8 hr PR)
I didn't have a proper training build up and I paid the price, but no regrets, it was totally worth it! I didn't intend on this series initially but when I ended up on the waiting list for Icebox 480, I signed up for Glacier Hills. Then I made it into Icebox 480, so I had to run it too!
My proudest non-running accomplishment was getting our retirement plan in order. We're hoping to be able to retire in 5 to 8 years.
And I'd be remiss as a parent if I didn't throw in a last proud accomplishment. Though not mine, I feel like I had a hand in it. I got to witness my son play goalkeeper as his high school soccer team won the state championship! It was a crazy game. Up 2-0 at one point the other team tied it on a penalty kick and a sweet shot past my son to put it into overtime. Just 10 seconds from the end of the second overtime, his team scored the winning goal! 10 seconds more and it would have gone to a shoot-out (which would have been great because my son is a fantastic shot stopper...6' 7" with long arms and a great dive). I feel like I'm a part of that since I coached his teams for 7 years, spent lots of money on his soccer, traveled many miles, and gave him unconditional support.
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@7lenny7 Welcome back! Missed you around here. You did accomplish quite a bit. Between you and @katharmonic and @AlphaHowls and @PastorVincent and the rest of the crew here, fabulous running!
My goals are simple: maintain current weight, run few races, including 1 or 2 HM, stay healthy and injury free.
I’d like to set some more PR, but those are bonus goals.
So for Jan 100 again. Doing Run the year with others from here so hope to make that as well!4 -
I'm proud of this! Happy New Year's Eve, everyone! I'm dropping this and coming back in the morning to catch up with y'all. I'm in a mean game of Scattegories with my 13 year old.
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I looked up my goals for 2019 and here they are:
1. Be more patient with others and with myself. Still a work in progress.
2. Save more money. Didn't really accomplish this one.
3. Run at least 1000 miles. I ran1295.4 so this one has been accomplished.
4. Run another HM distance at least once. (I don't have any races set yet for 2019. I will have to look into that a little more. But even if I don't enter a race I want to run the distance again. I do like bling though.) I ran the HM distance 3 times in 2019. Once as a race, once as a virtual race (in place of a race cancelled due to weather) and once just for fun so this one was accomplished.
5. Maintain my weight, and not lose any more. I'm 2.5 pounds lighter than I was this time last year, so I guess this one was not accomplished.
6. Take all of these old t-shirts of my kid's and make them into some quilts. Get at least 1 or 2 finished. I only got 1 t-shirt quilt finished, but I did make a 2nd quilt for my new great niece who was born in July, so this one was accomplished as well.
I still need to think about my goals for 2020 so it may be tomorrow or Thursday before I post those. I did sign up for a Run the Year team so I know I will at least have a goal of 1000 miles, but I need to think about the rest. Happy New Year everyone!7
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