JANUARY 2024 Monthly Running Challenge

Hi @quilteryoyo! Great to see you. Happy new year.

I just signed up for the half for the race my friend is doing for her 50th state marathon. The Clarence DeMar in Keene NH on September 29. That should give me a kick in the pants after my surgical recovery to get back to at least being consistent enough with running so I can finish it! So I guess I have my 2024 goal now.

I haven't done a half since March 2022, which was my 19th HM race. This will be #20 so that's cool.

Jan total: 8 miles
YTD: 8/1200 miles

Since I don’t have a mileage target this month I decided to start tracking YTD miles. Temp wise it was perfect this morning. Low 40’s and sunny. But that wind. OMG the wind! 15-16 mph making it feel more like 32F. I had 1 mile repeats on the schedule for today but out here I don’t really have a place flat enough to really do that workout and have any consistency in pacing. So, i did an out and back that is flattish for about 3 miles at the turn around point and planned to do those miles at race pace. Stretch my legs a little while accommodating the terrain. I figured the hills are basically little intervals, so good enough. The first 1.5 miles of the race pace leg felt pretty good and as I approached the turn around I realized that I wasn’t feeling the wind. Yep, I had been getting a tailwind and as soon as I made the turn I felt the full impact of the wind. The last 1.5 miles were tougher for sure and colder!
The hills felt easier than the day before yesterday. It always surprises me how quickly I see adaptation on the hills. I think this week was well placed to give me a little cardiovascular boost right before taper week.

01.01 6°C 3.2km 27min 8:20/km stride repeats

3.22km/80.5km

Checking in. Was away on vacation the past 5 days and spent a lot of time walking (and eating cheese). Thus no running. On we go with my 10k running programme. Today things weren't too good because I have a lot of water in my legs from driving back from vacation. Running never goes to well then. Will be fine again with the next run or two.

Oops….

Got another 1.5 miles done before dinner.
Updated ticker:

Great goals for 2024 everyone! Welcome new members!

I think I decided my 2024 goals. During the cool months (Jan,Feb, half of March) I will probably concentrate on shorter distances and speed. During the months from hell (rest of the year until late October) I will do slower endurance work. If that ends up getting me to 2024 miles for the year, then so be it, but that is not my 'A' goal.

Today just kicked the year off with 6 TM miles.

Here are my fitness goals for 2024. They are basically the same as last year. I am upping my avg mileage goal from 70 to 85 since my lowest month for last year was 80 miles. Because of this, I am also upping my total mileage for the year.

1) Continue my streak of at least 1 mile ran or walked fast.
2) Average 85 miles a month.
3) Shoot for 1020 miles total for the year - run, fast walk. I will count other exercise (mowing, tennis, trees, cleaning gutters, etc.) for RTY, but not all steps I take. My goal for RTY will be 1500 miles.
4) Improve my time for the T-Minus 10 miler
5) Lose back to my goal weight - from today, that would be 14 pounds! Yikes!

I eased into 2024 with a 2 mile treadmill walk.

Jan 1 - Walked 2.00 miles - Ran 0.00 miles - treadmill

2.00/85.00 mile goal

Welcome to all the newbies! Jump right in, ask questions, start new topics - we have great discussions!
Welcome back @katharmonic! I am so glad to see you back here. Do you think you will be doing some mud runs again once you are all healed? You, @polskagirl01 and I are all in recovery mode trying to get back to running!
@AlphaHowls - love Timmy! I didn't realize in one of the earlier pictures that it was him because the picture was dark...

So these were my goals from last January:

What are your fitness goals for this next year? 
Start my day with an early workout instead of at noon
Run more consistently, increasing from 4 to 5 days/week
Run only the 3-4 miles recommended with an occasional longer run
One HITT run per week
Strength train twice per week minimum
Eat healthier: Cut sugar, Increase fiber, more vegetables

Where do you want to be a year from now? 
Healthy and uninjured
Running a faster mile
Running more continuous miles
Stronger and Lighter

I made it through January hitting most of the fitness goals regularly before getting shingles in mid February. That had me out pretty much into early April and I was just getting back into my routine when I got the 'C' diagnosis in May. Since then I have just tried to do whatever I can. Mostly a bit of walking and occasionally some strength work. The only item on my list of where to be in a year that I hit is being lighter and unfortunately it isn't a good place to be unless I can gain back the muscle I have lost once I can run and workout regularly again.
So my fitness goal for 2024 is to slowly build back my fitness level once I am allowed and feel up to running. I am not going to worry about pace or distance, just getting out consistently. I will also add back in the strength work 2-3 times/week.
As to where I want to be a year from now - healthy is at the top of the list and of course get back to running regularly and maybe even running a race or two.

I finally felt up to getting out for a walk with Hobbes today, which was exciting to me to get out on the 1st to start the year. It wasn't fast but we got in 2.32 miles. Hobbes was happy to get out too. I think he has been a little bored just hanging out on the couch with me.

January Running Goal: 13 runs, 50 miles
1.4 lbs. December weight loss gain (246.1 lbs -> 247.5 lbs)

---

I'm Chris; I moved to San Diego, California, in 2023. Work from home, sadly, is coming to an end next month. I've been on MFP since 2009, and during that time, I've had some wild swings in health and fitness. My fittest years were 2010 and 2019 when I did lots of food tracking, Iyengar yoga, and running. In 2023, I have hesitatingly returned to running, and I'm sticking with it for 2024. Happily, in November 2023, I found an Iyengar yoga studio near my house, and I've been going to a weekly class there. It's great. Food tracking is the white whale.

I signed up for an April 2024 Half Marathon to keep as a North Star. (and also a Triathlon, but more on that later)

I'm not going to sign up for any other races. I'm focusing on dropping 5 lbs. this month. That's obtainable.

I had two injuries this last year that impacted me. I had a 3-week plague-like cold (tested negative for COVID, who knows) and one horrible running rash that kept me down for two weeks. It was all forgettable, and overall, it was a happy and healthy year (except for not getting lighter.)

Please connect on Garmin if you have one.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/profile/chris_in_cal

Hi all.
5miles (at 10"27)

@shanaber You did have a very rough 2023. You did great to keep up with what you felt you could and not just sit on the couch, which I am sure you felt like doing most days. I'm looking forward to following along as you regain your fitness this year.

Great running and goals @kgirlhart .

@katharmonic That getaway sounds like fun.

You did great @kbrown1527 . Hahaha about thinking that today was a school day, only to be disappointed that it wasn't. I think a lot of parents probably felt the same way this morning.

Mari33a wrote: »

I managed to lose 35lbs last year

Great. Talk about burying the lede, that is a huge accomplishment, congratulations.

Hi, I’m new to this string. I’ve been a runner since high school and have my folder of all my numbers, times and mileage. I love it! I call what I do now a shuffle but I keep going. My goal is to stay injury free and running into my 90’s. My 2024 goal is to do 3 miles every day of running or walking for the entire year. I would like to find a 10 K race at some point but doing something everyday is most important. Looking forward to chatting. Impressive group!