Author: jon

Join the Run Challenge! Starts Thursday, January 1, 2015.

1st Annual Run Challenge

What is it?
’30 Runs in 30 Days’ is an opportunity to improve your running ability (and burn calories, i.e.. get lean!) with the help of accountability, camaraderie and a little bit of financial motivation. The idea behind the challenge is that we all need encouragement to build our cardiovascular and muscular endurance and by running small amounts each day we can achieve that goal safely. Frequent, shorter runs are more gentle on our joints and creates a habit that can stick with us long-term.
Step #1: Sign up for the challenge at the gym and put $5 in the pot. Cash only, please.
Step #2: Commit to running (at least) one mile for 30 of the 31 days in January. (You have a built in ‘cheat day’.)

Step #3: Record your miles in the designated notebook/chart at the gym.
Step #4: Cross your fingers that your name will be selected in the raffle and you’ll win the pot of money!
What if I hate running?
Turn that frown upside down. Stop the negative talk and start saying the you like to run! The power of positive thinking is immeasurable. You may actually find that you enjoy your runs after you get in the swing of it. It’s amazing stress relief and quiet time to think.
How do I have time to run every day?
It is just one mile! I bet you have an extra 10 or 15 minutes in your day, especially if you tack it on to the beginning or the end of your CrossFit workout. Four laps around the parking lot is a perfect warm-up for a WOD.
What if I can’t get to the gym every day?
The runs can be done anywhere. This challenge is going to be on the ‘honor system’. Run at home, at work, out of town, at the gym, etc, and then record your miles so that you can record them at the gym next time you are there.
But I don’t have a GPS watch to track my miles:
Jog around the gym’s parking lot four times at a moderate pace and see how long it takes you. Use this as your aerobic pace to measure how many miles you run anywhere. For example, if it takes you approximately 12 minutes to run a mile around the parking lot, you can guesstimate that you ran 2.5 miles around your neighborhood in your 30 minute run.
What if I miss a day?
You might miss a day or two due to illness or busyness. The month has one built-in ‘miss’ day. If you miss another day or two, you can make it up by running twice on another day…say, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. That might become tedious so try not to miss a day!
What if I run more than 1 mile per day?
Remember that a run only has to be one mile to qualify as a run for that day. Running two miles at once does not equal two runs. However, you can increase your odds of winning the raffle by running more than 30 miles in the challenge. For every 5 miles you run over the 30 mile minimum, you will earn another raffle ticket. For example, if you run 2 miles each day, you will have run 30 extra miles for the challenge, thus earning yourself 6 extra raffle tickets. One caveat here with increasing miles: do so gradually. Don’t run 30 miles in the first week if you’re not used to regular running. Start conservatively and, if you choose to increase weekly mileage, do so by roughly 15% each week as a safe guideline.
So, Mike Skimel is just going to win again?
Don’t be so hasty and don’t sell yourself short. There are two 11 year old girls that are gunning for the pot and YOU should ignite your inner competitive spirt, too!
But running is so boring:
Listen to music, run with a friend, contemplate life and enjoy the peace and quiet! Another tip to keep running interesting is to find new places to run, including nearby trails. There will be some ideas and maps posted at the gym.
What if it is cold or snowing outside? 
C’mon, you are tougher than that! You’ll warm up when you start running. Bundle up in suitable cold weather running attire and go for it! You’ll be surprised how much fun (and rewarding) running in the snow is… or find a treadmill or indoor track at one of the local rec. centers.

The Challenge begins on Thursday, January 1st. Get excited! We are looking ahead at having a large APCF group run together at the Running of the Green 7k in downtown Denver on March 15th. Info can be found here.

Happy Running,
Kathy