Toward the end of January, I thought of a crazy goal: to run 100 miles in February, the shortest month of the year. I knew that it would get me moving and I needed some motivation to do so! If I set a goal and make a plan, I’m much more likely to stick to it than if I just think of an idea with no way to execute. This was coming off of my accomplishment of a Peloton workout for 100 consecutive weeks. Plus, I had already signed up for a 1/2 marathon in March, so I knew I needed to work toward it.
I put together a calendar of the exact number of miles that I would be running on a given day. My format was a short run on Monday to start the week, then a little longer on Tuesday and Thursday with a medium distance run on Wednesday. Fridays and Sundays were my rest days. That left Saturday for a long run. The month was weighted, where I started out with shorter distances each day and built off of that as a foundation for the next week. I attached my schedule here.
I followed it to a tee and only switched the distance one day at the end of the month to even out the final miles. The first half-week was 11 miles across 3 days of running and 2 days of rest to start February. The first full week set in motion what would become the framework for the remainder of the month, with 5 days of running and 2 days of rest. 20 miles in the second week for a running total of 31. The third week of the month ramped up to 24 miles, bringing the total halfway through the month to 55 miles. That left the final 45 miles to be achieved over nine more days of running. 26 miles in week 4, which was capped off with the longest run of the month on Saturday with a 10 mile run. Moving into the final week of the month and planning out the remaining 19 miles, I opted to spread the miles more evenly and ran 4 miles on Monday to make the final three days, 5 miles a piece.
I really felt great all throughout the month. It was a great balance of distance and variety to keep it interesting! I think the biggest thing I learned was the benefit of sticking to a plan. Trust me, there were days that it was raining and cold or I wasn’t “feeling it” that day, when I normally would’ve just skipped and picked it up the next day. But I didn’t skip a single day and I’m glad that I stuck to it! The final 2 days were probably the most challenging. After long days at work and knowing that I only had two more 5-mile runs. Both days were pouring rain and nothing to be desired for. I was soaked when I crossed the “finish line” at the end of my driveway, but I crossed it with my arms in the air like it was the finish line at the end of a long marathon.
People asked me, “What do you think about when you’re spending that much time running? Don’t you get bored?” Over the course of 15 hours, I kept myself distracted for the most part by listening to an audio book. I’ve been reading and listening to the Mystery Man series by David Baldacci over the past few years. It kept me focused on the characters and the story lines instead of thinking about my sore feet or the pouring rain. Sometimes I mix in podcasts while I run too, because it allows me to join a conversation and also take my mind off of the task at hand. I’m proud to say that I ran every mile this month outside, on the trails and streets surrounding my house. I’ve always disliked treadmills, so I didn’t even consider that when I created my plan. It gave me a great opportunity to see the things that are closest in proximity to me and the area around me.
Overall, you just have to do it. You can think of a plan and dream about achieving a goal all you want. But until you create a plan and execute, your goal will only ever be a goal. Go turn it into an achievement!