Week 1 of TSFJ's Run Challenge has been a grind, but it's also been a lot of fun. Many of the runners have taken to social media with the hashtag #tsfjrunchallenge and posted some very challenging runs. For many of the runners in all categories, a strong start has been a premium. If you started a little slow, don’t worry, because any runner will remind you of the time-and-true creed: It is not how you start, but how you finish.
There are so many stories that can be told during this challenge. I’ve heard stories from "I can’t wait to get started" to "This challenge is probably going to kill me." The thing that makes the challenge so fun is that none of the runners are racing each other. The objective of this challenge is to finish what you started. Any time you can finish what you start, it says a lot about you as a person and as a competitor. Each person has 31 days to finish what he or she started. Strategy is everything, and pacing yourself is a must.
When Kenny and I were brainstorming this idea, we really didn’t think this many people would latch on. We just thought it was a good idea to get our friends involved in some of the antics that he and I were demonstrating on social media. As sports lovers, we all love competition, and many of us were athletes of some kind in our younger days. At the core of our fandom is competition. We love to compete, and we also like to win. The problem with being overly competitive is when you take on things that you aren’t that familiar with, you get humbled very quickly.
Image from @AfrobellaRunning isn’t something that everyone loves. However, it is something that everyone can participate in. All you need is a pair of shoes and an open road. The problem is that it’s hard. I can attest. At this time last year, I couldn’t run more than 400 meters without literally wanting oxygen or passing out. Discovering the run has taught me many things. The first is that every day you run, it isn’t a race. Enjoy the run for what it is. I may be trying to accomplish a goal or even reach a particular mileage, but how long it takes me to get there isn’t really that important. Save those types of goals for when you get good at it.
Each category has people in it who are far exceeding the pace required to finish on time. In fact, I think many of the participants may have underestimated what they are capable of while others may have overestimated how hard they are willing to work to reach their goals. Below are the first week's results, all tabulated via the Nike+ app.
Leaders By Category thru 7/7/2014
Each week, we will have up-to-date standings for the 30-, 60- and 100-mile challenges. Keep running hard, pace yourself and, most of all, continue to have fun.
