I’m writing this for anyone but the impetus came from a thought I had about something cool that’s happening over on the book of faces. On New Year’s Eve I was working through why I don’t have any real goals for the coming year from a fitness standpoint. I couldn’t come up with anything I really wanted to do other than some broad strokes. Things like “you’ve said you wanted to be a better runner every year for 19 years, maybe once or twice during that time did you do what it takes to do that.”  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve run or biked, hired coaches (mostly tri specific) and run thousands of miles. I still have always felt like I mostly mail it in, that there’s another level I’m capable of but have never gotten to because of me. I digress. This isn’t about that.  This is about not letting one slip up derail a goal. 

Back to NYE. As I went back through the times I’ve been in my best running shape, I looked back over the years and 2013 comes to mind. I had been running kind of consistently and was signed up for a 50k I had done before. I decided on January 1 or maybe even before, that I’d do 100 runs in 100 days. To count it need only be 20 mins. I’d allow myself 2 runs in one day separated by an hour just in case life got in the way. That year I dropped 45 mins off my 50k time on the same course and the. PR’d the half marathon and 70.3 distance the same year. I decided to do it again this year. 

As I am a child of the Facebooks and apparently from some comments I’ve heard about me, I’m an ego maniac. As such, I made a simple post to say I was starting the 100 runs in 100 days on New Years day. Apparently my group of “friends” are equally masochistic as over the next couple hours this post garnered 50 or so comments on people that wanted to join me. 

I have had a healthy salad restaurant  FRESHJUNKIE for going on 13 years.   We’ve always promoted healthy livening and I truly think that what separates us from anyone one else is the “action” of the brand. We try and promote a healthy lifestyle non stop and mostly through our own adventures. FRESHJUNKIE Racing is our pitting one events to create opportunity for people to live that life. I figured people would get what the restaurant is about through osmosis, and some do, but I’ve struggled with how to push this without it being so over the top. In November I started FRESHJUNKIE Fit Club, a group on FB but I didn’t invite a single person to it. Every thought I had to get people moving made me feel dirty so I just left it alone. Then came NYE. 

After 20 people had commented on the 100 in 100 post a few asked me to create a group to post up success and connect to others doing the challenge. The light bulb went off and I started inviting people to the FRESHJUNKIE Fit Club group I had started. By day one we had 100+ members. This morning, January 5th, we have 414. 

Back to my original point. Yesterday I thought a lot about those 414 people and how many of them would make it through 100 days. Statistics say not a ton but it won’t be from my lack of trying. I began to wonder what makes people stop. I think when we are doing something different, that’s hard and not what we are used to, we get derailed by a single day. We miss a day at the gym or “cheat on a diet” and say “fuck it. It’s all done now,” and soon after have given in to our old ways.

The point of this whole challenge is 100 runs for me. If you’re doing it and just getting back and get in 87 out of 100 think how big of a difference that is over the previous years. Shit for some the previous decade. This challenge is about getting out there every day and giving it a go. About not giving in because you missed a couple days and may not hit 100 (gentle reminder, you can make them up). The beauty is also that you can start your 100 anytime. Like today.

It’s about not stopping. I’m stoked that so many people are trying and my goal is for all of you to reach yours. 

100 days....then beyond. 

If you’re interested you can visit the group HERE

#hugsandhi5s