2012 Holiday Running Challenge! Who's game?

[happyone]

I've been walking 2.5 miles a day for 8 weeks. Do walking miles count?

People have already answered this - OF COURSE they count (says the walker) 3/4 of my miles are walking.

I'm about to go out and walk down to Davis High School and back - a good 7 miles (once I get through wandering the neighborhoods)

[PaloAltoCougar]

Woohoo! Unless happyone gets mugged between Eighth and Ninth, we'll be in Times Square before sundown and we can get the party started well before the ball drops. In fact, with several of the heavy lifters yet to check in, we'll probably have enough miles to run the NYC Marathon before midnight, a fitting victory lap.

Congrats to everyone on some impressive work (and nikuman, you freak, we'll see you in just a few days). Thanks, Moliere, for doing this.

Get back, people, I'm already in party mode.

[happyone]

Walk today started out in a light snow - beautiful! It had just about stopped when I finished. Just light crystals in the air reflecting the sunlight - again just gorgeous(sp)

Ended up losing 12 lbs during this contest ( from 203 to 191) only 20 more to go

[Parrot Head]

I passed Cupcake today to put me into 6th place. I'm also prepared to run a couple extra miles in case someone tries to pass me by a .10 of a mile

I was slow to get my mileage posted today and I have been really tempted to go out for a quick 5k to pass you, but I'll try to overcome the ego and let my body rest a bit.

Thanks, all, for the motivation and the challenge. It's been great to push this through the holidays and my wife has been quite accepting of me saying, "I need to get at least 4 in today/tonight for the board challenge!"

With this, I ended up at 112.05 miles for the month. I'm simply amazed that this guy who, 23 months ago hadn't ran more than 10 miles in 10 years, could get to this point. Gracias, amigos!

[Moliere]

Well, we made it thanks to everyone and of course thanks to the last minute mile dump of CJF! This challenge turned out to be better than I expected and all of that goes to the participants. I was expecting a very small group (maybe 10 or so) and some friendly competition, but the participation and friendly banter was great. I figured a holiday challenge was best as it's a tough time to get out and exercise and even I found myself wanting to sleep in but pulling myself out of bed so I could report some miles for the day.

As for the awards, let me know what y'all think of this:

Most miles: This one was over before the challenge began. Nikuman wins but it was nice to see happyone give him a push every now and then. I'm now more convinced than every that Nikuman's shins are made of unobtainium.

Most consistent: I was going to run some regression analysis to determine this one, but honestly I think it's easily won by CJF. On a weekly basis, which is how the analysis would be done, he was easily the most consistent. He was also the most consistent on a daily basis. You don't have to be fast or long to be consistent and CJF proves that once again.

Most improved: This one is more difficult and I'm open to someone making a different case, but I'd give it to Eddie. Some other notables in this category were bluegoose and PAC.

We also raised over $300 for charity! Nikuman, you need to determine what charity we'll all pay to. It would be easiest to have one that we can all just pay to directly, but it's your choice.

I'm starting the year end close today at work so I'll keep some of the extra comments brief:

- I'm somewhat floored by the miles that the top runners put in every week. It's pretty cool you guys can do that and stay healthy (for the most part). I'd love to get to that point.
- Thanks to PAC for starting the coast to coast challenge. It was perfect for this program and a fun motivator. Maybe next year we can run along I-10 so we can admire the tumbleweeds for 1,000 miles or we could run from Palmyra to Kirtland, to Independence, to Nauvoo, to SLC.

Thanks again to all. At some point we'll coordinate getting awards sent to the winners somehow.

[CJF]

I really did not follow the thead much after the kick off after knowing it was over and niku won before it started. I am not sure why, but I did not think walking counted either. I have gone back and read it. I agree that the map added a great element to the process. Which got me thinking about a 2013 target. The earth is just a shade under 25k miles around the equator. How about we walk, run, or swim our way around the globe in 2013? I think biking would probably be too easy with some of the miles people here put in. But if more people got involved, we could walk, run and swim the globe this year. Thoughts?

[Pheidippides]

A big thanks to Moliere for putting this together. I think I already mentioned that I was suffering from low motivation when this rolled around (for good reasons - I'd just reached a goal) and this helped me get back into what has been the toughest training season of my life by far.

Happyone blows my mind. Every stinkin' day. I ended up taking off a few days here and there. Everybody did. Except Happyone, who would get his miles in no matter what. Even a small injury to me would have given him the win, and it's only by virtue of the unobtainium (and an awesome pair of Mizunos) that I came out ahead.

I've been thinking long and hard about the charity. Originally my motivation to win is a small local charity that helps out families with children with brain tumors, a subject that is near and dear to my heart. But this was a community challenge running and I think something more directly tied to our community running is appropriate. I was very moved by ERCougar's plea and the fact that he is fundraising through the not insignificant miles he put up over the challenge.

So my choice is the Joints in Motion Training Team Arthritis Foundation, sponsoring ERCougar (not his real name, in case you were unaware). I realize the information for donation has been removed from this forum so we may need to privately pass it around via PM. I hope nobody minds (and especially ER).

[PaloAltoCougar]

A big thanks to Moliere for putting this together. I think I already mentioned that I was suffering from low motivation when this rolled around (for good reasons - I'd just reached a goal) and this helped me get back into what has been the toughest training season of my life by far.

Happyone blows my mind. Every stinkin' day. I ended up taking off a few days here and there. Everybody did. Except Happyone, who would get his miles in no matter what. Even a small injury to me would have given him the win, and it's only by virtue of the unobtainium (and an awesome pair of Mizunos) that I came out ahead.

I've been thinking long and hard about the charity. Originally my motivation to win is a small local charity that helps out families with children with brain tumors, a subject that is near and dear to my heart. But this was a community challenge running and I think something more directly tied to our community running is appropriate. I was very moved by ERCougar's plea and the fact that he is fundraising through the not insignificant miles he put up over the challenge.

So my choice is the Joints in Motion Training Team Arthritis Foundation, sponsoring ERCougar (not his real name, in case you were unaware). I realize the information for donation has been removed from this forum so we may need to privately pass it around via PM. I hope nobody minds (and especially ER).

Excellent choice (although the brain tumors one would have been great as well).

Thanks, Moliere, for setting this up. Group efforts like these are highly motivating for me. It's probably a sign of weakness on my part, but pretty much every morning I thought about the Challenge and how everyone was doing, and it made a positive difference in how far and how often I ran.

I'm looking forward to meeting up with a few Cuffers at next week's DisneyWorld Marathon Weekend in Orlando as we put our new-found running skills to the test.

[CJF]

From what I see, I think happyone was by far the most consistent. He didn't miss a day and he put the miles in to go with the days. I believe he should carry the consistency title belt into 2013.

[happyone]

A big thanks to Moliere for putting this together. I think I already mentioned that I was suffering from low motivation when this rolled around (for good reasons - I'd just reached a goal) and this helped me get back into what has been the toughest training season of my life by far.

Happyone blows my mind. Every stinkin' day. I ended up taking off a few days here and there. Everybody did. Except Happyone, who would get his miles in no matter what. Even a small injury to me would have given him the win, and it's only by virtue of the unobtainium (and an awesome pair of Mizunos) that I came out ahead.

I've been thinking long and hard about the charity. Originally my motivation to win is a small local charity that helps out families with children with brain tumors, a subject that is near and dear to my heart. But this was a community challenge running and I think something more directly tied to our community running is appropriate. I was very moved by ERCougar's plea and the fact that he is fundraising through the not insignificant miles he put up over the challenge.

So my choice is the Joints in Motion Training Team Arthritis Foundation, sponsoring ERCougar (not his real name, in case you were unaware). I realize the information for donation has been removed from this forum so we may need to privately pass it around via PM. I hope nobody minds (and especially ER).

From what I see, I think happyone was by far the most consistent. He didn't miss a day and he put the miles in to go with the days. I believe he should carry the consistency title belt into 2013.

Let me add my thanks to Moliere for putting this together.

As for getting out everyday, one just needs to have the proper motivation

I think I've mentioned this before - the walking keeps me off of meds

Also, now that the walking has become a habit, maybe an addiction. I just don't feel right if I don't get at least 3 miles in.

And last but not least - THE dog - if I don't take him for his walk, he lays the best guilt trip on me

[The_Douger]

I totally fell off the wagon. I am going to start up here again.

[MarkGrace]

Yeah, this was a lot of fun. My only regret is that I got a late start (I was running all along, just not participating) and finished behind an old man like PAC. He better be ready next year, because that's not happening again!

[OhioBlue]

Adding my thanks to Moliere for putting in the work to make this thing happen. How poetic that we arrived in NYC just in time for the New Year. It doesn't matter that it was just an imaginary journey, it was real in my heart. It was real in my heart.

[Eddie]

I want to add my thanks to Moliere for setting this thing up. A little extra motivation to keep me going is never a bad thing. Sadly enough, I'm excited to have ended in the top half of all participants who logged double digit miles. I'm hoping to moved up the leader board just a little next year.

And while I appreciate some recognition for improving - improving itself wasn't difficult. Coming off an injury and doing nothing and beginning my training build-up...let's just say that I couldn't help but improve. I'd say that the real "most improved" winners are those who haven't participated in the past and got started doing something..anything.

Thanks again - I appreciate and enjoy the opportunity to participate in these things.

[Joe Public]

Good job, everyone. I'll add my thanks as well for Moliere putting this together. I wish this hadn't been a bad patch of work and health for me, but it was impressive to see the others in the group putting in the effort. Way to be, runners of CUF!