Late December / early January can prove tough when it comes to lacing up and clocking up the miles. Often between events, weather unpredictable, festive season demands stealing our time, daylight hours at a premium….
I’ve seen a few posts here and on Strava suggesting I’m not the only one who could use a little encouragement right now!
I feel a forum challenge coming on?But what? Any ideas? We could go for distance again (in the vein of Good Riddance 2020), or maybe a Bingo Card as used on our sister forums. Speed challenges are often popular, but may not be best suited to cold and slippery pavements!
So, we thought we’d ask our lovely community if you have any ideas? Something you’ve seen on Strava or Facebook perhaps? Or something your running group or runny friends have tried?
We’d love to set up a group challenge, so please let us know in the comments if you’re interested in joining an end of year running challenge and - most importantly – if you have an idea for a new challenge that we can run with (yep, groan …sorry 🙃!!!).
The marathon team xxx
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linda9389
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Twice every year some runners look for their mojos. Cold winter/short days or bright summer sweaty days with high temperatures. Both can be uncomfortable - unless we ignore the circumstances and aim for a specific goal. First start with a question. Do I want to run? If no, fair enough, don’t, stay home and do your thing. If yes, then do it. There’s no other option. Want to motivate yourself? Pick a program. Learn faster 5k, negotiate a HM or go for marathon training, that will keep you busy until April if you start now. Rain, cold, wind and all that? Back to the first question. Do l want to run? 😉
Program is a challenge 😉! I remember my first marathon training and a cold winter evening after work when I had to do a 16K run. I simply came home, changed into my gear and went without thinking. The feeling after was what this is all about. Was it easy and was the run enjoyable? No way, and to an extent but it was in the calendar, hence it got done. 😀
Oh I like this sparky66 ! I ran - or more accurately jogged about 1km - in a bright red fleece with a reindeer on it on Christmas Day last year. We definitely need photos though if we do this.
Been wondering if the wife and kids will let me sneak out for a few k on the 25th.Had to pull out of a Santa dash at weekend - date clash with a family event - got the fancy dress. Be a shame not to use it 😂
I was thinking about doing my first ever Christmas day run this year.This looks like a really good way to make it party of the festivities and possibly start a new Christmas tradition in my family with the "Great mad mum Christmas run!"
We’ve had speed challenges and distance challenges. How about some kind of elevation challenge? I lack imagination on how that might be implemented though 😬
We did one in my running club - they got everyone to sign up to that month's strava run climbing challenge which you can filter to show all the people in a particular club (you can create bespoke clubs so you just get those people who want to participate.
This is great Blackberrypie , and I say that as someone who can't do Strava art to save her life. I can, however, run in a wiggly line and claim it as tinsel. Can't I?!
I have no problem with hiding mojos (yet) but I am conscious that I haven’t had a significant break all year! I’ll be cheering you on whatever challenge you do but I’m determined to take a break in December before the next running year. Just 100k left to run!❤️🏃♀️
What about “running somewhere new” each week? The distance wouldn’t matter and we could add nice photos…
I’m not on Strava or Facebook so have no idea what’s around, but I did check out The Running Channel. They had a “no watch” race to see who could get closest to 5K without technology. Not sure how this would work for us…, still thinking about it but I like the idea…
Sounds a good idea....I think the speed challenge I first joined was about a year ago? The speedy 1k or 1 mile challenge I'm ill at the moment so not able to run (nice virus from school children! Not covid) but a challenge would be good to bring me back.... as long as its gentle!!!
Just listening to the HU GE playlist by roseabi is doing quite well for motivation. If only I could move without coughing 🤣 Perhaps that could be the challenge....the first to run to the whole playlist (not in one go 🤪)
I'd be up for a fun challenge e.g. Santa dash or Strava art. Programmes and performance wouldn't do it for me right now; my mojo would scuttle away, cowering, and would probably remain undiscovered for a while.
Could we maybe add in a variation of the Christmas bingo game? For example, while out running, spot and report/photograph items, ideally unusual ones, to spell out HU Christmas Running Challenge (or whatever.)
Fun is definitely the aim here. As it happens I am in the middle of writing up a bingo card!!! It seems the best way to incorporate lots of ideas and make it as inclusive as possible. Shouldn't be too long!
That's a thought dijep - we can certainly post a link to it in Bridge even if we don't run it as two separate challenges. I'll have it posted very soon!
I’d love to join in. A bingo card sounds fun! I haven’t started the one from last year yet so I’ll hang on 👍🏻My idea was a distance challenge to the North Pole🎅 The last section could be the Santa dash. Or how about Strava art spelling the letters of Christmas. It may be easier than trying the run a picture. I’ve started at my local streets for ages and can’t find a festive picture. Perhaps the challenge could be to run as many letters as you can. Ooo I’m on a roll now 😂😂
Ooh, some nice ideas! A distance challenge to go to the North Pole sounds interesting (but definitely won't work on a bingo card, so we can store that one for next year maybe ...). Bingo card will be up early this week.
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I'm ill at the moment so not able to run (nice virus from school children! Not covid) but a challenge would be good to bring me back.... as long as its gentle!!! 
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