devashish_paul wrote:
The reason we start on Dec 15th is so that it ends on March 24th. Starting on Dec 15th is "early enough" that the novelty is high and people are motivated right through the holidays...basically the first 2 weeks everyone is super motivated. If I started on Dec 1st, a lot of people will already fall off the bandwagon during holiday eating season. With the start only 1 week before, pretty well everyone makes it through Xmas and New Years trying to get the runs in around family and friends and partying. It's an awesome balance.
Second reason is for many of us who live up North, ending first week of March is "too early"....there is still an entire month of winter. The last 2-3 weeks of the challenge is another phase where many put in a "final push" as they can see the end of the tunnel. This brings them to end of March just in time for a month or two of specificity before race season.
So there is some logic to the seamingly random dates. This is actually the 11th year this is going on, so between the community, myself and some vocal folks for better or worse, we've honed in on the format. Now if you have any other questions about the challenge there is the annual airing of the grievances thread to get all the complaints out of the system.
Randy's Rule #7: Never start anything
new on a Friday
Although the idea of ending the week on a high note, and starting a new diet, workout routine, exercise streak or even a task at work, creative project, or a relationship sounds good on paper, the odds are very slim that you'll be able to keep that momentum through the weekend and on to Monday
I like to start things on Tuesdays, whenever possible, by Thursday at the latest [weekday, that is]
The 15th is a Thursday, so we're good
Unless I miss Day One, in which case I
would be starting on Friday, but rules are rules, so I'd actually do my
first run on Saturday
Of course, I could say "I started the CHALLENGE on Thursday ... I just didn't do my first RUN until Friday," and we wouldn't be breaking any rules, such as they are
"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin
