Not specifically directed toward Dev.
Holy guacamole! This year's "air your grievances" thread is truly living up to its name. I am flabbergasted that so much animus has built up over the course of this discussion. On the one hand, I'm extremely pleased to see so many people engaging in a potentially productive discussion about how to train over the off season (at least, in the northern hemisphere); on the other, I'm disappointed at the degree of non-charitable (see Quine, the principle of charity) readings here. It's like people are going out of their way to misrepresent each other.
My experience: When I did my first 100/100, I did not expect to reach 100 runs. I just assumed I would hit something like 60 or 70. I surprised myself, and, as I mentioned in my previous post, I was a stronger runner by the end. What I really enjoyed was the challenge itself -- not whether I accomplished it to the fullest extent. I got outside every single day; it didn't matter whether it was snowing or not. I loved how it simplified my attitude toward running. There was never a question about if I should run today; it was only about when should I run. As the weeks went on, my body toughened up, and for the first time in years, I didn't get catch a cold or flu. For the record, I did get caught up in the ranking and ran too much (well over 100).
The next year was pretty much the same. I assumed that something would prevent me from running every day, so I expected to hit somewhere between 80-100 runs. I explicitly told myself that I would take time off if I felt it necessary -- which is definitely easier said than done. This was also the year that I was training for a big bike event in late spring, and I noticed that running every day wasn't actually conducive to achieving this goal. By the end, I was in great shape, but not great biking shape. It was at this point that I started to take to heart what Dev and Slowman have been saying all along: There is no need to push things; do what you can without jeopardizing your next workout and/or overarching goal. Since my third 100/100 took place during the pandemic, I knew I could devoted most of my training to just running, so I just kept running as often as I could.
My personal insights: When this thread first opened, I actually wanted to post (above all for myself) that I would take days off. I have other events I am training for in 2022, and I don't want to overtax my body. If I happen to make all 100, great; if not, that's okay too. And I realize what I just described is a bit of "do as I say" and "not as I do." I understand the Challenge to be about motivation, accountability, and getting your butt out there. To support this interpretation, I submit the thread that accompanies the Challenge each time. People are sharing their positive experiences, pictures, as well as hardships and setbacks. And even these negative experiences point to the communal nature of this Challenge. People pick themselves up and try to continue, or they say, "next year will be better."
I grasp and appreciate the two positions vigorously being promoted. Should the Challenge be accessible to as many as possible? Yes. Should everyone feel compelled to achieve 100 runs in 100 days? Nope. And if they do, then perhaps we should attempt to counter the blind pursuit of this goal. Remember, there are plenty of fantastic athletes who don't make it each year: sometimes life gets in the way, and sometimes you just have more important goals on the horizon. But there is always next year.
These things should not be considered mutually exclusive.
Ciao,
Flemish
Holy guacamole! This year's "air your grievances" thread is truly living up to its name. I am flabbergasted that so much animus has built up over the course of this discussion. On the one hand, I'm extremely pleased to see so many people engaging in a potentially productive discussion about how to train over the off season (at least, in the northern hemisphere); on the other, I'm disappointed at the degree of non-charitable (see Quine, the principle of charity) readings here. It's like people are going out of their way to misrepresent each other.
My experience: When I did my first 100/100, I did not expect to reach 100 runs. I just assumed I would hit something like 60 or 70. I surprised myself, and, as I mentioned in my previous post, I was a stronger runner by the end. What I really enjoyed was the challenge itself -- not whether I accomplished it to the fullest extent. I got outside every single day; it didn't matter whether it was snowing or not. I loved how it simplified my attitude toward running. There was never a question about if I should run today; it was only about when should I run. As the weeks went on, my body toughened up, and for the first time in years, I didn't get catch a cold or flu. For the record, I did get caught up in the ranking and ran too much (well over 100).
The next year was pretty much the same. I assumed that something would prevent me from running every day, so I expected to hit somewhere between 80-100 runs. I explicitly told myself that I would take time off if I felt it necessary -- which is definitely easier said than done. This was also the year that I was training for a big bike event in late spring, and I noticed that running every day wasn't actually conducive to achieving this goal. By the end, I was in great shape, but not great biking shape. It was at this point that I started to take to heart what Dev and Slowman have been saying all along: There is no need to push things; do what you can without jeopardizing your next workout and/or overarching goal. Since my third 100/100 took place during the pandemic, I knew I could devoted most of my training to just running, so I just kept running as often as I could.
My personal insights: When this thread first opened, I actually wanted to post (above all for myself) that I would take days off. I have other events I am training for in 2022, and I don't want to overtax my body. If I happen to make all 100, great; if not, that's okay too. And I realize what I just described is a bit of "do as I say" and "not as I do." I understand the Challenge to be about motivation, accountability, and getting your butt out there. To support this interpretation, I submit the thread that accompanies the Challenge each time. People are sharing their positive experiences, pictures, as well as hardships and setbacks. And even these negative experiences point to the communal nature of this Challenge. People pick themselves up and try to continue, or they say, "next year will be better."
I grasp and appreciate the two positions vigorously being promoted. Should the Challenge be accessible to as many as possible? Yes. Should everyone feel compelled to achieve 100 runs in 100 days? Nope. And if they do, then perhaps we should attempt to counter the blind pursuit of this goal. Remember, there are plenty of fantastic athletes who don't make it each year: sometimes life gets in the way, and sometimes you just have more important goals on the horizon. But there is always next year.
These things should not be considered mutually exclusive.
Ciao,
Flemish
Last edited by:
Flemish Arrow: Oct 28, 21 11:40