100km in a month
My running log book for the 100km.
In October 2020 I ran 100km in 4 weeks. With the climbing halls closed for the foreseeable future, I had to find a way to get some exercise in me. Work from home was already a staple in the last months and running seemed like a good idea to get some air.
What really kicked this off?
I watched Brittany Runs a Marathon which is a story about a girl who trains and eventually runs the New York City marathon against overwhelming odds. I found it inspiring and this got me out of the door.
How did I prepare for something like this?
I knew that I could run 5km. I played basketball in my bachelors for the university team and ran 5km and 10km stretches in the Batavierenrace the previous two years. I am reasonably fit and have been in one sport or another most of my life. I don’t particularly enjoy running but I do run a couple of times a year. The bigger challenge for me was to keep motivated for 4 weeks.
I looked to the internet for inspiration. I watched documentaries on long distance running. The Barkley marathons are my favourite. I watched YouTube videos on common mistakes and on good running form. I started following Courtney Dauwalter on Instagram. She was a teacher in Denver and became an ultra marathon runner (one of the best) at 36. Her completely regular diet was comparable to mine and it convinced me that I didn’t need to give up coffee or fries to complete my runs.
I knew I would thank myself for a simple and easy to remember route. I decided to start with an easy pace in the beginning and ramp it up over the weeks based on how I felt. I knew this would be more demanding with every passing week. So I also made very simple plans that would be just sufficient to get me across a 100km.
I designed two routes of about 5km from my doorstep.
I maintained a log book.
Bought a good pair of running shoes (nothing expensive)
Made a meal plan (only for the meal right after the run)
Route 1
Route 2
What were the 4 weeks like?
The first week was the best. I was excited to jump out of bed and get started. It felt like being in my own training montage. Trouble started in the second week. The motivation from YouTube and Instagram could only get me so far. Physically it was not demanding. When I am on the street in my shoes, I am good to go. But getting from bed to street was getting harder every day.
The log book helped. I started recording my overall progress (in addition to individual runs). Seeing myself inching towards my goal with every run was motivating. I could sustain myself this way for the next 2 weeks. The last week was the hardest. I gave up on my meal plan and I could only bring myself to run 10km during the week. But that was OK, I just needed to get to the finish line. I had to run 15km more on Saturday to finish the 100km in under 4 weeks. I stopped worrying and decided to do it. I told myself that I just needed to fill in the last entry and I will have completed my goal.
I pushed myself on Saturday. The first 5km felt normal by now. The second lap was challenging. I felt very tempted to walk even for a small stretch, but I persevered. I tried to distract myself and not worry too much about the run. This eventually worked and I could get through the last lap relatively easily. I had completed my 100km.
Typical running day
I start in the morning at 9.00 with some basic stretching and warming up.
I leave my house at 9.30 and I’m done with my run by 10.00.
I stretch again, have a shower and cook.
At 12.00 its time for a big healthy meal and then I start my day.
What did I learn?
It feels hugely satisfying to have completed the 100km. It got progressively more challenging over the 4 weeks. The challenge as I anticipated was more mental than physical. The drive to complete the challenge played a huge part in it. However, I couldn’t have finished this without a log book where I could see my progress.
Immersing myself in running related content was entertaining and motivating in the beginning. It felt great to get excited about it. However, I approached this like work. I did not think every day would be amazing. I expected a mix of good and bad running days. Having a goal and a plan helped me navigate these days and focus on the challenge. On the last day of my run (after running 15km) I was tempted to go for another lap and also complete a half marathon. I felt ready and I was eager. But I decided against it. I did not want to risk injury. The distance was already far larger than what I had run the past month. I had to be careful to not over exert myself. It’s easy to get carried away. The key is in consistency and sticking to the plan (at least as much as possible).
The day after, I made a plan to run another full month (with a half marathon on the last day). I only lasted a week. Running is not something I completely enjoy and I definitely don’t feel as excited about it as with bouldering or basketball. But nevertheless, I have no regrets doing this challenge. Perhaps next year I’ll do 200km.