I ran 1200+ kms in 2023

Yes, I ran 1200+ kilometers in the calendar year 2023.

No, I did not run it in one go.

No, I did not run from place A to place B.

Here is what I did.

I challenged myself to cumulatively run 1200 kms in 12 months of 2023. I thank my friends who were crazy enough to join me. I called the challenge #1200in2023.

1200 kms in 12 months breaks down to 100 kms per month. It further breaks down to a little over 3 kms per day.

Easy enough, isn’t it? Hold on to your judgement – let me take you through the process. Here is what I learnt.

Big Goal – Small Milestones

The pyramids of Giza are about 500 feet tall. However, they were made of stone-slabs that were only a couple of feet in thickness. The architects decided the total height of the pyramid and then broke it down into manageable pieces.

I did the same. I set a Big Goal, knowing fully that no superhuman effort on my part would be enough to achieve it. It had to be conquered in small steps.

I set small milestones. I broke it down into daily targets. 3.34 kms per day seems much less intimidating that 1200 kms.

However big the goal, always set small milestones by breaking it down to daily/hourly goals. Focus on small milestones. Ignore the big goals once the small milestones are locked in.

You don’t win every day

I accepted the fact that I would not be able to run every single day. I factored it in my planning. I made most of it when the conditions were favourable. I rested when it was not.

While 3.34 kms/day was the small milestone, I added a few more units to take care of rainy days. I decided to run 5 kms whenever I set out to run. This decision brought down my running days in a month from 30 to 20.

I ran 245/365 days with an average of 5.07 kms/day.

I did not run 120 days (1/3rd of the year) and still achieved the target. You don’t win every day. Plan for additional effort on the days you show up.

Assign Constants

I had a few loyal companions in this journey. I gave them personalities – so they can motivate me to run.

My honor-band smartwatch dutiful recorded all my runs. My Brooks shoes did the heavy lifting (or should I say running). My kneecaps held my knees together. My bicycle took me to my running track every single day. The botanical garden (my running track) provided me with fresh oxygen every single time. Google forms helped us capture the progress online.

These constants never changed through the year. They motivated me to get up and get going. It is important to have some constants in life. Introduction of new elements could disrupt the continuity.

Constants could also be your friends. However, I have realized that individual goals are best achieved individually. I ran alone. My friends ran by themselves. However, we all ran for the same Big Goal.

Factor the eventualities

The #1200in2023 challenge started on 1-Jan-2023. January is the coldest month of the year for me. It was tempting to stay tucked in and let the winter pass. However, that would have put me into the month of March with zero kms on the board.

There are two major weather watch-outs in a year. December-February for the cold and July-September for the monsoon. Since I run outdoors, I needed to factor in these eventualities.

I could run in the cold as long as I made it to the track, and that is what I did. I made the most out of January & February by putting 243 kms on the board. I had defeated the most challenging part of the year and came out 43 kms ahead of my monthly target.

As far as the rains are concerned – I decided to maintain a flexible daily schedule. I ran in the evenings on most days during monsoon. I ran inside my apartment complex that provides a partially covered drive-way.

It works if you make it work. Keep the small milestones in mind and be flexible with what helps you achieve it.

Be Mindful

I once met a long-lost friend at Botanical Garden during my morning run. We wanted to exchange numbers to stay in touch. My friend was surprised when I told him that I don’t carry my cell-phone when I run.

I may have carried my cell-phone once or twice in my 245 outings. It was to attend an important work-related call that clashed with my run-schedule.

I use the run-time to practice mindfulness. The rhythmic tapping sounds of my footsteps are my music. I watch the trees, I watch the birds, I watch the rocks, I watch the sunrise – I notice everything. Running has become a form of meditation for me.

I appreciate the environment and I feel grateful for its consistent support. I am often so lost in my thoughts while running, that I fail to notice friends who wave at me. If you are one of those friends – please forgive me for my indulgence. ?

The 40-50 minutes of solitude is Me-Time. It gives me a chance to reflect on life. My thoughts are most creative when I run. I often come back home and write the good ones in my diary.

Be mindful when you are doing any activity. Do not mix it with other distractions. I come back energized after a run – and I thank my mindful practices for that.

Peaks & Troughs

I ran three 10K marathons in this calendar year. Incidentally it happened over three consecutive weekends. I ran the third one on 5th of March.

March was one of my lowest run-months of the year. I may have over-done myself. I ran only 72 kms in March. I recorded below hundred kms in June, August and September. 1.24 kms was my lowest recorded daily-run.

However, I had some great months too. I clocked 160 kms in May (I ran 30/31 days) and above 100 kms in 6 more months. My highest day-record was 11.66 kms.

I just accepted that there will be peaks and troughs. If I had a trough, I decided to make up the deficit over the next 7 days. Big Goals are delivered by small milestones. Deficit in small milestones can always be compensated in short-term.

Fix a time-window to make yourself whole. My time-window was the end of the month. My target was to complete the quota for that month and then some more. For example – I made sure I was above 100 kms in January, above 200 kms in February and so on.

My peaks ensured that I achieve my 1200 kms target in 11 months. I am enjoying December – choosing to run at leisure.

Do it with friends

Individual achievements are great, but group achievements are awesome. There is no greater feeling than running along with friends and inspiring each other to break boundaries. About 20 friends joined me in this challenge. Their performance motivated me to achieve my Big Goal.

The challenge helped them break their own boundaries. I am forever thankful to Ashim, Vivekshankar, Nripen, Anand, Sangeeta, Anshul, Bala, Avinash and others who kept me focused.

Motivation

What motivates you to do what you do? Is it the right kind of motivation? Can the motivation sustain in the long run?

It is critical to find the right kind of motivation for any activity. Motivation could be short-term or long-term. My motivation to run was to stay healthy. Running was helping me physically, mentally & psychologically to stay healthy.

It gave me time to reflect. I processed my negative emotions while running. I found a way to forgive myself and push out harmful thoughts. Running made me sweat, but the process was actually cleansing me.

It taught me a very important lesson in life. Nothing is achieved overnight and everything can be achieved in the long-term. Running reinforced this message in my psyche. It kept me motivated to achieve the Big Goal and enjoy the sense of accomplishment.

Find your motivation. Link it to your growth. It will automatically push you to achieve your Big Goals.

What is next

It would be a travesty to let go of this wonderful momentum. 2024 is going to be the year of planking. Bigger Goals – Smaller Milestones. I am challenging myself to plank a cumulative of 2024 minutes in 2024. I call this #2024in2024.

I am looking forward to plank with 35+ friends who have agreed to be part of this challenge. Would you like to be? part of this healthy journey.?

Break boundaries. Live Healthy. Be Happy.