Why I Won’t Do the 496 Running Challenge Yet
How to decide whether to take on a running challenge
I find out about running challenges everywhere: at my running group workouts, on Strava (obviously), from runner friends, etc. They are also discussed on podcasts and YouTube videos.
I already have a training plan. Should I make room for challenges? Is it worth it? Can they hurt me? These are the type of questions I usually ask myself when I hear about a challenge that is particularly interesting.
I am contemplating doing the 496 challenge soon. Is it a good idea for me?
What is the 496 challenge?
The idea is very simple: the date is the number of kilometers you run. On the first day of the month, run 1 km. On the second day, 2 kms. The third day, 3 kms. And so on. On the last day of the month, run 31 kms. That adds up to 496 kms for that month. Ouch.
Is this challenge worth doing?
This is definitely more miles than I currently do in a month: more than double. I know I want to up my mileage, is this the right approach for me? Do I need to be that brutal to my body? Can my body take so much stress, especially in such a short period of time? I am not sure. I try to be overly conservative on how I increase my training volume in order to avoid getting injured. This challenge would definitely be a shock to my system.
Do I need the extra motivation?
No question that challenges are a great way to keep us motivated. It keeps us accountable and we are less likely to give up running altogether. Plus, when done with friends, it can provide a bit of friendly competition. With my race calendar already pretty full, I am not sure I need extra motivation to get out the door and run. If anything, participating would probably increase my mental stress.
Can I adapt the challenge to make it more accessible to me?
Theoretically yes. Any challenge variation is fair game. Of course, a challenge is no longer a challenge if it is too easy. Therefore I need to find a way to make it easier but still something I would be proud of doing. For the 496 challenge, an option would be to change the order. Instead of doing 1,2,3,…,31 I could do 1,31,2,30,3,29 etc. Will it be easier? Yes. Each week now has the same training volume. This variation would likely be a first step towards doing the challenge in its original version.
Conclusion
Most challenges happen on a regular basis. Major races happen on a yearly basis. Strava challenges are ephemeral but are often similar to one another in nature. There is almost never a time constraint on when to do them.
There is no reason for me to rush doing a challenge for which my body is not ready “yet.”
I strongly emphasize “yet.” As I improve as a runner, some challenges and even races become more feasible for me. The 496 challenge is very demanding and realistically, chances are it will hurt me more than it will improve my fitness.
So I won’t get extra kudos on Strava: that’s a bummer. But I will avoid injury: that’s a plus.
