#R4MLSpr20 - 30 Day Challenge

Spring Has Sprung and Aries Season is HERE! 

Welp! The #CoronaVirus is also here and we are pretty much on lock down but I figured this would be a GREAT time to focus on this overly long fitness journey of mine. I decided to bring back the original #RunningForMyLife challenge because it seems that the running theme is that people are starting over in effort to get themselves ready for the summer. So am I. So...this simple challenge should help you all to get started and keep it going! Let's do this!

Welcome to the #RunningForMyLife 30 Day Challenge!

Now, I will be very honest and say that initially this was a challenge that I posed to myself with no intentions of sharing it with my audience. I most certainly did not want to put this challenge out and "fail" at it in front of everyone. Meaning, if I did not do all of what I intended to do, I wouldn't have to look you all in the face and figure out how to say that I didn't do what I set out to do. But then I realized a few things:

• There is no reason to initially think that I will fail.
• No matter what, this will be good for me.
• I could truly help, inspire, and encourage someone to take those "first steps".

Before I get into the specifics of the challenge, I want you to take a deep breath and know that I am not going to try to run you to death. Do I need to run myself to death? Absolutely. But I know and understand that a lot of you who have inquired about my running regimen have also stated that you are either a novice to running, walking, or working out at all, and I am very mindful of that. There was once a time when I was very anxious about taking those first steps, so I want you all to be as comfortable as possible in doing so. All I ask, before presenting the challenge, is that you do the following things:

1. Set your mind to succeed - Everyday, we lose sight of the things that we want to accomplish in life because we are constantly dealing with "life". If you wake up everyday and remind yourself that success is within reach and that you are willing and able to do whatever it takes to achieve it, YOU WILL SUCCEED!
2. Lose the excuses - "Excuses are tools of incompetence used to build monuments of nothingness and those who dwell in them seldom accomplish anything..." Now I don't know how many of you had to learn that statement, or a variation of it, at some point in your life, but what I do know is that there are no lies told within it. Am I primarily talking to myself with this point? Absolutely. But I want you all to know and understand that excuses will get you nowhere. Let's be prepared to set them aside and work on us!
3. Believe in yourself without the expectation of others believing in you - You are the ONLY person that can dream, plan, execute, and succeed in goals that you set for yourself. The only way to do this is to believe in yourself. Now, it is great that other people believe in you. Hell, I believe in you. But what exactly does that mean? I can cheer you on. I can give you daily motivational quotes. I can record podcasts for you to listen to while you execute this challenge. But I can't do it for you. I can't believe in you for you. You have to do that yourself. 

So, what is the #RunningForMyLife 30 Day Challenge? 

The challenge is made up of a few different aspects in an effort to cater to all who would like to join. Here are the basics:

1. Walk or run 30 miles in 30 days - Ok, don't freak out on me already. Let me break down exactly what this means.
   
   • You can walk/run a mile a day. 
   • You can walk/run multiple miles at a time, as long as your get 30 miles in 30 days.
   • If walking/running is not the type of challenge you are in the mode for, try this:
2. Challenge yourself to do some sort of exercise 30 minutes a day, three days a week.
   • You can do yoga.
   • You can do HIIT.
   • You can get on the stationary bike.
   • The gyms are closed, but most of them are giving out access to online home videos. Take advantage of them!
   • You can do other workout videos at home such as Leslie Sansone walking videos or PopSugar workouts. They are all effective!
   • You can hit the weights.
   • Anything that promotes fitness...take 30 minutes and do it!

I can hear you all now (and myself), "Sis, what about the pollen? What about #TheRona?". We won't be using any of this as an excuse. Nope. Not going to do it. Here is what you can do to get it in... 

•  If the sun is shining, PLEASE take advantage of it! We had such a rainy winter here in Georgia and it was so damn depressing. I told myself that I would not let a day go by where the sun is shining and not enjoy it. 

• Take those allergy meds every day along with your vitamins. These things will help guard you from everything that's going around right now. 
• If your gym is still open and you would rather go there to work out, PLEASE take the necessary precautions and WIPE EVERYTHING DOWN! Even if its a gym in your apartment building or a small private gym. Do what you need to do to say safe. 
• If you have a mask, or even a scarf, it can help to keep the pollen (and The Rona) from getting into your lungs. It won't do much for your eyes, but you gotta take the win even if its small lol.

To get us all through this challenge, I am dedicated to providing accountability check-ins via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can post your screenshots from your fitness tracker apps with the hashtag #R4MLSpr20. I will be following this hashtag on all platforms and will gladly pull up on your post to lend some encouragement!

Last but not least, here are a few apps that could help you along with this challenge (yes, another bullet point list):

• Fitbit - If you already have a Fitbit, great. You can hit me up for my credentials and add me as a friend. You can also, from what I understand, download the app and use it in conjunction with your phone to record your steps without actually having the device.
• Apple Watch and/or other fitness trackers - Any fitness tracker will do. They all have great software that will record your fitness efforts.
• Other apps - Runkeeper, C25K, Nike Run Club, are just a few apps that will record your efforts without a fitness tracker. If you need help finding one, or would like my opinion on what works best, feel free to reach out and I will gladly help. You can find me on most of these apps @autumnthearies! Let's connect!!

The challenge starts Sunday, March 22nd, and will run through Monday, April 20th (Then you can celebrate 4/20 style lol). It's literally as simple as 30 miles or 12 solid 30 minute workouts in 30 days. I want to see social posts, videos, boomerangs, EVERYTHING! Don't forget the hashtags! Let your mental, physical, and even spiritual journey begin here. I can't wait to hear your success stories! Let's Go!

#R4MLSpr20

-AtA