@coachjeffsmith The #RunfortheSun 2015 challenge is on

I have been listening to Coach Jeff’s Running Podcast since 2013. I love running and listening to podcasts, especially the ones that talk about running, training, working out, nutrition, music, and other things that interest me. Coach Jeff’s podcast („Train to race, race to win, but…man…you have a heap of fun along the way“) is particularly entertaining. It’s entertaining in a way that Coach Jeff speaks to his listeners directly. And I love the way he gets us involved in his show – by reading our e-mails and having that „speak button“ on his website. (His rants about anything in the world of athletics are the best!)

So last year in June I was wondering what the talk about the „Run for the sun“ was all about. Until I found out, not listening very regularly, it was over. And that’s when I decided to be part of it in 2015!

During the Run For The Sun challenge, runners from all over the world participate to run every single day of the month.

So here it is June again and the 2015 Run For The Sun is on. Coach Jeff has been steadily building up the excitement with podcast episodes and lots of stories about the history of the event hosted and organized by himself. The idea to run every day for one month throughout the month of June is a great idea in that it connects a community of runners with one goal: Run every day and have fun doing it.

So that’s how Coach Jeff creates a social network of runners on his website, on Facebook, on Twitter, in his podcasts and in real life. When he introduced some runners that would be part of the challenge, I learned that Christiane from Germany, actually from a town nearby where I live, was to be part of it, and through her blog we quickly connected.

And now I am really excited to be part of the Run For The Sun challenge even if it doesn’t really fit into my training plan. I ran a marathon just three weeks ago and it would be better to cut down on my mileage and do more cross-training such as Yoga and swimming. However, as Coach Jeff warned in episode 173 „Run for the sun (part 4)“: „Be careful running every day – listen to your body“. That’s what I intend to do. I don’t plan on winning the challenge with the most miles after 30 days. I just intend to accept the challenge of running every single day.

However, I do intend to do some serious running this June, and these are just a few of the races I will be participating in:

date	event name	kilometres
20-Jun-15	Herrenberg Old Town Race	10
22-Jun-15	Brooks Run Happy Tour	10
28-Jun-15	Stuttgart Run Half Marathon	21

But most of all I am looking forward to connect with Coach Jeff’s worldwide running community, train to race, race to win. And certainly the challenge will help me in having a heap of fun along the way!

Thank you, Coach Jeff, for introducing me to the community in your podcast:

http://www.therunningpodcast.com/2015/05/25/running-podcast-171-run-for-the-sun-2015-part-3/

Run for the sun day 1

To log my mileage, I am keeping this diary throughout the month of June to record every kilometre I run.

And please see my running activity at nikeplus.nike.com – jochen_runs and join me there! Thanks to RFTS, I’ve found one new nike-friend.

On top of that, I am sending Coach Jeff a twitter message @coachjeffsmith after every run! Made some new Twitter acquaintances through #Runforthesun, too.

Being an accountant, I am keeping a neat Excel file to log running activity and other workouts, too:

April saw me doing my marathon training at its peak. Ran the marathon in Mainz on May 10 and crushed my PB.

Now the Run for the sun activity perfectly suits me, as I plan to recover quickly from the marathon race and just get in the easy miles. Only two hard workouts per week with my running club. And of course some races: 2 10Ks and a half marathon.

RFTS day	event name	kilometres
1	Running Club track training	14,8
2	Run for the Sun easy miles	4,4
3	Running Club track training	10,4
4	Running Club easy miles	16,8
5	RFTS easy miles in the blistering heat	2,5
6	RFTS easy miles, still sweating	7,8
7	RFTS easy miles	5,1
8	RFTS easy miles	2,5
9	RFTS slightly longer run, very slow and easy	13,8
10	RFTS easy miles – skipped track training	4
11	Running Club slow run	10,8
12	RFTS easy miles – not much time, thunderstorms & Critical Mass Ride	2,5
13	RFTS quick run before midnight – 100K covered	5,2
14	RFTS Sunday long run	17,3
15	Running Cub track training – 5K – 19:50	5,2
16	RFTS quick & easy	7,5
17	Running Club track training – 400m rounds	5,4
18	RFTS easy miles	12
19	RFTS easy miles	2,5
20	Herrenberg Old Town Race	7
21	Running Club long run	28
22	RFTS easy miles	2
23	RFTS easy miles	4,5
24	RFTS easy miles	2,2
25	RFTS easy miles	2,2
26	RFTS easy miles	2,5
27	RFTS easy miles	2
28	Stuttgart Run Half Marathon	21,1