20 Minute Treadmill Challenge

I was sitting here, thinking what I could blog about, and then I Tweeted about the 20 minute treadmill challenge. I figured, what the heck, I'll throw the gauntlet down and see who picks it up.



I've been participating in the 20 Minute Treadmill Challenge with the Ford Runner's Club for the last few years. I'm trying to remember if I did it in 2007. I know I did in 2008. I am again this year. I ran my baseline today, and managed 2.09 miles in 20 minutes.

I'm inviting all of you, dear readers, to participate in the challenge with me this year. (Yeah, I know, short notice. Deal with it. You're tough, right?)

Here's how it works:
1- You decide to participate, because you are (wo)manly, tough, brave, competitive, or whatever, or because you are bored of treadmilling without purpose, just to get through the winter (that's me.).

2- Sometime before February 7th, you run 20 minutes on the treadmill, and you write down how many miles you went. During your run, you keep the pace above 5.0 mph to the best of your ability. (The Ford Runner's Club is more strict than I'll be. They have a walker's division which you have to keep the pace below 4.9 mph.) NO SANDBAGGING. This is your baseline distance.

3- You report back here, in the comments, with your distance.

4- For the next 8 weeks, you run faster and longer workouts.

5- During the week of March 29th to April 4th, you run the challenge again, and report back here what your new distance is.

6- We calculate who is the most improved and cheer for them.

If more than 5 people complete both parts of the challenge with me, I'll throw in a $25 prize (for local Michiganders, a gift certificate to Running Fit or the Tortoise and the Hare, for non-locals, a gift certificate to eastbay or something similar.) for the most improved non-me runner. If there's any interest in a walker's league, we can do that too.

How's that sound? Who's in?