A month ago I started my first real 30-day challenge.

What was it?

I run every day, at 5.30 am, before breakfast, with only a cup of coffee in my body, for 5-15 km.

As you have already read in the ABOUT section, I have always practiced running. And I had already tried a challange like this, preparing for the race that is held in the village where I am now every year in June .

But things were different.

Until now I had always trained in my spare time, going to run often in the evening, for 3-4 km, to keep me active and not to stay untrained.

The 30-day challenge had a different goal. Indeed, more goals.

1- Move regularly, every day.

In this way I was sure of doing my duty and keeping myself trained.

2- Form the character.

When you start running, especially if early in the morning, your body doesn’t want to move, and your mind keeps sending you messages like “bring your ass back to bed”, ” you can’t do it”, “yours neighbors still sleep, what the hell are you going to run out at this hour? ” .

In 30 days this mentality changed. Indeed, to tell the truth it takes much less, because from the first few days you will feel an excitement for the race, and to mark an x ​​on the calendar sheet, and you will want to keep on running.

3- Here in Italy it is very hot in this period. If I went running later, I would do a sauna. And in the evening there is a lot of heat, so I can’t run quietly. The run at 5.30am seemed the best choice.

4- Challenge my own limits.

Waking up early is already tiring, running early is even more so, and running without having eaten first complicates everything.

MORE DETAILS: D

• Pre workout: simply a cup of espresso with a teaspoon of honey (sugar = energy) and a dash of milk (I can’t drink coffee as it is).

• Technical shoe. You can’t run with unsuitable shoes!

• Post workout: magnesium citrate (I’ll talk about this supplement in the section below) .

• After training, and having had a nice cold shower, and a plenty breakfast (eggs, goat milk with oats or cereal, yogurt, toast with jam…).

WHAT HAPPENED IN THESE 30 DAYS

• Along the sun and the rain, I’ve always been out running.

• In the first few days I felt pain in my knees, despite 30 minutes of stretching before each ride, but it took only a few days to fade.

• It has become a routine. I liked running so much, that, barring unforeseen circumstances, I will continue to do so.

• I lost fat (unfortunately, I’m already skinny) but I gained some muscles. The body adapts itself to the efforts, so it has understood that it has to develop more reactive muscles in the abdominals and legs.

• It was an opportunity to take time for myself and listen to some good music. I created a playlist (Beatles, Maroon Five, Metallica ….) and I enjoyed it every morning.

• Basically, I enjoyed it.

And have you already experienced a 30-day challenge? Let me know.

To the next challenge!