How to Run 100 Miles in a Month

I Was Never a Runner Growing Up

Running is a huge part of who I am today. I go for a run just about every day. Surprisingly, though, I didn’t do cross country or track. In fact, I used to detest running. I never thought I would be talking about how to run 100 miles in a month.

Remember those timed mile runs in school for the Presidential Physical Fitness Test? I’d pump my little arms and run as fast as I could but still clocked in a good two or three minutes behind the herd. I didn’t have to take gym class in middle or high school (thank you French and band), so running was a thought of the past, a bad memory of elementary school. 

Senior year of high school, however, I started to get serious about my health. I wanted to lose some weight, sure, but more importantly, I wanted to be healthier. I knew my snacking and sedentary habits were not sustainable for a healthy life, especially as I entered college the next year. I needed to make a change. 

What Kickstarted My Running Journey

I not only changed my diet but also started exercising. What a concept, right? At first, I just walked. Walking felt more manageable than running and in retrospect, I was eating enough at the time to be doing more than that. By January of my senior year, I had reached my weight loss goal but was looking to take things to the next level so to speak. Enter RunDisney. 

Heard of it? It’s literally a run through a Disney park. Sign me up, right? I love Disney World. Like, I got my senior pictures taken at Disney World kind of love. I needed a new challenge and saw that there was a RunDisney Stars Race in April. Plus, I had just gotten a Nike Apple Watch and wanted to maximize its use. Somehow, I convinced my parents to bank roll that, and bam – I was training for my first official 5K race.

Ever since that first RunDisney race, I’ve been a runner. Running is my therapy, my me time, my escape. Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes to just nature. Occasionally a friend will join but to be honest, I’m more of a solo runner. I’ve done countless races since I first started my running journey and know that I will be a lifelong runner.

Running Slumps

I admit sometimes it’s easier to run than others. I can get into a running “slump” where it becomes more of a chore. That usually happens in the winter for me – when I am relegated to treadmill running and the days are short and cold. 

Since moving to Houston, however, I was excited for more outside winter running. I was so excited, in fact, I decided to run 100 miles in the month of January. Spoiler alert – I did it! First of all, I am very proud of myself for sticking with it. I didn’t even let the 5 inches of snow Houston received (you read that right) hold me back. My full running calendar is below if you’d like to look it over, but first I want to share what running 100 miles in a month taught me.

What I Learned

• Mental strength: Having run 3 or 4 sluggish miles knowing I still had that many to go was daunting at times. Those longer runs challenged me to push myself and overcome that small discomfort. I knew my body could do it and lo and behold it did!
• Planning: I knew I would have to be running 3-4 miles daily if I was really going to run 100 miles in a month, which meant planning not only when I was going to run but also what I was going to eat, what I was going to wear, and where I was going to run. Accomplishing this goal definitely took some diligent planning. Thank goodness I have a planner!
• Flexibility: Yes, I learned I needed to stretch after (almost) every run, but I also learned to be flexible with my time. While I did my best to plan out my runs, I couldn’t control the weather. Sometimes that meant running more the next day or splitting up my runs (e.g., running before and after work). Even if my running plans got messed up for a day, I was still able to accomplish my overall goal.
• Determination: I have always been determined but truthfully have felt a little lost since finishing school and starting work full-time. Sure, I’m determined to do well in my job and what not, but that isn’t really time-bound. I thrived in school when I had 16 weeks in a semester to get a good grade. Setting the goal of 100 miles in a month helped reinvigorate my inherent determination.
• Kindness: Ever heard the expression be kind to yourself? Well, I really put that to practice this month. Self kindness for me looked like not caring about what I looked like or what I weighed but rather on what I could do. Self kindness meant honoring my body when it needed rest and pushing it when it was on the brink of something great.
• Open-mindedness: Now that I’ve reached my goal of 100 miles in a month, I am more open to setting other goals. After all, I know I can accomplish them if I set my mind to it. Maybe there’s a half or even full marathon on the horizon…

How to Run 100 Miles in a Month

Setting this challenge for myself helped respark my joy of running and keep me motivated this past month. If you had told little elementary Maddie pumping her arms in the mile run she would one day run 100 miles in a month, her mind would have been blown. Who knew setting a fitness goal can actually be a good thing? :p 

I encourage you, reader, to set your own fitness goal and open your mind to what you can do. Not a runner? What about walking 100 miles in a month? Or even 50? If you are already a cardio master, try strength training 2x/week. Pilates or yoga are great options, too. It’s up to you!

Remember, you CAN achieve your goals!

Download this free PDF and track your own goal!