Pile on the Miles 2009
I feel like Meghann – my lunch consisted of a bunch of random items thrown into a salad bowl! 
The star of my salad was a pomegranate. I love how POMs are so time-intensive to cut open, but in the end, you have 2 cups of arils to show for all your hard work!
How to cut open a POM fruit (without ruining your shirt).
My salad consisted of:
- Green lentils (cold)
- POM arils
- Feta cheese
- Carrots
- Lettuce
It was an unusual combination, but it worked! I think the feta cheese balanced the salty flavor of the lentils and the sweetness of the arils.
I had a serving of crackers on the side.
I also snacked on a mini Glo Bar this morning:
The Second Annual PILE ON THE MILES 2009 Challenge
Last November, I signed up for Bobbi’s Pile on the Miles Challenge. I’m really excited to help her host this blogger/reader challenge again!
It’s almost part of the holiday season to slack off between November and December, and then vow on January 1 to get back on track. It’s hard to stay focused on your workout and eating goals when there are office parties, family dinners, and Christmas cookies at every turn. But this year, let’s try something new. Instead of piling on the pounds, let’s PILE ON THE MILES!
Last year, Bobbi’s event had amazing results. As a group, we piled on 1,763.52 miles! In third place was Lacey @ Common Objects and Everyday Events with 127 total miles; in second place was Monica @ Run, Eat, Repeat with 131.38 total miles; and the winner, Sammie @ Running With A Recipe, ran 135.78 total miles!
From November 1 to Thanksgiving, keep track of how many miles you run or walk. We’ve created a group Google Document so you can post your miles on the spreadsheet. Be honest!
To ensure everyone has a chance to win, we’ll be selecting three winners this time.
- The Grand Prize winner will be based on total mileage.
- To qualify for the General Entry category, all you have to do is pile on at least 10 miles during the month of November!
- To qualify for the Operation Beautiful entry, you must spread the Operation Beautiful love while out on your runs. Get creative – carry chalk with you, bring post its, or write it in the sand. But you’ve got to take a picture and e-mail it to me!
We’re working on pulling together some amazing prizes for the winners!
Last year I piled on 67 miles as part of Bobbi’s POTM 2009 challenge. This year, I’m aiming for 100 miles.
The POTM 2009 Challenge is a great way to stay motivated, participate in the blog world, have fun, and be healthy during the holiday season! If you’d like to participate, e-mail me at seebriderun@gmail.com and I’ll send your the link to the Google Document spreadsheet. You have until October 31, 2009 to enter!
- Note 1: I am double checking with Bobbi, but I’m 99% sure that you must physically RUN or WALK the mileage. Biking, elliptical, swimming, etc is awesome, but it cannot count for this challenge because then we have to do all sorts of weird calculations. Yes, POTM is a runner-specific challenge, but I still love all you non-runners, too.
- Note 2: You don’t need a blog to enter – anyone can!
POTM 2009! Remember, if you want to participate, you must e-mail me (seebriderun@gmail.com).
Posted by: Caitlin 82 comments
Posted in: All Posts
on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
nice! i’ll definitely will be joining! i’ll email you rightaway! too bad i’m not training for a marathon right now (next one will be in April
)
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Ummm…do I have to run for pile on the miles? Because my total would be about 2.
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
great POTM challenge!!
jenna
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
oh yeah… when is thanksgiving? haha we don’t celebrate that
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Just sent an email to sign me up. I love this kind of challenge. Thanks!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Wow!! What a wonderful incentive!! I am IN!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
do you think the latest “Hangry Pants” post is taking a dig at you in any way?
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caitlin Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
no. heather and i are friends and she’s not the type of person to make blog-digs at other people anyway. i think she’s just going through a troublesome time.
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Awe, I TOTALLY want to join POTM but I’m not sure when I can start running again!
I miss running and it’s only been a week, I have no idea how you did over a month!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Fun! I’m in!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I’m in!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Finally a challenge I am good at
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I wish my biking miles would count!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
ohhhh man! I REALLY want to do it but I can’t with this freakin’ broken foot!!!!!!!!!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
what a fun lunch combo! I love pom.
I definitely want to do this challenge. I don’t know how much I can do, but I’ll give it my best!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Oooh, yay! Consider me in
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I emailed you because I definitely need a running motivator and this challenge fits the bill.
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Does a running and walking combination qualify?????
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caitlin Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
yes, as long as you are on your feet, it counts
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Oh man, I want to do this challenge! I need to fix my bum foot first, though. :/ Does walking on crutches count? Lol.
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
That salad may be a little random but it looks good!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
I’m glad you said run or walk! Once it gets cold, I definitely don’t run, but I do try to walk every day. My normal workout is on the elliptical, but maybe I”ll switch to the treadmill so that it will count…
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
i can’t run that often cause it hurts my knees
can i count the miles that i ellipticalled or step milled?
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caitlin Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
im checking with bobbi but im guessing the answer is it must be run or walk. will let you know via an update to the blog post.
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
You are so lucky you went on that Pom tour. That must have been great to learn so much about Poms and learn how to open them. I need to find me some pomegranates!
Can’t wait for the POTM Challenge!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Yay I am in this is just the motivation I needed!!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Hi Caitlin, do you need to have a blog in order to enter this challenge?
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caitlin Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
nope! the more, the merrier!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
OOh fun! It gets pretty dang cold in Wisco during the next month, and I hate running the treadie, but its a def. possibility!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Yay! I am very excited for the challenge, what a terrific idea!!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I’m so excited!!! I want to participate!!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I’ve emailed you
looking forward to november 1!!
♥
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
What a great idea & challenge!!!
I know I am worried a bit about the holidays….as I am sure every women is and this is a great way to stay motivated, though I am not sure I can achieve 100+ miles in 3 weeks, YIKES!!!
But I will do as many as I can.
Good Luck Everyone!!!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Aww man, I just ran a marathon yesterday — can those miles count?!?
No doubt, I am participating in this — I had a severe inability to calculate my mileage until last week when I got a Garmin! So, I am all about keeping track of my mileage now. Sounds like a fun challenge!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
this sounds like so much fun! i think i’m going to enter! great challenge!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Love it! Count me in!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Love the POM salad!
I’m in for POTM!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
I bought a POM yesterday, so I will have to refer to those instructions for how to open one and take the goodness out without staining my shirt!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I love this idea! I’m in!
What a great way to stay motivated
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
what a great challenge .. I am getting ready for a 5k on THanksgiving morning .. This will really keep me motivated with my exercise schedule until then .. thanks
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
this is just what i need to get my running groove back!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
This is a great challenge!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
[...] my working out and eating habits for a while..but have been lazy as usual. Then today i saw in Caitlin’s blog about the POTM 2009 that she is hosting and have decided to give it a go..and accompany it [...]
on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Great challenge!
Also, I was wondering what kind of bread you normally use for your toast and such? I’m looking for a good, lower cal bread. Thanks!
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Caitlin Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
i like arnold or nature’s path whole wheat bread. they are both 100% WW and have about 100 calories a slice. a good alternative is the arnold sandwich thins, they have 100 calories for the entire sandwich bun.
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
YAY! I am so excited for this challenge!!!!!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
A fun challenge!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I love thrown together salads like that-sometimes they are the tastiest
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
[...] In other News-I signed up for the Caitlin’s Pile on the Miles Challenge. I am doing this to help motivate myself through the holiday season to keep working out instead of putting on the pounds. Check it out for yourself! [...]
on Oct 26th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
What weekend is American Thanksgiving?
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Caitlin Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Thursday, November 26th
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
[...] by busygradgirl I’m super-excited about the Pile On The Miles Challenge that Bobbi and Caitlin are hosting! The competition is to see who can pile on the most miles in just under a month. Last [...]
on Oct 26th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Sounds fun and it’s perfect timing for me since I’ll be training for Boston.
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Hi, I’ve posted a few times and as always, I love your blog
About two months ago I went on my “long run” of the week (11 miles) and ended up with an achy knee that progressed to actual pain on my following runs. I couldn’t do more than 3 miles for a while, and even opted out of a race I had signed up for because I was too scared, upset and concerned to attempt it. After a couple of weeks off, I tried again and got a knee brace, iced, etc, but the pain never went away. I ran tonight for the first time in 3 weeks ( I have been crosstraining) and while there wasn’t pain, I still feel hesitant. I’ve never experienced this before, and I followed your blog as you went through a similar frustration. The only thing that is keeping me positive is seeing you complete double digit runs!! My question is this – how did your knees feel in the “introductory” runs followingg your hiatus? Is a slight achiness okay? I am wearing a knee brace and icing, as well as taking it slow for a while. My “injury” occurred at the end of 2 months of intense running (almost every day, usually more than 5 miles. I also didn’t follow the 10% increase rule at all). I’d love some advice on how you FELT when you started again, physically. Thanks so much!
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Caitlin Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
i am sorry you have knee pain
i FELT physically slow and sluggish. my pace had dropped almost 1 minute/mile. but my knees felt normal. no pain or discomfort or weirdness. they really shouldnt feel achy or sore still. it might mean they aren’t 100% ready for running.
remember that when i start to run again i did like, 7 miles in a week TOTAL. and then 9. and then 10. VERY SLOWLY. i would take it easy for the rest of the week (if you just ran today) and try again next week and see what happens. as you know, its very easy to injury yourself and not very easy to heal. slow and steady DEFINITELY wins the injury race.
good luck
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
My weekly mileage is still pretty low BUT I will be doing this in spirit! I’ve already committed to Angela’s “Project Snow” so I have no plans on cutting back on running as it gets cold out. I also have no plans on skimping out on spin class and weight lifting through the holiday season. If anything, I could use it as an excuse to take a break from my family!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
hey caitlin! quick question about tracking POTM mileage. i don’t have a garmin or pedometer or any way to track exact mileage, and i usually walk/run outside on the street or on paths, not on a track or a treadmill. to get a general idea of my distance i say 10 minutes jogged = 1 mile and 15 minutes walked = 1 mile. is that way ok for POTM?
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Caitlin Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
yes
its all based on scout’s honor, so just try to be accurate in your guesses.
you could also use google earth!
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Runningwriter Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 7:02 am
http://www.mapmyrun.com/ is another useful site for mileage tracking and you can save routes there.
I’m excited about POTM, I’ve emailed Bobbi already!
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on Oct 26th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
[...] also decided to join Caitlin, Bobbi, and many others in the Pile on the Miles challenge that begins on November [...]
on Oct 26th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Hi!
This sounds like a great way to stay motivated to keep up with the 1/2 marathon training I’m doing and to stay motivated to stay on track during the holiday season!
I’m gonna email you right now to participate!
Thanks!!!
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on Oct 27th, 2009 at 7:44 am
This sounds like a great challenge – thanks for organizing it! You’ll be seeing an email from me soon.
Hope the book drafting is going well!
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on Oct 27th, 2009 at 8:49 am
[...] Document so you can post your miles on the spreadsheet. Be honest! To sign up, go to Bobbi or Caitlin’s posts and contact them. I am so excited to participate. It will be great motivation to see [...]
on Oct 27th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
[...] sure no one wants to see a picture of that. I hope it gets better soon since I’m doing Pile on the Miles 09 which Caitlin posted about earlier today starting November 1st and I’d rather not be sick [...]
on Oct 28th, 2009 at 9:06 am
[...] It’s time to Pile on the Miles from November 1st to Thanksgiving. Will you join me in the challenge? All you have to do is head over to Caitlin’s Healthy Tipping Point blog (one of my favorite food/fitness blogs) and read the instructions at the end of this post. [...]
on Oct 28th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
[...] of challenges, I’m excited to join in on the Pile On the Miles Challenge! Bobbi and Caitlin have teamed up to bring about this challenge again and I’m very enthused about participating. [...]
on Oct 28th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
[...] I’m out to conquer 5.5 miles. I plan to keep my track of my mileage for the Pile on the Miles 2009 Challenge on my workout schedule. This way I can keep track myself of how many miles I run. I can’t [...]
on Oct 29th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
[...] going to be incorporating more outdoor walking while I can. I’ve even signed up for Caitlin’s Pile on the Miles 2009 challenge! Hopefully some competition will keep me [...]
on Oct 31st, 2009 at 12:43 pm
[...] dare this past week instructing everyone to make goals for themselves for November. November is also Pile on the Miles so some of the goals are going to go along with that as [...]
on Oct 31st, 2009 at 8:27 pm
[...] Tomorrow is World Vegan Day! I’m also planning some more mini-challenges for November that I can’t wait to get started on, in addition to Pile on the Miles. [...]
on Nov 1st, 2009 at 6:41 am
[...] No reason to be jealous ladies and gents. But, you can be jealous of me earning my first 3 miles for Pile On The Miles. [...]
on Nov 1st, 2009 at 11:28 am
[...] Day 1 POTM 09 Posted by Sammi under Uncategorized Leave a Comment Today is the start of Pile on the Miles! I ran around the neighborhood a few times to get in a few miles. I couldn’t use my normal [...]
on Nov 1st, 2009 at 2:09 pm
[...] participating in POTM (Pile on the Miles) so I’m off to go for a short walk/run followed by some cleaning. Being [...]
on Nov 1st, 2009 at 9:44 pm
[...] excited to participate in the Pile On The Miles (POTM) challenge hosted by Bobbi and Caitlin. I saw my sister participate in this last year I think it’s an [...]
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 2:00 pm
[...] #2: Caitlin and Bobbi’s Pile on the Miles challenge. How many miles can we run/walk in November? As a new runner, I by no means expect to be [...]
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 9:15 pm
[...] as I can get. I need to start running again asap! I have joined Caitlin and many others in the Pile On The Miles Challenge 2009! It’s an amazing way to keep up the exercise during this holiday season by recording how many [...]
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 pm
[...] a great time to pick one to help you get through the Holidays. I’m participating in POTM and also another challenge at TheNest that Kelsey from Kelseytoney has told me about. This [...]
on Nov 11th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
[...] #2: Caitlin and Bobbi’s Pile on the Miles challenge. Honestly? I haven’t been getting in tons of miles, but I’ve been listening [...]
on Nov 15th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
[...] this weekend, I am finally in first place for the Pile on the Miles competition. I am only in first place by a few miles, so I better step up my game. They don’t know who they [...]
on Nov 16th, 2009 at 7:59 am
[...] I’ve been trying to POTM (Pile On The Miles), but my pile is a bit smaller than I had anticipated – I’ve only been averaging about [...]
on Nov 22nd, 2009 at 10:10 am
[...] walked 2.5 miles earlier in the day and wanted to go out again. Dog walking is good for the POTM challenge though. Despite our many walks, I managed to make it to the gym. I did 20 minutes on the elliptical [...]
on Aug 2nd, 2010 at 9:26 pm
[...] – It seems to be a month of challenges in the blog-o-sphere. I really wanted to take part in the Pile on the Miles Challenge (POTM) this month, but it looks like it’s a no-go. This challenge uses Google Documents to track miles [...]