The Friday 5k challenge happens every Friday during the winter (December 21-March 21).  Read my blog post about it below.

I’ve always had a hard time being motivated to exercise on Fridays. It’s the end of the week and I’m usually tired from working all week, as well as from my mid week workouts. Nothing sounds better than hitting snooze and sleeping in as late as possible. And working out after work on a Friday?! Yeah right!

A couple of Fridays ago I somehow found the motivation for a short run and during it I had a revolutionary (in my mind at least) idea: The Friday 5k Challenge! It’s simple, every Friday during the winter (so technically December 21-March 21) you run 5k. This is not a New Year’s Resolution, but a fitness motivation challenge so you can start whenever…but once you start you have to do it every Friday. No weather excuses. If it’s too cold or snowy for your liking then hit a treadmill. And it doesn’t have to be just running. Walking, snowshoeing, or even hiking are acceptable. As long as you’re on your feet and moving continuously for 3.1 miles it counts (so no biking or skiing, sorry!).

Now, if you’re an endurance athlete you are probably thinking “Just 5k?! That’s too easy!” I know ultrarunners run 5k’s in their sleep, literally during races, so it doesn’t have to be only 5k. Feel free to go further should the mood, or your training schedule, strike you. The distance may be small but the challenge is in doing it every single Friday. No excuses! I’m hoping this will become a big thing one day, so spread the word!

Will you take on the Friday 5k challenge with me?!