I finished 75 Hard on June 14. I started on April 1 because I turn 40 later this year and wanted a fixed period where training was not optional.
The rules were two 45-minute workouts a day, one outside; 3.8 litres of water; ten pages of non-fiction; a progress photo; a diet; and no alcohol. Miss one rule and you start again. I did not restart.
What worked
The useful part was not some grand lesson about discipline. It was having the decision made in advance. On a tired day, I did not need to decide whether to run. I needed to put shoes on and run.
That removed a surprising amount of daily bargaining. Motivation still came and went. The routine stayed.
The numbers
I ran on all 75 days: 611.49 km over 65 hours and 30 minutes, or 8.15 km a day on average. I also did 37 rowing sessions for 359.5 km and 38 full-body strength sessions. Total training time was 142.5 hours.
I ran three half marathons, set some personal bests, and did a longest run of 23 km. My 10.11 km best was 46:27.
Weight went from 71.6 kg to 70.2 kg. Muscle mass went from 33.4 kg to 35.9 kg, and body fat from 16.4% to 10.0%.
What did not work
Doing something every day is not the same as having a good long-term plan. By the end I was fitter, but I was also carrying constant background fatigue.
The water target was the clearest bad rule for me. Drinking 3.8 litres every day pushed drinking late into the evening and hurt my sleep. Sleep is more important than hitting an arbitrary water number, so I will not keep that part.
What I am keeping
I am keeping regular training, high protein, and the habit of getting outside even when I do not feel like it. I am not keeping two workouts every day or a schedule with no recovery.
Next plan is five strength sessions and three runs per week. I also want to run the Helsinki Marathon in May 2026.
On the final day I had a Coke Zero, junk food, and an easy run under 45 minutes. That was enough of a celebration.