rpg101

The tax colony was not what I had been expecting. I mean, all of us that were trueborn Rakelians had the images of some backwater township, a mass of twig huts and inbred, stupid people huddled together. Perhaps a handful of soldiers, educated and intelligent, ensuring that they produced the proper quota, but they would be the only sign of civilization in such a terrible village. What we had marched to was very different. Instead of small, cramped huts there were cottages and homes in the standard Rakelian farmer style. A road paved with stone led into the village, and while it was far from the smooth masterpieces of our engineers, it was a practical and well done piece. The farms we had marched past had a fair amount of crops growing, and we saw our share of children happily running through the fields before their mothers or fathers caught sight of us and rushed them inside. Recently, the prosperous little town had erected a crude wall around its immediate perimeter. Rather than stones or wooden planks, the wall had been constructed by logs laid lengthwise, with their branches sawed into sharp points to give trouble to any soldier attempting to climb it. A number of stumps could be seen around the nearby forest, showing just where the villagers had gotten their resources. Standing on guard at various intervals on the log wall were the townspeople. The vast majority were using crude weapons, billhooks or scythes that had seen more services amongst the crops than the battlefields, with a handful of men using hunting bows. Two men, manning what I assumed was the front of the wall, had swords strapped to their sides. My fellow auxiliaries and I had been formed into a single line with our own hunting bows. On the mark of our sergeant, we would fire up and into the village, sending everyone into their homes for protection from the missiles. Each one of us had been given several arrows coated in a foul smelling tar that, once lit, we would fire on the thatch roofs of the cottages after the residents fled into their houses. With a little luck, they would catch fire, and the men watching the wall would run to save them. The wall less guarded, soldiers would move in and finish them off. I felt bile rising to my throat. These people had no chance. The Drakorian and the lieutenant rode forward on their horses, while the two men with swords walked to meet them. Both couples stopped within thirty feet of each other, and the Drakorian slid off his horse so he could be eye to eye with the commander of the village guard. They were too far away to hear more than vague voices, but I assumed our commander was offering them terms. I didn’t know if they were generous or not, but I knew they had to be better than what was coming. I had heard all the tales though; commoners always beat the trained soldiers because they had fighting spirit and hope. Were those enough to stop my arrows? I wasn’t sure if I wanted them to be or not. The mumbles stopped, and there was a silence. It was only a few moments, but it seemed to stretch for an hour. I waited anxiously for the voice from my sergeant to draw my bow, but the order didn’t come. One of the men with swords walked back into the village, but no one followed. For ten minutes, no one moved, no one spoke. When he returned, he was followed by a wagon that was full of barrels. The Drakorian nodded and clapped his hand on the man’s shoulder. He waved at our sergeant, who ordered us to return our arrows to our quivers. The village commander and his friend handed over their swords, and were escorted by two soldiers into our ranks, where their hands were bound with rope. I heard the Drakorian yell something about a double quota next time. “About face!†Our sergeant screamed, “Return bows, form into marching order!†We looked at each other, surprised, trying to understand what just happened. The Sergeant at Arms rode his horse towards us, “Wipe that look of your faces. We’ve got a long way to march!†He smirked and screamed at the entire contingent, “We’re heading south!†South. Where the goblins fled. So just like our hero, everything’s changed here. I’m back at home, and I must say, it is quite boring! I’ve got time to read and sleep though, which is good. The downside though is that I feel my laziness returning with a vengeance. No more gym, it’s going to be basically all bodyweights from now on. I’m going to be experimenting with different exercises and circuits to see what I like the best, although I can tell you one thing, pull-ups and pushups are going to be my new bread and butter. I’ll have to change a goal or two, but other than that, I’ll be fine. I’ve also actually already completed a bodyweight workout, it was 20 minutes and left me sweaty, but not as much muscle soreness as my hour long excursions in the gym. I successfully completed the procrastination life goal, I cut it close a few times, but I wasn’t up till 2 AM in the morning attempting to finish an essay at any point! I technically completed the sleep goal as well, but I think I’m going to be extending it a bit (perhaps with a bit of leeway or different requirements). This way I won’t stay up till 4 AM on the internet like last summer.

I love your journal. Coming in late isn't a big deal, as you still took the first step, and that can be the most difficult thing to do. And you workouts look good, especially if you're exhausted at the end of them! Also, I'm not entirely too sure what your job entails, but are you allowed to maybe step away from the computer to bust out a quick thirty second plank or a handful of pushups? I wouldn't sell myself too short with the writing if I was you, you're pretty good at it (far better than my journal's story).

That is some AMAZING improvement! Simply awesome job!

Thanks! Unfortunately it looks like I'll have to adjust this goal since I won't have a bench available back home. Thanks! I'm doing pretty well in school, no worries about failing any classes! Thanks! Means a lot That's awesome! Thank you so much!

I was scrubbing down one of the tables for the commander in his tent. The Rakelians never used servants or hired help for tasks like this, as servants were likely to spill rumors or intelligence for a bit of coin. We auxiliaries served well enough as cupbearers and cleaners, and frankly it beat latrine duty by a very wide margin. It was a pretty good duty to be assigned to, as I got to listen in one his plans while he talked them over with his officers, provided I wasn’t caught eavesdropping. At the moment, the Drakorian was discussing the march with a lieutenant and the contingent’s master sergeant. They were pouring over a map of the area, showing several models of nearby Rakelian companies. From the few, quick glances I had given it, it looked like they were all heading towards a single fort in our homeland. “Goblins across our border?†The Lieutenant said, “This isn’t right, they shouldn’t have made it across the posts without at least some sentries catching sight of them.†The Drakorian shrugged, “It’s madness all over. Half of the Regiments are engaged in combat, the greenskins in the southlands are rallying, and in the north, bands of heroes are rumored to be fighting the FrostKing. It shouldn’t be surprising that the goblins are moving here in mass.†“Then we should turn the contingent around and march after them,†the Lieutenant said, “if we’re quick enough we should be able to catch them.†“We have a tax colony in revolt,†the Drakorian said, “and putting down those troublemakers are our orders.†“What’s a tax colony to an enemy in our very homeland!†The lieutenant said, “If we don’t put them down, than other enemies, far deadlier than goblins, will see it as a chance to strike!†Perhaps realizing he was raising his voice to a superior, he fell silent and looked down. “We have our duties lieutenant, and you don’t abandon them in order to chase glory. I’ve sent riders out to alert the nearby Rakelian encampments. Besides, the tax colony is only a few more days march, we’ll reach it in little time.†“But then how much longer will we spend putting down those farmers? We can’t just wipe them out, that means we won’t get our quota from them.†I winced a bit when I heard him mention destroying the village so easily. “It doesn’t matter, the goblins are not our business,†the commander said. He shook his head, “It doesn’t matter, my orders are clear. Return to your duties.†Silence for several moments, while the lower ranking officer mulled over responding. It was funny, I would easily be punished for not immediately following those orders, while the commander just stared at him. In the end, the lieutenant saluted, his fist flying to his chest, turned on his heel, and marched out. I was left alone with the commander and the master sergeant. It was the latter who spoke first, “I noticed you didn’t tell him about the riders returning.†The Drakorian shook his head, “I figured him knowing that other goblin attacks across Rakelis have occurred would only incite him further." He looked down at the map, "They're running from something, beasts like that don't just migrate." With a sigh, he tapped his finger on the colony we were matching towards, "We have to get this over with as quickly as possible." Wooh! Took down two of my finals today, leaving only one (hopefully) less difficult one this Friday. No class till then, and then I'll be off for the summer. Also, figured you should know, was up till two last night studying. Got up at 7:15 for my 7:30 final (which I had to jog to to make it on time). I'm going to have to change a goal or two unfortunately. My working over the summer has fallen through, since I wasn't able to find housing (well, I did, but then it fell through as well). So instead I'm heading home over the summer, with the 25 books I bought for $40 the other day, so it should be...enlightening. My roommate isn't too sure of my ability to continue working out without a gym or anyone to help keep me going, so we made a bet. If I come back in worse shape then I am now, I shave my head completely bald. If I come back in pretty impressive shape, he pays $100 for a tattoo on me. I also have an interesting goal for the next challenge because of something I'm hoping to start over the summer. Can't wait.

Wonderful costume! And nice choice with the slow cooker. Oh, to have a hot meal from the slow cooker again. Ami. C'est l'amour.

Fellow Uni student here. I know how difficult it can be to stay in shape here, especially when the classes are piling up! I'll be following this thread from now on.

I'm loving this challenge! It's awesome to see that you've been doing so well, and I can tell that you've really come a long way. I love the RP bit as well, I'm doing something pretty similar in my own challenge. Subbed!

I sat on the edge of one of the supply wagons, with a healer inspecting a salve that was packed around the cut that ran down my arm. It had bled quite badly, but the healers had experienced far worse during their campaigns and had me patched up in no time. One of them had said that I was lucky, the cut could have gone deeper and I would have lost all use of my arm. To think, my career as a soldier could have been over before it even really began. “How did this happen?†The man tending me asked as he wrapped my arm with a fresh bandage. “I charged a goblin,†I mumbled, “he jumped on me and stabbed my arm.†“Well thank the Saints he was an idiot,†the healer said, “if it was a creature with any sort of intelligence, it would have got you in your throat.†He tapped my throat with his bloody index finger, “Not a piece of armor there.†He chuckled, “You’re a lucky lad.†“Yea, lucky…†I mumbled. Not far from us, the commander of the contingent, a Drakorian in rank, made his way to the center of the camp. He was in full field equipment, his longsword resting on his shoulder and splattered with the blood of the goblins that had been foolish enough to attack a camp of Rakelian soldiers. “Pack your gear,†he announced, “we’re moving out in an hour’s time.†“Sir,†the healer that was tending me called, “we have wounded.†The Drakorian’s eyes burned into me, and I could tell that he didn’t think much of an auxiliary who got wounded that quickly in a fight. I expected him to tell the man caring for me to leave us behind, and let us catch up when we felt worthy. “The wounded can ride in the wagons,†he ordered instead, “nevertheless, we’re leaving in an hour.†This seemed to pacify the healer, but I slid off the wagon and called to our commander. “Sir!†His eyes met mine, and I suddenly became aware of just how easily he could crush me. He had everything over me, strength, rank, experience; in no way could I compete. Defiance in my eyes, in my voice, I spoke again. “I’ll walk.†God bless the sleep I’ve been getting thanks to this challenge. It’s still pretty difficult to wake up (I doubt that’ll change anytime soon) but I haven’t been exhausted anymore! I can make it through all of my classes without drooping eyes, and I no longer require a nap in order to make it to the gym (less I struggle through my workout). I turned in an essay, and that leaves me with only one last thing to turn in (which is a quick, minor edit that should be over quickly). I have a Spanish assignment that needs to be done by Friday, but it should be done relatively swiftly as well. All I really have left is studying (which, I do have a good bit to do), and then I’ll be free to sleep and relax! Well…not really. My job should be getting extended through the summer, which means that 1) Not that much rest, since it’ll be full-time 2) I get to make money! Bit of good and band there. I did a chest workout today. It was really tough, and I’m not entirely sure if I’m going to be able to hit my goal of 175 in time. However, I’m completely okay with that. I’m going to work for it, and if, after giving it my all, I can only manage less, then I’ll still have gotten stronger (if a lower than A+ grade). I’m shooting for 175 in a bench press though, and who knows, maybe I’ll see it!

They arrived out of nowhere. We had only posted half the sentries required for a night encampment since we were still in the heart of Rakelis. There was no way we should have come under attack, we were in the safest possible place in the entire known world. What enemy of ours could sneak into our country and attack us at night, all without being sighted once? Goblins are the answer. Four foot high with bloodcurdling screams. They came from the trees, waving blades and screeching in their foul tongue. They put down four men before we realized just what was going on. The soldiers that were with us had spent years under constant threat like this, and they rallied quickly enough. Us auxiliaries took significantly longer, and we were so unbloodied we weren’t entirely sure what we were supposed to do. Night attacks hadn’t exactly been covered, since no one thought we’d need them until we had passed the border to Calay. I had recovered my senses quickly enough, and I charged a goblin. He leapt on top of me, his dagger-like teeth far too close to my face. All he had to do was close his jaws around my neck and Iâ€d be done for. He was a relatively small thing, a bit more than a meter with a thin body, but he was far too heavy for me to lift. It didn’t help that I was frightened out of my mid. One of his claws ripped down my arm, and he seemed to laugh at me. My scream of pain turned to tears by the time a soldier had ripped the goblin off me and finished him off. The man was furious, demanding to know why I would charge into something so foolish without being prepared. I just kept clutching my shoulder, and he called for a healer to be brought over. My first taste of combat and I had failed, quite miserably. Well, it’s been a tough week. I’m still trying to adjust to having a job that occurs in most of my previous work out times and finals are very, very close. My actual fitness goals are going worse than I expected, with my only chest workouts coming from that quick bodyweight workout I did Monday and me only having shadowboxed or hit the bag twice this week. And speaking of hitting the bag, relating to the fiction above, I charged right in without being prepared. Say hello to bloody knuckles. WARNING: SLIGHTLY UGLY IMAGE This is a number of days after my foolish attempt at punching without gloves (I thought keeping the punches light would help, but nope). So it looks far better than it did a few days ago. It was actually a bit painful just to flex my hands since the cuts were right on my knuckles, but it’s far better know. I’m waiting for the ones on my upper knuckles to heal so I can get back to the bag (this time, with tape, underwaps, and some gloves!). In other areas though, things are going pretty well! I’ve actually FINISHED two of my essays/assignments that are due Monday! I finished them Saturday night, that’s like, two days before they’re due! Look at me, beating procrastination and all that ! Sleep is going pretty well too. After the event that caused me to stay up later on Sunday night, there was a second event that didn’t see me in bed until around 2:30. Again, it was a personal matter that I don’t feel at liberty to say. Since then I’ve been in bed by 1, more recently even before 1! It’s been fantastic to not be completely exhausted throughout the week! For now, I’m off to the gym (a gym on Sunday RPG! Why, look at all these good things!), and then study! Because Finals ;-;

Awesome job!

I watched as the wooden walls of the training camp drifted out of sight. I had spent so long there, under the watchful eyes and cursing tongues of my, at times, sadistic training sergeants. We had learned to hate them so much, hate the pain and stress that they caused us. When they forced us to run we cursed their names, when they demanded that we lifted the heavy logs above ours heads we hoped they’d die. After a while, the running and lifting became as easy to us as our bad thoughts about them. Now, loaded onto a wagon and garbed in leather armor, I could only watch as everything I had known for the past several months fade away. As auxiliaries, we were capable of serving the soldiers and the military in some way, rather than just sitting behind the walls of the camp. Orders had come in two days ago, explaining that a tax colony in some southern country had revolted. A company of soldiers was being sent to crush the rebellion, but we would have to provide support. “You proved that you could survive the last challenge, the training camp, but things will be harder now. You won’t have the training sergeants to hold your hand. You will be expected to operate individually.†Captain Daure had told us. ““You will guard the supply wagons, scout the area, and train under the soldiers. You will march with them, learn from them, and maybe even fight with them,†He had smiled, “You will one day become them.†My hand gingerly touched the leather wrapping of my short sword. I was worried I wasn’t ready. Welp, it’s finally time to start working out again (I usually take the weekends off since the gym closes early), and I end up miss my Monday workout because of a late-night that leaves me groggy through my classes. I marked Mon-Thur as going to bed by 1 A.M., but I should probably change it to Sunday as well. I’m not entirely sure if I want to mark this one as a missed day because I was up later for some personal reasons. I’ll decide if I want to mark it missed towards the end of the challenge. I ended up squeezing a massive nap in after my classes so I can have a level out how much sleep I have. Unfortunately by the time I was up, I wasn’t be able to make it to the gym, shower, and a quick bite before my job. I did work in a pretty quick cardio/bodyweight routine just to get the blood pumping. I worked up quite the sweat in relatively little time. I’m not counting it as a Monday workout, but I’m glad I got something in. I’m out of work by six tomorrow, so that leaves me a good three hour window before the gym closes!

I was in the barracks, running my hands across the smooth boiled leather armor. It was lighter than I thought it would be, and I was starting to have serious doubt in its ability to keep me alive in the middle of a fight. It was a difficult thing to bend, but I didn't think that alone would stop a sword cut or an arrow. “Having a look at your angel?†A training sergeant asked. They were much nicer to us now, having largely dropped the ‘You are not worthy of life’ act that they took on during training. Most of us still didn't enjoy speaking to them, partially because they were quick to remind us we were only auxiliaries, and because we had not yet forgiven them for training. “My angel?†I asked. “Aye,†he said, “that armor is going to keep you alive.†My face must have shown my doubt, because he smirked and continued, “trust in it, auxiliary. That piece of leather is your greatest friend out in the field.†“It’s so light though,†I said. “Good, it’s going to let you stay on the move. You’re an auxiliary; you aren't ready for any type of prolonged combat. Most of your duties will be supporting supply trains, quick skirmishes, serving as support with your shortbow, and mopping up defeated enemies. Saints help you if you’re called in for an actual battle.†“Will it really keep me alive?†I asked. “Yes,†the training sergeant’s voice lost a bit of its laughter. “I took a straight hit from a mercenary’s longsword with one of those, back when I was an auxiliary. Broke two of my ribs, but it didn't cut through. I managed to get my sword through him before I dropped to the ground in the pain.†I was relieved to hear that the armor could stop a sword swing. Although the thought of my ribs breaking didn't sound particularly appealing. “Remember, we don’t want you to die,†he said, “that would just be a waste of training. The Archon wouldn't supply his auxiliaries with something that would fail them in a fight.†He removed a parchment from his pocket and handed it to me, “Your new schedule, fitting for one of the Archon’s Auxiliaries.†As I started to scan the paper, the man tapped the armor on my lap. “Best get into the habit of keeping that on,†he said. Hi guys! I’ve worked up a set of goals for this weeks’ challenge. It’s already almost a week in, so I’ll have to make sure that I’m really working hard in order to meet my goals. I don’t move out until the end of May, but the gym membership I have for the campus gym expires on May 10th, which would still leave a good two weeks before the challenge is over. I don’t want to purchase a summer membership either, since I’d only be using the gym for two weeks before I’d move out. However, I’m still not sure if I’m staying on campus throughout the whole summer, because if I am, I’ll just get a summer membership. Main Quest: Fight with the Auxiliaries! While an auxiliary in the Rakelian military has not yet earned the status or the skill of the average soldier, they are still considered graduates of the training camp and have to prove themselves on the field of battle. The camp focused on conditioning weak farmboys and fat clerks into physically fit men, while their time as an auxiliary will involve learning the basics of tactics, formations, and weaponry. By the time our hero earns his brand, he’ll be ready to start campaigning on foreign fronts of his Archon! Missions Hand to Hand Combat A vital skill for any soldier. If you cannot handle yourself in a fight, then you’re no good to the martial effort of Rakelis. Our hero will have to spend long hours on the training dummies until he’s ready to face an actual opponent. In addition to honing his fighting skills, proper training will also work as a form of cardio. Goal: Hit the punching bag or shadowbox at least three times a week. Sleep An auxiliary (or college student) can have quite a busy schedule. Between studying, drinking, work, and Super Smash Brothers learning tactics, practicing formations, and weapons training, an auxiliary can easily tire himself out. While the camp involved submitting the trainees to brutal (and often unhealthy) things such as little sleep, an auxiliary is expected to be rested in order to face the enemy of the field of battle. Goal: Be in bed by 1 A.M. Mon-Thur until school ends. Strength Training The camp may be over with, but that doesn’t mean that the auxiliaries are ready to take on the world yet. Metal weapons are quite heavy, so they still have to focus on strengthening their muscles to pick up halberd and sword. Goal: Bench press 175 pounds, 4-6 times. Current best? 145 6 times. Life Quest: It’s not all about physical fitness anymore. Auxiliaries, while not yet the same rank or status as a regular soldier, are still expected to operate as part of the military. They’ll have to get their duties done with quickly and efficiently. Failure to do so can spell disaster for the rest of the soldiers. Putting off alerting the supply wagon about an enemy sighting can mean that it falls under attack and your baggage will get burnt. Goal: Complete all assignments before they’re due.

We stood in the middle of the courtyard, formed into straight ranks. It was funny, when we first arrived at the camp, we had struggled to line up in the most basic fashion. Under the watchful guise of the training sergeants and their intense training regime, we learned quickly. Most of us had arrived soft and weak, not at all ready for the sergeants to break us. Now though, we stood tall and strong in the heat of the harsh Rakelian sun. Our backs straight, eyes forward, we met the eyes of the training sergeants as they walked around us. Every one of us had earned the right to meet them in the eye. They were superiors in rank, in training, in experience, but we were not the ‘mud-excreting recruits’ we once were. Captain Daure looked over the column one final time before he gave us one slow nod of approval. It was a sign for the soldiers around us to drag forth the heavy crates that lay at their feet and break them open. Inside each was a set of boiled leather armor and a short-sword, standard issue armament for those of our rank. “Each one of you,†the Captain said, “have struggled and fought. You’ve made it to the end of your stay here at the training camp. However,†he paused and looked a few of us in the eye, “that doesn’t make you soldiers of the Archon yet. You are not yet worthy to have our brand.†“Each one of you has earned the right to fight, and die, for the red flag of Rakelis. You are each hereby inducted to the Auxiliary Force.†He smiled, “Should you survive your first assignment and complete the remainder of your training, you will receive the rank of soldier, and be a true man of this country.†The soldiers started to pass out the equipment while I felt the folded piece of paper in my pocket. The paper I had received the final day of my training, alerting me of my promotion. The paper so many others wanted desperately to receive. Congratulations, you’ve leveled up and achieved the rank of Auxiliary! Previous Challenge Goals: Workout At Least Three Times a Week Completed Earned- STR+2, STA +1, DEX +1, CON +1 Complete Five Pull-ups Without a Break Completed Earned- STR+2, DEX +2, CHA +1 Run a Mile Without Stopping for Rest Earned- STA+3, CON+1, CHA+1 Write 500 Words Five Days a Week Partially Completed WIS+2 Current Challenge: Well, it’s been really busy for me, and I haven’t been on Nerdfitness as much as I liked, hence why I never put up a big post to wrap up my last challenge. I did manage to complete just about all of my goals, with the exception of my writing goal (which flagged towards the end of the challenge). I am super proud of myself and how far I’ve come. I’m around 177 pounds now, and I recently bench pressed a plate on each side (so 135 pounds!!!), and I can do pull-ups now like there is no tomorrow (and by that, I mean around 10 before I collapse). My next post will have my goals for this challenge. I know I’m a bit late, but at least I’ve still been going to the gym regularly. My biggest problem with creating goals this challenge is that there is the possibility I’ll have to alter them if I end up having to move for the summer. I currently live in a dorm (which means access to a gym!), but there’s a possibility I won’t be able to stay over the summer and I’ll move back home (where there’s no gym), so I may have to end up changing the goals to correspond more to bodyweight exercises.

Hey Jeebas! Glad that you've done so well on your first challenge (many of us fail pretty spectacularly on our first ones). I'm glad you aren't feeling too bad about your weight goal, as I've found that, in many cases, your actual weight isn't a fantastic indicator of your overall health. Even though you only lost 1.5 lbs, you still lost body fat %, which, while you say wasn't your major goal, is a much better indicator (In my, terribly amateur, opinion). And super congratulations on your pull-ups! That's a MASSIVE achievement!

Hey Artemis, don't be too upset at your grade. I've found that completing your first challenge is your most difficult. I've attempted three times, and it was only this final time that I actually managed to complete it. You've made serious progress just by showing that you're willing to stick with it for six weeks. Yes you've stumbled, but you've also gotten back up every time, and that alone shows that you're willing to better yourself.

Whew, it's been a terrible week in just about everything but fitness wise. Finally had a break with all my work, but it only lasted a day or so before I had three essays assigned for the end of the month. My writing has been slacking a little bit, and I've recently picked up a job so that's going to mean I'm going to have to really start making time for my workout rather than just spur of the moment decisions to go. On the upside, I've managed to complete my five pull-ups (I actually managed 8 before I had to stop).

Hey guys, I"m still in the challenge. Just haven't had time to post a complete update.

I looked over my hands. Pink marks stood out at the base of my fingers and on the underside of my knuckles, reminders that the skin had been taken off from the camp’s rigorous training. I had never had callouses before, the task of putting quill to parchment was never demanding enough to form such things. I had always imagined burly men with callouses, lumberjacks, miners, blacksmiths, men of that nature. Never had I dreamed that I would be sitting upon a cot, picking aimlessly at my own. Across from me, Mikel was squeezing in a short nap. We had been given an hour away from the demands of the training sergeants, and a large portion of my barracks had chosen to use it to squeeze in some shut-eye. I knew I should have; after all, I hadn’t been getting enough sleep. I was tired a lot, and it was difficult to keep up with the rest when I was exhausted, but sometimes it was just difficult to ease myself to sleep. A training sergeant entered, followed by half a dozen fully fledged soldiers, all carrying cloth bags over their shoulders. Those of us that were awake jumped to attention, aware that the hour was definitely not over yet, however, it would not have been the first time we had been promised something only to have it revoked. “Congratulations boys,†the training sergeant said, his voice, for once, lacking venom. “You’ve made it to the halfway mark without running away, dying, or begging to be released from the camp. Not all have made it so far.†He nodded to the soldiers, who dug in their bags and started pulling out tunics that they roughly handed to us. “This is your prize, one green tunic, showing that you have now earned the status of trainee. You’re no longer mud-excreting recruits.†He smiled, “Perhaps you can become men yet.†Lent-Considering I kicked my habit last year, giving up the bad stuff completely this year hasn’t been too bad. I still eat certain foods that some friends debate on, but I don’t classify as direct junk food. However, even those I tend to limit myself on, I rarely gorge on any snack food that is superbad. I’ve had a few cravings for sodas (normally I don’t care, but when you pass the fountain in the cafeteria and there’s ALL THOSE CHOICES AND I CAN HAVE AS MUCH AS I WANT, it’s pretty tough). Discipline- I’ve been doing pretty well here. I’ve constantly been managing to make it to the gym over three times a week. I’ve found it’s really help to have a minimum of three days a week that I HAVE to go, but I really aim for four (as I have four different workouts, I’m basically required to go four times a week). Unfortunately, I’ve been really bad about doing extra things (like going on my off days to just run) and on doing the extended bits for my workouts (forearms and abs). However, considering I’ve never gone this long working out, I’m still pretty happy with my current progress. This week has been a little hectic, as I skipped yesterday so I could get some work done. It isn’t too big a deal, as I’ll just replace Thursday (normally a rest day) with an actual workout day. Strength- I’ve been doing REALLY well with my strength goal. I’ve been seeing gains in just about all my muscle groups (certain exercises I’ve remained at the same weight to ensure proper form). I’m actually able to crank out about seven good pull-ups before I have to drop. For my goal though, I want to be able to do five with GREAT form, as in, basically arms completely outstretched, lift myself up, and slowly lift myself back down. Endurance- FANTASTIC here. I made a mile again just the other day, although it really wiped me out. I haven’t been able to consistently hit a mile each time I run though, since leg-day tends to really make my legs sore. It’s really painful to run when your legs hurt, but I try to keep at it, even if the distance is halved. Life Goal- Despite still having a bit of a habit of writing late into the night, I’ve been keeping up with my 500 word goal. And even better, I discovered that the program I use to write apparently autosaves most of my writing. I was bored in class one day and was flipping through some documents when I found them! I started reading from WAY back when I bought the program, till now. I can definitely say that my writing has improved. Hell, it’s even gotten particularly better since the start of the challenge! Sorry for slow updates though guys, I really have been meaning to post more, but I’m terrible with procrastinating on work. On the upside, I have an idea what my next challenge goal can be! And I really appreciate EVERYONE’s comments. They really help keep me going <3

My body was slick with sweat, and dust, kicked up by the feet of a hundred dying recruits, caked my skin. In a shaky formation, we had been running for the past two miles, starting in a relatively respectable square before dissolving into what could only be described as the demonic offspring of a rhombus and an oval. Forming a perimeter around our formation, Training Sergeants bombarded us with threats of varying nature if we didn’t pick up the pace. They were dressed in a mixture of chainmail and plate, somehow still keeping up with us, despite our uniform consisting of merely trousers and a shirt. Behind us, the Captain rode a black courser horse, keeping a relatively steady gate. While the sergeants threatened to shove their blades in unseemly places, captain occasionally barked words of encouragement. He insisted we were not far from our rest spot, and then we could have a drink or two of water. A sergeant said he’d die before he let us have water. I hated them both, sergeants and captain. My only solace was that their words no longer affected me. I had become able to tune out the harsh, angry insults from the older men, and I no longer cared what the captain thought. He rode while we ran, and for that, his comments weren’t worth noting. It had been difficult at first, as I had always been easy to harm with words. I teared up a few times at the beginning, but eventually I found that it was easy to ignore. I only had to focus on my jobs as a recruit in order to tune them out. I focused instead on the path ahead, beat smooth by the hundreds of recruits who had gone before us. Training was much easier when I focused solely on my duty, and paid no mind to what the officers said. They hated us, and I hated them. So great was my stoicism, that I barely noticed that I had started to change. The running had forced me to start to lose the soft, chubby flab that many clerks picked up because of their generous wages and cushioned jobs. The strength exercises that wrecked my muscles had rebuilt them so that I had strength like never before. So great was my stoicism, that I never heard one of the training sergeants, as we limped back into the camp, mumble that, “They’ll make soldiers yet.†Well, it has been quite the week. Starting Sunday, my workouts have been pretty intense, interesting, and damn good. But one major thing… I FINISHED A MILE ON SUNDAY!!! That’s right! Barely three weeks in and I managed a mile nonstop! I haven’t done that since I ran cross-country in middle school (and I was only in CC for a single year). Immediately following that run, I crushed leg day! Which then proceeded to give me insanely sore legs for the next few days, and I learned that it’s REALLY hard to run a mile again when your legs are sore. Monday I squeezed out half a mile before my legs turned to jelly, and Tuesday I managed 7/10s of a mile before I called it in. Unfortunately Wednesday I had to call off the jogging because of time constraints. Today (Thursday), I declared it a rest day. I was going to finally add shoulders, but I’ve had some work to focus on, but more importantly, my entire body has just been exhausted. I haven’t been getting as much sleep as I should have been, and, in my opinion, I’ve had some pretty good workouts, leading to the body exhaustion. So I called off my workout today so I could work on some school stuff and take it easy. I’m going to try and post another update tomorrow detailing just how some of my workouts are going, and then after that I want to start posting more often giving just a quick overview of the day’s workout (rather than like bi-weekly large posts).

Hey Jeebas, how's the challenge going?

Hey Artemis, If you're the type of person that's naturally inclined to creating things, than structuring your workouts/fitness like you would a project would be a good idea IMO. Since you're already used to breaking things down into a series of simple steps, having it done for fitness may be a major benefit. This way you're not confronting an abstract idea like "lose weight", but rather smaller, much more achievable goals like "no chips", "no soda", or "only one line of pure Colombian cocainecoffee a day". Also, the costume pieces look great (the sword is fantastic!).

Hey Naaria! Congratz on already completing your life quest! I'm glad that your challenge is going so well, although I'm sorry to hear that you may have a bit of a cold coming on. Make sure you're getting plenty of fluids, taking meds, [continue cliche medicinal advice from someone without a doctorate]. I'm not sure if we level up on Monday or if it's at the end of the third week, but either way it's going to be soon! Hard to believe we're almost halfway through the first challenge.

I was jerked away by one of my barrack-mates. We were in one of the bare, Spartan barracks located near the back of the training camp. We had each been given a small cot and a small bag that was to hold all of our worldly belongings, not that we were allowed to take them out. Strict discipline was enforced on what we were allowed to have on our person, simple linen breeches and an undershirt for us immediate recruits. Those who made the rank of trainee were granted a tunic to guard against the rather harsh Rakelian sun. Outside, the sun had yet to rise. The night was still an inky black, broken up only by the lights of the stars. On the ground, torches and braziers lit the training camp so the recruits could be mustered out of their barracks and prepared for their run. On the wall, the sentries leaned on their spears and watched with amusement at the grumblings of the recruits, the older soldiers thinking back to the days when they were forced to do the same. The door to our barracks was kicked open by the heavy foot of Training Sergeant Draest. A thickly built man, dressed in a mixture of chainmail and plate, he would be a constant reminder of our inability to reach the standards of the Rakelian military. He would keep up with, and even run further, than us despite wearing his armor and carrying his standard-issue blade. “Aright you filth, form up in squares outside for your morning run!†Mikel pulled me out of my bed and immediately made his way out of the door. I wiped sleep from my eye and jogged after him, careful not to catch the training sergeant’s eye. Hello everyone! Well, Mardi Gras (and the shorter campus gym hours) hit me hard. Monday and Tuesday I didn’t work out at all (although I did catch quite the number of beads), but, thanks to one of my roommates, I roared back to life on Wednesday. Because of this little holiday my workout schedule has been pushed back two days, with Back workout starting on Monday, and my final workout (Legs) tomorrow on Sunday. On the upside, despite the unfortunate start to the week I’ve been doing relatively well in my workouts. My biggest worry is that my workouts for back don’t seem to be working out my back that well, I’m thinking that it may be my form so I intend to have one of my roommates check me out next Monday so I can see if I’m doing anything wrong (it could also be too little weight, but I’d much rather make sure I have correct form first). I also haven’t been able to add shoulders into my workout routine. I was going to work them out this Saturday (Which would have been Thursday’s workout/restday), but my Arm day (which features Biceps and Triceps) was basically cut in half. Long story short, my roommate and I were in the gym for too long and had to leave to make a previous engagement (sushi dinner). So to make up for my cheap arm day I decide to wait until next week till I added shoulders, and just use Saturday to wrap up my workout*. *I would have added shoulders in Saturday as well, but the gym closes at 3 on the weekends, and I didn’t wake up until 1, so I wasn’t at the gym until around 1:30 or so. Now, a quick review of each goal; Discipline- Going pretty fantastic. Despite the two day bump because of Mardi Gras I’ve already hit my three day for the week goal. I still intend to make it a five day workout, and as long as I work out on Sunday, it’ll be like I never missed those days. Strength-I’m not progressing in this as much as I hoped, but then again, 5 pull-ups is quite the jump when you can’t manage one. I’ve also edited the first post to adjust the goal from 5 wide-grip pull-ups to just 5 pull-ups (I had a mix up as I was considering the pull-up bar in my room to be wide-grip, when it’s really more standard one). On the upside, I can manage roughly one pretty sad pull-up, but that doesn’t bother me. A few weeks ago I could manage one pretty sad neutral grip pull-up, but now I can crank out around four (basically full extension) before I have to drop. Endurance- Been doing pretty badly in this one. I’ve been having some sinus problems, so I tend to get a really runny noise/other nasty stuff if I start sweating too much. Added to the fact that I’ve been pretty tired recently (late nights do that to me), I just haven’t been up to cardio before my workout. I’ve either been doing my quick three lap runs or opting for another type of cardio all-together. I’m going to really have to put myself into this one if I want to manage my mile by the end of the challenge. Life Goal- Been doing pretty good with this one. Still have a bit of a habit of doing it late at night, but I’m slowly breaking myself of it. It’s a bit annoying to know that I can’t lie down and sleep until I crank out those five hundred words, but I get it done. ALSO! It’s the most merry season of the year ladies and gentleman, Lent! As a (mostly) practicing Catholic, I figured that if I was going to give up things I thoroughly enjoyed, I may as well make sure they were bad for me. So I said goodbye to sodas and junk food. I had given them up awhile back, but since I’ve been in college I’ve slowly been picking up a few of my bad habits. A soda here, a few bags of chips there, and a brownie for dinner really start to add up, so I figured I’d cut them out completely.

Hey there Yensid. You should proud that you worked out, every workout is a victory. And, I've personally found, that workout habit gets much easier. I'm only three or four weeks into my workout, and it's become so much easier for me to get up and go to the gym. Also, this personally helps me (your mileage may vary), I tell myself I'm going to workout. I don't say, "I need to workout today," or "Today's my workout today," or even "I HAVE to workout right now". I simply say, "I'm working out today." I don't try to convince myself of it, or to reason with my brain (because it can be a backstabbing little ba...ckstabber). I say I'm going to go, and I go. I, personally, do better with solid rules. Also, a quick nap before the gym gives me a nice energy boost and a positive mood.