Kestrel Grey

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They are amazing. A total game changer in winter. However they are awkward on bare pavement so you can't use them for just patches of ice on sidewalks. Mine are Icebugs but I know Salomon makes studded running shoes too.

Getting warmed up again is hard! Baths seem to work better than showers. Do you have enough warm and windproof gear for the winter? Good job getting out there for a ride even with the cold.

I have water resistant running shoes with studs on the bottom for ice or snow. If it isnt slippery or if there are patches of bare pavement then I wear regular trail shoes. No running shoe can protect your feet from slush! Then you have to decide if you want to run badly enough to have sopping cold feet or if you'd rather just go back to bed.

Monday Get outside in the morning - yes 3 x fruits and veg - 2/3 It warmed up a little today. Just enough to make the snow tacky but not slushy so I could wear regular running shoes outside. Though I only ran for a couple minutes then decided walking was nicer today! Breakfast didn't have any fruit (unless you count jam), lunch was a smoothie with blueberries, banana and spinach, and dinner was broccoli chevre soup. I know I'm not tracking anything else, but I'm still mentioning that I did my strength training tonight so that I can share my planking is finally getting decent again. My chinups aren't yet improving but my top hold is.

That's amazing, congrats! I'm taking back my level 5 wager and upping it to level 6.

Temptation bundling is a great way to positively reinforce change! Some thoughts: Another option is a favorite movie - one that you know well enough to not care if you miss some bits, but still enjoy. Audiobooks are hard if you are cooking anything new because you'll get distracted and keep having to rewind. A glass of wine while you are cooking sounds lovely. It would be most effective to have during cooking because if you had it later, it's just a reward and not bundling. Best wishes for your cousin. Hopefully the weeks go by quickly and you don't feel too lonely.

Congrats on checking a state off the list this year! It's great that you felt safe enough to enjoy yourself.

I have a selection of running gear that I purchased 2 years ago when I was 15 lbs lighter. Most of it is too tight now. My sweats +/- thermal underwear will probably be okay for most days. A friend makes it so I'm not sure of the recipe. It tastes like a layer of dense chocolate cake soaked in a caramel sauce and layered with whipped cream, more caramel, and chocolate crumbles.

Have a great time today!

Congrats on seeing your hard work paying off!

Following along! Do you have official 5k events picked out, or is it a do your own thing?

Week 1: do some actual scouting There are two targets that I will track for week one. 1. Get outside in the morning. The hardest part about this has been deciding what to wear so every day will be sweatpants, a thermal shirt, running jacket, and winter running shoes. 2. Eat fruit and veggies 3 times per day. I'll need to keep cut veggies in the fridge to make this easier. We just got an immersion blender so I'll probably make soup my next day off too. Cream of something...

Reading your thread always makes me wish I liked beer. But then I only have the thin, sharp Canadian beer here. Yours sound better.

Here for the shovelglove. I would make myself one if it wasn't 100% likely I would manage to throw it through a television or smash furniture during use.

We have an air purifier which allows me to do most things short of intense exercise (no HIIT or burpees). Or condo is unfortunately too tiny for any exercise equipment however. I think I need to embrace running outdoors again. On days it is too cold/crappy I can double down on strength training or just chill guilt-free.

I need to decide how to deal with running this year. The gym doesn't feel safe, but it probably isn't terribly unsafe. Probably. And if I don't want to run outside when the weather is cold and crappy, is it better for my long-term health to risk covid in order to keep moving this winter? Since the government has decided the risk isn't that bad? Feeling paralyzed by indecision.

There is no harm in taking a week off, or at least a couple days, if you need it. Exhausted to the core can lead to getting downright ill without rest. I like the rowing option!

You kick ass with low thyroid, what you can accomplish with more energy would be epic. Hopefully the medications settle things quickly!

Thursday My lack of sleep is starting to catch up with me and I skipped both my nighttime strength workout and bedtime routine, and faceplanted into bed instead. Earlier this week I started book 3 of Sanderson's Oathbringer series. Normally I can plow through a book in 3 to 4 hours and just read until it's finished, forgoing everything else. Pretty sure I'm at the 12 hour mark and nowhere near done. Perhaps I need to take a break to sleep/exercise/do laundry. 😅

We're a sleepy bunch this week, but you are more than welcome! Are you getting to run in costume for either race?

Monday Took the day off for my birthday. Ate "better than sex" cake (came close) and lounged. Tuesday Did strength B in the night. Thought about going for a run in the morning but it looked miserable. Followed routines, did no food skills practice. Wednesday Still grey and cold and snowy and desolate when I looked out this morning. Could not talk myself into running. Followed my routines this morning and am currently in bed motivating myself to get up and do my nighttime ones. A little food skills practice.

Wagering you'll hit level 5 at the end of the challenge.

Hmmm drive 15 miles of it, park then bike the same distance on it? You could get to see a little more of it, get a long training ride in, and the miles on the bike would cancel out the miles on the car.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result" Last challenge was really an un-challenge for me. One "success" that started forming in the last couple weeks was consistency with an at-home strength training program at night. So my first instinct for this challenge was to say, "hey, this routine might actually be achievable. So let's toss it all out and chase after even bigger and shinier goals! Squirrel!" However, this is the year of being a Scout, not a Ranger. Even though my little strength routine did not make me stronger (yet) consistency itself is a goal worth chasing. Or.. er... a cliff worth climbing. So continuing on from last challenge I will follow the same pattern, same goals and same routines and keep hoping for better results. The Details Daily Routine - Before sleep (12:30 default) wash my face and floss. No screens after. Lights out by 1am. In the morning get out of bed by 10am. Plan out my day over tea. Strength training - 4 nights a week. Workout A (upper pull + core) Mon/Thurs. Workout B (upper push + glutes) Tues/Fri. Would days be better? Maybe, but late at night is when I will actually get it done. I may go to the gym on Sunday morning for deadlifts and squats. Running - This didn't happen much last challenge. I will suck it up and bundle up and run outside Tues/Wed/Fri/Sat mornings. At least, I will continue to schedule it and hope it miraculously starts happening this time around. Food Skills - Also didn't do much last challenge. I will soldier on anyways and follow the weekly skills practice. Scoring/Tracking I'm going to try and do it all, all the time. But each week I am only going to track one thing and that will be the focus for the week. Zero week doesn't count; my energy levels need time to adjust to the sudden winter. Now start climbing...