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Same goals for May. Updates bolded. Hi my name is nightlight and I have glute amnesia. I'm going to dispense with most of the back story here. I've got 3 herniated discs in my lumbar spine, a recovering alcoholic dad, a (thankfully) now cancer-free mom, a day job, a night job, and a very messy apartment. I've also got an extra 20ish lbs hanging around my mid-section. I've been really hard on myself about gaining back most of my lost weight since my most recent injury. I have also been really bad with allowing myself to cheat. I know it's bad, but I do it anyway. But I'm 36. I'm an adult. I need to get my shit together. I lament about how I don't have a girlfriend because I'm a good catch, but I might not be a good catch right now. I really only feel that way because of the state of my apartment and my weight. (yes, I know, crazy pants.) In this challenge I want to start making some good habits. I've had luck in the past week with planning in a "cheat" item each day. This way I look forward to it and don't binge. I've also been able to get to the gym, and I want to make sure I get back to regular workouts because I feel better. Goal 1: Rehab, Gym, Ruck One of the BIG things that I've discovered seeing my PT guy (we just discovered this on Monday) is that my left glute complex is essentially dead. I was explaining some pain I was having and so he wanted to test my glutes. First we did manual testing and then moved into the electro-acupuncture type testing. The way it works is you two needles stuck in you and an electrical current is run from one to the other and your muscle is supposed to contract. (because muscles work on electrical impulses anyway) well, my left glutes don't. he kept raising the current higher and higher until i couldn't stand it and my muscles just did NOTHING. Then we tested the right side and with the lowest amount of current my muscles would jump. So my goal is to start on a rehab protocol to address my bad left glute. I should get this from my PT guy next week. I also need to consistently work out, because I signed up for a challenge in July. How? 2x per week - GYM 3 was being a little advantageous, I want 3, but I also want to succeed. 1x per week - long ruck. weight and distance will increase over time. 1x per week - extra glute stuff (as determined by my PT guy) Goal 2: Dani Two-Bricks *stolen from a previous challenge* This time last year, I weighed in at 147. (on a scale at a rock climbing gym i was at with the nerds) I want that back. I want my dead hang pullups back. I need to get my diet under control. This also will involve a lot of mental work. I don't think I will make it back under 150 this challenge, but I want to make some progress there. Two bricks should be achieved by July 29th. How? Say no to gluten as much as possible. beer = ok, as long as it fits macros. bread, not so much. Track all food on MFP. (Feel free to follow me and keep me accountable) Set macros and stick to them. Once I weigh in on Monday, I'll set my macros. Goal 3: Get Your Mind Right In the GORUCK community, this is a thing. My mind is not right at this point. My depression and has gotten worse. I've been not so good on taking my meds. I'm not on a lot. just zoloft, and a small dose. but i DO need it. I also need to work on taking vitamins and just general self care. Self care also includes apartment care. How? Take and track meds and supplements in this thread. Apartment must be (what I think) is clean by end of the challenge. Track one cleaning step each day here. Even if it is "take out a bag of garbage." DGAF - don't give a fuck what other people think. just be awesome. concentrate on ME. Dedicate more time to playing guitar Starting Stats tbd Macros/Cals tbd Meds/Supps to be taken/when: Morning/Day: Vit D, Symbicort, Tumeric Evening: Zoloft, Zyrtec, Fish Oil, ZMA or Natural Calm as needed.

Last challenge I signed up for a GoRuck at the end of July, and I'll be hanging with the Rangers until then. Besides that, I also want to drop to 232 lb (256ish now) and increase strength by Camp NF 2016. Last challenge I sucked at the weight loss, so a lot of my goals will be focused in on that this time around. Goal 1: Ruck twice per week- Last challenge I built up to 3 miles with 25 lb on flat terrain. This challenge I want to get that up to 35-40 lb on flat terrain. Putting down miles is the best way to do this, so I'll be rucking twice per week. Goal 2: Stop eating like an asshole- I got loose with snacking last challenge. I was making progress at a strict 1 dessert a day rule before slipping up. Think I'm gonna "detox" for a few weeks and have no desserts. Need to stop having silly meals on the weekends as well. Goal 3: Sleep 7 hours per night- I do best when I sleep this much. I feel more energized during the day and do better during workouts. Life goal: Rank 11 9 Hearthstone constructed- My current video game obsession. My best season rank so far is 12 10, want to improve on that. (edit: march season has 3 more days and I'm finishing hella strong).

YARRRRRRR, A PIRATES LIFE FOR ME! So as my thread dictates I will be traveling to New Orleans for IRONMAN 70.3 New Orleans. This is actually a half IRONMAN(the 70.3 dictates half distance) and my first triathlon of the season. I figured a lovely pirate theme to travel to a port of call would be cool. Also I like dressing up as a pirate, so that works. Daily Tracking Batten down the hatches: My house and life are in somewhat of disarray. I need to do one chore daily to improve the situation. The rums all gone: For this challenge I am only going to drink when I am out and about in a social situation, also maybe on Saturday nights. Tales of the sea: As my title dictates I have a GORUCK AAR to write up for my past back to back, I would also like to write up one of my other events from the past to continue filling out my signature. X Marks the spot: I need to get to reading much more, consult the maps. Try to read every day/night. Stick to the code: Continue eating correctly and cleanly(fuel for training), and do my daily habits the best I can(time permitting) That is pretty much it, pretty simple but going to be tough to pull it all off. I am going to stick to trying to really put some work into the deck in my backyard and also making strides towards setting up a new 75 gallon fish tank to fulfill the house work. Cutting out most drinking should be simple. The GORUCK reviews are going to be fun, I am still waiting on a few pictures and videos from the recent one so I should have that up at the end of this week/early next week. Ughh, reading is something I want to make more time for. Hopefully I can get my face in a book a lot this challenge. Eating correctly is now simple for me, daily habits though some nights I just plain run out of time, I won't hold that against myself unless I am wasting time before hand. Also awesome pirate metal

Here's where I want to focus on this month: Goal 1: Get Back To My (Workout) Routine Since I’m back to my regular schedule, I can get back to my workout routine (minus Monday Ruck Day - sorry guys, it’s too cold and dark after work for all that). Mondays: Yoga if my body is wiped from the weekend; bodyweight routine if it’s notTuesdays: BollyX if it’s offered; some sort of speed work, a treadmill ruck, or something endurance-related if it’s notWednesdays: Free day. Bodyweight, endurance or speed work - or weightsThursdays: Yoga classFridays: Planned rest - Friday date nightsWeekends: Walk a bunch and hopefully at least once during the challenge go do something purposefully active. Weekdays: I’m liking this Darebee daily challenge thing. I’m sticking with it. Goal 2: Macros, Per Usual Macros work for me, and I need to stick with them - even during the weekends. No more sneaking in sandwiches or nachos. Or noodles. I need to behave. Calories: 1,500 or under Carbs: 100g or under Fat: 100g or under Protein: 70g minimim Goal 3: Level Up My (Work) Life Put in my 1 month notice at workFind another jobContinue re-vamping my resumeComplete my CV websiteComplete at least 1 more site layout I can use for my portfolioSpiff my portfolio upComplete the Angular JS online course I’m taking Goal 4: Feed My Creativity Keep up with my current knitting projectKeep up with my current cross-stitch project Goal 5: Make My Environment Better Continue minimalism trackWork toward getting rid of bookshelf I hatePossibly re-work my entrywayAddress the pantry that’s starting to look messyFinish DVD rippingGoal 6: Ranger Mini Challenge 1 - Charms: Domestic Rangering - focus on minimalism this week and tackle something that needs tackling - if the archival photo books are in, do those. If not, some other stuff. 2 - History Of Magic: Schooling. Complete a new coding class this week. 3 - Transfiguration: Add a new daily mini challenge this week, most likely from Darebee. 4 - Defense Against The Dark Arts: Try a kettelbell video this week.

What am I training for? 3/25 3/26 GORUCK Challenge and GORUCK Light Baltimore 4/17 6/12 9/11 Ok, maybe just a little crazy but I am giving it a shot. Goal 1: Triathalon training I want to hit my daily training every day and update this challenge thread with my results, having a battle log in combination is too much for me to handle. These workouts include weights and some light body weight stuffs. Goal 2: Nutrition 2,200 calories daily for now. When I up my training I may add more, for now this works for me. I would also like to cut out alcohol unless it is a very social event. I have a company dinner tomorrow night and a Capitals game next Sunday. That is all I am aware of during this challenge. Goal 3: Rucking Every morning, no exceptions. I only have 2 months to get some serious mileage in before my back 2 back GORUCKs. I want to be ready and recover quickly from this event. Side Quest: Be Productive Yes, I like watching TV and playing video games, but i really need to work on managing my time more, I am hoping to update this thread with some sort of productivity daily.

Last Challenge was a bomb. I got sick on the second week, it turned into pneumonia. Long story short, I worked out one week last month. I Have a doctor's visit today to determine what condition my condition is in. Based upon what he says I will develop my plan to get me on a path to complete a GoRuck challenge.

Name: Hammlin "Hammi" Race: Wood Elf | Class: Footpath Ranger Leader Level: 19 (STR):44.25 (DEX):41.25 (STA):32 (CON):31.25 (WIS):31.5 (CHA):27.25 Motivation: Get back to basics, rebuild a foundation, and refocus with my new priorities. 2016: Rebuild my lifts, ruck more, possibly do another Spartan Main Quest: Relocate My Me. (Jan 4 a Jan 29) Missions: 1. Lift. The bar for this one isn't very high... Get to the gym and lift something once a week. 2. Steps. Getting back up to my daily walks has proven hard to me, mostly because I keep wanting to bite off more than I can chew. So the plan is week 1- 5k per day, week 2- 7.5k per day, weeks 3 and 4- 10k per day.. 3. Water. Still not drinking enough to keep myself from getting dehydrated with nursing. After each nursing session I will drink 12oz of water and have a snack. Life Quest: 4. Center I have gotten terrible about the time I spend reading my Bible since I stopped working at the church. This challenge I will choose a devotional to read and spend a minimum of 10 minutes each day working on it. Tracking will be done in my phone. Bonus: - I joined the Safety Team at my church, so now that the baby is here and old enough for Kids Min, I need to get back to serving. - I really want to do a GORUCK challenge this fall, once I'm no longer nursing, so I will continue to ruck on some of my walks. My Story (challenge history- it's lengthy, feel free to ignore...): 19. Finally, I approach the small town that I had set out for ages ago. It doesn't seem as vibrant as I thought it would- it feels a bit lackluster... I collect a key from the inn and set up my room, before heading out to explore. I figure that I can stay here for a while to regroup and resupply, as the looming mountain ahead of me taunts. Every morning I wake up and see it... staring at me... 20. I awaken suddenly to a sound that is both foreign and familiar- a cry. Looking down on the dot next to me a tiny little elf looks back at me expectantly. I look around th room to see who this little guy belongs to while he continues to gaze in my direction. All at once the past few months flash before me- he's....mine. Not totally sure what to do or where to go, I pick him up gently. He smiles at me and I realize the reality of my situation...

This is my first run with the Adventurers Guild. Been ranging with the rangers, so we will see how this works out. I am working on getting prepared to do a GoRuck challenge soon and I need to get into condition for it. Goal I – Consistency is key. Consistency is only a good thing if you are consistent at something good. So I will be focusing on working out consistently instead of sleeping in consistently. I will strive to work out at least four times per week. I will be utilizing the 6 week GoRuck training plan as a rough guide. A-16 workouts B-14 workouts C-12 Workouts D-10 Workouts Goal II Swift of Foot I need to be able to travel some distance when I run. Currently I can run one mile without stopping/walking, here is to trying for two miles nonstop. A-2 mile run – no stops or walking B 1.75 miles C 1.5 miles D 1.25 miles Goal III Get the sugar out I will be rucking with 30 lbs on my back, so any pounds I can cut from my waste will help off set the ruck. To do this, I’m going to cut out sweets. No soft drinks, cookies, pies, or any other decadent sugary goodness. A No sweets B 3 Sweets C 6 Sweets D 9 Sweets Goal IV Micro-Adventure I plan on making micro-adventures part of my routine, I would like to do one per month unless I have something bigger planned. This month, my son wants to go camping for his birth day. So my adventure will be taking my son (turning 5), daughter (3), and my wife (forever young) cold weather camping. Some extended family might join us also. If you think camping isn't an adventure, try it in the cold with little ones. Pass or fail

YAY! Finally starting a battle log! So I have been signed up for IRONMAN Wisconsin on 9/11/16 now for a few motnhs. Time to start getting my training under way. A little history on this endeavor. Last year my wife and I decided to do a half IRONMAN in RAcine Wisconsin in July. She trained rather hard and did very well. My training was not the best due to injuries, video games, beer, and excuses. I managed to finish in just over 7 hours but was a little disappointed since I could have been faster. This year will be different as I am more focused than ever and actually have already been training for 11 days now. My training schedule looks like this: Monday: Squats, overhead press or bench. Then swim intervals. Tuesday: Long run. Wednesday: Over head Press or bench, power clean, and then bike intervals on the trainer. Thursday: Long swim(almost like a rest day) Friday: Overhead Press or bench, deadlifts, Run Sprints. Saturday: Long bike ride. Sunday: Tempo Run. Every day will also have stretching and occasionally I will Ruck and also I play Ice Hockey. I am focusing on 8 hours of sleep a night as a minimum, without drinking. Nutrition for now is 2,200 calories a day. I am getting a Resting Metabolic Rate test done in the coming week and may adjust based on that and as well as my workload increasing. I am also currently signed up for IRONMAN 70.3(half distance) in New Orleans in April. This will be my first big test to shave some serious time off my last event. I am considering signing up for Eagleman in June in MD, also a 70.3 And so it starts....

RuckFit™Light 2015 Welcome to the RuckFit™ Light 2015, the Nerd Fitness rucking PvP program. This PvP will run alongside the current 2 Nov - 14 Dec Six Week Challenge, starting Monday, November 2nd. Lately there has been an enigmatic surge of interest in GoRuck challenges and rucking in general, emanating largely from the Ranger forums and spreading outward. In an effort to harness this enthusiasm and energy before winter strikes and sidelines all of our efforts, Wolfenstein and I have come together along with the advice of some fine folks like darkfoxx and doctorake who have actually completed GoRuck events to bring a beginner-friendly GoRuck-style Nerd Fitness PvP to the rucking masses. The First Rule of RuckFit™ is Always Talk About RuckFit™.The Second Rule of RuckFit™ is Although This Is A PVP, We Are A Team.The Third Rule of RuckFit™ is Ruck All The Things.WHAT IS RUCKING? The GoRuck website defines rucking as… More information available at: http://www.goruck.com/rucking SAFETY BRIEFING: If you are new to rucking, please do not bite off more than you can chew. Marching around and exercising with heavy weight on your back is an activity best worked up to. Start out light and build your capacity up from there. Recommended starting weights are 5# for women and 10# for men. If you find that is too easy, upgrade to 10# for women and 20# for men. Start small and work your way up as you build confidence and capability! Without further ado, let’s get into the metaphorical meat and potatoes of RuckFit™. RuckFit™ Light goals: 30 miles rucked during the 6 weeks of this challenge.Complete two (2) RuckFit™ WODs during the course of this challenge.Complete two (2) RuckFit™ challenges over the next 6 weeks.Here is where the PvP factor comes in. 30 miles is only the goal, which means the sky is the limit. Ruck as much or as little as you want. Treating this as a motivational PvP challenge will keep each one of us striving for more mileage. Get out and enjoy that weather before some of us are under two feet of snow. For the sake of this event, only urban/rural rucking mileage will be allowed. While camping and hiking to a particular destination with a pack full of sustainment gear is an excellent activity, carrying a weighted backpack for the sole purpose of exercise is a different effort entirely. Load up that pack with your choice of weight, some water and food if you feel the need, and call it a day. We’re operating on the honor system here, folks. The RuckFit™ tracking spreadsheet: RuckFit™ Light PvP Challenge Spreadsheet. See below for the RuckFit™ WODs and Challenges. Feel free to substitute and scale wherever necessary. Videos and photos encouraged!

So as the air turns colder and the days become shorter, I tend to have this urge. The urge to get up in the mountains and hike. Lots of hiking, cooking a hot trail meal, and generally enjoying nature. As a new Ranger, I have been tasked with moving a important package from one mountain town to another for a tribal elder. The distance between towns is approxiamately 60 miles, weight of the package 20 lbs. Goal #1 Ruck 60 miles at 20lbs weight. 4 Rucks in the mountains. Also as a little bonus I have two GORUCK lights during this challenge, Baltimore on 10/31 and Cancun on 12/12. Goal #2 Hit all my workouts. Monday is ride my bike, either mountain bike on trails or use my road bike. Nothing strict on mileage but at least 30 minutes riding. Tuesday is lifting Wednesday is a shorter ruck day, usually as a break at work. Thursday is lifting Friday is for trail running or if the weather is nasty go for a swim, just like the bike no strict mileage but 30 mins at least. Yoga at some point on Friday, find a video on youtube and do it. Saturday is the long ruck day. Hopefully I can get up in the mountains. Sunday is lifting. Each day I will also do stretching. Lifting goals, I am starting out pretty light weight since I have not been lifting lately. I would like to hit these numbers by the end of the challenge. Squat 225lbs Bench 155lbs Press 110lbs Deadlift 315lbs Clean 145lbs Goal #3 Diet, try to stay at 2,200 calories a day. Adjust if necessary. I am attempting to drop below 165lbs during this challenge which would be around 8-10 lbs lost. When I am in Mexico don't eat like a horse, be reasonable. Also I want to see how long of a streak I can have of weeknights that I am not being social where I don't drink alcohol. Goal #4 Rangers gonna DIY. I am working on a deck in my back yard. I want to have all 20 post holes(diggey diggey) done and with posts and concrete in them. Goal #5 Cars. I have a junk Civic I(really my wife) want out of my garage. I just need to put the front suspension together and call a donation service. Brakes on my wifes car, just front pads and rotors. Goal #6 Read some books. I have a short story sci fi book that I started and has been sitting. Phillip K Dick, the last story is what the movie Screamers was based on and I can not wait to get to it. I am also in the middle of the comic Transmetropolitan. I want to finish this as well. Also Joe from the movie was pretty much a Ranger. Goal #7 Ok last one I promise. Do a write up with pictures reviewing my 4 different GORUCK bags and share it on nerd fitness. Seems to be a lot of interest here with rucking and I tend to think I have some knowledge. I wish I was a decent writer and better prepared for a more intriguing story. maybe next challenge.

Because maths and me don’t really get along, and time slips. I did the research, and this is actually my 20th challenge. Name also spelled correctly in title? Check. — Challenge Theme: Wommens. I’m too scattered to coalesce all my disparate goals into just one theme. Plus, from the title & teaser alone, I’ve already got 2 fandoms representing. So: let’s just roll with Badass Women and see how far I can carry that loose thread. — Google image search for badass elf: While I picture my handle with a bow or a blade and somewhere up high, this is probably much more of an accurate depiction of my personality elf-ified. Fire. Combat boots. Urban. I’d go for purple hair over pink. Vaguely gothy. Tatts. Plus, this elf doesn’t have gigundous boobs, and her outfit at least looks comfortable. -- As summer wanes and race season slides into its slow decline, I can’t help but look forward to Winter and what the next chapter in my story may bring. I feel like all of 2015’s big hurdles are behind me (except TM; but I’m not focusing on TM, lest I freak myself out re: possible hypothermia and tear gas) and I’m trying not to languish in the post-race-season doldrums. What I Have Left 2 virtual 10ks in September Tough Mudder in November Probably the Turkey Trot 4-miler on Thanksgiving Maybe one of the hot chocolate runs in December Whatever other virtual runs or rucks I have to do to beat the DH’s number of medals for the year For the remainder of this season (I’m calling either my last official road race of the year or December 31 the end of season - it remains to be seen when this will actually be), I want to continue doing things that bring me joy and keep me engaged, while forcing myself out of my comfort zone so I’ll actually accomplish the things I want to accomplish instead of frolicking in easy mode all willy-nilly like, as I am wont to do. What I Like Real life rucking badasses Rucking. Who knew? I’m still shocked. Since I’m liking rucking so much, I plan on continuing to do that while the weather holds out. I’ll be stuck inside all winter with only the treadmill for comfort, why miss out on prime fun time when I don’t have to? Plus: Ranger street cred. Who doesn’t want more of that? Will this help with my overall goals? I don’t know, but weight + distance can’t be a bad thing. So, On Mondays, We Ruck. I can only dream of being this badass when I’m her age Yoga. Yoga is fun, and my body needs it in order to accomplish the things it wants to achieve. Without yoga, I’m a hot mess of injuries and hobbles. Yoga is definitely staying, and I’ll still continue to try adding cool new poses to my arsenal, while working on building rock solid fundamentals. And, because I have not yet used her and she’s the OG woman badass (at least to me - this is the first identifiably physically strong woman in a move or on TV I looked at as a kid and went ‘I want that!’) Bodyweight exercises. My body and I both prefer bodyweight exercises over lifting weights. I need to remember this, stick with this, and go back to HIIT workouts with a video so I actually HI of the IT. I love me some Darebee workouts, but I have a tendency to do them at *my* pace, which is not the pace I should actually be going at. I say I should switch back to videos, but Darebee has released a cool new semi-immersive semi-game thing - Age Of Pandora - which I've started and am totally digging. I can do these workouts, plus make upgrades to my Avatar on top of doing other things. Maybe if I choose shorter-length HasFit videos and combo them with AoP chapters. Not sure how this is going to look yet. What I Really Need To Be Doing A goddamn pull-up. I know, I know, I was so gung-ho about getting a pull-up this summer … but then I chose not to work very hard for it. And I found other things I loved. And I have exercise ADHD. Plus, I’m not overly fond of doing hard things until they’re no longer that hard. I need to STFU and f-o-c-u-s. This needs to happen. If it takes keeping the pull-up bar out 24/7, it takes keeping the pull-up bar out. I need to do this, as my ruck schedule allows. Enough Said Working On Specific Skills That Will Help In OCRs - like rope climbing, monkey bars, wall climbs, and bucket carries. Monkey bars I can do and I can practice - I need to work on grip strength and other types of bar crossings (like skipping a bar, or jumping from bar to bar)Rope climbs are going to be tricky, since I don’t have access to a rope. What I do have access to is the Internet, with many suggestions on other things to do to ensure I at least build the right muscles (Onnit has a good video for this)It’s likely that I will always need help over walls, but I can practice hoisting myself up over lower walls so maybe I don’t need a boost for every single damn one. Parkour fundamentals would help hereBucket carries are the worst thing ever. But, I can buy a bucket, the garden in my building has rocks in it, and I could practice carrying them around the garden area. Don’t wannaBurpees. Everyone hates burpees, but I need to be able to do more in a row without absolutely killing my hip flexors Ummmm. Yeah. Building Endurance. Also boo. This winter, I need to do some targeted speed building on the treadmill and work on inclines to tackle hills. Pouting. —— Goal 1: Continue Working Out 4-5 days a week + Bonus Monday Ruck Day Yoga 2x Dedicated cardio or endurance work 1x Wildcard 1x - maybe get that OCR game Eric reminded me of? Or, HasFit HIIT videos In September, this is going to pan out as follows: Mondays: Ruck Day (+AoP, +squat challenge) Tuesdays: Yoga or bodyweight videos or cardio class (+AoP, +squat challenge) Wednesdays: Yoga or bodyweight videos (+AoP, +squat challenge) Thursdays: Yoga (+AoP, +squat challenge) Fridays: AoP, squat challenge (+ try to do something else active one weekend day) Saturdays: AoP, squat challenge (+ try to do something else active one weekend day) Sundays: AoP, squat challenge (+ try to do something else active one weekend day) Goal 2: Metrics Metrics. Matrix. They both start with M. I haven’t really deviated from this metric plan in over a year, and don’t see any reason to start. For those of you that are new to me, my metrics are based on those outlined in the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. My metrics are as follows: 100 grams or under of carbs, 70 grams or over of protein, 100 grams or under of fat and around 1,500 calories. This plan seems to work for me, and if I stick to it, my weight stays where I want it and my body stays fueled without being sluggish. That said, I have recently begun carb loading for races and eat whatever my body is screaming at me it wants post races (generally a bigass steak and/or a face full of carbs). This seems to be working well, and I’ll be sticking with it. I also shoot for 64 ounces or so of water (2 refills of my water bottle + a coffee), and track my general activity and sleep with a Misfit Flash. I’m on My Fitness Pal and Fitbit. Goal 3: Biohacking This would be awesome, but I'm starting on a much smaller scale. I’ve already started my sleep biohacking - started September 1st. Gathered 1 week baseline readings: Check Week 1: Introduced white noise - Check Week 2: Introduced sleep mask - In Process Week 3: Add nightly meditation to the mix Week 4: Add melatonin 1 - 2 nights Week 5: Add daily magnesium supplements Week 6: Add fats right before bed (collagen or raw honey + krill oil + brain octane) Goal 4: The Minimalist Life It stands to reason that waking up in Raccoon City for the umpteenth time means you don't have a lot of crap you're worried about hauling around. I'm doubting Alice has a storage container somewhere. I have my wardrobe pretty dialed down for the summer season; I may need to do a little cold weather whittling here, and I may add a few pieces meant to replace less durable items. What I really need to focus on here is stuff in the ‘other shit’ category. I need to actually address the other shit taking up room on my shelves and in my closets. I need to reduce something (a closet or a shelving unit) by at least 20% per week here). To accomplish this goal, I’m taking part in a 30 Day Minimalist Game. Starting September 14, I will be getting rid of +1 item per day (Day 1: 1 item, Day 2: 2 items, Day 30: 30 items) to see how far I can take it. I may supplement with bigger purges as my impulses drag me. Gotta strike while the iron is hot. Goal 5: Arts & Crafts When I did a search for badass women who craft, for some reason Ripley came up in the results. I’ll take it! Finish the shawl and secret cross-stitch project I’m working onStart the baby blanket for my sisterAnd … since last challenge we were talking about wanting badges for adulting or Ranger Tasks, I think I’ll flex my graphic design skills and make some. The goal is to complete 1 digital version a week based on my fellow Rangers’ goals and/or accomplishments. If this turns out well, these may assume corporeal form some time down the road. Mini Challenge Feats Endurance Feat - 10k ruck with 20lbs in my pack if this week falls within September - if not, some other type of rucking - maybe a mileage total to hit for the week. Match Wolf for a little PvP action?Strength Feat - For this week, concentrate daily on pull-ups or upping the strength in my ankles/calves to increase my effectiveness in balance poses (depending on which side of my body has DOMs).Speed Feat - 10k for time if this week falls within September - if not, something else for time. Something for time. Combat Feat - Go have a climbing or archery date with the hubbs.Healing Feat - Work on my little fascia daily this week - my jaw connectors and head connectors are always tense; work on loosening these babies.

Well I guess it is better to be late than not signing up. you can check my intro here http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/71793-doctorake-reporting-in/ Main Quest: Finish IRONMAN Madison on 9/11/2016 Life Quest: Life quest will be to get the posts set up on my deck(back yard). 20 in total. A = posts set, B = some posts but not all, C = all concrete poured, D = some concrete poured, F = nothing, no progress. Side Quest: I am going to try to lose 10 lbs in the next 5 weeks, going from 180 to 170. I feel that is a good start as my main quest. Grading: A = 10+lb, b = 8lb, C= 7 lb etc on the grading scale Side Quest: Hit all my weight training, as well as stretch every single day. A = 35/35 training, B = 34/35, C = 33/35, D 32/35, F 31/35 or less. NO EXCUSES. Side Quest: Record all food intake. I struggle with this sometimes on weekends with take out and alcohol. I want to do the best I can, that mai thai from the local place, yeah I don't know exact but can do a decent job estimating. A = all 35 days, B = 33 Days, C = 30 Days, D = 28 days, F = < 28 days. Side Quest: No more drinking unless I am out or have people over. It is not an issue interferring but the couple of glasses of wine a night here nad there are adding calories and impeding muscele growth. No way to tell based on guests. is an either pass/fail quest.

Last challenge cycle brought 2 OCRs, a 10k, and a 5k. This cycle encompasses the dog days of summer (and it currently looks like we’ll actually get some summer - NYC is s-w-a-m-p-y), so I had planned on taking it a little easier in August (and by a little easier, I mean 1 big GoRuck + an unspecified number of runs for bling). Of course, now I’m having second thoughts about this “easy†business, and am itching to do moar things. I’m also sad that I only have 1 OCR left this season. It’s a biggie (Tough Mudder in November), but still … it’s not right now. I know, I know … doing allthethings gets me in trouble physical-wise, feeds my gnat-like attention span, and makes me a jill of all trades but good at none. But …. Work It Out I want to continue on with yoga, especially around races; I need to continue working on the dreaded running for stamina; and my muscles want in on it all too. Plus: I still haven’t hit my ‘this summer Imma’ do a damn pull-up’ goal. Aaaaaaaaand my focusing power monkeys are jumping. So, shotgun approach it is. I like my 4 day a week scheduled activity + walking as much as possible on the weekends program. For this challenge, let’s reign in the monkeys a bit with some direction so I'm not stuck in vapor lock mode. Model A Monday: Bodyweight circuit in the gym Tuesday: Cardio in the gym Wednesday: Yoga class in the wild (sub yoga in the gym if time doesn't allow) Thursday: Yoga class in the gym Friday: Optional bonus day - take a class or lift some weights Weekend: GoRuck, race or walk as much as the weather permits Model B Monday: Yoga class in the wild Tuesday: Bodyweight circuit in the gym Wednesday: Bolly X class in the wild (sub gym cardio if time doesn't allow for travel) Thursday: Yoga class in the gym Friday: Optional bonus day - take a class or lift some weights Weekend: GoRuck, race or walk as much as the weather permits Races, Etc. August 8 is GoRuck Light In order to stay on track for beating my DH’s number of race medals this year, I need to pick up two 5ks during this challenge. EDIT: I picked up two virtual 5ks. I'll be doing the Phone Home 5k through Moon Joggers sometime this August, and the Jedi Challenge 2015 either later this month or also in August. The Jedi race is open on both dates and distances - depending upon when I pick to do it in relation to GoRuck, I may shoot for overkill and do a 10k. We shall see what happens with the PPTC Speed Series (weeknight 5ks thrown by my DH's running club) for the rest of this summer - if I end up doing more of those, I won't attempt to kill myself with an indoor kid 10k. EDIT EDIT: Goddamn it. I picked up another challenge - this one a total mileage challenge - the Road To Hogwarts 52-mile virtual race. I have until October 1 to travel that distance. What was I thinking? Metrics I haven’t really deviated from this metric plan in over a year, and don’t see any reason to start. For those of you that are new to me, my metrics are based on those outlined in the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. My metrics are as follows: 100 grams or under of carbs, 70 grams or over of protein, 100 grams or under of fat and around 1,500 calories. This plan seems to work for me, and if I stick to it, my weight stays where I want it and my body stays fueled without being sluggish. That said, I have recently begun carb loading for races and eat whatever my body is screaming at me it wants post races (generally a bigass steak and/or a face full of carbs). This seems to be working well, and I’ll be sticking with it. I also shoot for 64 ounces or so of water (2 refills of my water bottle + a coffee), and track my general activity and sleep with a Misfit Flash. I’m on My Fitness Pal and Fitbit. Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire I am still sloooooowly working toward minimalism for my surroundings, and I feel the need to jettison a bunch of stuff all at once. I think I’ll start with the kitchen. Two people who don’t entertain that much don’t really need 6 double cabinets full of crap. Even if one of them cooks a bunch and blogs about food. For this goal, I’m picking at least 1 cabinet a week and purging my little heart out. I also want to continue adjusting my wardrobe to fit my actual needs and not have 9999 things in my closet that don’t fit either my lifestyle or size, while having 3 things I like and wear. I should also get rid of some other shit/work on letting myself let go of things that I keep for no damn reason except habit and/or a sense that I may suddenly wake up with I'm 60 and miss the things. Other Other Shit I want to continue practicing another language using DuoLingo. Last challenge it was French in prep for my trip to Montreal. I think this challenge I should switch to Ukranian in prep for this fall’s trip there. I also need to foam roll, even though I hate it with the passion of 1,000 burning suns. EDIT: I also need to make a conscious effort to work on stretching my feet more. And I'm * * this close to letting peer pressure get the better of me and making this more of a concrete goal, instead of just a weekly feat goal + the vague promise of doing better this time. And I need to continue on with my creative pursuits (currently knitting and card making). Oh, lookie here - another damn EDIT. This time for weekly mini challenge feats: Endurance Feat - GoRuck. Not dying at GoRuck. If this feat does not happen to fall on GoRuck week (or the week prior), double up on 5ks. Strength Feat - Do A Damn Pull-Up (again)Speed Feat - Attempt to crack a 34-minute 5k.Combat Feat - I have to make it out of the building to do Bolly X or something new(ish) other than my favorite yoga class this week. Whining, but no excuses - summon that 20 seconds of courage. Healing Feat - 1 week of foam rolling for at least 5 minutes every work day + working on stretching my feet out.

This cycle's challenges are based off of the feats from the mini challenge exercise for this cycle. More info here. Feats Endurance: Complete: Spartan Sprint + Oakley 10k + Savage Race + Rugged Maniac - DONE WEEK 1 Strength: Improve throughout this season's OCRs + Perform A Single Damn Pull Up Speed: Work on furthering my yoga pose skill set (I'm starting with holding crow for longer + headstands) Combat: Complete the Spartan bodyweight program + continue to work yoga in where I can - Edited to include working with the pull-up bar every week day this week on top of my yoga workouts Healing: Foam rolling + Duo Lingo to learn more French + Metrics + knitting/creative pursuits

Name: Hammlin "Hammi" Race: Wood Elf | Class: Footpath Ranger Leader Level: 18 (STR):44.25 (DEX):37.25 (STA):30 (CON):31.25 (WIS):31.5 (CHA):25.25 Motivation: New job, new schedule, new coworkers. I don’t handle change well… Also, still upcoming is GORUCK Challenge next June… Main Quest: Defining a New Normal. (Nov 10 – Dec 21) Missions: 1. Schedule. Get into new routine- this will be hard. I have no idea what my future holds and I have been at the same job for the last almost 8 years... it's all that I know and it's what I'm used to. I need to make a schedule as best I can, once I see what the workflow of the new job seems like, and then work in and figure out how training can work in it. 1 Point for making the schedule that includes November Project (DEN) and a ruck each week. 1 Point for getting to bed by 9 at least 4 times per week. 1 Point for blocking AND using time Sunday for meal prepping. (+3 CHA) 2. Push Ups. Short and sweet. Need to do push-ups daily, in order to get better! Will decide on a plan by the time the challenge starts. 36-42 days = A 29-35 days = B 22-28 days = C 15-21 days = D 0-14 days = F (+4 WIS) 3. Water. Water, water, always water. Water goals always go by the wayside when the weather gets cold. Using. I need to be drinking 3 a day... 36-42 days = A 29-35 days = B 22-28 days = C 15-21 days = D 0-14 days = F (+4 STA) Life Quest: 4. Debt. Cruel evil four letter word. The new job is very timely, because Mr. Ham and I have been treading water… The plan is to use the snowball method to pay off the things that have been accumulating over the last couple of months. 2 Points for making the plan 2 Points for paying down whichever, according to the plan, fall in the challenge time line (+4 DEX) Tracking will be done on my closet calendar this time. My Story (challenge history- it's lengthy, feel free to ignore...):

October 19th (West Rocks Crag, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada) sleep (prev night): 10hrs climb, top rope 5.8, two repeats 5.6 5.8 Climbed with girlfriend and another friend who led these routes trad style ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_climbing ). The weather was a very pleasant surprise, cool but dry after the previous day's chilling misty drizzle (Saturday's weather had been nasty enough that even a pumpkin chucking festival [ http://www.kemblepumpkinchuckin.com/ ] was not much fun ... and this from someone who usually believes "There is no such thing as bad weather, just improper clothing" http://www.pinterest.com/pin/285908276314294274/ ! ). West Rocks is a small disused quarry tucked in very close to residential areas and a high school - a great easy to access treat that can be included into relatively short breaks in daily chores and tasks by Owen Sound-ites who are willing to find a way. I've done a little bit of leading on trad, but considerably easier grades (5.1 - 5.3) and was mostly out to get my blood flowing and joints moving after a gym strength session a couple of days earlier when I did too much deadlifting too early in my current come-back process.

Name: Hammlin "Hammi" Race: Wood Elf | Class: Footpath Ranger Leader Level: 18 (STR):44.25 (DEX):37.25 (STA):30 (CON):31.25 (WIS):31.5 (CHA):25.25 Motivation: Trip to Mexico is in 10 weeks, GORUCK (challenge) next spring, life in general.... All are coming to call... Main Quest: Move Along. (Sept 7 - Oct 26) Missions: 1. Training. I recently shadowed a challenge (Goruck) in Boulder and realized that there are a lot more things PT-wise I should and can be doing to get better. I am putting together a list of PT exercises that I want to progressively work on, including a mile a day. 10 items for 10 reps, adding 10 reps per week- doing PT 3 times a week. 10 points for completing each exercise each day (each exercise is one point)= 10 pts a day, 30 for the week. 210-187 pts= A 186-166 pts= B 165- 141 pts= C 140- 124 pts= D 123 and below= F (+3 CHA) 2. Tracking. Must this always be a thing. Apparently so. Back to tracking. 36-42 days = A 29-35 days = B 22-28 days = C 15-21 days = D 0-14 days = F (+4 WIS) 3. Water. Water goals always go by the wayside when the weather gets cold. I have a cup I will call my 14er cup. I need to be drinking 3 a day... 36-42 days = A 29-35 days = B 22-28 days = C 15-21 days = D 0-14 days = F (+4 STA) Life Quest: 4. Reading. This is kind of a work goal melded with a life goal. We have to read the book One Way Love by November 1st, and am having a bit of a hard time getting into it and devoting time to it. This goal is pass or fail. Pass or Fail (+4 DEX) TRACKING My Story (challenge history): 1. Wandering across the mountain ranges of the west, I came upon another wood elf, who was running through the tree lined forest. I tried to keep up, because I knew he was waiting for me, but nothing I did would keep me at pace with him. Eventually I slowed, to catch my breath and I lost him. Dejected and worn out, I decided to dedicate my life to keeping up with this other elf... 2. Sneaking through the woods I can feel my senses getting sharper and I begin to wonder if the elf that I'm following, is actually following me... 3. Catching my breath I slow my run as I approach a clearing. Did I get lost? I don't know where I am and the elf I had been following has picked up the pace. My mind... it's jumbled up... my thoughts are foggy... I need to focus. I'll stay here for a while, find my center, and then continue on... 4. After pausing in the clearing to refocus, I see what looks like a beaten down path off to my right. Have I been here before? Walking up to the path, it looks familiar, but overgrown. I take out my sword and slowly start hacking away the brush that seems to have grown in over the years. Yes. THIS is my path. 5. Following the path for what seems like a lifetime I suddenly find myself at the tree lined edge of a beautiful meadow. The sun in the sky that is glaring down on me makes me realize something glorious- I have made it through the woods! Over the hill I see the elf that I have been tracking this whole time. He is napping… This is my chance!!! 6. Running up to the elf that I have been following for what seems like forever, I find myself out of breath. As I slow down and approach him, I see him slow down and turn to me. I don't know if he knows that I have been following him, but I can tell by the look in his eye that he's ok with this. As we start to wander the forest together we notice that things aren't quite as bright and cheery as they were months ago... something is wrong... 7. As we continue to approach the edge of the forest we can feel something bearing down on us. Picking up the pace we stay laser focused on getting out of here. The night has grown darker and the forest is eerily quiet. The wood elf and I look at each other and begin to run. I can tell that the time where we have to battle is near and we really need to stay focused... 8. Standing on the front line, victorious, I wonder "Now what?" I ponder with wise words of a foreigner who taught my people to stay motivated when they feel like they have arrived. The skills I have learned in the past keep me pushing forward. I move confidently north, to find new lands. And that other pesky elf can come with me… 9. On the north side of the valley I see something far away that I can’t take my eyes off of. It almost looks like the mountain side is glistening and the sun is dancing with the peaks. I fall into a trance, staring off into the distance, as if I'm under a spell. A few minutes later I am able to snap out of it, but the lingering desire to see who, or what, had a hold on me begins to push me forward. Is some powerful mage up in the hills, drawing people to him? Or is someone sending out a distress signal, begging for help. All I know is the allure of finding out what is in those hills is forcing me onward. We have mountains like these back home, but I am far from that place, and out of practice. It will take some time to traverse these mighty giants, but I have no choice but to start… 10. From the top of the mountain I can see everything. I have a level of clarity that I've not experienced before and it makes me take notice to my surroundings. I have an epiphany and realize that I need to race home to my family. They have no idea what’s in store! As quickly as I can I need to make my way back down the hill and back to my village… Part of the way down the hill I trip. When I catch myself I see that the sign in front of me has directions. I’m tired of being a follower in my own life. I need to go my own way. I turn on my heels and walk south. 11. Down in the city to the south I find myself in the camp and company of strangers. Although I’m not entirely sure that I can trust them, they seem safe enough. Maybe, I’ll hang back and just observe them and mind their ways. Something inside of me says that these people have information that may be valuable to me and my quest, and I am determined to get my hands on it. Knowledge is oddly alluring and very appealing to my senses… 12. As I spend weeks on end with these people, I start to sense a power coming over me. I am being changed from the inside out- is it sorcery? Magic? Am I evolving? All I know is that I need to stay the course. Over time, my memories start to fade. The days of running through the wilderness with the other elves feel miles away- as if they occurred a lifetime ago. Only the here and now makes sense. I have my plan. 13. The strangers have become less strange and more like family. It feels like I have finally returned to a place where I feel at home and at peace. When I look down I start to notice that my slender Elven legs have begun to take a form of something more resembling tree trunks. When I stand, I can't move quite as nimbly but I feel stronger than I ever was before. In the back of my mind I still remember that I am following something- the dragon... 14. As I wake with a start I feel strange. My heart is pounding out of my chest, and I can’t seem to calm myself down. I am in no condition to face the dragon. I need peace. 15. Relaxed and recharged I pull out my map. I haven’t looked at it in quite some time and it’s almost foreign to me. Over my shoulder I see that elf that I had chased so long. He’s back and there is a stranger comfort in knowing that. I turn back to the map and start down the trail. There is a point in the road where it splits off into three. I see on the map that all three get where I need to go, but one seems most logical. I start down that path… I must find the thing that haunts me. I run until I can't feel my legs and I burn all over. 16. The fire that consumed me begins to subside, but I am still feeling the after burn. I pull a map out of my pack and examine it for water. I tilt my head trying to make sense of the nearest body of water, but the letters suddenly look foreign to my elven eyes. I take some time to sit and focus- after a while it will come to me and I can find the cool liquid that will cool my legs and quench my thirst. I pick up my pack again and though it’s very heavy, I make towards my intended destination, swiftly and confidently. 17. All at once I am out of breath and lost. Again. I feel like I have been here before, if only I could figure out where “here” is. Things look familiar, but I still feel lost. Wildflowers, a stream, a beaten path. What the hell. 18. Now that I remember where I am, I remember where I was headed- I make towards the town that I set out for so long ago.

This is my first Warriors challenge despite lifting the heavies for a while. Diet Finish Whole30 with LoBroStay Gluten FreeContinue to play with macros til I find what works for meIncrease my metabolism slowly by adding calories on a weekly basisExercise Continue 3x a weekFlirt with 5/3/1 program to see how it works for meadd in Oly liftsLife Allot time to relax, read a book and or learn. My brain needs to be exercised as well. This may well show up in this thread a fair piece as I might word vomit all over this thread Current Numbers / Goals OHP 95# / 110# BackSquat 170# / 200# Deadlift 190# / 205 Bench 120# / 135# Clean 85# / 100# Snatch 55# / 65# <-- Needs Form Focus Front Squat 125# / 150# With any luck, this should be a stay at home challenge. I don't have any events or trips during this 6 weeks. The next trip is 9/11/14 to chicago for rucking. Googley Docs: Measurements Program-ish (Adjustments allowed) Lift Tracker

/me waves Hey all. I'm skipping out of the Ranger forum for a bit due to life circumstances, namely a distinct lack of heavy stuff to move. Goals 1) Clean up the diet. No, Really. Higher fat, lower carb paleo really works for me. I have more energy and seem to lean up pretty well. So that's what we're shooting for. 1700kcal/day too soon for macros at this point in specificity. I am concerned that I ate at a deficit long enough to cause some issues but after an unintentional bulk, I think I may be okay enough to work on this more carefully. 2) Do workouts at least 5 times per week if not more. ( I'd really like to do 3 days, 2 times per day. Right now I have Convict Conditioning on the brain. 3) Ankle Rehab I recently -read saturday - sprained my ankle rather badly. I have 4 weeks before I'm supposed to do a GoRuck in SF with Catspaw, emcee, & smftexas. I will definitely BE in San Francisco, but if I can't run the parking garage stairs by then, I'm going to seriously re-consider. Ice Twice per dayDO NOT TAKE THE BRACE OFF (except for showers and sleepage)Vitamins to support tendon repair Being I'm more of a lifter with some running.. Please please PLEASE feel free to send me some bodyweight workouts. I have issues with getting bored on bodyweight circuits Here's what I have available to me: Rings5 Story Parking GarageFloor SpaceI walk roughly 2 miles/day to work and back which will continue throughout this challenge but won't be tracked per se. Lastly, HAI ASSASSINS!!!

Steve's article about "Doing Things You Suck At" poked me to get off my seat and write a challenge thread again. One of the things I suck at is sticking with things and keeping up a challenge thread. I reckon I can make my attention span at least 6 weeks long - it's time to give it a go again. Background “All this has happened before. All this will happen again.†I've been here before, both "here" in the Rebellion and "here" in my fitness journey. I completed my third challenge right before Christmas then somehow just trailed off after the new year. I was in the process of kicking rear, adding weight to my workouts, and making progress, but then somehow I got bored and disillusioned. With nothing on my horizon to work towards, I quit. I accomplished a GoRuck Light this last weekend, which was the motivation for my last challenge. Over 8 miles rucked in 5 hours, with at least 30 lbs on my back (my ruck) and often with much heavier weight - I was pretty impressed with myself. This is the point of a hard event, it seems - to push your boundaries of "unreasonable". I did struggle in the PT parts of the event more than I anticipated. The only training I've done in the last 6-8 weeks has been rock climbing and rucking/running, so this shouldn't have been such a surprise. I'm signed up for a GoRuck Challenge in August, ten weeks away. Instead of 5 hours and 8 miles, this will be 10-12 hours and 15-18 miles. A bit more difficult, you might say. While I was able to "gut through" the Light, such a thing will be quite a bit more difficult in the Challenge. Main Quest Over the next two challenges, I need to get my ducks in a row and be in proper conditioning to make it through a long event without undue suffering. Main Goals 1. Three workouts/week (weeks 4-6: 5 preferred) (+3 STR, +2 STA) Weeks 1-3: scale Beginner Bodyweight Workout to regain lost ground Weeks 4-6 (and next 3 weeks): start through the GoRuck 6-week training plan 2. Ruck 2x/week (+4 DEX, +1 STA) A "RUCK" is a walk or run with a weighted backpack. The minimum for this challenge is my current baseline: at least 3 miles/day with at least 20 lbs (4 bricks + work paraphenalia). As the challenge progresses, I'd like to increase distance, and I _will_ increase weight up to 6-7 bricks (25-35 lbs) 3. Yoga 2x/week The last challenge I did aimed for yoga 4x/week. While I liked my practice, I didn't like the time commitment and how I felt when I got inevitably behind. Therefore, I'll scale back to 2x/week this time. I've been using the guides from DoYogaWithMe.com, and I've really enjoyed them. Being several months out of practice, I think I'll go back to week 3 of the beginner course and see how it treats me. I left off somewhere around week 3 of the beginner-to-intermediate course, and might catch back up quickly, we'll see. Goal 1 Grading: A: 3x/week B: 2x/week C: 1x/week F: none Goal 2 Grading: A: Ruck! Ruck! C: Ruck! F: No ruck. Goal 3 Grading: A: 2x/week C: 1x/week F: Oops, I forgot Life quest: Goal: 3 efforts (at least 1-2 hrs) spent on organization or home improvement. Examples: Cleaning garage, taking unwanted piles to Goodwill, etc. Ordinary housecleaning and yard work don't count. Life Quest Grading: A: 3 accomplishments B: 2 accomplishments C: 1 accomplishment F: Oops, I forgot Challenges: - Week 1 is a recovery week from the GoRuck. Only 1 workout required for full credit. - I'm on vacation from the end of Week 2 to the end of Week 3 - out of my usual routine. All these workout and forum things I have to remember how to operate...better get on it!

Background: The past few challenges have been focusing on preparing me to compete in gymnastics competitions. That culminated in competing at Nationals last weekend, which finishes out the competition season. It went okay. Normally, I would take this time to have some fun, learn new skills, and enjoy the freedom of a looser training schedule. However, Past Me hates Present and FutureMe and decided to sign up for the May 23rd GoRUCK Challenge in Boston, which is officially 6 weeks from tomorrow. I have 6 weeks to go from a bouncy, gymnastics sprinter to an endurance and strength machine. Motivation: To be an asset and not a hinderance to the team in May. Goal 1: Girl, You're Gonna Carry That Weight Attempt to mostly follow the GoRUCK 6-week training plan (lol really?) subbing running for other endurance cardio work as necessary aiming for at least 4 of the 5 prescribed workouts a week and absolutely following the plan with regards to ruck out days. Goal 2: Every Day is NOT Leg Day My upper body is severely lagging behind my legs. While the GR plan and just having the ruck on will do some good things for my shoulders and the rest, I've got to prepare better than that. I will be following the hundred push-ups plan with a 4+ brick ruck for the duration of the challenge. Will be aiming to hit all 3/3 prescribed push-up workouts per week according to the plan. Initial test put me at 10 push-ups with the ruck, but I may follow the 1-5 program to start because I've found that these things ramp up a bit too quickly for me otherwise. Goal 3: Flippin' Awesome While gymnastics will be on the back-burner, I still want to try to go on Saturdays at the very least. This goal will be to attend at least 8 gymnastics classes during the course of the 6-week challenge and work on SKILLS. Ideally, I want to make progress on one or several of the following skills: front handspring + front tuck + front tuck on floor, back handspring on balance beam, valdez on balance beam, round-off + back handspring + layout on floor, press handstand on floor, and aerial cartwheel on floor. These are all skills I could do when I was younger, so they're a continuation of my quest to be a better gymnast than I was when I was 12. Goal 4/Life Goal: Don't Fear the Meter I am going to hard track calories this challenge. The only challenge-related aspect of this will be to track daily and to report back to you folks about how my food's going. I may also share a MFP log or something like that. I want to lean back out, but I have no desire to do it quickly. I am still working on a rewards scheme for this goal. I think I may create an achievement system for myself that allows me to purchase goodies off of my Amazon wishlist for things like 5-day on-target calorie streaks. Disclaimer: I know this is not a super assassin-y challenge, but <3 you guys and I'm not going anywhere.

Alright, here we go. Goal 1 - Sub 20 Minute 5K. Fairly self explanatory. My body is slowly getting used to running faster. I have a 5K on the calendar in May. And, I might squeeze in another one before that. Either way, my goal is to race one with a finish time in the teens. Last 5K was raced on 3/16 & I finished in 20:15. I'd love to be sub-19, but that may be a bit aggressive right now. So, I will keep with a goal of Sub 20. Goal 2 - Strength training at least 3x a week. Last couple of months, I have focused more on my running. I ran a Spartan Sprint this past weekend, and finished... ok. Obstacle Course Races tend to have a way of highlighting your weaknesses. And, my lack of consistent strength training affected my finish time. I'm not going to allow that to happen again. Goal 3 - Complete the GORUCK Challenge on 5/24 ... preferably without embarrassing myself too badly. Simple enough - in theory. My life has been a bit busy lately leading to lower NF participation than in the past. I can't guarantee daily posts. But, I will finish this challenge with posts. Here we go now. Aroo!

Name: Hammlin “Hammi” Race: Wood Elf Class: Footpath Ranger Attributes: Strength (STR): 34 Dexterity (DEX): 32.25 Stamina (STA): 23 Constitution (CON): 26.5 Wisdom (WIS): 26.5 Charisma (CHA): 24.25 Level 15 Motivation: Focused, Relaxed, and Ready- Challenges are upon me, and it’s Go-Time. Hammi’s Main Quest: It Burns Hammi (Apr 14- May 25) Missions: 1. Train. I am in the Spartan 30 day boot camp (My Spartan Race is May 4th) and when that culminates we will move on to the GORUCK boot camp. I don’t have time to not be in training. Substitution with mountain hiking is ok once a week. 36-42 days = A 29-35 days = B 22-28 days = C 15-21 days = D 0-14 days = F Reward: (+2 STA +2 STR) 2. Water. In conjunction with the Women’s Academy water sleep goal, I’m focused again on my water. My Contigo water bottle is my measuring stick (each one holds 24oz) and I want to drink 4 per day. 4= 1pt, 3=.75pt, 2=.5pt, 1=.25pt. 36-42 points = A 29-35 points = B 22-28 points = C 15-21 points = D 0-14 points = F Reward: (+2 STA +2 WIS) 3. Joe. Ok this is a weird goal to lay out, but there is this trainer who offers a free training session every weekend at Red Rocks. When I go there for my rucks, I not only watch them (there are about 100 people who participate) but I ENVY them. My goal for this one is to work up the guts to try it out a few times. The group is called It Burns Joe Fitness (cause people yell out IT BURNS, JOE!) And I want to be one of them. I’m terrified to join, but they look like they are having fun while getting their asses kicked and I want that. 3 Joes = A 2 Joes = B 1 Joes = C DNF Joes = D 0 Joes = F Reward: (+2 DEX, +1 CON) Life Quest: 4. Blog. I need to be more active on my blog, if I want people to take me seriously. This one is straight forward. Goal is one blog per week- guest blogs count. 6 Blogs = A 5 Blogs = B 4 Blogs = C 3 Blogs = D 0-2 Blogs = F Reward: (+1 CON, +3 STR) TRACKING My Story (challenge history): 1. Wandering across the mountain ranges of the west, I came upon another wood elf, who was running through the tree lined forest. I tried to keep up, because I knew he was waiting for me, but nothing I did would keep me at pace with him. Eventually I slowed, to catch my breath and I lost him. Dejected and worn out, I decided to dedicate my life to keeping up with this other elf... 2. Sneaking through the woods I can feel my senses getting sharper and I begin to wonder if the elf that I'm following, is actually following me... 3. Catching my breath I slow my run as I approach a clearing. Did I get lost? I don't know where I am and the elf I had been following has picked up the pace. My mind... it's jumbled up... my thoughts are foggy... I need to focus. I'll stay here for a while, find my center, and then continue on... 4. After pausing in the clearing to refocus, I see what looks like a beaten down path off to my right. Have I been here before? Walking up to the path, it looks familiar, but overgrown. I take out my sword and slowly start hacking away the brush that seems to have grown in over the years. Yes. THIS is my path. 5. Following the path for what seems like a lifetime I suddenly find myself at the tree lined edge of a beautiful meadow. The sun in the sky that is glaring down on me makes me realize something glorious- I have made it through the woods! Over the hill I see the elf that I have been tracking this whole time. He is napping… This is my chance!!! 6. Running up to the elf that I have been following for what seems like forever, I find myself out of breath. As I slow down and approach him, I see him slow down and turn to me. I don't know if he knows that I have been following him, but I can tell by the look in his eye that he's ok with this. As we start to wander the forest together we notice that things aren't quite as bright and cheery as they were months ago... something is wrong... 7. As we continue to approach the edge of the forest we can feel something bearing down on us. Picking up the pace we stay laser focused on getting out of here. The night has grown darker and the forest is eerily quiet. The wood elf and I look at each other and begin to run. I can tell that the time where we have to battle is near and we really need to stay focused... 8. Standing on the front line, victorious, I wonder "Now what?" I ponder with wise words of a foreigner who taught my people to stay motivated when they feel like they have arrived. The skills I have learned in the past keep me pushing forward. I move confidently north, to find new lands. And that other pesky elf can come with me… 9. On the north side of the valley I see something far away that I can’t take my eyes off of. It almost looks like the mountain side is glistening and the sun is dancing with the peaks. I fall into a trance, staring off into the distance, as if I'm under a spell. A few minutes later I am able to snap out of it, but the lingering desire to see who, or what, had a hold on me begins to push me forward. Is some powerful mage up in the hills, drawing people to him? Or is someone sending out a distress signal, begging for help. All I know is the allure of finding out what is in those hills is forcing me onward. We have mountains like these back home, but I am far from that place, and out of practice. It will take some time to traverse these mighty giants, but I have no choice but to start… 10. From the top of the mountain I can see everything. I have a level of clarity that I've not experienced before and it makes me take notice to my surroundings. I have an epiphany and realize that I need to race home to my family. They have no idea what’s in store! As quickly as I can I need to make my way back down the hill and back to my village… Part of the way down the hill I trip. When I catch myself I see that the sign in front of me has directions. I’m tired of being a follower in my own life. I need to go my own way. I turn on my heels and walk south. 11. Down in the city to the south I find myself in the camp and company of strangers. Although I’m not entirely sure that I can trust them, they seem safe enough. Maybe, I’ll hang back and just observe them and mind their ways. Something inside of me says that these people have information that may be valuable to me and my quest, and I am determined to get my hands on it. Knowledge is oddly alluring and very appealing to my senses… 12. As I spend weeks on end with these people, I start to sense a power coming over me. I am being changed from the inside out- is it sorcery? Magic? Am I evolving? All I know is that I need to stay the course. Over time, my memories start to fade. The days of running through the wilderness with the other elves feel miles away- as if they occurred a lifetime ago. Only the here and now makes sense. I have my plan. 13. The strangers have become less strange and more like family. It feels like I have finally returned to a place where I feel at home and at peace. When I look down I start to notice that my slender Elven legs have begun to take a form of something more resembling tree trunks. When I stand, I can't move quite as nimbly but I feel stronger than I ever was before. In the back of my mind I still remember that I am following something- the dragon... 14. As I wake with a start I feel strange. My heart is pounding out of my chest, and I can’t seem to calm myself down. I am in no condition to face the dragon. I need peace. 15. Relaxed and recharged I pull out my map. I haven’t looked at it in quite some time and it’s almost foreign to me. Over my shoulder I see that elf that I had chased so long. He’s back and there is a stranger comfort in knowing that. I turn back to the map and start down the trail. There is a point in the road where it splits off into three. I see on the map that all three get where I need to go, but one seems most logical. I start down that path… I must find the thing that haunts me. I run until I can't feel my legs and I burn all over.

In conjunction with the GoRuck Challenge that many Nerd Fitness members will be participating in or spectating on May 23, I'll be hosting a cookout on Sunday, May 25th at my house in Somerville. The cookout is open to any and all NF members, friends, significant others, beers, and pets. We'll probably have two grills going and a wide array of grilled meats, veggies, veg-based salads, grain-based salads, and a stupid number of desserts, I'm sure. I'm hoping for nice weather so that this will mostly be an outdoor event, as we have a yard and a hot tub out there. Details: Who~ NFers and beloved comrades What~ Cookout to celebrate surviving (hopefully) the Ruck, Memorial Day, and Nerd Life When~ 1:30 PM on Sunday, 5/25 Where~ Somerville, MA -- PM me for an address if you are coming Why~ Just because <3 I am currently planning on providing a wide variety of foods to suit any dietary needs, but I'd love for those who decide to come to let me know if they have any particular allergies or serious restrictions. P.S. -- There may or may not already be plans for goodie bags.