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So I know better than to expect a lot of the main goal to happen during the holidays, I enjoy food way too much and holiday baking is a thing in my house. My two main goals for this challenge will be trying to increase the number of nights I get over 7 hours of sleep, and working out first thing when I get up instead of waiting till 7am, because that hasn’t been working out well at ALL! Too often I find a reason to not do it. I’m going to be working on a modified 10k training plan, since I scheduled one on the 16th and haven’t really done anything to prepare for it. I've noticed as much as I enjoy them, it's a lot different when you don’t have someone to do them with, or even encouraging you. I need to move past this mindset and remember I’m doing them for me. After this challenge I’m going to take a week off for the holidays, then I’m going to start with the 5k training plan I did previously, after that I’ll do the full 10k plan, then, depending on how it’s going, I’ll move into the ½ marathon training plan. Some of you may remember I did the 5 and 10k plans back in 2019 and managed to lose 30lbs. Having a more active job at the time probably played a factor as well LOL. The Struggle... ( S )teps - ( T )rack - ( R )est - ( U )pdate - ( G )o - ( G )lance 5x week - ( L )ift 2x week - ( E )xercise (treadmill) 4x week - Done - 🌈 Not Done - ⛈️ My personal life is improving. I am doing my best to keep doing the same…therapy is a big part of this, journaling is another part. I'm going to continue doing this, as well as working on getting back to me and what I need in my life. Upcoming Items 12/16 - Reindeer Run 5k 12/17 - Candy Cane Course 5k 01/27 - Java Jog 15k 02/11 - Couple Shuffle 5k 03/09 - Time to Paddy 5k 06/22 - Hometown Half 10k 07/07 - Firecracker 4mi 08/10 - Summer Sizzler 15k 09/28 - Donot Stop 10k 10/20 - Spooky Sprint 10k 11/10 - Turkey Trails 10k

Three days late and a dollar short, I'm here! Challenges for the challenge: * End of year always has a bunch of wrap-up work I want to get done * Christmas is coming (oh god help me) * I'm realllllly tired and out of sorts after Thanksgiving. * I'm looking at some big life changes. ANYWAY we all know that December is a burning trash heap of stress, obligations, disappointed friends and family, disrupted schedules, unhealthy food choices and big expenses really great month so I'll just get down to brass tacks. Quest #1 (HEALTH): Complete 104 workouts by the end of 2017. At the start of this year, I committed to doing 104 workouts over the course of t the year (=2 per week). My count is behind on my spreadsheet, but I think I need to get 14 workouts in this month. If I get two done this week, and I keep to my new standard 3/week schedule, I'll do 105 for the year. This is more about maintaining the habit and hitting the goal than having the Best Workouts Of My Life, so I'm going to be flexible & charitable about what counts, so long as I'm active. 15 minute dance party? Sure. Walk at work that's longer than my usual? Sure. Quest #2 (WRITING): Complete the basic levels of my kickstarter rewards. Would I rather be working on my NaNo novel, or doing literally anything else? Yes, yes, I would. Instead, I will get the following rewards finished & mailed to their recipients: * Poetry cards * Handwritten poems * Poetry books I am using Asana as a project management tool. Just need to start setting time aside for this. Quest #3 (LIFESTYLE): Read 16 books. I'm at 14/16. I can get this done. Quest #4 (FINANCE): Put $5k in savings by the end of 2017. I will need to do one money date with myself to get my budgets in order from last month and this month. I think everything is on track for me to achieve this goal, but Black Friday + holiday shopping = money shenanigans for sure. BONUS QUEST: Write 250 words every day. Because it's fun and helps me stay sane. I really like how I've organized my year in terms of goals and priorities, and I'm excited to take some time at the end of the year to do the same big review/goal setting activity I did last year. This year was in large part about establishing some benchmarks for myself so I could decide if I want to do more, less or the same in the areas that are important to me--so even if I didn't hit the goals (damn you, one regular push-up!) I at least know more about myself and my goals. THANK YOU all for being here. As the end of November has been unravelling entirely, as I stare down the barrel of December, the thing I kept thinking was: I have to post a challenge. Something about being here, taking the time to put my plans together, checking in on my buddies (even if I'm not the most frequent commenter....), well, it all helps me keep focused and keep getting better.

1) Candy Land Escape from Holiday Treats*Every year, the holidays start to feel like a gauntlet of poor food choices combined with a big helping of guilt masquerading as holiday cheer. You can't avoid "opportunities" to eat calorie-laden, low-nutrient foods unless you crawl into a hole and pull it in after you. And trying to say "No, thank you" to friends, family, and random strangers proffering these items becomes an exercise in extreme diplomacy. I usually feel like Scrooge crossed with the Grinch before Thanksgiving is done. Forget the wreath on the door ..... this should go up as a fair warning to neighbors: (Maybe I should tattoo it on my forehead ....???) So, this year, I'm embracing the challenge!!!! Bring on the gauntlet!!! We'll have some fun framing the holiday season as the battle ground that it often seems to be, populated with sugar monsters, office party swamps, and little devils pushing caramel corn and cookies at us whenever we are weakest. For fun, people may join in the game - pop over to the accountability group (which I will create shortly ....) and have some fun with me. (Keep in mind that this is NOT a well-constructed game ... just somewhat of gallows humor designed to raise a laugh as we try to avoid gaining the traditional 5 pounds that Americans put on ---- and do not lose ---- each holiday season.) *Thanks, Beaucastle for the name!!! At stake for me: 1 CON, 1 WIS, 1 CHA, 1 STA, 1 STR - if I escape (i.e. get to the end of the game board) 2) Apprentice to the Black Widow Yeap, I'm back among the Assassins to work on changing body composition and redevelop the ability to do a pullup (among other bodyweight workout goals)!! I refuse to give up on this goal and will be working hard at reducing the amount of assistance I need on the pullup machine at the gym. By the end of the challenge, I want to be able to do 3 x 8 at 100 pounds of assistance or less. At stake: 1 STR, 1 DEX 3) Comfortable in any SettingSince I work at home, it's way too easy to get stuck inside as winter descends upon us. I can become a hermit, sitting at the computer, getting all my social interaction online. I live in the 5th coldest city in the United States .... I love it, but it can become a challenge to get outside in the winter. So ... gotta fight that trend and get reacquainted with people and my favorite city. Besides .... assassins have to blend in everywhere, right? My goal is to get out and do some adventuring every day!!! The list of possible adventures will keep growing as I think of things. Some will be planned, but some will be random (dice roll or picking a card). At stake: 2 CHA, 1 WIS 4) Outrun the Ghost of Christmas PastRunning is good for my spirits and usually kicks S.A.D right in the teeth too. So, finish C25K and run the http://gobblegallop.com/ and the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis with take place on Thanksgiving and then a week later. Let's hope for no ice! I can handle cold air, but I don't want to risk messing up my ankle again. At stake: 1 DEX, 2 STA 5) DestressMeditate daily. At stake: 2 WIS The goal is to NOT go over 165 pounds (losing weight would be even better), to hold BF% steady or even reduce a little, and to emerge at the end of the challenge filled with health and holiday spirit!!!