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So i have just completed my first ever OCR. My training leading up to the event, plus post-race analysis, is detailed in my Barbarian Challenge training log. This log will pick up where that race ended. i do hope to do more of these events in the future, plus a smattering of 5 and 10ks, some powerlifting meets, some shooting comps, and whatever other epic adventures i may come across. So, here we go!

I’m freewheeling a little it this time around so this challenge will be more like a battle log. There are a few things that I need to do over the next few weeks, so most of my goals will be a list of things that I need to get done before the end of this challenge. No doubt the list will get longer as the month goes on! Of course, none of this is fun without a theme. I didn't really put much thought into a theme this time around, so I’m going to randomly post meme’s from Welcome to Night Vale - seeing as WTNV has taken over my life in the last few weeks and it’s endlessly quotable. On the first day of this challenge, I have my first Half Marathon of the year. I’m not particularly looking forward to it as it’s going to be a tough, hilly course; possibly in hot weather (though rain is currently predicted) and I’ve been having a few calf issues the last few weeks. My aim is to just complete the race, I’m not worried about how long it takes or how many walk breaks I need. I just want to get across the finish line, preferably on my feet and with all my appendages intact. Charlie’s list of stuff: Book eye test & contact lens check-up Call Electric Company and give a meter reading Buy Father’s day present Buy brother’s birthday present Stuff for Wales Weekend Trip: Arrange key pick-up time with cottage owner Make list of food / drinks to take with us Buy food / drink to take with us Arrange birthday evening for brother The only other real "goal" I have this challenge is to make sure I keep up with the Ranger Mini Challenge as I keep starting it but never finishing.

This challenge theme is a nod to the fact that I FINALLY broke the plateau and started to lose weight again. So, I'm continuing the success strategies from last challenge but adding in some fun randomness based on the board and iPad game Galaxy Trucker. I'm also continuing (and pledge to do a better job of writing consistently) my RPG Jedi story. Given the amount of time I spend on the bus most days, I should be able to craft the day's activity and challenges into a tale worth telling. Goal #1 - Stick to my Smart PointsTM budget for each day and week This has generally been pretty easy, although some days, I am really freakin' hungry and there's nothing worthy of eating for a snack. The new Weight Watchers points system really rewards similar food choices to the NF or Primal diets .... but I like the clear budget numbers and the fact that nothing is off limits .... you just pay for indulgences. Sounds like life. Goal #2 - Finish C25K training program (again) I'm into week 4 in preparation for a fun run in July. Goal #3 - Round 2 of Dirt in your Skirt training program It's my adaptation of Margaret Schlachter's suggested program. It takes 28 days .... seems like kizmet. I'm increasing the number of reps for each body weight exercise. And I have made cards for each of the usual obstacles in a Warrior Dash. Between the 28-day program and my random daily draw, I'm be working up to facing the "gateway" OCR next year. My biggest challenge is - honestly - a nasty fear of heights. Goal #4 - Celebrate Summer Daily This is a quality of life goal and is a bit vague. Depends upon the day, what will speak to me of those long, lazy days of summer?? Reading on the porch, swinging in the hammock, getting on my bike, going for a swim?? I don't know, but I'll report and .... hopefully ..... remember pictures. Goal #5 - Keep on Truckin' MOAR RANDOM exercises tied into the RPG story. I am boarding a new fangled freighter, bound for adventure to assist on a nice, quiet blue milk run out among the stars. Week Zero (which we are in) involves repairing the ship and preparing to lift off. Then, the fun begins.

I've been running "EricMN's Jedi Training" challenge threads since... um... maybe all of them, and if not, it's pretty dang close. This means I've been modulating between making progress, treading water and backsliding for almost two years. I am pretty consistent with my workouts and my strength is measurably better right now than at any time since I was college-aged. I'm close to 2x my goal weight on my dead lift and almost 1x my goal weight on bench. My grip strength is not Ninja-level, but it's getting there. Nutritionally, I know what I need to do, and I'm able to dial in for weeks at a time. For this challenge, I'm determined to build a lasting habit that so far has not taken hold. During this challenge, I will participate in three weekends of events: The Greater Chicagoland Spartan Super and Sprint and Hurricane Heat, June 11-12 The Minnesota Spartan Sprint, June 25 The Indiana Spartan Sprint, July 9 And I'll likely run the Freedom Days 5 mile on July 4, because it's cheap and I can roll out of bed and stroll down the street to the park for that one. What do all those events have in common? They involve running, anywhere from 3 to 10 miles each. I've been doing Obstacle Races since September of 2014, because @Teros inspired me to take a step forward and use the fitness I had been building for two years and do something with it. I focused early on learning obstacle techniques and filling in the gaps in my upper-body strength. Last year, I also improved my running from "I can get through a 5k and mostly run" to "I can outlast a 15 mile Spartan Beast on a mountain and not die." But now, it's time to either stop saying "I'm not a runner" and use that as an excuse as to why I'm not becoming faster over distance. I have moved from "way down the bell curve" to "pretty close to the positive side of the bell curve" on flatter distances up to 9 miles. It's time to ditch the excuses and start running. I will only have two goals during this challenge. Goal One: Become a Runner This is it. I'm tired of showing up at training events for my OCR group and saying, "Hey, guys, meet you at the end." Plenty of people in our group are my age, and most are at least two to three minutes per mile faster than me over distance and many are even faster. Two of the guys who are in the group are 10 years older than I am. It doesn't matter that they have been runners for years (or decades), it's time to catch up. I'm more than capable. Step 1: Talk with one of the other trainers at my gym and get a freaking plan. April is a running coach. She's awesome. I have no doubt in my mind that if I asked, she would get me a stock plan and work with me to execute it. If she can't help me, there are plenty of other options, such as buying something like the Runners Connect Online Running Coach, or connecting with people in IL this weekend at the Spartan to get a plan. Step 2: Stick to the damn plan. I make excuses all the time as to why I am not running. Those days have to be over or I might as well just stop pretending this is what I want to do and start admitting that I am Mayor of the Back of the Pack. Week Zero Measurable: I will obtained my plan. Also, I will have done at least three days of cardio, whether it be trail running, hill running, or Matt Novakovich's Incline Treadmill workout. Week 1-4 Measurables: I will use the plan I have obtained and follow it to a tee. Goal Two: Finish my Personal Training Certification I have done enough procrastinating and made enough excuses. I am more than capable of passing this test. Get it sorted out and get it scheduled. Week Zero Measurable: I will have the test scheduled by the end of the week. Week 1-4 Measurables: I will spend no less than 4 hours per week studying, right up until test day. The Rangers guild has been instrumental in getting me where I am today; I'm going to need even more accountability to get where I want to go. No more excuses. It's time to suck it up and get it done. I may be a Jedi Master, but my own goal is to become the Grand Master of my family clan, something I cannot do when I do not have the discipline to meet my own goals. Today, this changes. Sometimes that tired saw he's known for is right on the mark.

Asa clambered up the stairs in response to the severe looking witch's call of "Pond, Asa!". Sitting heavily on the rickety stool facing the Great Hall, she had an idea of what was to come next thanks to the stories her siblings had told her when she was young. It didn't help her nerves much though. Being in the P's, Asa had the opportunity to watch several other students get sorted into their houses before her and she was desperately hoping she wasn't one of the ones that took too long. "Hmmm..." She jumped as the old, ratty hat murmured in her ear. "Ratty old hat am I?" It chortled. "I suppose I am getting a bit up there in years." Asa didn't quite know how to respond. "...I'm sorry?" "No, you're not and that is perfectly fine with me. Now let's see. You might as well get comfortable, this isn't going to be easy, I can already tell you that." Asa groaned internally. Of course it wouldn't be. "Definitely not a Hufflepuff, that much I can say." "Why not?!" Asa had no specific desire to be sorted into Hufflepuff but something in the way the hat made it sound like it was so obvious was unnerving to her. "Well, where I put you depends on where you'll grow the most as a witch and as a person. I can already tell that your loyalty and friendship must be earned and are not freely given, and while you do not hate hard work, it is not your first inclination." Asa responded with a mental shrug. She really couldn't argue with that. "I see intelligence in you and a desire to learn. Perhaps a Ravenclaw? No, not quite. I see your value lies more strongly in areas beyond your pure education. Ahhhh, yes. Ambitious. Very ambitious and willing to bend a few rules, maybe, to get where you want to be?" "Only in the most necessary of circumstances!" Asa thought. "Only when it's really needed." "Mmmm." She wasn't quite sure the hat believed her, but she was pretty sure she believed herself. "What is it you want in life, Ms. Pond? Where do your dreams lead you?" Immediately, towering mountains and clear cold lakes filled her mind. Next came a flash of flying though the air, then dancing in the square of a city among its native citizens. Climbing, jumping, racing, exploring. But there was also the office with the view from the top and the important title outside her door. Her future employees came to her asking for advice and handing in assignments that she had ordered. The two dreams warred in her mind. "I see." Whispered the hat. "Even you are not sure where you belong. A life full of adventure or a life with power. So where to put you? Where indeed." She thought hard, trying to picture what she wanted the most, what scared her the most. "Ah!" Gasped the hat. "So that is what is holding you back. You are afraid, yes? Afraid of where you might be lead if you follow your heart? Then that is what you must discover, Ms. Pond. You must face what scares you. And in order to do that, you must go in GRYFFINDOR!" Of course the last word was yelled out to the room and the expectant sea of faces on her left roared with applause. She hopped off the stool and handed the hat back to Headmistress McGonagall with a quick smile. She didn't feel as confident in the choice as the hat seemed to be, but she would do her best to live up to the sorting.

This Titan, not Attack on Titan. No matter what kind of bad jokes Kishi likes to make. So, I've made something of a personal goal to do something cool on or around my birthday. This year, I'm trying the first local Titan Challenge. I have a team of friends and acquantances. It should be cool. Maintenance goals: Judo when available - classes will be irregular this summer Stick to budget, track expenditures Walk 70k + steps per week Keep a day/evening off per week to spend at home Get out once/month - Animaritimes, titan challenge, possible self-defense speech Change up my training Judo goes on hiatus for the summer and it gives me a chance to train differently. We are planning on having a Judo class every other week or so, but not reliably. Everyone has other priorities this time of year. Mostly getting as much time in with their kids as possible :-) r/bwf recommended routine prasara yoga running Run the Titan Challenge on the 25th Mix these up and try to do each at least once per week. Balance as feel like it though. We're getting a lot of rain right now so I may do more indoors than run. Tuesday night is booked My newly freed up Tuesday is reserved for reading and studying. Whatever I feel like as long as it feeds my brain. Fix grocery budget So my grocery budget is indecently high. I eat very well and do not go to restaurants but it is still way too high. I've got some difficulties with my food allergies, but I can do better than this. Pick up less treats - good for me anyway Get basic meat and veg from Victory - cheap and local Bulk supplies from Costco but only what I need Incorporate more black beans and a little less protein Use slowcooker

Hi, Im Bill. A bit more than a year ago I started on this crazy little boat ride we call fitness. After a few missteps and false starts I found Nerd Fitness and CrossFit. I became a devout Ranger and fell in love with the functional fitness community. Everything was roses untill about a month ago. Two of my closest friends and training partners quit our gym for personal reasons. I tried to keep going regularly but I just wasnt having the same kind of fun I had thrived on. Then out of the blue my work schedule changed and I could only go maybe twice a week. I was no longer getting my monies worth out of my membership. Lame. This prompted me to quit and try something new. After some soul searching (and some Google searching), a few at home workouts, and some financial balancing, I decided to build my own garage gym. At first I wanted to make a space that I could do CrossFit on my own. low celings and a limited budget made that impossible. Calisthenics seemed like the way to go. Ive built a rig in the back yard for pullups and dips. Ive boarded up one wall for handstand practice. Ive built a plyo box because why not. Ive even been practicing parkour vaults and rolls. Its so much fun and the heaviest thing I have is a kettlebell. I guess this means Im not a Ranger anymore. Thats cool. I can be just as proud to be an Assassin. Or maybe a hybrid class? What would you call someone who does bodyweight work, dabbles in parkour, runs mud runs, rock climbs and backpacks, and still competes in CrossFit when work allows? For now Ill just call him Me.

It's May, and unfortunately, I'm still up on that damn plateau. 164 pounds. Yes, my jeans are getting loose. (Go me!!!) Yes, I'm finding that I can trot up the stairs (with a pack on) instead of crawl up them (really, I never crawled .... just wanted to). Yes, I am attacking days with more energy and resolve than I have in oh, about 10 years. (And I warn people in my office that I AM A SHARK. They think I'm cute and energetic.....what do they know???) But sooner or later, that scale IS going to reflect the new reality. Or else!!! So, I need to exert discipline - train harder and sacrifice things that are holding me back. (Yes, I'm looking at you, wine and pizza. Don't think I didn't notice that you account for the majority of my calories each week.) I really need a big, solid goal to work toward that puts me back into the "training for" mindset: Warrior Dash 2017!!!! Soon enough to be serious, but far enough away to be feasible. I'm taking Margaret Schlachter (from Dirt in Your Skirt) as my Jedi Master. Her book is an easy introduction that is getting me started. There's probably better, more in-depth books out there, but I don't want to become an underpants gnome. I've got enough to get started and a year to work on upper body strength and agility. And mental toughness. Getting off the plateau (Get down to 162 lbs or less) It can be difficult to find your way down if you've lost the trail. Trust me, I get lost fairly often on hikes, and I know this to be true from experience. So, what's the plan????? 1) Use your body!!! 28 days of OCR fitness training, based on Schlacter's example workout .... which is mostly bodyweight training. That schedule includes rest days, and I've already planned out how to gradually increase the challenge over the coming year. Plus, it also involves preparing to run 5K, which will keep me in training to do fun runs, like the Color Run and a Zombie Run. 2) Embrace the obstacles in front (or below) you. Do obstacle-specific training. Every non-rest day. I'd randomize them, but I'll have to allow for passing on exercises that require equipment that isn't readily available on that day ... like the bouldering wall at the campus gym. 3) Keep moving!!! It's one of my favorite ways to tackle a dungeon. It's not efficient, but it eventually you will get out. Or die, which is another way of finding the way out on the corpse run. In this case, increase step count to 11K per day. And don't die. 4) Travel light. (That's what I'm trying to do here .... Didn't you see the goal above? Oh yea, I did see that. But do you realize that you're talking to yourself???? Must be the heat and dehydration. You better get off this plateau. Yea, like I'm not trying .....) Keep net calories at 1375 per day BUT distribute over 5 or 6 smaller meals each day. 5) Live off the land!! (Cuz there ain't much cake and ice cream up on that there plateau.) Increase protein. It's at 75 grams average right now, which is low for trying to build muscle. Aiming for 82 grams. I think protein powder is going to be my new friend. And low sugar jerky. And salad greens and carrot sticks. Cut out the wine, eat less pizza even on Friday, and fill up on fruits and veggies.

2016 Boss Battle Number One I am a soon-to-be 49-year-old recovering fat guy. Short story: between my graduation from high school and early 2011, I pretty much doubled my body weight, topping out somewhere around 260 pounds, and I was pretty sick. In 2013 I started working with a personal trainer, got down to 190 while building strength and endurance for the first time in my life and entered my first 5k. I found that training toward a goal kept me more focused than just working out to be healthy. In 2014, I discovered Obstacle Course Racing after being inspired by @Teros to enter a Spartan Race. I was hooked. In 2015 I set out to earn a Spartan Trifecta, completed by finishing a Spartan Sprint, Super and Beast in the same calendar year. I managed to complete it in a four-week period in April and May. I did the Beast and Sprint on back-to-back days, celebrating my 48th birthday by earning my Trifecta on a mountain in Montana in what was the most grueling 30 hours of my life. I'm going back to the mountain on this weekend, the Saturday and Sunday right before this challenge begins. On Saturday, I'll complete my first of five scheduled Spartan Trifectas in 2016 by finishing the Spartan Beast - twelve-plus miles and 30 or more obstacles. On Sunday I'll head back up the mountain for a victory lap in the Spartan Sprint. Ready for this year's edition. That's all before the challenge officially begins. At the end of Week Two, I will be running my first BattleFrog series obstacle race... ... and because I don't go small, I am going to be doing the multiple-lap option, BattleFrog Xtreme. The regular course is 8k with 22 obstacles. I will be aiming for three laps of the course in one day. This will get me a cool freaking medal with one star per lap: It's all about the bling. Sweet Baby Jesus, this makes me tired just typing it out. Fortunately, my motto over the last year has been "Train Tired." Training leads us to goals for this challenge. I've been rolling my challenges forward this year because I was struggling to find consistency. I'm tweaking them a little this time, but they're going to be really similar. Goal: Obstacle Race Training Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) tests not just who is fast or who is strong, but who can stay fast and strong when they are tired. Two obstacles are my nemesis: the Rig - a contraption with pipes, rings and ropes - and the Tyrolean Traverse. Both will require me to continue to work on my upper-body strength. I have recovered most of what I lost due to injury and unwillingness to work last year because I have a plan that works. Goal 1a: Strength Training 4 days per week. I have a regular schedule that I love that has allowed me to make real strength gains this year. Unless I am traveling or decide to attend a different class that will emphasize specific OCR skills I want to work on, I will be doing the following, weekly: Monday: CrossFit. Traci emphasizes overhead work and squats here.Tuesday and Thursday: My "Plus" class. The emphasis is on lifting heavy - deadlifts, squats, bench press are the staples. Saturday: HIIT followed by Boot Camp at the gym for a total of 1.5 hours of total work with a 15-minute break, or OCR training at "the Hill" - a park where my Spartan group will be training regularly until next winter. Either option simulates the strength endurance I require to perform well at an Obstacle Course Race. Goal 1b: Cardio 5 days per week. I started incorporating Steady State Cardio into my training back in March and it's done wonders for my aerobic base. HIIT will count toward this goal as well. So does any time I decide to charge up and down a hill for at least 45 minutes. I need to make sure I incorporate one long run day so that I am building a sufficient tolerance to doing these things (see BattleFrog XTreme, above). Goal: Waistline Training I've successfully taken two inches back off my waistline since January. I'm not done. Goal 2a: Log My Food My macros are working really well when I stick to them. I have a solid range defined, and while I'm losing inches, I'm not losing weight, which means I'm not losing muscle mass despite the (sometimes massive) calorie deficit. I'll also post my daily macros here. Goal 2b: Avoid the Treats I do really well five out of seven days per week, when there are no temptations around. Unfortunately, two days per week I am in situations where Church Lady Hospitality is the norm and I am reguarly inundated with sugary treats. Saying no is hard enough and even moreso when the Nice Church Ladies insist that I should just have one or two. Goal: Personal Training This one has been an albatross around my neck for six months now. I am scheduled for my CPR/AED/First Aid course on May 23. I need to get my NASM certification test scheduled and commit to studying so I'm not wasting money having to re-test. This has been a major failure for me all year, regardless of other commitments and schedule conflicts and other excuses. It just needs to get done. Goal 3a: Schedule my NASM Certification Test. Quit stalling and do it. Goal 3b: Study three days per week. I won't pass the test otherwise. Here we go, folks...

"I'm Coming For Ya, BEAST!" QUEST 1 Maintain deficit: This KCAL range is proving to be a struggle, so i'm gonna keep it here and hopefully find somebody who will do a form of PvP with me for the added accountability. My weight is stabilizing while i think i need to lower it and lose some extra BF. For added accountability i'm gonna do a written report of what i ate the day(s) before. ***** QUEST 2 Keep up protein: Of course i will try to do my best to keep as much muscle as possible. I'm still doing lots of stuff to enhance my body and it needs the right kind of fuel, so protein is gonna be a big part of my diet. ***** QUEST 3 Minimize beer input: I thought about removing this quest since i'm doing quite nice, except, seasons are changing. And well, next two seasons it's gonna be: "'Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la la la la. Fill the meadcup, drain the barrel," So just to keep grinding-in this habit i'm gonna stick with it at least for the upcoming challenge(s). And this grinding definitely needs work, as weather is turning up and the occasions i would normally indulge on beer are lining up! Though i will have my occasional reward because it's just too damn good! ***** QUEST 4 MIndfully choose a meal: Just to keep as clean as possible i'm forcing myself to think (in advance) about every meal i eat. Easier to keep in line with the KCAL and better to fuel my body with the "best" option available. I'm gonna update it with a plan a (couple of) day(s) ahead, to keep up with the good eating and according KCAL deficit. ***** QUEST 5 Act like a MadCow: Lifting, it's my main thing at this moment, i love doing it, it's good for me, so i'm not planning on not doing it. It's here to stay in the foreseeable future. Maybe i'm gonna put a little more emphasize on doing more number of reps NEXT TO the heavy reps i'm doing now (just add some sort of cooldown sets after every workset, pyramid style workouts. If somebody has some ideas, please shoot! ***** QUEST 6 Find my Inner-Ape: I will be focusing on upperbody-bodyweight-exercises. Probably a lot of chin ups (no pull ups yet because of sore tendon on the outside of my elbow). Pushups and burpees will also be part of the program. (I'm slowly dreaming about doing the 300 workout). Next to this i'm focussing on deadhanging, but i'm gonna throw around the workout a little because it was getting a grind and i wasn't looking forward to it anymore. ***** QUEST 7 Stamina: Running is totally back in the game. After the run i did at work i just feel rejuvenated. If schedule allows i will be aiming for 2 runs a week, next to one workout at the gym. The workout at the gym really shakes up my workouts with stuff i normally don't train. ***** QUEST 8 Accountability: I need all of you beautiful people to keep me in line. I'm growing discipline by the day but it's a slow process. Every extra nudge is very welcome. This is the main reason for the existence of this thread, my sheet and all other aids i use. This quest is about the M in sMart, and the (first) S in kiSs (i've already got the the second S covered ). The Final Chapter

When last I wrote, I had been struck down by the influenza virus, that curse of our Midwestern dwelling. For days my running schedule was despaired of, and when at last I came to myself and became convalescent, I was so whingy and restless that a board of my peers determined that not a day should be lost in sending me back to training. I was dispatched, accordingly, with team Altair in the walk for Multiple Sclerosis and a day later was in possession of a plan, with my miles irretrievably ruined, but with permission from a motherly figure, to spend the next 5 months recovering them. I had neither kith nor kin in the running community, and was therefore as free as air—or as free as an income of a post-grad with student loans will permit a runner to be. Under such circumstances, I naturally gravitated to OCRs, that great cesspool into which all the rangers and scouts of the Rebellion are irresistibly drained. It is here that I am now, writing my current challenge. I have penned a mud run and an inflatable obstacle course run into my diary which will test both endurance and mental fortitude. But I am up for the challenge. Apparently, it will take a while to adjust to the running life, and "writing a blog about everything that happens to you will honestly help", which is where you come in. You see, you are here to follow my adventures, and the game, my friends, is on.

Please accept my training log as a method of holding myself accountable, while outlining my plan for an upcoming OCR. This will be my very first OCR, so if anyone has an wisdom to impart, i am all ears! Mods, please let me know if this log would be more appropriately entered in another area. Training 30 April 2016 1. Barbell Complex Warmup 100x45. Ten exercises done non-stop for ten reps each with an empty bar. 2. Strength Training Round One. All movements done with a 10# Weight Vest. Progress A-C with no rest, resting 120 seconds max after C. Complete 8 rounds. A. 24" Box Jumps x 3 reps. B. Barbell Front Squats 5x45, 5x95, 5x135, 5x165, 5x185, 3x3@205 C. Front Plank x 45 seconds. External manual resistance applied intermittently from various angles by training partner. 3. Strength Training Round Two. All movements done with a 10# Weight Vest. Progress A-D with no rest, resting 90 seconds max after D. Complete 6 rounds. A. Incline Barbell Press 5x135, 5x165, 5x185, 3x5@195 B. Stability Ball Neck Work. Put a SB against the wall at shoulder height, lean into ball resting on forehead. Complete 12 reps. Rotate body to hit all 4 segments (flexion, extension, laterally). C. Chin-ups Fat Grips 2x8@BW, Extreme Grips 2x4@BW dropping to 2x3@BW on Fat Grips, Extreme Grips 2x4@BW. D. Banded Rear Delts 6xSuper Heavy Band. 4. Strength Training Round Three. All movements done with 10#Weight Vest. Progress A-C with no rest, resting 90 seconds after C. Complete 4 rounds. A. Incline Elbows Out Tricep Extensions 12x30# each Hand. B. Fat Grip Banded KB Curl 12x35. Loop a band through KB handle, put Fat Gripz handle over band, stand on a box, curling one arm at a time. Super difficult to control the jumping, twisting, writhing KB. C. Sledge Hammer Work. 10# Sledge levering it forward and backward, 5 reps each. Then overhead swings 8 reps in each direction. That was it for Saturday's training.

QUEST 1 Maintain deficit: Adjusted a bit, removed an extra 100 KCAL/day. I gained a little weight during my vacation, and with summer season coming i'm preferring getting rid of the excess fat even it means i will lose some muscle in the progress. I want to get to that baseline! Plus i think it will benefit me greatly on the OCR, lowering my BW to maximize my efficiency on all those BW-exercises i will encounter there. QUEST 2 Keep up protein: Of course i will try to do my best to keep as much muscle as possible. I'm still doing lots of stuff to enhance my body and it needs the right kind of fuel, so protein is gonna be a big part of my diet. QUEST 3 Minimize beer input: I thought about removing this quest since i'm doing quite nice, except, seasons are changing. And well, next two seasons it's gonna be: "'Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la la la la. Fill the meadcup, drain the barrel," So just to keep grinding-in this habit i'm gonna stick with it at least for the upcoming challenge(s). QUEST 4 MIndfully choose a meal: Just to keep as clean as possible i'm forcing myself to think (in advance) about every meal i eat. Easier to keep in line with the KCAL and better to fuel my body with the "best" option available. QUEST 5 Act like a MadCow: Lifting, it's my main thing at this moment, i love doing it, it's good for me, so i'm not planning on not doing it. It's here to stay in the foreseeable future. QUEST 6 Find my Inner-Ape: I will be focusing on upperbody-bodyweight-exercises. Probably a lot of chin ups (no pull ups yet because of sore tendon on the outside of my elbow). Pushups and burpees will also be part of the program. (I'm slowly dreaming about doing the 300 workout) QUEST 7 Stamina: Running has lost it's interest. Though i have entered myself in a run within this challenge (2,5 weeks). I entered the 12K (7.5 miles) on April 20th. I need the stamina, because the OCR has a distance of 19K (12 miles). So besides all the obstacles we also got a shitload of ground to cover. I need my stamina back! DST has kicked in, evenings are getting longer, weather is getting better, less excuses not to run. I'm even gonna go to my gym, and tune my subscription down from unlimited to once a week. This is better for my wallet, it's easier on my schedule, and it gives me more room to go running. QUEST 8 Accountability: I need all of you beautiful people to keep me in line. I'm growing discipline by the day but it's a slow process. Every extra nudge is very welcome. This is the main reason for the existence of this thread, my sheet and all other aids i use. This quest is about the M in sMart, and the (first) S in kiSs (i've already got the the second S covered ). ... Vacation hit in the 0-week, this was very welcome. I needed a break. Even without admitting it, i really needed it. Vacation was an excuse to let go. I didn't run (though i brought my apparel and clothing), i didn't lift (though i brought my dumbbell and about 50 lbs worth of small plates). Rest week, vacation, that's what it was. I ate everything i wanted, i drank everything i wanted. I did the thing i wanted to do, and more important, i didn't do the things i didn't felt like. 3 consecutive challenges worth of creating habits, i needed to let go. Vacation and 0 week merging into one week of "Frozen" (let it go!). Funny thing now, when looking back. What did i do during my 0 week / vacation. Drink some beer, but also no KCAL drinks beside that. Eat what everybody was eating, but always choosing the best option. Still no desserts / pastrie etc.The only thing i would have should have could have done better was refrain from chips and salty nuts, but that was hell-a-hard when you are playing cards and your drinking a few beers, and someones places a few dishes of those under your nose. Even though i was nowhere near as good as i have been on the last challenge i was also doing a decent job on a "let-it-go-type of week". I haven't weighed myself the first day when i came back, and was a bit off. Probably the start of a cold, but i deployed Plague Protocols at the first hint of it. No lifting, no running, just, rest. Last day of the vacation, the one where we drove home in the morning, i wasn't feeling all that great. (I think one of the more chilly/windy hikes has gotten to me) So when we got back home we had some things we had to check off. My nephews birthday, seeing my mom to tell about vacation and eating with the inlaws, to officially close the vacation and tell my BIL how the vacation was. After that it was lights out. Couch time for about 36 hours straight, with only two 8-hour breaks for sleeping in my bed. No eating, just drinking. Friday after dinner till sundaymorning was very passive. Sunday was a slow day, with it's highlight being a nice family party and a small tour on my bike (which is gonna be an added lifequest probably). So now my willpower-porgressbar has been overcharged by a fantastic 0-week/Vacation. Ready to kick some butt this challenge!

The story thus far: I am a 48-year-old recovering fat guy. In 1985 I graduated from high school at a scrawny 135lbs. By 1988 I had ballooned up to 190 and I inflated further until 2011, topping out somewhere around 260. I started working out in 2011 and in 2013, working with a personal trainer, got down to 190 while building strength and endurance for the first time in my life and entered my first 5k. And in 2014, I discovered Obstacle Course Racing after being inspired by @Teros to enter a Spartan Race. I was hooked. In 2015 I set out to earn a Spartan Trifecta, completed by finishing a Spartan Sprint, Super and Beast in the same calendar year. I managed to complete it in a four-week period in April and May. I did the Beast and Sprint on back-to-back days, celebrating my 48th birthday by earning my Trifecta on a mountain in Montana in what was the most grueling 30 hours of my life. So, so worth it. I wound up setting my sights higher, aiming for a multiple Trifecta. I claimed my Double Trifecta at the Dallas Beast with @Wild Wolf on Halloween, and just missed completing my third Trifecta two weeks later when I was too sick to start in Carolina. That missing piece at the bottom still annoys me. My failure to complete that third Trifecta really ticked me off, and I set a goal for 2016 of completing five Spartan Trifectas this year. My first Boss Battle this year will be the return to the mountain in Montana for my rematch with the Spartan Beast in Kalispell. It's my 2016 Battle of Endor. Better than the original, because no Teddy Bear Battle. My mantra so far this year has been "Everything is just training until I get to Montana." Montana is only six weeks away, and I want to continue my trend of finishing further to the left on the bell curve. I have identified a few weaknesses along the way, and it's time to address them. To that end, my goals will look pretty familiar to anyone who's checked out my previous challenges this year. What I'm doing is working as long as I am held accountable. Goal: Spartan Race Training Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) and Spartan Race in particular test not just who is fast or who is strong, but who can stay fast and strong when they are tired. I have identified two obstacles that I need to focus on the most: the Spartan Rig - a contraption with pipes, rings and ropes - and the Tyrolean Traverse. Both will require more upper-body and grip strength than I currently have. Fortunately, my current strength training regimen can get me there. Goal 1a: Strength Training 4 days per week. I have classes at my gym that focus primarily on strength training that I love. I am much more consistent and accountable in a group setting. My regular schedule, when I'm not travelling, will be as follows, until something changes:Monday: CrossFit. Traci emphasizes overhead work and squats here.Tuesday and Thursday: My "Plus" class. The emphasis is on lifting heavy - deadlifts, squats, bench press are the staples. Friday: HIIT is almost exclusively a cardio workout.Saturday: Either HIIT followed by Boot Camp at the gym for a total of 1.5 hours of total work with a 15-minute break, or OCR training at "the Hill" - a park where my Spartan group will be training regularly until next winter. Either option simulates the strength endurance I require to perform well at an Obstacle Course Race. Goal 1b: Cardio Training 6 days per week. During my last challenge, I began doing Steady-State Cardio on the treadmill: 60 minutes at max incline while maintaining my heart rate between 132 and 148 bpm. In the time that I did this, I was able to quickly improve my speed. I will be doing this every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I will also mix in a 5k trail run on Wednesday evenings. If I don't make it out to the hill on Saturday for OCR training, I will go for a one to two hour run on Saturday or Sunday. I will log and report my daily activity to keep me accountable, especially the cardio, which I don't particularly enjoy, but which is necessary for me to get better at the things I really do enjoy. Goal: Waistline Training I don't want to be carrying as much weight around a course. I've regained much of the upper-body strength I lost while injured last year, but it's easier to push 185lbs over a wall and up a rope than it is to push 195. I have discovered the following truth: 80% of weight loss is not tied to how much I lift on a bar, but how much I lift on a fork. I am successful when I track my macros, but I give myself too many passes on weekends and when I travel, and I need to tighten up those areas so I'm not sabotaging all my other progress. I have tweaked my macros with the other trainers at my gym and have come up with the following macros, that I will adhere to: 1600-2000 calories per day (low on rest days, high on all others)135+ grams protein 135- grams carbohydrates35+ grams fiber<2800 grams sodium (this is an increase from the 2000 from my last 2 challenges, based on my activity, for electrolyte balance) I will log and report my food every day. Goal: Personal Training This one has become flat-out embarrassing. I've listed this goal every challenge so far this year and I've failed every time, but it's time to buck up or quit altogether. I need to schedule my Personal Training certification test by the end of the month. The actual test can be in May, but I have to have it scheduled by the end of the month. Period. In the spirit of "It's all training until Montana," I have a couple races coming up this month: Mini Boss Battle 1: During the first weekend of this challenge, I will participating in Goldy's Run, a 10 mile run that finishes at the 50-yard line of the University of Minnesota football field. Last year I finished in 2:05 and even though "It's just another training run", I would love to improve on last year's finish. My goal is under 2 hours. My stretch goal is under 1:45. We'll see how any of this goes since I haven't been running consistently this year. Mini Boss Battle 2: During the third weekend of this challenge, I will compete in both the Spartan Super and the Spartan Sprint in Burnet, TX. So far this year I have completed the SoCal Super, the Arizona Sprint and the Las Vegas Super, and I've succeeded in improving my finish in each after ending last year slow and injured. This is evidently a pretty flat course - much like Phoenix and Vegas were, and like Seattle last fall - and I would like to continue my march leftward on the bell curve of finisher results. My goal is to finish the Super in under three hours. My stretch goal is 2:45. Six Weeks until the Montana Beast and my first 2016 Trifecta. Time to turn things up a notch.

This challenge, I’m drawing my inspiration from one of my favorite MCU characters, Margaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Carter. I love everything about Agent Carter’s character. She’s strong, capable and doesn’t give a crap what other people think. I’m going to have to switch things up a gear for the next 4 weeks. Not only do I have 2 OCR’s this month (the first one this coming Saturday - excited!), I’ve also got to keep training for my first half marathon of the year in July. Goal 1 Follow half marathon plan Pretty simple, do all runs as stated in my half marathon training plan. The only caveat is that I can skip the weekend run if I have a planned race that day. A 10-12km OCR is enough of a replacement for a long run! 12 runs in total Goal 2 i) Continue bodyweight exercises. Perform each exercise at least once a week. 16 in total Push Ups Dips Body-weight rows Chin ups ii) climb at least once a week 4 climbs in total Goal 3 A few weeks before any OCR or running race, I always find myself doubting myself and what I’m capable of. This self doubt gets so bad that it tends to keep me awake at night a few days before the race. It then bleeds over into other aspects of my life and I start criticizing my abilities elsewhere - for example, it affected my climbing this weekend. I also have a tendency to over analyse my performance after an event, the obstacles I failed or if I could have gone faster. I’m overly hard on myself and it taints my experience at events as I focus more or what I couldn’t do instead of what I could. I’m not sure how this quest is going to work as this is more of a mental challenge as opposed to something I can track. The goal for now is to aim to say something positive about myself each day. If anyone has any ideas how to expand on this, it would be really helpful. Side Goal OK, I couldn't find a gif to go with this goal, I just love this scene Drink a protein shake 5 days a week 20 in total I’ve been tracking my macros on and off for the last month or so and I've found I'm always low on my protein intake. I want to build more muscle and haven’t been seeing the results I’d like. This is an experiment to see if lack of protein is part of the reason. I'm not going to officially start my challenge till Monday next week, but will be test running this week to see if there is anything I need to tweak.

The Holy Grail: I’m running my first ever Spartan and second ever OCR on April 23rd with @Slates in Italy. The concept: I have created a complicated set of rules that plays out much like a manager game. It is set in the Shadowrun world and due to its nature, it makes more sense to portray a Fixer rather than the runners themselves. [Fixer: A Shadowrun term for an intermediate between the shadows and other parts of the society. Most Mr. Johnsons, regardless of whom they represent, will contact a fixer to set up a meet with shadowrunners.Fixers often know many powerful secrets, like the real identities of Mr. Johnsons, the runners, and such. However, they will not easily part with this information, as secrecy (plausible deniability) is part of the services they provide.] Nutrition goal: No processed sugar, grains or dairy (with the exception of light yoghurt). Also no caffeine, as I've been converted to rooibos/redbush tea, green tea and a malt product that substitutes beautifully for instant coffee when I get the cravings. Workout goal: It's there, but non-specific and not tracked. I'll carry on with my usual crossfit workouts and some custom stuff to improve weak points in my OCR game. Summary: I have created runner characters for several members of the NF Rebellion. Every Monday, I get a new mission with certain parameters and a deadline for Sunday. Working out earns me money, which is spent to recruit runners for a mission. Once the recruited team’s attributes fulfill the mission parameters, it is successfully carried out and I'm allowed to take up another if I want to, with the deadline still being Sunday. Completion earns me part of the monetary reward and (usually) +1 Street Credit/Reputation. Mission failure and every Nutrition violation cost me 1 Street Credit. Runners also earn part of the reward, as well as 1 XP and 1 Heat. Obviously, XP is used to raise their Attributes but takes them out of action for a while. A high Heat score prevents them from undertaking certain missions, as they need to lay low for a while. It will all make more sense once you see it in action!

The story thus far: I am a 48-year-old recovering fat guy. In 1985, I weighed 135lbs. By 1988 I was at 190 and I spent all the years between 1990 and 2012 over 200 pounds, topping out somewhere around 260 in 2011. I started working out in 2011 and in 2013, working with a personal trainer, got down to 190 while building strength and endurance, and entered my first 5k. And in 2014, I discovered Obstacle Course Racing after being inspired by Teros to enter a Spartan Race. I was hooked. I will always remember my first. I'm a Jedi Master. You can tell because of the grey in the beard. All the cool Jedi Masters rock that gray. I said "the cool ones." I thought Qui-Gon was a self-serving jackass. At the end of Week 3, I will be participating in the Las Vegas Spartan Super, my second Super of the year as part of my 2016 quest to complete five Spartan Trifectas. My goal here is to finish in under 3:15 after completing the SoCal Super in 3:44 and after completing the Arizona Sprint while missing only the spear throw. This will be my third checkpoint test for my initial Boss Level Battle, where I will attempt to out-perform my 2015 finish at the Spartan Beast in Kalispell, MT in May, where I will receive my first Trifecta of 2016. My first ever Spartan Trifecta from 2015. My goals build on what I have laid out in each of my 2016 challenges so far. They've helped me get off to a solid start this year. Now, I want to ramp it up. Goal: Spartan Race Training Pictured: love at 82 degrees. Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) and Spartan Race in particular test not just who is fast or who is strong, but who can stay fast and strong when they are tired. I know what it takes to get where I want to be. Goal 1a: Strength Training 4 days per week. I have classes at my gym that focus primarily on strength training that I love. I am much more consistent and accountable in a group setting. Goal 1b: Run three days per week. I prefer trail running but I also hate running outdoors during the winter. Treadmill is acceptable, but Spring is evidently coming early again this year and I should be outside. I started to run at lunch the past couple weeks, now I need to stay consistent and start getting in a long (six miles-plus) run on Saturday or Sunday. My regular schedule, when I'm not travelling, will be as follows, until something changes: Monday: CrossFit. Traci emphasizes overhead work and squats here. Tuesday and Thursday: My "Plus" class. The emphasis is on lifting heavy - deadlifts, squats, bench press are the staples. Friday: HIIT is almost exclusively a cardio workout. Saturday: HIIT followed by Boot Camp for a total of 1.5 hours of total work with a 15-minute break. This simulates the strength endurance I require to perform well at an Obstacle Course Race. Sunday: Every other Sunday I can do SkySculpt Plus before I get going with my church activities and my kids. On the weeks where I have other obligations, I will need to program a workout and get it done. I have the keys to the gym, there's no reason I can't do this. Variances: I have the Get Lucky 7k on Saturday, March 12, and this will preclude me getting to HIIT/Boot Camp on Saturday. However, I also have the Spartan Workout Tour on Sunday, March 13. This is a two-hour workout and will substitute nicely for my normal Saturday work. I will log and report my daily progress. Goal: Waistline Training Honestly, I just want to look better in my jersey. I don't want to be carrying as much weight around a course. While I am regaining my upper-body strength - which is coming back quickly - it's easier to push 185lbs over a wall and up a rope than it is to push 200. I have discovered the following truth: 80% of weight loss is not tied to how much I lift on a bar, but how much I lift on a fork. I am most successful when I track my macros. During my last challenge, I re-evaluated my goals with one of the other trainers at my gym and changed my program for the first time in over a year to the following: 1650-2000 calories per day 135+ grams protein 35+ grams fiber <2000 grams sodium I will log and report my food every day. Goal: Personal Training If Luke hadn't become impatient, he could have been so jacked. Han was destined for carbonite either way. I have really struggled with this. I need to complete my Personal Training certification. I have resigned myself to having to dump more money into this, which sucks, but it will suck more if I don't become certified and I lose my current training gig. Goal: CPR/AED certification by the end of the month Goal: 30 minutes daily study and prep The sun is staying out longer, which means it's easier to keep my energy levels up. Time to ramp up the efforts and actually completing some of these quest goals.

Intros for those of you who may not be familiar: I am a 48-year-old recovering fat guy. In 1985, I weighed 135lbs. By 1988 I was at 190 and I spent all the years between 1990 and 2012 over 200 pounds, topping out somewhere around 260 in 2011. By 2012 I was down to about 230 and in 2013 I started working with a personal trainer and got down to 190 while building strength and endurance that I hadn't ever had. And then, in 2014, I discovered Obstacle Course Racing after being inspired by Teros to enter a Spartan Race. And that got me hooked. And I'm a Jedi Master. You can tell because of the grey in the beard. All the cool Jedi Masters rock that gray. And we spout stuff that sounds wise but may or may not actually be helpful at the time. "You will go to the Dagobah system", immediately followed by "Obi-wan is OUT. Peace!" Not really helpful at the time. Also, we are typically never around when you need us. I'm looking at YOU, Skywalker. At the end of this challenge, I will be participating in the Arizona Spartan Sprint, the second piece to my first of five planned Spartan Trifectas of 2016. I aim to improve on my performance this past weekend in Temecula, where I failed only the Spear Throw, the Tyrolean Traverse and the Multi-Rig - and I came close to completing the Rig before my grip failed. This will be my second checkpoint test for my initial Boss Level Battle, attempting to out-perform my 2015 finish at the Spartan Beast in Kalispell, MT in May. There are many like it. This one is mine. The following goals are cut-and-paste from my last challenge as they were a good foundation for a really good start to 2016 at my first Spartan Race of the year, but the details are a little more detailed. Goal: Spartan Race Training Awesome form. Hit? Not saying. Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) and Spartan Race in particular test not just who is fast or who is strong, but who can stay fast and strong when they are tired. I know what it takes to get where I want to be. Goal 1a: Strength Training 5 days per week. I have several classes I enjoy that focus primarily on strength training. Two are new for me and will replace prior solo workouts, which I am fine with as I am much more consistent and accountable in a group setting. Goal 1b: Run three days per week. I prefer trail running but I also hate running outdoors during the winter. Treadmill is acceptable, but any time the windchill temps are above 25 degrees, I should be outside. My preference is to run 5k after CrossFit and after Plus on Thursday, and get in a long (six miles-plus) run on Saturday or Sunday. My regular schedule, when I'm not travelling, will be as follows, until something changes: Monday: CrossFit. Traci emphasizes overhead work and squats here. Tuesday and Thursday: The emphasis is on lifting heavy - deadlifts, squats, bench press are the staples. Friday: HIIT is almost exclusively a cardio workout. Saturday: HIIT followed by Boot Camp for a total of 1.5 hours of total work with a 15-minute break. This simulates the strength endurance I require to perform well at an Obstacle Course Race. Sunday: Every other Sunday I can do SkySculpt Plus before I get going with my church activities and my kids. On the weeks where I have other obligations, I will need to program a workout and get it done. I have the keys to the gym, there's no reason I can't do this. I will log and report my daily progress. Goal: Waistline Training Hey, you, in the green! It's easier to drag 185lbs up a rope than 200! I want my 35-inch waist back (for starters). Also, I don't want to be carrying as much weight around a course. While I am regaining my upper-body strength - which is coming back quickly - it's easier to push 185lbs over a wall and up a rope than it is to push 200. I have discovered the following truth: 80% of weight loss is not tied to how much I lift on a bar, but how much I lift on a fork. I am most successful when I stick to the following macros: 1850-2250 calories per day 180+ grams protein 35+ grams fiber <2000 grams sodium I will log and report my food every day. Goal: Personal Training It is my dream to jaw at my clients and make them sweat. Being carried on someone's back is optional. Certification is going to get more expensive if I don't get my test done by the end of March. I need to really buckle down and get my study time in. Also, I am going to need to be CPR/AED certified before my cert is effective, so let's get it done. I will get my certification test scheduled by the end of February. Rebels, I have... goals. It's going to get loud in here.

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.

I've got jack and shit for this challenge, and my schedule is going to be all over the place in this next month. So .... continuing on with my goals for the most part, coasting, and thinking about what I want to focus on this year. Last year was the year of bling; this year, since my location is still uncertain, I won't be doing that so much. The List So Far Quit my jobFinish my front end web development classFind a new jobWhile unemployed: Work to better my blog's social mediaRe-vamp the blogRe-do my websiteSpiff up my resumeSpiff up my portfolioPossibly see a career coach to help turn my resume into what it needs to beWork to build dummy sites I can use as portfolio piecesAttempt to build my freelance base at least some!)&*$#$*# network at least a little with humans Master pull-ups/chin-upsWork on yoga balances (specifically I want to do fancy ass crow variations)Run a 30-minute 5k (virtual is fine) - I plan on doing quarterly 5ksCheck into a 'get faster with 5ks' program or do that new Zombies 10k thingMaybe throw in 2 10ksKeep up with ruckingFigure out where I'll be living and go there - or stay hereContinue my minimalism trackContinue my macrosContinue my craftsWork on biohacking when life is more settled For the first half of this challenge, I'll be continuing my workout schedule of Yoga Mondays, class Tuesdays, possible Rucking Wednesdays, class Thursdays, walking Weekends and light additional bodyweight and/or yoga challenges sprinkled throughout my weekdays. Macros will continue on with my standard 1,500 or so calories, 100g or fewer carbs, 100g or fewer fat, 70g or higher protein. I'll be continuing working on the baby blanket I'm knitting, and am starting a new Secret Ranger Cross-Stitch Project today. I will also continue working on digitizing my DVD collection daily. And will pick up mini challenges and PvPs as they present themselves. This challenge, like last challenge, is all about maintenance - I'm not piling on enough craziness to overwhelm myself while I'm working on things for class + trying not to stress out about potential location switches. And it's winter, so my body wants to do absolutely nothing but eat carbs, hibernate, and be injured.

The timing of this challenge means that Star Wars EpVII releases the Thursday after the challenge is complete. Do not think I am not quivering in my trail shoes while I wait, impatiently. Quivering. Occasionally quaking. Also, just in case anyone was wondering, this is a completely Episode VII Spoiler-free zone. I want to be amazed when I see it. Main Quest: I was watching American Ninja Warrior last summer when Jon Stewart became the oldest man to beat the Warped Wall. He was 52 at the time. I decided that instead of sitting around, growing old, doing the occasional 5k and settling for being a moderately-fit guy and watching other people be awesome on TV, I will become More Awesome myself and be fit enough that I will try out for the show no later than age 52. I am 48 now. I am on the clock. I really, really want to take a turn on this playground. I also have (diagnosed) Attention Deficit Disorder, which means that I lose track and interest in long-term goals really hey look, it's a monkey riding a dog. This means that I'm breaking down my Main Quest of Ninja Awesomeness into smaller chunks, and wow, six-week challenges really help with that, so here we are. To ramp up from "I work out more or less regularly" to "Awesome Ninja/Beast", I began looking for ways to stay inspired to work out. I started participating in NF 6-week challenges, which was a good start. And then Teros went and battled the Spartan Race at Amesbury last summer and I thought "Man, that sounds hard" and then decided that if he could do it - whether he considered it a success or not - then the least I could do was try. And that was all it took for me to get hooked on this whole Obstacle Course Racing thing. Last year at this time, my goal was to complete a Spartan Trifecta in 2016. I will complete my second in Dallas on Day -2 of this challenge and will bring home my third from South Carolina at the end of Week 2. I am capable of doing more than I sometimes think I can. Obligatory Episode VII trailer screen-cap. However, over the course of this year I also suffered one significant injury (moderate to severe sprained ankle) and have battled chronic shoulder tendinitis, and these and other excuses have contributed to a measurable loss in upper-body strength. Last winter I was laser-focused on the Las Vegas Spartan Super from this past April. I trained from Movember until April and was in the best shape I have been in since high school. It's time to get back to that. My goals are going to look really familiar to anyone who has followed my challenges, because I'm shooting for consistency and habit-building, and until I get there, I'm not budging from them; that's sort of the whole point. Quest 1: Be Consistently Clean. Obligatory awesomeness. I spent two years working with a personal trainer and learning how to eat to get the results I really want for my body, including sending the man food journals, daily at first, and then weekly after that. I know what I need to do. I am most successful when I eat clean and log my food. I know what my macros need to be to reach my immediate goals. Macros that work for me: 1800-2250 calories 180+ grams protein 100-140 grams carbohydrates 35-50 grams fiber Goal: Eat clean, log, stick to my macros. Quest 2: Be Consistently Moving. More Better Faster. Here is the ongoing running goal. I have not always been a runner, and in order to do the things I like to do, I need to be a runner. Four years ago, I could not run to the end of my driveway without doubling over, gasping for breath, and I wish I were exaggerating when I say this. It was a big deal for me when I committed to walking a couple times per week. Last year at this time I was still trying to run a 5k without stopping. Now I'm running - trudging, plodding, whatever - for miles. It's not where I want to be, but it's getting better. This has been frustrating since my ankle sprain, but I'm nearly ready to run without my ankle brace and it's time to start moving again. Goal: Run 3x/week, including one session with vertical climb of more than 1,000 feet and one day that goes for more than six miles. Quest 3: Be Consistently Lifting. We're trying to get under 12 parsecs, right? I was at my strongest back in April of this year and due to chronic shoulder tendinitis I have backed off from most heavy lifting. This has had the expected outcome. My shoulder has improved drastically and it's time to get back to a sensible lifting schedule. I didn't get back to that last challenge. It's time to stop making excuses. I have a PlanTM and it's time to get back to it. Body weight counts as strength training but I have to ramp up the intensity to make it count. It's okay to move days around, but there has to be at least one hour five times per week. Goal: Strength Train 5x/week - 3x lifting, 2x primarily body-weight. Life Quest: Be Certifiable. I'm pursuing certification as a Personal Trainer through NASM. I was asked to obtain this certification by the owner of my gym in order to lead a men's group that was put on hold when the previous owner sold his business, because Michelle thought the group would best be lead by a male. This may or may not be an accurate perception, but it's something I had kicked around for a while, and there's enough upside to this that it's now something I'm working on. My goal is to be done and certified before the end of the year. This coincides nicely with this challenge. Goal: Complete my NASM certification study and have my test scheduled before the end of this challenge. Grading: I abandoned stat points a couple challenges ago but will be grading each of these pass/fail during the week and each grade will be moderately subjective. For instance, if the goal is to run three times per week but I hit The Hill during my lunch hour on Thursday and go for one 10-mile trail run on Sunday, that's a "Pass" and I am not going to stress on it. I'll need to collect 4/6 passing grades in for each goal in order to level up. This makes THAT part, at least, not subjective, and it's an attainable goal. It's almost time. They're almost back. Gah. May the Force be with you.

Darkfoxx 21: Darkfoxx Goes To School This challenge is going to throw me some curveballs. I’m going back to school 2 nights a week for front-end web development: the first schooling I’ve attended since getting my undergrad in 2002. So … I need to re-learn how to be a student, and need to get re-acquainted with fitting homework into my schedule. This is throwing major elbows into my RUCK ALL THE THINGS and DO ALL THE OTHER THINGS plan. Plus, I’m starting this zero week off sick - the first time I’ve had to deal with an actual sickness in over 5 years. My body is unhappy about this development. Overarching Goal For This Cycle Do the things, but keep schoolwork in the forefront of my mind and time commitments. I have no idea how this is going to play out - my undergrad degree was in Communication, so I could basically BS my way through it. Coding: not so much with the latitude for BS. I also need to keep some sort of physical training goals on deck, lest I get completely sidetracked. To that end, I have at least 1 5k to do in short order (Patronus 5k) I’m supposed to be doing Tough Mudder on the 7th, but if it’s too cold I’m not making myself go through it. 50 or over is my threshold. I have the Turkey Trot 4 miler on Thanksgiving And some more rucking to throw in before it gets too cold out. and rucking. RUCKING. I have distance in the can; now I just need to work on speed (and more mileage totals per week). Plus, RuckFit looks amazeballs. And Beer Yoga! And the RP dealie! So .. looks like I’ll be busy, no? Goal 1: Work It Out Sill aiming for 4 - 5 days during the week + 1 good activity weekend day here. I’m also throwing in an archery date night. I don’t know how this is going to happen with class, but I aim to regulate my schedule by Official Week 1, so more coming here. If nothing else, I can poke around some RuckFit workouts, work on a couple Beer Yoga poses (sans beer), and work on pull-ups. *cough* Wolf *cough* And the role play game … I’ll have to think of something there. Not sure of the deets yet, but I have a feeling I won’t have to sit this one out. Goal 2: Macros SSDD. For those of you that are new to me, here’s a recap: 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: Minimalism I did so well here last challenge, I want to keep the ball rolling. I have 1 book shelf left to purge during Phase 1 and I FINALLY got my last batch of crap back from the digitization place. I need to label those pics/files (plus the last batch of pics) and get them squared away + deal with the physical copies. I also aim to pile all my sentimental crap into 1 place - probably my bed - and massively purge until I have 1 bin left. This may need to be done in 2 stages: 1 bin for photos; 1 bin for crap. I also need to see to it that my donation pile actually leaves the door, and the boxes I’m building of kid stuff actually make it to my sister (for her upcoming baby girl) & brother (who isn’t yet spawning). Goal 4: Craftsy I have a bunch of crafts I need to do: My sister’s baby blanket Tank’s cross-stitch Wolf’s cross-stitch Monthly Triceratops cross-stitches Holiday cards + more holiday cards Ranger Card/Gift Exchange Holiday cookies Process the pictures of munchkins I just took Goal 5: School Aim to be valedictorian of school, dammit. Goal 6: Badges This went over so well last challenge, I need to keep these going. And I want to re-vamp the styles so they’re more tiny friendly. Goal 7: Mini Challenges & PvPs Do them. If nothing else, this will force me to get my workouts in - I may disappoint myself, but I try damn hard to make sure not to let my guild mates down. Goal 8: BIOHACKING You thought I forgot about this one, didn’t you? I’m twiddling my thumbs, waiting for my data to get back from 23andMe and have been taking the 999999989 quizzes on the site to maximize my contribution to the greater good. TWIDDLING MY THUMBS.

Has anyone in nerd fitness attempted a Hurricane Heat 12 HR? I am considering attempting this, but am wondering if anyone had any personal experience I can learn from.

Just looking, as it looks like I missed a fellow nerd last year, any nerds looking at going to Killington next year?