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It is time to return to a challenge that always seems to fill me with the energy and motivation to stay active. It is an epic one, but it is less about completing all of the things and more about staying present with the essence of each challenge goal. Basic Challenge: Connect With Environment: The Na'vi are deeply connected to the natural world around them and they take care of it. When completing each of these challenges, engage all of your senses and stay mindful of the impact nature has on your body and your spirit. At least 30 total minutes outdoors/day in a natural setting Go barefoot as often as possible and be mindful of how my body reacts; wear minimalist shoes when necessary. Explore an unfamiliar outdoor area, or explore a familiar one as if seeing it for the first time. Swim in wild waters (creeks and rivers) and climb trees Give at least 5 total minutes/day of mindful attention to a life form other than human (pets, wildlife, plants, etc.). Download Joulebug and complete at least one challenge/day. Do a litter cleanup in a natural area at least once/week. Avoid using plastics of any kind (unless impossible). 1 hike or trail run/week Connect With Food: The Na'vi are omnivorous hunter-gatherers with a deep connection to the available provisions that surrounded them, both meat and plant. When completing these challenges, savor each bite, eat mindfully and pay close attention to how this affects your body and spirit. Eat full vegetarian at least one day/week Eat at least 1 vegetable/day Eat fresh meat whenever possible instead of processed/boxed/canned meat at least 3 days/week; this includes fish (BONUS: game meat when possible). Forage at least once/week (dandelion, plantains, wild onion, etc.) Fast intermittently; be mindful of when it is acceptable to not eat and when it is necessary Eat locally at least once/week if possible (Farmer's market?) Connect With Body: The Na'vi need their body to be in top shape in order to survive such a harsh environment. When completing this challenge, use a variety of "wild fitness"/primal/paleo natural movements and be mindful of how this impacts your body and spirit. Deep squat more Drink at least 1/2 gallon of water/day. Practice balancing on a narrow surface 3 days/week Dead hang for at least 30 seconds 3 days/week. "Natural movement" HIIT workout at least 3 days/week; continue to incorporate resistance bands and other home workout equipment (cinderblocks, log, stones, etc.) Barefoot sprint in the field more often Daily breathwork Connect With Tribe: The Na'vi have a deep connection with members of their tribe, especially family but also tribal elders and leaders. For this challenge, be mindful of your relationships and how you strengthen them. Spend time in the afternoon with your daughters ('ite); at least one technology-free playtime/week. Use intimate physical touch with tribal members (for family: hugs, kisses, holding hands, snuggling; handshakes/hugs for friends). At least one uninterrupted/technology free evening with wife (muntxate) Call your mother (sa'nok). Connect With Self: In spite of living in a savage environment, the Na'vi are very self-aware and practice a disciplined self-control and humble appreciation of all life, including their own. Become toruk makto: tame the beast and take control of your temper by pausing and being mindful of your emotions. Seek wisdom: read works written by great tribal leaders and elders who have come before you. Choose your words: be mindful of when to speak and when to be silent; don't waste words, but choose them wisely. Be grateful: keep a log each day of things for which you are grateful. Connect With Eywa (God): The Na'vi believe in and commune with a being greater than themselves. This is the essence of their culture and it drives their actions and lifestyle. While completing these challenges, be mindful of where your heart and spirit rest on these issues. Greet each morning with a grateful smile and a spoken "Thank you." Pray/meditate in silence at least 10 minutes/day. Integrate prayer throughout the day. Treat each person you meet as spiritually connected and as image-bearers of God; treat all lifeforms as God's creation. Practice agape love (unconditional love). Bonus Challenges: Learn Na'vi language. Spend at least one night outside (in a hammock, if possible). Take a long hike deep into the woods (off trail, if possible). Ride a horse. Harvest spring water. Go rock climbing (freestyle).

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!

Greetings, Rangers. My name is Wolfen. I usually kick it with the Adventurers, but for this particular challenge I felt I needed some motivation and advice from some Ranger friends. Plus, my goals this challenge seem perfect for this guild. If you want to know more about me, I'm sure @Tanktimus the Encourager can tell you everything you need to know since we've been NF buddies for a while. First, a quick bit of history. If you want to skip this part and go straight to my challenge goals, feel free: So there you have it. My mail goals will reflect the plan discussed above. In addition, I will be participating in Soulcon again, which kicks off September 17th, so there will be a spiritual aspect to this challenge, as well. So I have broken the challenge down into four parts: Body, Mind, Heart, and Spirit. Body: Daily: 0430-0445 wakeup 40 push-ups and 15 burpees barefoot time in the morning and stretches and movements (inspired by Primal body Reboot program by Jonathan Mead) cold shower at least 64oz of water at least 10,000 steps 2230-2300 bedtime Running Schedule: Monday: Distance run (at least 5k) on the trails Tuesday: Cross-training Endurance or Strength workout Wednesday: Tempo run (on road or track) Thursday: Recovery Day: only Mobility/Yoga workout and very light recovery run on the trails Friday: Interval run or hill run Saturday: Distance run (at least 5k) on the trails Sunday: Rest Day Nutrition -- eat whole foods as often as possible, whole grains, healthy carbs and fats, protein, lean meats, and vegetables Mind: WHM Breathing/Meditation in the morning Read at least 20 minutes per day; currently reading Endure by Alex Hutchinson (seems appropriate) listen to at least one podcast per week read at least one article about trail running, running, or endurance athletics take a brain break in the afternoon (20 minute binaural meditation) daily. Heart: listen to music that lifts my soul watch at least one motivational video or movie per week document at least three things I am grateful for daily make eye contact and greet people as I pass them on campus text or call at least one friend daily to see how his day went play with my younger princesses after homework is completed spend evenings with my queen Spirit: prayer and scripture study daily every morning, say a prayer of gratitude for the day read through the Soulcon devotionals post and visit the Soulcon Facebook page listen to or watch at least one sermon per week.

Welcome Mud Lovers! This is a continuation of the Obstacle Racers, Assemble Group This is an open group for anyone who is interested, curious, or completely obsessed with all things OCR related! Feel free to ask questions, share tips on gear or obstacle technique, or just let us know about a recent or upcoming race. Nothing is off topic and everyone is welcome. In a slight change, we'll be adding trail running to the discussion too. For a lot of us, the obstacle racing season is winding down for the year, and trail running is a great way to train for OCR's in the quiet winter months.

Well, here I am. I finally ran out of steam to go on doing productive things with my own motivation and I need a place of accountability and to battle some RL bosses and smash some quests because I can only play Horizon Zero Dawn for so long. I was once an aspired ultra trail runner. I did pretty good, too. I even stuck with it for multiple years. But going from couch to marathon in less than 6 months more than 3 times over just fried me. In the beginning I also discovered crossfit and fell in love with the idea of getting stronger. I feel like I already know what guild I'm joining because I'm of such mind to be the person who can do anything so I can be anywhere and know I'll handle whatever situation is thrown at me (Rangerrrs, holllaaaa). My goals for this first challenge are as follows: (1) Run 2x/week & weightlift 3x/week. Start slow and start small. Don't let my ego get in the way or more honestly, don't let my "constant need to be the best self" get in the way. Consistency is key and I will get there. (2) Eat some greens with every major meal. Leafy or hearty (brusels and asparagus). Eventually I want to get back to a raw vegan lifestyle, but I need to start small (again). And I live in Colorado and it's winter, so I need to have forgiveness and realize that I may continue paleo for a few months for most of my meals. (3) Turn off all distractions: TV, podcasts, phone, anything that's not a book or playing with my cat - BY 8PM EVERY NIGHT. Time to be more present in my life and not be afraid of the noise in my head. Time to get back to my normal bed time of 9pm and wake up at 4am to GET SHIT DONE because I'm a morning person. Can't wait to score myself at the end of the 5 weeks. I've been listening to the inner voices, the not-meant-to-be-advice-but-omg-you-just-gave-me-advice from others, and in many different forms (dreams, meditation, tarot cards, podcasts) that have all told me I need to get back to a healthy lifestyle and "healthy" being very specific to me, my body, my blood, etc. Veggies and movement. Since I'm a physicist originally, I need to remember Newton's law that anything in motion will stay in motion and vice versa anything not in motion stays not in motion. Getting back into motion is going to be rough, hard work, and my brain is going to rebel. Go home brain, you drunk! Oh wait, that was just last night. I'm here! I'm queer! Get.... oh wait that's a different post. Anyway, I RULE HERE, OKAY?! Get a move on!

My overarching goal for this challenge is to refocus, become better connected with my body and my self, and shake out a little stagnation. As I am primarily an endurance runner, I've been running with the scouts for a while, but there's not much shakin over there lately. My goals have some druid qualities about them, and several of my friends are (or were) druids as well, so I'm gonna pop in over here for a bit. For those who don't know me, I work in ocean science, and I've spent most of the past five or six years at sea, living aboard a research vessel full time. During the last 4WC, I finally moved ashore. There's a lot of readjusting happening right now. There, short and sweet, now the goals... Run 115 miles. This is per the training I am following for an upcoming half-marathon. Just stick to the plan, and this one will be easy. I'll try to hit up some trails whenever practical. Push-ups 540 total, progressive. I've had a push-up goal every challenge for a while, and it has started to get a little monotonous and dreadful. That saddens me because there's been great value in it for me. This time I'm going to try making it a weekly progression starting at twenty, and increasing by one each day to twenty five. This allows one day off (or missed day) a week, and will hopefully add a little interest and incentive. Yoga 20 points total. I've had an interest in yoga for a while, but limited space on a ship and a – let's say – "unstable" platform have left my progress pretty minimal. I'm in a better position now to pursue this one more seriously, so it's time to get to it. 2 points for a good session, 1 point if it's half-ass. Bonus points if I take a real live lesson. Mindful Movement This is the GMB Elements program that I just picked up. It focuses on controlled body movements to build strength, flexibility and motor control. It could be really demanding with everything else I have going on (goals and life in general), but it looks like it could be really fun and worthwhile. Not sure how to score it – it's a seven week program, I'd like to make it through at least three. Mindful Eating Living on a ship, meals were all provided for me – and they weren't good. Nutrition and quality eating have long been a problem. Now that it's fully up to me, I want to get smart about it. I will plan and prepare two vegetarian meals (because I am mostly vegetarian) each week, with a focus on recipes that are wholesome and balanced. As a chef in a former life, I've missed cooking, so this should enjoyable as well as valuable. That's it. I do my best to keep things informative, yet light and fun. Oh, and I take a lot of pictures, and I tend to share a lot of those as well. Let's go!

Hey all! I'm on the lookout for a group enterprising souls who would be willing to tackle the Ragnar Trail Relay on April 28-29, 2017. It's an overnight relay in which a team of eight runners (or four ultrarunners, for the hardcore) run legs of a trail network, for a total of about 14-16 miles per person. It's a combination of relay racing, trail running, and crazy camping. Learn more about the race here, and check out the event page here. I'm familiar with the state park where the race is being held - it's a beautiful place to visit! If I can get enough interest (both here and in real life), I'll be glad to organize a team!

Hello there! I'm back for more. My goals are as follows. 1. Track all food on Myfitnesspal App. My goal is currently to stay under 1340 net calories and to consume 100 g protein per day. 2. Adventurous Exercise. I would like to take more of my running to the forest. I signed up for a trail racing series in the fall. The races will be 5-7 miles, so I will need to train for that. 3. Meditate Every Day. Sit quietly every day or at least 10 minutes. Continue with lunchtime routine, when possible And also- find balance. Achieve happiness. Go places. And lose a little weight.

I've stepped away from Nerd Fitness for awhile, but I'm joining up again because I need to lose some weight and this style of tracking has always worked for me. I'm very happy to find it's still a vibrant community, and even see a couple of familiar faces I'm usually a scout, but I'll be joining the druids this time because I would like to work on a more mindful approach to better living. I hope to find inspiration in your writings and in the group challenges. I've chosen three simple goals for my first challenge after a long break. 1. Track all food on Myfitnesspal App. My goal is currently to stay under 1500 net calories.and to consume 100 g protein per day. I'll give myself one point for calories and one point for protein, for a total of 14 points available in a given week. 2. Incorporate Adventurous Exercise. I already have a good routine (thanks to previous NF challenges) of either running or doing yoga 5-6 days per week. I would like to spend one active day doing something adventurous: paddleboarding, bike riding, bouldering, or maybe go to a different yoga studio. The goal is to have fun and try something new. 1 point available per week. 3. Meditate Every Day. According to the Headspace app, I'm already on a 14 day streak. My routine is currently to meditate in my car during my lunch break. I would like to continue working through the Headspace program. One point for every day completed, 7 points available for the week. Total challenge points available: 88 Thank you very much for reading my challenge. Feel free say "hi" or to let me know what you think.

This month I'm keeping my challenge really simple and focussing on getting s**t done. No theme, no bells and whistle, just balls. Or something like that.. I'm coming for you, things! Quest 1. Share the awesome. Keeping this from the last challenge. Even the suckiest of days contains a little glimmer of hope. At least that's what I'm going to attempt to prove to myself... Each day I'll post 1 awesome thing that happened. This can be anything that brightened my day even if by a little; whether it be a life altering achievement, hitting a workout goal, or something small like seeing a Deer on the way to work, or something funny that happened during the day. Quest 2. Hold the Plank. Mission Objective: Hold a 2 minute plank. I'm currently at around 50-70 seconds, but I'm sure I can get more if I man up. Quest 3. Hit the Trails. Throughout the challenge I will do a total 30km of trail running. Quest 4. Do The Thing. Spend a total of 105 minutes each week working on some form of "life advancement". This works out at just 15 minutes a day, but will more likely be longer sessions over fewer days. This could be anything that helps me level up towards living a better, healthier (and happier!) life. Researching workouts/nutrition, searching for jobs, writing, and general life research stuff will be counted. I'm sure over the course of this challenge this quest will become slightly less vague... Actually doing workouts won't count towards the total. Also, I used a calculator to work out 15x7. What the hell is wrong with me? Bonus Stuff Daily Dare PVP. Going for Gold this time. Assassin Mini Challenge: Firefly Theme! Yisssss

I've stepped away from Nerd Fitness for awhile, but I'm joining up again because I need to lose some weight and this style of tracking has always worked for me. I'm very happy to find it's still a vibrant community, and even see a couple of familiar faces I'm usually a scout, but I'll be joining the druids this time because I would like to work on a more mindful approach to better living. I hope to find inspiration in your writings and in the group challenges. I've chosen three simple goals for my first challenge after a long break. 1. Track all food on Myfitnesspal App. My goal is currently to stay under 1340 net calories and to consume 100 g protein per day. I'll give myself one point for calories and one point for protein, for a total of 14 points available in a given week. 2. Incorporate Adventurous Exercise. I already have a good routine (thanks to previous NF challenges) of either running or doing yoga 5-6 days per week. I would like to spend one active day doing something adventurous: paddleboarding, bike riding, bouldering, or maybe go to a different yoga studio. The goal is to have fun and try something new. 1 point available per week. 3. Meditate Every Day. According to the Headspace app, I'm already on a 14 day streak. My routine is currently to meditate in my car during my lunch break. I would like to continue working through the Headspace program. One point for every day completed, 7 points available for the week. Total challenge points available: 132 Thank you very much for reading my challenge. Feel free to let me know what you think.

Phase Two. This month I'm going to try something a little different to my previous challenges. After achieving my landmark pushup goal during the April challenge I simplified my workouts (thanks, NF) and set myself a workout plan (I may post this for critique). The original intention for this challenge was to concentrate on working towards handstands and working on rolling/fall breaking, but during the last challenge I came to the realisation that this isn't what I need to be focussing on right now. I find I'm sort of drifting around without any sort of direction, and this won't sort itself out. So this challenge I'm starting my new quest to simplify life and find my new direction. I'm not sure where I'm going, but I sure as hell can't sit quietly and drift through life. In the words of Gandalf the Grey: Quest 1. Share the awesome Even the suckiest of days contains a little glimmer of hope. At least that's what I'm going to attempt to prove to myself... Each day I'll post 1 awesome thing that happened. This can be anything that brightened my day even if by a little; whether it be a life altering achievement, hitting a workout goal, or something small like seeing a Deer on the way to work, or something funny that happened during the day. Quest 2. Chinups. AKA; "the Assassiny one" Last challenge I increased my Chinup AMRAP from 6 to 8 reps. This month I'm going for 10. That's it, simples. Quest 3. Hitting the Trails. Now that the weather is getting better (read: drier and less grey) I can get back to trail running more regularly. I love running out in nature but am rarely excited about it. To encourage me to actually get out there I'm setting a goal to run a total of 25km during the challenge. Quest 4. Life Stuff I have a little list of stuff that needs doing, most are annoying adult things I have been putting off. I may add extra things as the challenge continues, but I'm not allowed to take anything off. Book car in to get serviced. Cancel my subscriptions to Guitarist and Guitar & Bass magazines. Register for my next Open University module. Give my bass guitars a full setup and repair/replace the dodgy output jack on the P-Bass. I enjoy this but have been neglecting it for too long, so it's on the list. Read Level Up Your Life. Type up qualifications and references for CV. Note: I'm not actively looking for a new job this month, but I want to have a complete CV ready just incase something comes up. Organise my books and donate/sell anything I don't want need to keep. Book in VIP meerkat experience and safari park. Organise desk and drawers. Optimise that Batcave! Book appointment with bank to open an ISA. Go to aforementioned appointment. Bonus points for not being an awkward mess during. Aside from whatever the Assassin Mini is this month, I also plan on joining the PVP group for doing the Darebee Daily Dares. Seems like a good way to connect with more forum members (which I frankly suck at). Let's do the thing!

Lessons learned last time around, here we go again! Build Arms - Weighted chin ups 1x/wk (or more), 500 push-ups/wk (+Dex, +Str) I love chin ups. Currently I'm at 5-5-3 for chin-ups with an #18 KB on a belt. I'd like to add one rep every week. The push-ups are a continuation of what I did in that challenge earlier this year. Yeah, I know they're more of a chest thing... but I'll do some handstand holds/lowers to make up for it. Some day, I'll be busting them out like this girl Get running - at least one run a week, aiming for 3 miles. (+Sta, +Dex for trail runs) I'm going to need to really work on my PT to make this feasible. I was just up to 3-ish mi last time I went... but I think this will be a good foundation for building distance. Build off what I learned from the last challenge about what I should be eating. (+Wis, +Cons) At some level, it's all "IIIFYM." Truth is, I'm a carboholic. Not a Carbivore, like I thought. I don't need sugar, but I crave it. When I get a little bit in my system, I spiral out of control. I need to continue to build up my toolbox for figuring out how to deal with that, especially in social situations. I'm going to target 50g carbs/day, max 100g. That's what I found to be good the last time around. It's also consistent with the stuff on Mark's Daily Apple website. Avoid sugars (light on the fruit, occasional dark chocolate), avoid bread and super-starches, eat hordes of protein, and fill in the rest with yummy fats (butter, coconut butter, almond butter... bacon!). Log DAILY on MFP! The Checklist Schedule the "girl's weekend" for my little sister's bachelorette party Hit ketosis for a day (or two) Have a Solomo sandwich Hike a new trail Get the gun Go Shooting. Visit my grandparents (Oh, Canada!) I was successful in posting on NF more than 40x during the last challenge. I'm over 1000 posts lifetime! Goal: hit 1100 posts by the end of April.

This post really has nothing to do with swimming as the title might suggest. Instead the next month will be about keeping some good habits I formed last month, working on some weak areas I observed, and generally trying not to get overwhelmed by my work and training load(s). I only have two months until I toe the line at American River 50 Mile and to be honest, I'm freaking out! The next six weeks will be the most important training block, but will also overlap with two separate week-long trips, trying out a new position at work, and taking two night classes. Whew! Things are moving, but they seem to all be coming to a head at the same time. As a result I'll likely have more than four standard goals. FITNESS & HEALTH GOALS - Goal # 1: Increase weekly mileage. Run 4 days weekly. Right now I'm comfortably running close to 35 miles each week. Over the next six weeks I'm going to add 10% mileage increase each week until I'm running 50 mile weeks in March. The breakdown will look like this. Week 1 - 37 Week 2 - 40 Week 3 - 44 Week 4 - 48 Week 5 - 53 Week 6 - 55 Goal # 2: Pack Lunch and Breakfast every work-day during February. This was a great success last month, and definitely saved me some money that can instead go to paying down debt and saving for travel later in the year. Goal # 3: Strength train twice weekly. Again, this was part of my last challenge, and I think it's valuable to being a good ultra-runner and important for overall fitness. I'll be following stronglifts 5x5 which I enjoy, is a simple program, and produces results. Goal # 4: All the little things! I have a really hard time remembering to foam roll, do hip and glute strengthening, basically all the little things that help me not get injured. The goal for this challenge will be to develop a 20 minute session that I can do most week-nights before bed that will help me to get rid of some nagging pains and be a more resilient runner. Goal # 5: Dinner time is winner time. Last challenge I noticed that my eating habits really deteriorate around dinner and the weekends when things are less structured. This challenge I'm going to focus on no grains, dairy, or sugar around dinners. And on the weekends I'm going to allow myself only one "off plan" meal. I'd love to get to my race 5-10lbs down from where I currently am and I know this will help. PERSONAL GOALS - Goal # 6: No skipping! I will now blow off class unless I'm traveling, I will not blow off my homework, period. Goal # 7: Try really really really hard at work, and be really really really nice to everybody. I'm being given a trial run at work for the position I want to move in to and I really want to impress everybody and show that I can hold my own and deserve the job. This challenge will be about knocking it out of the park when it comes to work. In addition to that I know one of the biggest things holding me back is how I present myself and how I work with others. My review from this year was stellar aside from that so it really is the only thing holding me back. I need to revive the old version of me who taught snowboarding, could take crap all day from dumb clients and do so with a smile on her face and the air that made everybody think they were having the best time ever. This challenge looks like a lot, and it is. But there is a season for all things, and this is the season for simplifying life outside of a few key areas, working really hard, and embracing the challenge. Come April I'll have more time on my hands to relax and decompress.

With the new challenge and guild guidelines, I'm shouldering my backpack and heading to the Adventurers for this challenge. For those whom I haven't met, here is a bit of an introduction. I'm tinkerer. I love to make things for our house, fix cars, and weld. I can figure out how most things work and enjoy trying to fix broken items. Over the last five years, I've been drawn in to mountaineering. In an odd cycle, fitness is what got me into mountaineering and now mountaineering is what motivates me to work out. I enjoy all of the individual elements of mountaineering separately as well: hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, snowshoeing, etc. I posted an Epic Quest on my last birthday for the next year. That quest is here. Some of my goals include climbing certain mountains, spending time with Dad, and getting outdoors more. For the last six week challenge, I embarked on a mountaineering training program based on the book "Training for the New Alpinism". My overall goals are to improve my aerobic fitness and strength for climbing in a rock climbing sense. This week (the week of December 27) is the first week of my "Base Building" section of the training plan which involves working on building max strength while continuing aerobic training. For this rotation of my workout plan, I've selected four exercises. I'll add weight as needed to keep reps below 5 per set. Those exercises are Pullups, Shrimp Squats, Dips, and Pistol Squats. In addition to strength training, I need to carve out about 4 hours for aerobic training. Some of this training should be on "steep terrain" which probably means going to our local mountain after work. I've patterned my goals around hitting these achievements for the next four weeks. Quest 1: Strength Training Twice per WeekI will do two training sessions each week. Each session will consist of a core workout (literally, workout targeting core muscles) and strength training for each of my four exercises. I'll be using a weight belt to keep the reps I can do below 5 per set. Quest 2: Outdoor Training once per WeekOnce per week, I will seek out a steep trail to climb. The climb should last around an hour and be as sustained as possible. My target heartrrate for this goal is 80% of my max or 151 BPM. If I'm going with friends, this may mean I need to include weight in my pack. Quest 3: Aerobic WorkThrough other runs (also outside), I will make up the needed bulk of aerobic training. The time goal varies from week to week. For this goal my target HR is <145 BPM. Week 1 - 2:45Week 2 - 3:00Week 3 - 3:15Week 4 - 2:15 Quest 4: Bathroom RemodelThis one is pretty straightforward - I will finish all of the little things on our bathroom remodel to where the project can be called "complete". My side goal will me to punctuate the updates on this challenge with fun pictures from adventures. Progress will be tracked in my google spreadsheet for such things. Here is a picture from my New Year's Day solo hike.

OK…first something I’m doing this 6-week period that’s not exactly part of the challenge… Run 2 marathons ("double down" ). I’m running a marathon at the end of week 1 and another at the end of week 6. I’m really out of shape now, so the second marathon should be much better than the first. Recovering, building back up, and tapering will be tricky. I have a lot of experience and I know what I need to do. This is my most important fitness goal right now, but I’m still thinking about how to work it into a specific challenge Why am I doing this to myself? Reasonable question. I’m on a quest for 50 states (these would be #17 and #18). I’m doing the first because it was planned with friends a while back, before I knew my training would be interrupted by travel. I’m doing the second because it’s a good opportunity to knock out a state with a friend. Actual challenge goals Run 160 miles (including an attempt at 2 marathons). This goal is a little light, but it will force me to keep running. 500 pushups! These are scaled. Negatives count as 1 point, full pushups count as 3. Cross train – Goal is at least 10 times at the gym, typically alternating push and pull workouts. My normal plan would be to go twice a week, but I wanted a little flexibility with the marathon travel. Also I’m allowing full (1 hr+) vinyasa yoga classes to substitute. I think all this stuff is valuable, but I can’t do all of it at once. Swab the deck! This is a sort of “adulting challenge†based on two types of chores: “House elf†This is a list of 5 simple chores to do each morning. One point per day. “Dreaded tasks†I have a list of 30 things of all sorts (some aren’t particularly dreaded). One point per task. In theory 72 possible points, but I’ll be traveling for some of this. Going to set 50 points as the goal.

Hello everybody! Since I'm new to the rebellion and seem to be unable to open a new "introdce yourself" thread I will put my introduction right here: I will delay posting my epic quest until clearer news/instructions are posted later today. The experience points stuff hasn't been understood so far so I will add those later, too. So here are the quests: 1) RUN, DONKEY, RUN! I just discovered that I don't suck at running anymore and feel that moving through the woods around my part of the city makes me feel so much better mentally and physically. Since I'm quite active otherwise babysteps (no time/mileage goals etc: 1 run per week on a nice trail not pressed for time 2) FIND A BOULDERING YODA To watch and learn you have! I really enjoy bouldering and don't do too bad at it (Levl 7/10 at my gym). I'm usually bouldering with my partner and friends, who both are on approximately the same level as I am. To level up my bouldering I need to learn some tricks and strategies from other boulderers, but I'm shy and stuff like that. Quest: Everytime at the boulder gym watch other climbers for at least 10min in total. Embrace hints from foreigners. 3) DON'T GET STRANDED IN A FOOD DESERT The cafeteria at my university serves crappy food which makes me feel sick and lethargic. I will pack lunches for my "long days" on wednesday and friday. 4) TIDY UP THE BARN I tend to get overwhelmed by housework and tend to delay tasks to the last minute. I absoultely hate that. Babysteps again (laundry, vacuuming, dedusting, ... will follow): Tidy up the kitchen "ready to cook again" every evening. So here it is, the first Spiderdonk-Challenge, I am thrilled to see how I get along!

Greetings! I'm Grayspeed and this is my first challenge with the Assassin's Guild. I've been looking froward to this since I joined the forums. I'm gutted I missed out on the Lord of the Rings themed mini challenge! My first challenge with the Recruits in linked in my signature below if anybody wants a peek. My workouts focus on two areas: Bodyweight training - augmented with a few kettlebell drills and occasional dumbbell exercises.Cardio - usually using a stationary bike, but I recently started trail running which is a lot of funI enjoy the creativity and freedom of using your body and environment to get in shape, "weird" workouts are the best workouts. Anyhoo, enough back story. Let's jump in! Literally.. Main Quest: My main quest is to develop my confidence and physical health/fitness to the point where my low self esteem no longer holds me back from getting what I want out of life. Too vague..? Quest 1 - Resistance workouts at least 3 times a week. +3 STR, +2 STA Do at least 3 resistance workouts every week - these are usually a combination of bodyweight and kettlebell, but I occasionally use dumbbells as well. Quest 2 - The Push-up test. +3 STR Be able to do a total of 60 push-ups over 5 sets. My current best is 55 over 5 sets, but a more realistic average is more like 52 at best. Quest 3 - The world is my playground. +3 DEX, +2 STA This is a two-parter. Go trail running at least once per week, no matter what the weather is doing. Pretty self explanatory. Navigate 2 objects a day in an unusual way - jumping/climbing over/across obstacles, basically. Vaulting fences, jumping over puddles. You know, fun stuff. Life Quest - Be more productive. +2 WIS Or at least be organised in my lack of productivity.. Write down a To-Do list every day. Even if I only have one thing to do. General adulting is hard and I'm not doing myself any favours at the moment, time to get organised.

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.

So this is my first challenge with the Scouts This post might be a bit under construction for today/tomorrow, as I thought the challenge only started next week... Ooops... Guess that happens when life gets hectic and stressful. My main focus for this challenge is my last bit of training for my 22km Two Oceans Trail Run on 3rd April, which includes a 1000 m altitude gain. If I haven't killed myself with the trail run I will be attempting the Two Oceans Half Marathon the day after it, but I will judge how I feel. In preparing for this on the 14th March I have entered a 22km trail run on Lions Head. Quest 1: One long run a week, possibly on a side of a mountain if time permits, and then 3 shorter runs during the week. On the weekends my daughter isn't with me, it will be two long runs on successive days. Quest 2: Sleep. I need to focus on getting to bed at a decent time, and get my 8 hours of Zzzzzs. Quest 3: Eat Paleo. Eating has been a bit of a problem for me the last 6 months. Life Quest: Not sure yet, I'm sure I will figure something out.

Intro: I'm a 35 year old dad of a 7 year old daughter from South Africa. This is my first NF challenge. I have been getting the newsletters for years now, and I have made quite a bit of progress, but I have been very slack since I pulled a calf muscle in November, and I have been in a bit of a downward spiral, gaining around 6kg in the time. I consider myself a trail runner, and I am entered into quite a few races from now until the first week of April. In April I will do what I call my crazy combo, which is 43km over two days, which is going to be tough for me. The first day is the 22km Two Oceans trail run, and then the next day I will tackle the Two Oceans half marathon. So that will be the perfect end of my second challenge. Main Quest: Hit 99kg by the end of the year, so that makes it 27kg. And also complete a marathon. Quest 1: Do 10k steps a day walking or running\ Quest 2: Eating clean (Paleo) Lots more veggies & some fruit each day Avoid anything with added sugar (ice cream is my biggest weakness at the moment). Quest 3: Loose 3 kg by end of the challenge Life Quest: Get my house tidy and keep it that way. Currently its total chaos Daily meditation. Started a 21 day meditation challenge that will end the same time as this challenge. Motivation: To get into the best possible shape so I can be there for my daughter. My dad has been suffering from many different health issues in the last 20 years, and I dont want to put my daughter through that.

Our grace-fallen hero finds himself on hard times. His edges have rounded and softened and his tough is no longer enough. The wind no longer calls his name, the trees no longer beckon him on, and the earth no longer caresses his feet. Where once he would venture out with little cause, he has now found himself... Suburbanized. But from the comfort of his warm abode a distant voice catches his ear. The voice pleads and cajoles. It prods and spurs. It lights a fire that first warms and the engulfs him until he rushes headlong from his cozy den into the froth of the wild. There is a foe that remains unconquered. A cry that begs to be answered and a trail that must be run. The Hundred has woken and it calls... Main Quest: Conquer The Hundred (100 mile run) Quests: ----- Quest 1: Short runs of 20-30 minutes at least 3 days a week. Long runs weekly, starting at 5 miles, increasing 10%/week with every fourth week a shorter run. Measurement: A = 5+ runs/wk; B = 4-5 runs/wk, C = 3-4 runs/wk Reward: A = +3 STA, +1 CON, +1 STR; B = +2 STA, +1 CON, C = +1 STA ----- Quest 2: Cook Dinner at least once a week. Ordering pizza doesn't count. Measurement: A = 2+x a week; B = 1-2x a week; C = <1x a week Reward: A = +3 CHA, +2 CON; B = +2 CHA, +1 CON; C = +1 CHA ----- Quest 3: Keep a food journal of everything eaten over 6 weeks. Measurement: A = Log every day (42); B = Log 90% of days (36); C = 80% (30) Reward: A = +5 WIS; B = +4 WIS; C = +3 WIS ----- Life Quest: Start flossing daily instead of average of every other day. Motivation: Because it's there. Because I can. Because I want to be a better role model for my wife and for my kid.

Hey friends, it's my anniversary challenge! Woot! Training for races: 5 k on June 15th and a trail race series in September. Short term challenge goals: I would like to “evict fat,†as they say, while improving performance. Goal 1: Run 20 miles a week, or 120 total miles, including 6 interval sessions and 6 trail runs. Grading = Total Miles Run/120 miles, Trail runs/6, Interval sessions/6 Goal 2: Bodyweight Strength: Pick a Neila Rey strength routine every week, do it 2-3 days that week. Grading = Total BW workouts/16 Goal 3: Track calories and protein. Currently doing 1500 net + 100 g protein/day. I’ve already lost a little weight with this system, so I would like to stick with it for a few more weeks. Calorie, protein, and other macro goals may vary as the challenge progresses. Instead of grading day-by-day, I’ll be looking at weekly totals in order to give myself a touch of wiggle room. *Grading edited per RW's suggestion: Calorie Grading: A: Less than or equal to 0 over allotted calories/week B: 0-500 calories over C: 501-1000 calories over D: 1001-3000 calories over F: 3001+ calories over Protein Grading: A: Greater than or equal to 700 g protein/week B: 600-699 C: 500-599 F: <500 g protein/week

It's time to Spartan The Fuck Up (STFU)! The last couple of months, I've kept up with my running. But, I should be doing more. I need to focus on getting faster, stronger, and mentally tougher. Over the course of this challenge, I have a Spartan Sprint on June 28th, and a 10 mile trail race on July 12th. I've got some serious work to do before them. Goal 1 - Speedwork At least two speed-centric workouts per week. Can be a track workout, hill sprints, tempo run, or fartlek's. That's right. Fartlek. Everyone loves to fartlek. Goal 2 - Buprees, Push Ups, and Pull-ups - oh my! I need to get some consistency back into some of these basic movements. Considered doing a PLP... but, I think for my needs right now I'm going to do it this way... Everyday - 30 Burpees and 30 Pushups in addition to whatever other work I am doing. 30 is light, right? Right. So we are starting with 30 this week, just to get back in the groove. Then, week 2 will be 40, week 3; 50, week 4; 60, week 5; 70, week 6; 80. Per day. Those sets can be broken up however I need to to get them done. But, they need to get done. Also, variations on the move will be happening to spice things up. Pull-ups - Back to the 20 Pull-up program. So, that's essentially pull-ups every other day... follow the program. Goal is to be at 20 strict pull-ups in a set by the Beast. Goal 3 - Go long. At least one long run per week. I have been running between 5 and 8 on the regular. Time to mix in some 10+ mile runs/week.

Main Quest 21 minute 5k. Prologue I have a 5k on May 31 and really want to show improvement for my main quest goal. I also have another 5k scheduled for July 12, and in Oct and that will probably be my only ones for the year. I have been slacking on the speedwork in the last challenge, so I need to focus on getting that in again. And I have some body fat left to evict that is slowing me down so I will continue with my weight loss goal from the last challenge. Starting weight will be 175 since I am hovering around there and makes the numbers easier to work with. And with the warm weather I want to make my play more games new year's resolution to incorporate being outside. I made it more generic in outdoor activities so it can include family walks or jogging stroller runs. Goals 1) 12 speedwork sessions 2) 36 workouts (speedwork counts) 3) Weigh 170 pounds 4) 21 outdoor activities with boys Stats Initial: LVL: 14, STR: 13.5, DEX: 16.5, STA: 25.5, CON: 6, WIS: 11.25, CHA: 8.25 1) 12 speedwork sessions +4 DEX 2) 36 workouts (speedwork counts) +2 STR +2 STA 3) Weigh 170 pounds +3 CHA 4) 21 outdoor activities with boys +2 CON +2 WIS