Erick's Second Challenge: Turn up the volume! (In a safe and thoughtful way)

[Erick the Red]

So, to recap my last challenge, I was training for a marathon but did not have the fitness base to pull it off, and instead pulled leg muscles that needed time to heal.

I learned that if I have too many goals I have to track, I forget about them. I have learned new mobility skills, I am healed up, and I have new race goals, but I need to build up my body.

1. Run-Walk-Crawl three miles per day.

I hope I don't have to crawl up the slopes of Mount Doom, but I think that I can do the walking and running thing. On good days I walk about three miles total. When I run, it is even easier. I need more good days.

I am working on walking from Hobbiton to the Lonely Mountain, as in THE HOBBIT:

397 miles: Travel with Bilbo from Bag End to Rivendell.

570 Miles: Travel with Bilbo from Rivendell to Lonely Mountain.

Goal 1: Total of 21 miles per week, as tracked by phone app pedometer or phone app GPS. Ramp up the running as well, but beware of too much, too fast. Do five minutes of warmup before every run.

Reward: +4 Sta, +1 Con

 

2. Stay healthy

Get eight hours of sleep. Do some pushups and pullups and squats. Stay balanced and healthy.

Goal 2: Eight hours of sleep every day. Some exercise besides walking every day.

Rewards: +2 Con, +2 Cha

3. Diet

I recently had a blood test that told me that my triglycerides are too high. Before that I did not even know I had triglycerides. I don't eat too much, I just need to clean it up.

Goal: No fast food unless it is a family event (driving a long distance for a visit, for instance).

Reward: +3 Con

4. Life Goal: De-clutter my house

There are big piles of stuff at various locations that need to be organized/sorted/detonated.

Each week, thoroughly de-clutter one of the following areas: bedroom (left side), bedroom (right side), bedroom closet, garage (left side), garage (right side), backyard porch.

Goal 4: Demolish one pile of junk each week.

Reward: +3 Wis

[Gyro]

Great goals, Erick. I really have a lot to de-clutter in my apartment as well!

Nice avatar, btw.. I like reading Astérix in French with my eight-year-old and of course Obélix is always hunting wild boar (sanglier in French) and each story ends with a big feast.. so a couple years ago at a Thanksgiving supper, the bird was so big that my son was convinced that we were eating wild boar..

[18ck]

I did not even know I had triglycerides.

They're baby torosauruses aren't they? Looks like you have a busy six weeks ahead. Good stuff. And if you run out of junk to clear I have some at my house you can clear up. Just to help you achieve your goals, you understand. I'm very helpful like that.

[Hammlin]

Yay Erick! I'm excited to see how you progress!

[german]

Great goals erick! best of luck in this challenge.

[livingroovy]

Excellent goals, Erick! Well done taking on de-cluttering... it was yucky but worth it last challenge!!

[jerrygerard]

Those are some good goals. I almost went with the "no fast food" one, but I didn't have the nerve.

As a complusive declutterer, I suggest you focus solely on the "what can I get rid of?" part of decluttering at first. The "what do I do with all the stuff I'm keeping?" phase is considerably easier with all the junk cleared away.

Best of luck!

[Shukar]

Decluttering can be a very rewarding experience when handled properly. Good luck with that, and the running of course. You'll make it to the Misty Mountain yet.

[Erick the Red]

First day knocked out nine sets of three pullups/chinups and walked five miles (and ran three and a half of that five).

Today more pushups and squats as well.

[Erick the Red]

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement.

[Erick the Red]

Excellent goals, Erick! Well done taking on de-cluttering... it was yucky but worth it last challenge!!

Every Christmas this old fat bearded man brings more junk into my house but refuses to take any of the old stuff away. I need to stop this cycle, and since calling out the Assassins on old Kris Kringle is considered antisocial, I have to take things into my own hands.

[Gyro]

Every Christmas this old fat bearded man brings more junk into my house but refuses to take any of the old stuff away. I need to stop this cycle, and since calling out the Assassins on old Kris Kringle is considered antisocial, I have to take things into my own hands.

St Nicolas actually punched someone in the face during an official church council, so maybe the assassins wouldn't've been effective anyways..

[micmac]

Every Christmas this old fat bearded man brings more junk into my house but refuses to take any of the old stuff away. I need to stop this cycle, and since calling out the Assassins on old Kris Kringle is considered antisocial, I have to take things into my own hands.

This is my problem, as well. We used to move a lot, and de cluttering was a normal event. We've remained in one place for over three years now, and the clutter is overtaking the house!

Looks like you got off to a great start with your goals, keep it up!

[Erick the Red]

I simplified my second goal and took out the goal of specific numbers of pushups, pullups, and squats. Trying to keep track of how many pullups I had done throughout the day was hurting my head, and I was actually avoiding working out. I need to get down to basics.

This morning I woke up but my calf was sore -- from my run on Monday(?) -- and I really did not feel like running. So I did not run. I think that I need more sleep to be healthy and happy (and nicer to other people), so that is what I will work on for a while.

Oh, if you buy ice cream for the family, and after everyone has had some, there is still some left in the container, and you just decide that you should finish it off instead of putting it back in the freezer, and then you feel sick that night and even the next morning, then you can come and talk to me about it. Because I will know exactly how you feel.

There is a reason that my avatar is a big pig.

[jfrankovich]

I simplified my second goal and took out the goal of specific numbers of pushups, pullups, and squats. Trying to keep track of how many pullups I had done throughout the day was hurting my head, and I was actually avoiding working out. I need to get down to basics.

This morning I woke up but my calf was sore -- from my run on Monday(?) -- and I really did not feel like running. So I did not run. I think that I need more sleep to be healthy and happy (and nicer to other people), so that is what I will work on for a while.

Oh, if you buy ice cream for the family, and after everyone has had some, there is still some left in the container, and you just decide that you should finish it off instead of putting it back in the freezer, and then you feel sick that night and even the next morning, then you can come and talk to me about it. Because I will know exactly how you feel.

Hey, Erick. I like how you're looking to simplify things. Better to achieve consistent victories than to over-complicate things, stress out about it, and give up. And yay for more sleep... I've been going to bed earlier since my first six-week challenge and I've definitely noticed the difference.

I totally used to be Mr. Finish-It-All-Off. Counting calories got me to start eating more reasonable portions, and now that's my new habit. As a bonus, there's more to enjoy later!

Good luck with all your goals!

[Erick the Red]

Quick progress update:

Goal 1: At least three miles every day so far, mix of walking and running (no crawling yet). Taking more small breaks at work to walk a lap around the building. Helps with minimizing eye-strain too.

Goal 2: Got a hair under eight hours sleep. Woke before 5am, did a circuit of bodyweight pushups, pullups, and squats, ran a mile, then did some more pushups, pullups, and squats. Felt really good.

Goal 3: Ate what I had prepared for lunch instead of getting some convenient fast food. Small success.

Goal 4: Bought a big bookshelf (taller than me) at a second-hand store and I have already filled it with the books that didn't have a home. Still haven't put a measurable dent in any of my areas of concern.

[Erick the Red]

Programming note: I have signed up for a race with my wife this Saturday, a fundraiser for the local cerebral palsy support organization.

It is called the Krispy Kreme Challenge.

Some of you may be asking, what is this Krispy Kreme Challenge?

Rules:

1. Run from the starting line at a local school, two miles to the doughnut store.

2. Eat one dozen doughnuts.

3. Have a KKC judge place a Doughnut Completion Sticker on your race bib.

4. Run two miles back to the school.

5. Do all of this in one hour or less.

I have been training all year for this.

(Not really.)

(Well, I have been, just not intentionally.)

Please don't judge me. I picked this avatar for a reason.

[ellisd012]

I like your goals...

but, isn't running and eating Krispy Kremes fast food? (yeah, I know it's bad)...the last 2 miles will likely be an opportune time for crawling! Good luck.

[18ck]

...It is called the Krispy Kreme Challenge.....

Mmm... Maybe I picked the wrong race to enter.

[Erick the Red]

Mmm... Maybe I picked the wrong race to enter.

I didn't think that they had Krispy Kreme shops in London. Perhaps Britain isn't as benighted a place as I had thought.

[Hammlin]

I ate a dozen donuts once.

Once.

[Shukar]

That sounds like something I *could* do, but would really hate myself for if I did. You are a stronger man than I.

[Eridian]

Dang... a whole dozen and 4 miles of running. Hats off to you, Erick. That's a heck of a challenge! I doubt I could eat the doughnuts and I KNOW I couldn't do the running. I usually gasp and wheeze and have chest lock-ups, thinking I'm going to die when I'm still within view of my apartment.

Great job on getting up early and getting your fitness done! That's awesome!

[Erick the Red]

Finished my race in under 48 minutes. The last couple doughnuts were tough to get down, but I persevered.

My wife the angel did not eat a single one out of her box, and I carried hers most of the way back to the start.

(2400 calories.)

I received a nice green t-shirt. She received a nice white t-shirt.

[Hammlin]

Finished my race in under 48 minutes. The last couple doughnuts were tough to get down, but I persevered.

My wife the angel did not eat a single one out of her box, and I carried hers most of the way back to the start.

(2400 calories.)

I received a nice green t-shirt. She received a nice white t-shirt.

Nice!!!