Croman Red, Fourth Challenge: Adapt or die.

[Croman Red]

The ice thawed, and me with it.  I crawled out of my cave and everything was strange.  No forest, no game, new people with straight backs and a new language.  I grunted at them in a friendly sort of way.  Some laughed.  Some became angry. I ran off.  When I stopped I ate some mushrooms and drank some old grape juice.  I heard voices [NF members, not the other ones]. One, louder than the rest, cried out:  "I tabulate, therefore I am!"  I saw dancing badgers become lunch boxes. 

 

I swore off mushrooms and old grape juice.

 

My people and our ways are gone.  I must learn the new ways.  

 

I must stand up to walk.  I must learn their speech.  I will travel this land, its hills and valleys.  I will hunt it.  

 

The voices guide, encourage and confuse me.  (Spreadsheets?  Flossing?  "Man-scrape"?)  

 

I miss the ice.  

 

Translation:  For this challenge I will get serious about training for my next ultra event and about getting into German culture.

 

1.  Travel the land:

     -"No more mushrooms and old grape juice":  Monthly fasts, smart food choices afterwards, limited alcohol.  I'm in training for the Zugspitz Ultratrail in June.  Minimize the dietary toxins and dial in on what my body needs for recovery.  Starting with a 7 day water fast.  Moving to the cleanest fruits, veggies, meats and fats that I can get.  Continue to explore the merits of various complex carbs.

 

     -Walk like a man:  Mobility and stretching.  I need to expand on this, last challenge I started to tighten back up.

 

     -Run Forest, Run:  Every day.  Measured in hours, not miles.  I have 60 days until the Zugspitz Ultratrail.  Gotta get my body used to continuous running.  I'll rest when I have to.

 

     -Hunt the land:  Find and secure the necessary ultra gear for the Zugspitz.

 

 

2.  German culture.  This weekend a buddy hooked me up with the local British hunting club.  Spent a couple of days with them at one of their ranges.  They hosted a large number of German hunters who zeroed their rifles in preparation for hunting season.  Good guys, great time.  

 

I think they like the idea of showing a Yank the ropes.  They will provide the training I need to prepare for the Jagerbrief exam.  I might be able to test before this challenge is over, but my focus is on the preparation for the purposes of this challenge.  The oral portion of the test will involve a lot of specific language training.  The interest here is less about killing Bambi and more about the people, the history and the traditions of the German Hunting culture. I'll still be doing the Rosetta Stone exercises.

 

3.  -Bonus points:

          -Max APFT:  This is easily measurable.  The hard part will be running fast enough since all of my work will be long and slow.

          -Body Weight Exercises.  This is purposefully vague.  Going to see what's possible based off of how it works with the ultra stuff.

          -Vertical running.  Gotta include "hill" work.  Right now all I can think of is running up and down the six flights of stairs to my apartment.  I hate running stairs.

          -Maintaining and expanding tight contact with my family stateside.

          -Giving Wolverine a hard time whenever I can.  He's going to be feeling sad and will need a bit of cheer:o

 

 

[obax]

Awesome goals, especially the 'German culture' one. I know a lot of people who knew only rudimentary (language of choice), including German, who said they made huge strides by immersing themselves into a situation where they hand no choice but to speak that language.

 

What's the Jagerbrief exam? I'm guessing it has something to do with hunting, based on the name, but that's all I can figure out from the name alone.

 

Also, 'Measured in hours, not miles' actually made me cringe. You're one crazy dude (in a good way), but I have a feeling you'll own that Ultra. 

[Aeryn]

Oh, I'm totally following this. Insane amounts of running, plus German culture? Both things I can admire while never doing, and then you add bodyweight exercise and messing with Wolverine, which are both super-fun? Sounds awesome. You're going to rock this.

[Nuala]

 

Seriously, your intro made me laugh out loud! I'll be checking your thread often so that you wont bully Wolfie too much, he is a softie deep down

[Croman Red]

I was hoping you would repost the badger spirit:)

[Croman Red]

Obax:  The Jagerbrief is the certificate that proves you've passed the test for the German hunting license.

 

A German hunting license is a certificate that grants its holder the exercise of hunting within legal ordinances. It is also the precondition to own hunting arms and ammunition (unlimited number of rifles/shotguns and up to two handguns). The actual right to exercise hunting in a specific area is entitled to the respective landowners (if they own an area of more than 200 acres (0.81 km²), otherwise all landowners of a municipality are integrated into an association) who may use their right for themselves or lease it. Depending on size and value of a hunting area a typical leasing rate may vary from about 10 to 100 USD per acre per year. Additionally the lesse has to pay the landowner any damage by deers, wild hogs etc. The right to hunt is connected to the duty to care for all kind of animals listed by the hunting laws. For several species such as deers plans have to be developed by hunters and authorities, how many animals of a specified class and age may (or have to) be killed within a certain period of time. The purpose of the hunting license is to ensure that only well trained persons may exercise hunting. Applicants must fulfill the following requirements:

• Successful completion of a hunting exam,
• Certificate of a liability insurance for hunters,
• Personal trustworthiness (§ 5 German Weapons Act),
• Applicants must be at least 16 years for a Youth Hunting License, otherwise 18 years,
• Flawless Criminal record.

The hunting exam is a test of expertise with a high failure rate. To pass it, each applicant has to participate in a comprehensive, difficult instruction course which consists largely of the areas shooting (shotgun and rifle), theory (esp. weaponry, local wildlife and habitat) and practise.

In practise the German system of examination for deer hunters (stalkers) is very much in line with the English DMQ level DSC2. Over the last ten years or so European countries in general have made efforts to harmonise the previously fragmented rules and regulations with parallels being taken from the more difficult UK system.

All that from Wikepedia.

[Croman Red]

 

Seriously, your intro made me laugh out loud! I'll be checking your thread often so that you wont bully Wolfie too much, he is a softie deep down

 

Wolvie has a lot of potential, but every pup needs a little slapping around to put some iron in their spine.  If a young man can't hack a little teasing he won't be equal to hard times.  Its up to us old timers to see if the young 'uns are up to the task.  (Sorry, I'll step down off my soap box now.)

[Elastigirl]

Wolvie has a lot of potential, but every pup needs a little slapping around to put some iron in their spine.  If a young man can't hack a little teasing he won't be equal to hard times.  Its up to us old timers to see if the young 'uns are up to the task.  (Sorry, I'll step down off my soap box now.)

Keep em in fightin' shape!

 

Great goals. Very interested to hear all about the German hunting club

[Wild Wolf]

Wow, what a way to come into this challenge! This is gonna be a cool one to follow, Croman, lol, and if you find any of those mushrooms, pass em my way! Hahaha, j/k, but that made me laugh I also love the bonus goal of bugging Wolverine, lol. I will definitely be joining you in cheering him up, cuz I know he's gonna need it!

 

WOLF

[surge_supra]

Wow it seems awfully intense to be able to hunt in Europe lol. Good luck with all of this! Those goals sound awesome! Maybe I'll see you in Germany for Oktoberfest!!

[obax]

I agree with surge, though I like that level of thoroughness. I might not like it if I was trying to get a license, but it would make me feel confident that the people with the guns really knew what they were doing. I also like the idea of land stewardship being incorporated into it too (maybe it is in other places too, I'm not a hunter myself, though I'd like to learn one day).

[Croman Red]

15 April 2013

Fast day 1, 176

Run x 70 minutes

German-Rosetta Stone

Also talked with a couple of  family members.

 

 

Notes:

Did my run during lunch.  Even though it's not about mileage, the course was 7.33 miles.  Pretty much on my target pace for training.  Feeling my way around the "right" level of activity.  Thinking I'll try doing one of these lunch runs every day this week and see how it works out.  

 

Fasting is nothing special so far.  Figure one of these times I'll really start seeing dancing badgers, especially with the enduro stuff.

 

Having trouble acquiring my training materials for the hunting test.  Gotta stay on top of it.

 

Way too much cool Ultra gear on the market to make quick decisions.  Salivation factor is high, have to step back, take a deep breath, and remind myself that I only need enough to meet the race requirements.  Ordered my vest last week, hoping it arrives soon.  Still looking into electrolyte supplements and race food strategies.  Again, the choices are overwhelming.

[Croman Red]

I agree with surge, though I like that level of thoroughness. I might not like it if I was trying to get a license, but it would make me feel confident that the people with the guns really knew what they were doing. I also like the idea of land stewardship being incorporated into it too (maybe it is in other places too, I'm not a hunter myself, though I'd like to learn one day).

Licensed hunting in the States is tied with stewardship too, the various game populations determine the bag limits each year.

I like the idea of lots of mandatory training too.  Most of what I know about game I picked up from older guys along the way so its spotty.  I'm looking forward to that part of the training a lot.  Most of my work has involved carrying a firearm and I'm a firm believer in competency testing.  Just like I want people to go through driver's training before they go out on the road with their cars.

[Wolverine]

Your thread had me LOLing, dude.

 

I don't see a tracking goal though.  Shame.  Guess I can't expect that much from someone who can't even stand upright...

[Croman Red]

I track game, not numbers...

[surge_supra]

Your thread had me LOLing, dude.

 

I don't see a tracking goal though.  Shame.  Guess I can't expect that much from someone who can't even stand upright...

 

"Yes, but do you have a spreadsheet?"

[Croman Red]

Yeah, I wrap the game up in it so it doesn't get contaminated or mess up my gear on the way back to my truck.

[Croman Red]

16 April 2013

Fast day 2, 172

Run x 73 minutes.  

Mobility work.

German:

       Rosetta Stone

       Studied German Hunting law

Research enduro-food

 

Notes:

I'm ready to eat a dancing badger.  Maybe with some 'shrooms on the side and a glass of old grape juice.

Same run as yesterday.  Took a couple of miles to loosen up.  Felt it in different places, like the shoulders.  Weird.

Mobility stuff is feeling good.

German hunting laws and customs are fascinating.  Don't even know where to begin.  Continuous glimpses of a very different world view.  Kind of like reading Wolverine's comments about spreadsheets, only interesting:) 

Hammer nutrition is looking good.  Thanks Vector:)

[Croman Red]

OK, that last jab wasn't nice.  Sorry Wolverine.  Your spreadsheet comments give me a reason to go on when I'm feeling low.  Honest.

[Happienumber]

Yeah, I wrap the game up in it so it doesn't get contaminated or mess up my gear on the way back to my truck.

 

Best use of a spreadsheet i've ever heard

[Wolverine]

Yeah, I wrap the game up in it so it doesn't get contaminated or mess up my gear on the way back to my truck.

 

Best use of a spreadsheet i've ever heard

 

Curse you both and your blasphemy!!!

 

How does the fasting affect your endurance runs?  I work out fasted and love it, but not usually multiple day fasts and I ain't no endurance athlete...

[Elastigirl]

Best use of a spreadsheet i've ever heard

 Agreed

[Croman Red]

17 April 2013

Fast day 3, 166

Run x 70 min, 10 min pace

Mobility

German

 

 

Note:

Good run today.  Felt loose and light.

[Happienumber]

Curse you both and your blasphemy!!!

 

That's what i'm here for. 

[Croman Red]

Curse you both and your blasphemy!!!

 

How does the fasting affect your endurance runs?  I work out fasted and love it, but not usually multiple day fasts and I ain't no endurance athlete...

 

Sometimes I wrap my spreadsheet around me while I'm in a hide site to both keep warm and to confuse the critters so they walk up to me in curiosity...

 

The fasting doesn't seem to be affecting my runs so far.  Not sure why, I half expected a rapid performance fall off with the fasting and increased mileage.  I've been buffering against that with an electrolyte replacement before and after.  It has some calories, but not enough to be significant.  It is possible that I'm just not pushing myself hard enough, but until I see what a week of this kind of running will result in I'm content to stick with the plan.  The real truth is probably something like I have enough fat stores to fuel the effort.  Keep in mind that I just started into the enduro stuff in late February, so I'm thinking my experience might be what most people would have.  If they too were mental, that is.  I know I felt far more fatigued in week 6 of the last challenge than I have so far with these runs.  If all goes well then I'll up the ante next week, but with a full belly:)