18ck and the Holy Grail

[18ck]

[Hastily pastes from Evernote while lunch cooks]

 

What... is your name? 18ck

What... is your quest? To prepare for the Great North Run on the 15th of September
What... is the capital of Assyria? I don't know thAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!

 

This will be a simple one in a lot of ways. Yeah, I know there's a lot of stuff in it but it's quite focused on one goal and I'm only measuring the things that matter

 

1. Travel as fast as a Swallow*/**
The charity I'm running for has given me a half marathon training program devised by Full Potential Training and tailored to the needs of a slightly tubby 44-year-old who has recently been laid up and got out of the habit of running, so I will be following that basically as-is. I don't normally follow a program, just run a bit more each week until I get up to the right distance, so I'll be interested to see how much difference a proper schedule makes! It's mostly running of course but there's some pilates and cross-training built in and I'll be doing that. If I basically follow the whole thing, it's STA+3, STR+2. I reserve the right to make some changes - like I'll be doing the longer runs on Thur and Sat instead of Fri and Sun because it fits better with my normal week, and I'll probably not do the 20 min run on the day before the race for example; changes due to tactics are OK; due to laziness, not OK.

 

2. Weigh the same as a duck
OK, this is the one: I've been losing weight slowly and steadily but in this challenge I am going to speed it up a bit and hit eleven and a half stone (161lb) , which is my target weight. It's a seven week challenge so that's just one pound per week - not overly challenging, I reckon. Not only will this make me almost unbelievably hawt, but it will also make it easier to run, which will be nice. If I manage that it's CON+1 CHA+1 DEX +1

 

3. 'Tis But a Flesh Wound
Although I am mostly recovered from my terrible injuries, I will be keeping up with proper stretches and light exercise as advised by the physio. The running program already has pilates built in so that's covered already. Core exercises on at least 50% of all days, plus stretches at the very least after every run = DEX+1 CON+1

 

4. Prepare for a Pretty Nasty Taunting
It occurs to me that as a Silly English K-nig-ht, riding around the countryside, I might need to lay siege to castles occupied by foreign mercenary types who might shout such things as "A sua mãe era um hamster e o seu pai cheirava de sabugueiro". So, in order to know how to conduct myself in these tense diplomatic negotiations I will be learning a foreign language. Let's say um... Portuguese. I need to step this up a bit I think. I'll do at least one weekly session of Lathrop and Dias study (but no fixed end-point this time), at least one set of flashcards per week, read "Bichos" by Miguel Torga all the way through by the end of the challenge and do at least half an hour of actual conversation per week. Conversation is definitely the thing I am worst at in the language, which is why I need to make it a goal. The book looks interesting. Unlike the last book I read, it's not a translation of an English book but an original work of Portuguese fiction and I have no idea what the plot is about, so it'll be harder going. Luckily it is quite short! WIS+2 CHA+1

 

Bonus Grails:
1. "I just want to... Sing..." / "THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT!"
This one is a sort of add-on to the others. I like listening to music while I'm running and walking and what-not and that's fine but I think I need to connect more with my surroundings so I will be doing at least this:

• Make at least two journeys (walking or running and not always in the same route!) without sonic accompaniment per week
• Read "On Looking" by Antonia Horowitz and ignore the fact that it is a bit self-indulgent. Try and learn from it and notice more things in the world around (I'm actually reasonably good at this already but I'd like to be better
• Pay more attention to food while eating (think it's called "mindful eating"...?)
• Find ways to elbow my smartphone out of my life. It's constantly bonging and tinkling at me and I am not always good at ignoring its attention-seeking behaviour.

This isn't an easy one to measure and I don't really want to measure it because it's the sort of thing where pressure to hit goals is actually counter-productive. If I feel like I've done well it's +1 WIS and if I don't then it isn't.
2. "Today the blood of many a brave knight shall be avenged!"
Give blood (appointment booked quite early in the challenge) - No points available just a feeling of self-righteousness
3. "Brave, Brave, Brave, Brave Sir Robin"
Emulate the example of Hammlin in the run-up to her marathon a couple of challenges ago and test various methods for topping myself up with water and carbs in mid-run so I know what works for me. Last time I did a half I winged it and ended up feeling like I was going to spew. This is not the way to do it. If I can do it properly this time it's +1WIS again

 

Reward:
"You're using coconut shells!"
On Steve's principle of "reward yourself with things that reward you back", if I manage to knock 5+ minutes off my half marathon PB and get it down to 1h55, and if I manage to raise £500 (that's - what? - like $750 I think) for the charity I will reward myself with a "Learn to Ride a Horse" day at Richmond Park Riding School. Actually, I'd like to do it in 1h50 but given my recent history, I'll set my sights slightly lower.
I intended to do the course a while ago but it got bumped due to lack of funds. Obviously I won't know if I get the reward when the points are divvied up because the race isn't tilla week after the end of the challenge, on the Sunday before the next one starts, so I'll stay in challenge mode till then and probably have an easy couple of weeks after that (I'll be on Jury service anyway so I'll be doing a lot of sitting!)

 

OK, that's enough blather. Time to...

 

http://youtu.be/rEkLPfXu6hs

 

 

 

 

 

* = unladen
** = african

 

[18ck]

Day 1 Interrupted interval run, forgot stretches because so short.  Did some light core work. Read intro to Bichos. Ate OK, although there were flapjacks floating about.
Day 2 Finished interval run (without music) , did pushups,  stretches, flashcards. Read 1st page of Bichos. Ate well.

[Everstorm]

Buahahahaha!  Monty Python FTW! 

 

So glad we are finally up and running.  Get it?  Get it?

 

Aaaanywho, great goals, great start, on with the challenge!

[german]

1. The Capital City of Assyria is...  ehm, don't know either, although for impressing purposes I read a Wikipedia article and still don't know.

2. Portuguese, huh? interesting choice!

3. Great goals as per usual, best of luck with the whole thing.

[Hammlin]

You make me smile

[Spider-man]

Ni! Seriously though, good luck with your goals.

[shortstuff]

Nice to see I'm not the only working on cuting their smart phones in some part of their life.

Great goals by the way

[18ck]

So glad we are finally up and running.  Get it?  Get it?

 

Yep! And yes, so am I. I think I hid it pretty well, but I was quite looking forward to the new challenge starting!

[18ck]

1. The Capital City of Assyria is...  ehm, don't know either, although for impressing purposes I read a Wikipedia article and still don't know.

2. Portuguese, huh? interesting choice!

3. Great goals as per usual, best of luck with the whole thing.

Thanks. I'm amused to see under the new rules my first - what? - 4 challenges would have been inadmissible because of the Portuguese.

[18ck]

You make me smile

The smiling is mutual, Hammi!

[18ck]

Ni! Seriously though, good luck with your goals.

*covers ears*

Thanks.

[18ck]

Nice to see I'm not the only working on cuting their smart phones in some part of their life.

Great goals by the way

Thanks! Mm, I should probably have proper rules. I think the main thing is to remember it is less important than humans.

[18ck]

So today was quiet. I gave blood, so that's the first bonus grail sorted! I also did some light cross-training type stuff - upper body, cycling etc it nothing heavy owing to the lack of haemoglobin. Walked around sans headphones, noticing stuff. I noticed the living shit out of it, I tell you! Finally did some flashcards. I have eaten well and used my time well too. All in all, things are going ok and I'm off to work early tomorrow with my running gear packed!

[bgvanbur]

Great goals (as always).  I bet it would be funnier if I watched any Monty Python though.

[18ck]

Great goals (as always).  I bet it would be funnier if I watched any Monty Python though.

Whaaaaaaaat?

*goggles in amazement*

[klaybae]

Walked around sans headphones, noticing stuff. I noticed the living shit out of it, I tell you! 

 

Yeah! Notice that shit!

 

Why Portuguese?  How long have you been studying?  

 

Also, I was going to ask if you would be flying as quickly as an African sparrow.  Thank God for annotations.

[KiwiChick]

awesome looking challenge and high five for donating blood - saving someone's life is always a win

[18ck]

Yeah! Notice that shit!

Why Portuguese?  How long have you been studying?  

 

Also, I was going to ask if you would be flying as quickly as an African sparrow.  Thank God for annotations.

:-)

Mrs 18ck comes from Madeira and I have been lazy about learning her language up until a little over a year ago. It has been a lifestyle goal in all of my challenges so far.

[18ck]

awesome looking challenge and high five for donating blood - saving someone's life is always a win

Hi Kiwi. I see you're traveling a lot in the near future. I'll be sure to wave at passing planes just in case you're on one of them heading from one impossibly exotic location to another!

[18ck]

The challenge isn't fully underway which us good because I'm not fully into good habits here: I did a run of about half an hour around the dockyards with some threshold bursts but forgot to stretch until way to long after. I also ate well for weight loss but didn't time it right so I ended up hungry and underpowered for the run. Not very satisfactory!

The other big fuqueup of the day was dropping "On Looking" in the bath - https://twitter.com/ColinLusk/status/360524775174582272

So it's all a bit slapdash really but I'm doing a lot of the right things and when I get it together it should start to work better!

[Sifter]

Great looking challenge! Looking forward to following your progress & being entertained too!

On a random note, over the weekend my long run was 6 miles. worst run ever as it was terribly hot (90+ degrees), no shade, and there was what Mrs 18ck refers to as a "Code Brown" incident while still 2 miles away from home! The joys of running! Contemplated not sharing but it was just too funny not to!

[NicoleCanoes]

We want a shrubbery. Also have you ever listened to the sound track for Spamalot, epicly funny.

 

Thanks for the reminder to donate blood. (goes and logs in to check) I can go again on the 10th.

[nanako]

I'm not dead yet !

 

I never give blood any more because it makes me ill - my body can't handle the lack of haemoglobine it seems. I give blood, I feel shaky and out of breath for a day, I catch some random infection the next and am seriously ill for a week - after doing this for the eigth or tenth time I just quit. So much for being a whimp ! 

 

Great challenge, by the way ! Half marathon eh ? Sept 15th eh ? Improve pace innit ? How curiously similar to mine ...  

Best of luck, will be following ... missing your humour over at the assassins' ! 

 

Will you post your Justgiving page then so we can all bet our hard-earned dosh on you ?

[Eirlys]

Hej there Mr 18ck!

 

Good to see you once more, and love your challenge.  

 

Perhaps upon your quest, you may discover whose mother smells of elderberries?  

 

When I was younger, I was compared to a duck in a similar context.  At which point, I'm told a nice chap behind me mouthed "big f***ing duck" to the wider audience.  (He could kindly be described as "chubby" himself).  So I wish you luck with this particular goal!  As well obviously as your overall quest

[nanako]

I found an integrated solution for hydration, Portuguese practise and smartphone dependency:

 

http://vimeo.com/64643705