Turtle 21 kicks it up a notch

[LittleTurtle]

MAIN QUEST

Jog/run 3 miles without stopping in less than 45 minutes.

• Workout on treadmill 4-5 times per week for 30-40 minutes per day.
• Stay hydrated!  Aim for no less than 64 oz. water per day on workout days.
• Stretch!  Light stretch for 5-10 minutes before and after each workout.

LIFE QUEST

Finish learning Level 1 of Rosetta Stone - German.  I’m currently half-way completed from my first 6 week challenge!

 

MOTIVATION

My motivation is to “stick it” to all the naysayers…especially the one inside my head.

[I am Eve]

Ah, do you have naysayers in your head as well?

I thought it was only me...

Congratulations on your well formulated goals. What grading are you going to use?

[keliswicked]

How do you like learning via Rosetta Stone? I started with Japanese a few months ago but haven't worked with it in a while, do you find Rosetta Stone to be motivating?

 

I like that your goals are concise and precise.  I think you'll have a lot of success with them!

[LittleTurtle]

Ah, do you have naysayers in your head as well?

I thought it was only me...

Congratulations on your well formulated goals. What grading are you going to use?

Grading!!!  I knew I was forgetting something!  Thank you for reminding me.

 

GRADING

MAIN QUEST:

At this point, I want to build my endurance to eventually be capable of jogging/running 3 miles without stopping , so my grading will be based on building up to that.

 

<EDIT>

• 3.00 miles = A
• 2.75 miles = B
• 2.50 miles = C
• Anything less = F

</EDIT>

 

Goals to achieve Main Quest:

Workouts     4-5 times per week = A

                  3 times per week = B

                  2 times per week = C

                  Anything less = F

 

Hydration     56-64 oz = A

                   48-55 oz = B

                   40-47 oz = C

                   Anything less than 40 = F

 

Stretching     Do it = A

                   Skip it = F

 

LIFE QUEST:

Completing Level 1 - German

• 100% complete = A
• 75% complete = B
• 50% complete = C
• Anything less = F

   

  How do you like learning via Rosetta Stone? I started with Japanese a few months ago but haven't worked with it in a while, do you find Rosetta Stone to be motivating?

   

  I like that your goals are concise and precise.  I think you'll have a lot of success with them!

  Thank you!    I like learning with Rosetta Stone in the sense that I find it entertaining, fun, and motivating - but I have discovered that I get more out of it when I use a German - English translating website since sometimes I don't get what the picture in Rosetta Stone is trying to depict.  I hope you get back into learning Japanese.  I think that would be fascinating to learn! 

[Linada]

Oh, a language learner. I am currently attempting to learn some French using Duolingo. Not part of my formal challenge goals, but it would be very helpful for work to know more languages. I am very jealous of the polyglotts we have. Right now my brain my brain feels like trying to get water *into* the stone.

 

oh, and I am German. Feels free to use me for practice

 

Viel Erfolg!

[CakeBanisher]

Nice goals!  It's nice to see you're thinking about things like water and stretching.  They seem so simple, and yet are so critical.  I also like your language goal.  I may have to steal that at some point.  Best of luck!

[LittleTurtle]

I tried "barefoot" running today to see if it was something I liked.  I really liked it, but I wasn't able to go near as far as I normally do.  I want to try to continue with this style, but that means I will have to make a slight adjustment in my grading.  Does anyone have any suggestions or feedback if "barefoot" running is something that you've done?  Thanks!

 

 

@Linada - Vielen Dank!  Do you like using Duolingo?

 

@CakeBanisher - Thank you, and feel free to steal away!    

[Faery_face]

Great goals! I look forward to seeing your progress. Very interesting goal of learning the Rosetta stone. It intrigues me. Best of luck!

[I am Eve]

I tried "barefoot" running today to see if it was something I liked.  I really liked it, but I wasn't able to go near as far as I normally do.  I want to try to continue with this style, but that means I will have to make a slight adjustment in my grading.  Does anyone have any suggestions or feedback if "barefoot" running is something that you've done?  Thanks!

 

 

@Linada - Vielen Dank!  Do you like using Duolingo?

 

@CakeBanisher - Thank you, and feel free to steal away!  

What I was recommended was to start very gradually, first walking and then running until I got used to it.

Good luck, I just love my Vibrams !

[Linada]

@Linada - Vielen Dank!  Do you like using Duolingo?

 

Yes, it seems quite fun so far. It hits all the angles in terms of translation both ways, and pronunciation. I have not been able to put in many hours yet, so I am still going through the basic sentences, but it's great at encouraging you to practice every day, and reinforcing vocabulary. Nothing quite like being able to say I am lvl 4 french, even if that's still quite bad

[Brian.]

All the advice I have seen on barefoot/forefoot running is to ease into it really slowly

[LittleTurtle]

All the advice I have seen on barefoot/forefoot running is to ease into it really slowly

 

I think I just realized how important the "really slowly" part is.  I went a mile yesterday and my calves absolutely hate me today.

What I was recommended was to start very gradually, first walking and then running until I got used to it.

Good luck, I just love my Vibrams !

I just bought some Vibram FiveFingers!  I wasn't sure if I'd keep em, but I have yet to hear a bad thing about them.

[jnicole]

Good luck!

 

It's awesome that you've got a goal spanning both distance and time for your running!

 

How is the water intake going? I seriously recommend getting something smaller that 32 oz. -- somewhere in the 16-20 oz. range -- that you can refill throughout the day. It made drinking lots of water SO much easier. Also - if you can't get something small - try adding a straw to a larger bottle...that also helped with increasing the amount of water I drank each day. (just a couple suggestions from what works for me).

 

You're off to a great start! Keep it up!

[ScurvySpider]

Welcome and good job on the specific grading (of which I'm a huge fan) and the goals, of which I'm in awe -- esp. the treadmill one.   Stick it to em.  Do you walk/run to music at all?

[LittleTurtle]

Oh my goodness! I was "disconnected" for the past two days and I feel like I've missed so much with the happenings of my Druid friends! So much going on!

I escaped to the mountains for an overnight trip and spent the last two days hiking, swimming, and doing yoga/deep stretching in the sun. It. Was. Amazing! I feel so refreshed and energized - it's feeling REALLY hard to be back in "the real world". What an escape! Even though I stayed very active, I started to feel a bit guilty for not having gotten on a treadmill. I guess this is what our fearless leader, Steve is always talking about having fun exercising. Not to say I don't enjoy the treadmill, but I had so much fun these past two days, I almost feel as though I've been cheating.

@jnicole: I just bought a bottle that holds about 26 oz or so, and I've been drinking a lot more water than normal. I think I could always be drinking more, but I'm now drinking two of those bottles plus some here and there in between.

@ScurvySpider: Thank you! I definitely must listen to music when I'm on the treadmill. It just makes the time more enjoyable. However, when I'm outdoors (especially in the mountains), I only listen to the sounds of nature and try to be one with myself and my surroundings.

Well...I guess now I will slowly try to transition back to reality until my next mountain adventure...which might have to be in the very near future. Thank goodness I am only about an hour or two away!!

[KnitJoy]

Awesome goals! I always forget to stretch after I workout so I'll be hanging around to see how you do! Your time in the mountains sound amazing!

[keliswicked]

Doing yoga in nature under the shining sun sounds like BLISS.  I'm kind of hoping for an opportunity to do something similar on the beach this month...

[fearlesscreek]

naysayers in your head.... me too! lets fight them with a hefty dose of selflove!!!!

[livingroovy]

Hey Turtle!! Love this goal!!!

 

I absolutely adore my Vibrams. They fixed my gait and feel so much more free. That being said, ease in. I definitely have one of those stories where the first time I wore them I ran five miles, and could barely walk the next day because my calves, ankles, and feet hurt so badly! You can totally still train the way you normally are- what do you think about doing both barefoot and traditional running practice? You can gradually do more barefoot running, and less traditional. Just a thought!

[I am Eve]

Oh my goodness! I was "disconnected" for the past two days and I feel like I've missed so much with the happenings of my Druid friends! So much going on!

I escaped to the mountains for an overnight trip and spent the last two days hiking, swimming, and doing yoga/deep stretching in the sun. It. Was. Amazing! I feel so refreshed and energized - it's feeling REALLY hard to be back in "the real world". What an escape! Even though I stayed very active, I started to feel a bit guilty for not having gotten on a treadmill. I guess this is what our fearless leader, Steve is always talking about having fun exercising. Not to say I don't enjoy the treadmill, but I had so much fun these past two days, I almost feel as though I've been cheating.

@jnicole: I just bought a bottle that holds about 26 oz or so, and I've been drinking a lot more water than normal. I think I could always be drinking more, but I'm now drinking two of those bottles plus some here and there in between.

@ScurvySpider: Thank you! I definitely must listen to music when I'm on the treadmill. It just makes the time more enjoyable. However, when I'm outdoors (especially in the mountains), I only listen to the sounds of nature and try to be one with myself and my surroundings.

Well...I guess now I will slowly try to transition back to reality until my next mountain adventure...which might have to be in the very near future. Thank goodness I am only about an hour or two away!!

Your excursion sounds wonderful, somewhere deep inside I feel that that is what we're made for. Enjoying the outdoors, connecting to ourselves through our bodies (and disconnecting in other ways). Was this something organized?

I moved to the summer house for the summer and do yoga on the porch or the beach a lot and it's so different from being inside. I love to feel the wind and the sun warm my skin, it makes yoga so much more dynamic for me.

[LittleTurtle]

This week was a little different than I had intended. First of all, I was on a week vacation from work, so without my daily routine, I sometimes forgot to eat because I was so busy doing other things. Bad Turtle! Also, instead of getting on the treadmill (I only managed to get on it Thursday), I switched it up to my mountain hiking, swimming, and cleaning my house to a sparkling shine. Every single closet, cupboard, shelf, nook, and cranny is completely cleaned and organized. It feels so good! I even spent several hours the other night going through a MASSIVE stack of paperwork dating back to 2008 to sort it into piles to shred and piles to file. I got through it all! It just makes me feel clear headed and able to fully tackle other obstacles without that dreaded feeling of worrying about how much it needs to get done. Anyway...I still made a very active effort to get lots of water in each day, and am guessing I got between 48 - 56 oz, more than normal for me, but still not quite my goal. I did manage to stretch myself into pure bliss. Why have I always skimped on that?! It feels phenomenal! Stretching is a new found love for me! But now it's back to real life, and next week I will get back to working on my Main Quest.

@livingroovy: I hear ya with the barely being able to walk after the first time running in Vibrams. The first time I used them, I pushed it and woke up the next morning thinking, "I've made a terrible mistake!" Probably another reason I haven't run much this week...I needed to heal! LOL!

@evenewbie: The mountain excursion was planned, but I'm not sure it was extremely organized. We just went up and did whatever we felt like doing for those two days. It was euphoric!

[I am Eve]

What a first week! You must be filled with so much energy. Way to go with all the paperwork - that is a load off your back in more than one way I imagine.

[Faery_face]

Sounds like you had an amazing first week.  Cleaning and organising is SO good for the soul.  Glad you are liking the barefoot running.  The next thing on my "to-buy" list is a pair of Vibram 5 fingers.  Best of luck for this week.  may it be a great one.

[KnitJoy]

Way too go on your first week!

[LittleTurtle]

Quick update on the jogging:

 

Last night I made it 2.625 miles without stopping.  I jogged non-stop for 36 minutes and did a total of 3.00 miles in just under 43 minutes (the last 7 minutes or so, I walked).  This was done in my "regular" shoes as I felt I needed a break from my FiveFingers.

 

The longest distance I've gone in my FiveFingers is 2.250 miles.  At this point, I'm fairly confident that I will succeed by the end of the 6 weeks - however, my left ankle has been bothering me the past couple of days.  It is very sore and swollen, so I think I will take today off from the treadmill to give it a little TLC.

 

Water and stretching are going well.  I know for a fact I could be drinking more water, but I feel quite hydrated with what I am getting which is probably somewhere between 48 and 60 ounces a day.

 

Life Quest is coming along slowly.  I need to focus on trying to get in about a half hour or so of practicing daily.  It's starting to get a bit more challenging and I think my brain just shut down last night in the middle of my lesson.