Sterre officially starts scouting!

[sterre]

Introduction: Hi all! I recently completed my first challenge and am ready to try another one! In my first challenge, I sought to lose a bit of pudge, continue running despite the heat and start up some body weight workouts. Overall, it was a success and now I'm going to try building on that success.
 
The extra challenging bit this time will be that my main job has started back up so I'll be busier than last challenge, but I think I can manage (and will re-evaluate if it seems like I've taken on too much). Without further ado, here's what I had in mind.
 
Main Quest: Lose the pudge.
 
Get down to a 68 cm waist.
Grading: A = 68-70 cm, B = 70.1-72.0 cm, C = 72.1-73.5 cm
Reward: +1 CHA for loss of 0.5 cm or more.
 
Quest 1: Go farther, faster.
 
Farther: Increase my weekly distance to 25 km. I was running 20 km a week for the last challenge, but since I slacked a bit during the break, I'll spend the first half building up to 25 km and in the second half, I'll just run 25 km each week. 
Week 1: 20 km
Week 2: 22 km 20 km
Week 3: 24 km 22 km

Week 4: 24 km 20 km

Week 5: 22 km

Week 4 5-6: 25 km 24 km
Grading: Will be done for distance over the course of the challenge.
A = 113-141 km, B= 112-99 km, C = 85-98 km.

A = 110-136 km, B = 97-109 km, C = 83-96 km

A = 24 km in the last week, B = 22-23.9 km in the last week, C = 20-21.9 km in the last week

Reward: +3 STA

 

note: Revised due to a minor hamstring issue at the end of Week 1.

note: Revised due to an unrelated blister acquired during Week 3.
 
Faster: Eventually, I'd like to run 5 km in under 30 minutes. To start working on that goal, I'll be making one of my 5 km runs each week an interval training run. 
Grading: A = 5-6 interval runs, B = 3-4 interval runs, C = 2 interval runs.
Reward: +2 DEX
 
Quest 2: Get stronger
 
Do a full-body body weight workout 2-3 times a week and do some core workouts 5 times a week (to be incorporated into the body weight workouts on overlapping days). By the end of the challenge, I should have completed 15 full body strength workouts and 30 core workouts. 
Grading: A = 12-15 full body and 24-30 core strength workouts, B = 10-11 full body and 20-22 core strength workouts, C = 9 full body and 18-19 core strength workouts.
Reward: +3 STR
 
Quest 3: Prevent injury and burnout.
 
This one is all about keeping myself in good working condition. So I will do some recovery yoga twice a week and also meditate for at least 15 minutes twice a week.  
Grading: A = 20-24 yoga + meditations, B = 17-19 yoga + meditations, C = 14-16 yoga + meditations.
Reward: +2 CON, +2 DEX
 
Life Quest: Learning Japanese.
 
Last time, I tried focusing on getting a better job, but the problem with that is that a lot of the jobs around here require some amount of Japanese language skill (which is fair enough because this is Japan). I'd personally rank myself as having basic skills, but that sometimes feels pretty generous. So I'm going to work on this some more and possibly sign up for the JLPT 5 in December (based on how confident I feel about it by the deadline at the end of September... if not then I'll study for the JLPT 4 next July).
 
This is what I'll be doing:

• Daily review of flash cards using Anki (both kanji and vocabulary).
• Spend 1 hour a week studying grammar.
• Spend 1 hour a week reading manga and looking up words I don't know.
• Spend 1 hour a week focusing specifically on JLPT vocabulary.

Grading: Each task will be evaluated individually based on completion, then weighted equally and averaged together.
A = 80-100%, B = 70-79%, C = 60-69%. 
Reward: +2 WIS
 
Starting measurements
Bust/waist/hips: 91.7 cm / 74.0 cm / 94.0 cm
Ribcage/navel: 81.5 cm / 85.0 cm
Thigh right/left: 54.0 cm / 53.9 cm

[blkhole24601]

Extending the offer again: if you want someone to practice writing Japanese at or babbling Japanese to via Skype or somesuch, let me know! Desperately need the practice myself.

 

Awesome goals, and best of luck!!

[sterre]

Hehe, thanks! When I'm actually able to sustain some kind of actual conversation, I might take you up on that offer.

[Shukar]

What kind of full body strength work are you planning? I always enjoy needin be about other peoples plans.

[sterre]

Last challenge, I did some of the BBWW, but I also did a few Neila Ray plans and then at some point, my legs were hurting a bunch when I tried doing lunges and squats (but felt fine for running) so I rested them and just did push ups and dips (they're feeling all better now though, yay).

[Terinatum]

Welcome to the Scouts. It's great to have you here.

I like the goals you have set up. And I like that you're prepped to tweak as necessary. When I first started, I hadn't figured that out. You're looking good for this challenge. I'll see you around.

Best of Luck

[Ryoko]

Yay, found you! Awesome goals. Looking forward to following along with you again.

[Kailer]

Yay, Sterre!! I'm glad you came to Scouts. I will follow you this time, just like last. You had an AMAZING First Challenge, I know you will do even more this time around. Your goals look great!

[sterre]

Day 1 was not especially productive because I was at a music festival (which was awesome). I knew I wasn't going to get any exercise done other than dancing, but I thought I could get through my flash cards at least. However, I only got through half my flash cards in the car on the way home before I realized that doing flash cards on my cellphone while traveling down winding mountain roads in the dark made me nauseous and then I slept the rest of the way back.
 
Day 2 was much better for the challenge though.
 
Quest 1: Go farther, faster.
 
Ran 5.0 km! (5.0/20.0 km for the week)
 
I managed it in 32 m 15 s, which isn't too bad. I pushed myself a bit in the last kilometer or so, but not too hard. Tomorrow, I'll do an interval run. 

Quest 2: Get stronger
 
Completed one full body workout including core (1/15 full body workouts 1/30 core workouts)
 
The details are as follows (1st/2nd set):
Lunges: 20/20
Squats:  20/20
Planks: 40s/40s
Bicycle Crunches: 30/30
Incline Push Ups: 10/10
Knee-to-elbow: 40/40
 
I was a bit wiped out by the end, possibly because I did this after my run, so I didn't try for a third set. Maybe Thursday I'll manage when I plan on doing the strength workout without a run.

Quest 3: Prevent injury and burnout.
 
Meditated for about 30 minutes. (1/12 meditations)
 
I used this guided meditation today. It was definitely a nice and relaxing way to start my day.
 
Life Quest: Learning Japanese.
 
Reviewed flash cards with Anki (1.5/42 flash cards)

 

I'll try to get in some grammar and vocab studying in a bit too, but that's all for now.

[Sabretooth-Kitty]

Your new challenge looks awesome! Good luck with it

[sterre]

Thanks!

[blkhole24601]

Awesome Day 2 progress, and fantastic 5 km time! I'm hoping to get my casual run 5K time to be at that again.

 

ãŒã‚“ã°ã£ã¦!!

[Ryoko]

Great start! I love guided meditations. I agree they're a great way to start the day. I like ending the day with them too.

[sterre]

Awesome Day 2 progress, and fantastic 5 km time! I'm hoping to get my casual run 5K time to be at that again.

 

ãŒã‚“ã°ã£ã¦!!

 

Thanks! I'd still like to go faster, but it's definitely something that seems to be improving.

 

Great start! I love guided meditations. I agree they're a great way to start the day. I like ending the day with them too.

 

The only problem with ending the day with them is that I might end up falling asleep instead of meditating.  

[shortstuff]

Great set of goals! I think that it's cool that your living in Japan

Catching them all from my iPad using tapatalk

[sterre]

Thanks! It's pretty fun here and definitely quite different from Canada (where I'm from).

[sterre]

Day 3 Update!
 
Quest 1: Go farther, faster.
 
Ran 5.2 km! (10.2/20.0 km for the week)
 
This time I did 13 x 200 m intervals with 200 m of recovery jog inbetween. It took me 34 m 12 s. I'm not so good at gaging how fast I should be going during either the fast parts or the recovery jogs, but I figure that since I'm new at intervals, it's something I'll just have to learn and hopefully I'll do better next week. (1/6 interval runs)

Quest 2: Get stronger
 
Completed a core workout (1/15 full body workouts 2/30 core workouts)
 
I followed core workout #1 from here, but I modified the bridges to the kind where you repeat the lifting your hips part because trying to lift my leg in that position kinda hurt a lot.

 

Here are the details (1st / 2nd set)

Modified bicycle: 3x10s / 3x10s each side

Plank: 41s / 48s

Bridge: 10x3s / 10x3s

Side plank: 45s / 45s each side

Modified bird dog: 3x10s / 3x10s each side

Supine leg lift: 3x4s / 3x4s each side

 

Some of these exercises were surprisingly difficult, actually. Tomorrow, I'll try for another full body workout.

 

Quest 3: Prevent injury and burnout.
 
Rest day. Yoga is happening tomorrow. (1/12 meditations)
 
Life Quest: Learning Japanese.
 
Reviewed flash cards with Anki (2.5/42 flash cards)
Spent 30 minutes reviewing JLPT vocabulary (30/60 minutes for the week)

Read some manga for 20 minutes (20/60 minutes for the week)

 

I think I need to develop a better strategy for studying JLPT vocabulary. There are some words that I know and are pretty easy, but others that just really don't stick at all. It's possible that I just end up making a bunch of flash cards for the words that give me trouble.

 

Also, I'm going to be honest, my manga reading today meant translating the title and table of contents, then reading them aloud to myself (a neighbour was tossing a bunch of manga so I rescued it, I have no idea what it's about).

[blkhole24601]

Flashcards is always an effective way for me to learn vocabulary, and I think at stationery stores (or even at the 100 yen stores) they sell those nifty tiny flashcards attached on a ring so you can carry them with you and keep them all together, if you don't already have them.

 

I wish I had insight to help you with intervals; I sort of just rely on zombies chasing me and since your ability to dodge them is based on your average speed etc, it's more structured than fartleks, which is the only other form of intervals I've ever done. ;;;; Do you use some sort of GPS watch or running app on your phone to help you figure out how fast you're going?

[sterre]

Flashcards is always an effective way for me to learn vocabulary, and I think at stationery stores (or even at the 100 yen stores) they sell those nifty tiny flashcards attached on a ring so you can carry them with you and keep them all together, if you don't already have them.

 

I wish I had insight to help you with intervals; I sort of just rely on zombies chasing me and since your ability to dodge them is based on your average speed etc, it's more structured than fartleks, which is the only other form of intervals I've ever done. ;;;; Do you use some sort of GPS watch or running app on your phone to help you figure out how fast you're going?

 

I periodically administer a talk test to see if I'm pushing myself further than during a normal run (normally, I can talk without being super breathless, when I'm doing a speed part, I can't). I've been running kinda low-tech lately so no cellphone or music player. It makes it a bit hard to know what pace I'm setting, but I'm mostly aiming for something that's a fair bit of effort, but not an all-out sprint.

 

And yeah, I'll probably stop by a 100 yen store tomorrow for some index cards or something to make flash cards.

[blkhole24601]

As someone who is no expert on intervals in any sense of the word, I think that's as good a way as any to do them! When I used to do fartleks, I would just run at top speed, whatever that might be for me in that particular moment at time, until... well, whenever. Sometimes until I nearly ran out of juice, sometimes until I made it to some landmark or another, and this was back when all I ran with technology-wise was a digital watch. Your way sounds more structured and organized!

[sterre]

Heh, well, I figured that since I wanted to be able to cover 5 km with my fast running/recovery jog combination so going all out during the fast parts was not a good plan. I was also running on a 1000 m track that's marked every 100 m, which made it pretty easy to get the right distances. I don't know what I would have done without that, tbh.

[blkhole24601]

That's awesome! A marked track would make things a lot easier all around.

[sterre]

It really does. Even if I have to think about how many laps I've already done.

[sterre]

Day 4 update!

 

Today, I was totally on the ball. I didn't work until the afternoon, so I was able to sleep in, then get my workout and yoga done before leaving. I also managed to get some Japanese studying in during breaks at work and picked up some stuff to help study even more.

 

Quest 1: Go farther, faster.
 
Rest day. (10.2/20.0 km for the week, 1/6 interval runs for the challenge)
 
Tomorrow: A nice, easy run.

Quest 2: Get stronger
 
Completed a full body workout. (2/15 full body workouts, 3/30 core workouts)
 

My quads were still a bit sore from the workout earlier this week, so I selected some different leg exercises so my workout today would still be full body (even if it excluded my thighs).

 

Details are as follows (1st / 2nd / 3rd set)

 

Heel drop and lift: 20 / 20 / 20

Donkey kick: 20 / 30 / 30

Plank: 45 s / 47 s / 50 s

Bicycle crunch: 30 / 30 / 30

Reverse crunch: 10 / 10 / 10

Inclined push up: 10 / 10 / 10

 

The reverse crunches were super hard, which probably just means that I need to work on my lower abs some more. The inclined push ups were easier than last time (even touching my chest to the edge of the counter). I might try doing them using a lower surface next week if I manage to do as well on Sunday, when I do another workout. It would be really nice if I can get actual, proper pushups to the ground eventually.

 

Tomorrow: Another core workout.

 

Quest 3: Prevent injury and burnout.
 
Did runner's recovery yoga. (1/12 meditations, 1/12 yoga)
 

This was also a nice thing to do just before work. I'm still really bad at all the splits positions because I'm not actually very flexible, but I feel like I'm getting a bit better at balancing. Some more practice will undoubtedly help here.

 

Tomorrow: Meditation.

 

Life Quest: Learning Japanese.
 
Reviewed flash cards with Anki (3.5/42 flash cards)

Studied grammar for 46 minutes. (46/60 minutes of grammar study for the week)
Made flash cards for 65 minutes. I got through the tough words starting with "ã‚". (85/60 minutes of JLPT vocabulary for the week)

Read manga for 20 minutes. (40/60 minutes reading manga for the week)

 

I picked up some flash cards which I'll start I started filling up with the difficult JLPT vocabulary words either later today. or tomorrow. I also grabbed some small sticky notes which should make it easier to annotate my book as I learn new words reading manga. I had to refrain from buying all of the office supplies though, because it turns out that the office supplies at the 100 yen store are super adorable.

 

Late Day 3 update:

 

Side Quest

 

Brushed my teeth and flossed (even under the retainer) before bed last night.

 

I'll be updating this one a day late because I do it just before going to bed. I'm not going to put off my regular updates until just before sleeping and I don't generally feel like popping back here after I've made up my mind to go to sleep.

[blkhole24601]

100 yen stores and office supplies in Japan in general are just dangerous places to go. If I'm not careful, what money I don't spend on food and clothes when I visit Japan gets spent there!