mom2sjm Running Up That Hill

[mom2sjm]

Running Up That Hill
Nerd Fitness Challenge #41

 

 

I heard this song on the radio the other day - Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush (1985).  Since then it keeps coming to mind, especially during the running part of my crossfit class.  I figured I might as well use it to keep me motivated!

 

 

Main Quest:  to prepare myself for Unleashed at Stadium Bowl
Unleashed 2015 will take place up and down the 1,628 stairs of Stadium High School (Tacoma, WA) August 2^nd and raises money for the rescue animals of Kindred Souls Foundation.  http://unleashedatstadiumbowl.org/

 

Mini Quest 1 “be running up that roadâ€
add 3x weekly running to my routine.  +3 STA
600-1600m per 3x weekly run.  can be counted if completed during xfit class and/or combined with stair training.

 

Mini Quest 2 “be running up that hillâ€
continue uphill battle of maintaining my current weight and bf%.  +2 WIS +3 CON
struggled with this goal last two challenges - thus the "uphill battle" feeling.  my plan is to continue to log my meals daily on MFP (keeping net carbs between 70-100g and protein between 96-107g) to help maintain current weight and body fat% (120-125lbs/20-22%) - knowledge is power, right?  will be weighed every other week on scale that shows bf% to hold me accountable.

 

Mini Quest 3 “be running up that buildingâ€
1x weekly training to run up that "building" aka Stadium Bowl.  +1 STA + 3 DEX
train on stairs (60-100 steps in elevation) for 15-25 minutes and keep track of total steps climbed.

 

Life Side Quest:   a Greater Understanding

 

 â€œAnd if I only could

I'd make a deal with God

And I'd get him to swap our places

I'd be running up that road

Be running up that hill

With no problemsâ€

 

Kate Bush commented on the song saying “I was trying to say that, really, a man and a woman can't understand each other because we are a man and a woman. And if we could actually swap each other's roles, if we could actually be in each other's place for a while, I think we'd both be very surprised! [Laughs] And I think it would lead to a greater understanding.†  

 

While I’d love to swap places with my boys (that includes the husband unit) so we'd have a better understanding of each other instead I'll be using these lyrics as inspiration to prepare myself for a different kind of understanding... 

 

Work daily on my Spanish (10 minutes – 1 hour) +3 WIS
In September I will be traveling to Mexico to volunteer with Esperanza International.  It’s my hope that if, between now and then, I put forth a regular effort to learn/understand some Spanish the experience will be that much better! 

 

If you've followed me before you know I track my progress the old fashioned way (with pen and paper) in a journal and then
I post a picture here to NF.  Here is my starting stats/goals page for this challenge!  

 

 

Looking forward to getting started June 8th!  Check back often - encouragement and support needed (and appreciated)!!

[Elastigirl]

impressive challenge-I'll be following along.

[DJtrippyT]

Oh, a kindred soul - I'm a notebooker/journal tyoe too. Will keep an eye on your challenge!

[SunlitSapling]

I love love LOOOOOVE Kate Bush! I was born at the end of '89 but Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush were a big part of my early childhood. I'll defs be keeping up with this!

Great goals and wow your notebook is beautiful! Are your average tracking days that gorgeous too? I'm trying to use a notebook this time around myself.

[tourennatrix]

I too keep track in a paper journal, though it's much less pretty! I'll follow along

[mom2sjm]

Oh, a kindred soul - I'm a notebooker/journal type too. Will keep an eye on your challenge!

 

Thanks!  I am happy so many people seem to like my doodling style of recording.  My boys seem to think my notebooks are a mess!

 

I love love LOOOOOVE Kate Bush! I was born at the end of '89 but Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush were a big part of my early childhood. I'll defs be keeping up with this!

Great goals and wow your notebook is beautiful! Are your average tracking days that gorgeous too? I'm trying to use a notebook this time around myself.

 

Thanks for your note!  Yes, I do a page like this for each week - some are more doodle-y than others.  Check out my past challenges (in my signature line) if you want to see some other pages

 

I too keep track in a paper journal, though it's much less pretty! I'll follow along

 

Thanks for commenting!  Maybe I'll start a trend of old school paper journalers posting their pages on NF!

[Surakha]

I love your arty style and your goals. Follwoing!

[AthenaMM]

A very impressive challenge! Your screen name seems very familiar to me. Do you use it other places? I'm a digiscrapper so I'm on crafty forums alot.

[mom2sjm]

A very impressive challenge! Your screen name seems very familiar to me. Do you use it other places? I'm a digiscrapper so I'm on crafty forums alot.

 

Yes, mom2sjm is my screen name just about everywhere.  I'm trying to think of where I may have posted something crafty (mostly I lurk).  the artstronauts club (teesha moore) and year of the spark (lynn whipple/carla sonheim) are two recent places I've been posting my stuff.  I've also been to artfest and art&soul retreat and maybe posted on a board?  anyway.  thanks for checking in!  I'm ready to get started

[mom2sjm]

  

 

Started the challenge by finding out I've been sorted into Hufflepuff House for the Assassin's mini challenge!!!  Yes!  That's the house I wanted!!

 

Also, I've set my journal up for week one recording:

 

 

Not digging this journal.  It's too small for me, not enough room for doodling which is my favorite part of journaling.  It was the next blank journal in my collection and I thought I would like it because it has 5 sections but now that I've used it for a couple of months, not so much.  Have to decide if I'm going to stick with it or grab another notebook...

[Surakha]

 Not digging this journal.  It's too small for me, not enough room for doodling which is my favorite part of journaling.  It was the next blank journal in my collection and I thought I would like it because it has 5 sections but now that I've used it for a couple of months, not so much.  Have to decide if I'm going to stick with it or grab another notebook...

 

Having exactly the right kind of journal or notebook is  such an important thing.  I prefer  unlined  sketchbooks and moleskins generally because then I can write in whatever direction I want.

I am so psyched about  the minis too!  Ravenclaw here

[mom2sjm]

Having exactly the right kind of journal or notebook is  such an important thing.  I prefer  unlined  sketchbooks and moleskins generally because then I can write in whatever direction I want.

I am so psyched about  the minis too!  Ravenclaw here

 

Moleskins and micron pens are my favorites!!  My boys though get lots of these lined notebooks for school stuff, use a couple pages and then nothing!  It kills me to let them go to waste so I've been grabbing them for my to-do lists.  But I'm thinking I just need to use what I like and not worry about the stacks (and stacks) of these nearly new lined notebooks.  That's what garage sales are for, right?

[Airlia]

sub'd and looking forward to following your challenge!

[mom2sjm]

Week One Summary:

 

 

I picked a different journal.  Still not sure if it's going to work but I like that it is blank and not lined.

 

Anyway.  Week one.  I really dropped the ball on the Assassin's mini challenge (Nerdwarts).  I mean, I did retest all my exercises and managed to improve my scores but I totally missed the "take down the troll" mini challenges.  challenges plural.  I missed four different posts until after the goals had already been met.  So that really sucked because last the mini challenge game (game of pwns) I've credited with getting me into shape for things I was doing at the end of the challenge (ie - MURPH wod at xfit).  

 

I think I have less down time right now, all the end of the school year stuff is getting in the way of my screen time (although I did manage to binge watch season three of OINTB this weekend... hey!  lots of laundry was folded during this activity.  and boring paperwork was filled out.  and other stuff got done too.  multi-tasking!!).

 

Did my stair training, got all my running done, estudié mi español... and then the diet goal.  argh!!  frustrating.  I think I hate MFP.  I'm trying to track for carbs and protein but there is no way to turn off the calorie counting thing and I'm constantly in the RED although usually I'm within range of my carbs/protein goals for the day.  I hate the RED.  happy with my weight and body fat% and my clothes feel good.  lots of good, but I'm getting hung up on the RED.

 

Next week is the last week of school so I need to spend a little time figuring out a summer schedule so I can fit in my nerd stuff before I get too busy with all the boy things.

 

oh - and if anyone speaks Spanish.  Would you post a question to me in Spanish and then I can practice translating it and responding.  That would be muy útil!

[AthenaMM]

I love your journal! It sounds like you're doing great, even if you missed the mini challenges. You're making progress and that's the important thing.

[mom2sjm]

Here is a journal page I worked on last night.  The idea fits with Steve's recent "less is more" article and is something I'm struggling with this week (wanting to go-go-go but really needing to slow down).  

 

 OINTB fans may recognize the text...

 

When I start a journal page I usually draw first - this is what you are seeing here.  I'll go back in and add color and maybe collage.  Then I get down to the writing.

[Anaxor]

Thank you for writing on my challenge, I thought I'd pop by and say hi on yours. How is everything going? Also I think your journal is awesome!!

[mom2sjm]

Didn't do so hot this week - lots of distractions.  I'm transitioning from working at our family business to being back at home with my boys plus it was the last full week of school.  just so much going on.  also, lots of birthdays and end of the year celebrations and father's day - all wreaked havoc with my eating goals.  I did manage to get all my workouts in which is usually the case so old habits remain intact (struggle with the eating when life gets stressful).  

 

my grades for the week:

 

Road - A  got all my runs in.  one during xfit, the other two this weekend.  one was my warmup for stairs.

 

Hill - C  logged all my meals but way over my carbs.  way over.

 

Building - A  did my stair training today.  I'm completing the 1628 steps  consistently in 15-18 minutes but that's minus the crowds and the water stations and the pre-end course run.  I think I'm looking at closer to 30 minutes to complete unleashed.  I'd like to get it closer to 20 minutes.  Need to get to stadium and test my time on the actual course and time the run to get a better idea.

 

Understand - C  didn't get to mis estudios españoles on thursday or friday this week so that tanked my grade.  I spent a lot of time today exploring the online part of my textbook and there are cool things there that I think I'm going to enjoy.  Next week should be better now that I'll be back at home.

 

Here is my journal page for week two:

 

[mom2sjm]

 

Things got a little crazy in my world.  I've spent the last two weekends helping my mom move her business to a new location.  This past weekend it was two 12 hour days in a row!  both days I did okay with eating in the morning and I packed my lunch but dinner and strategizing turned into a carb-fest of epic proportions - two nights in a row!!  Didn't get my stair run in, I so wanted to.  Even set my alarm for 5:30am yesterday and had intended to do it before I headed out to help her but was soooo tired from the day before.

 

but there was some good, I did lots of spanish this week.  I did my two xfit classes which had some good exercises for my nerdwarts challenge (we'll see if I've improved - testing myself today).  the week was not a total bust despite my weekend.

 

this week I'm going to try and get things done earlier instead of waiting until the weekend.  like right now, I'm going to re-test my push/pull/legs/core for nerdwarts.  I'm going to the 6am xfit tomorrow (after I drop my son off at his lifeguarding job at 5:45AM...) and I can fit one of my runs in then.  Stairs - I think I might go to Stadium HS this weekend and give it a test run.  We'll see.  With the 4th I might not want to bother driving down.  That might be better for next weekend.  I really want to get in a test run before the event.  Although some times I do better when I don't overthink things - just show up and go with it.

 

ok.  screen break!  time to take my test(s).

[Surakha]

Moleskins and micron pens are my favorites!!  My boys though get lots of these lined notebooks for school stuff, use a couple pages and then nothing!  It kills me to let them go to waste so I've been grabbing them for my to-do lists.  But I'm thinking I just need to use what I like and not worry about the stacks (and stacks) of these nearly new lined notebooks.  That's what garage sales are for, right?

 

 

OOOh the other thing you can do is recover the old notebooks to make em pretty-  I am a big  fan of ModgePodge collage since its so durable. 

[mom2sjm]

Week 4 Review

 

 ("unleashed" page in journal)

 

Finally I did a test run of the actual Stadium Stairs!  Got two out of my three boys to come with me and we drove down to Tacoma bright and early on the 4th so I could do a dry run of the course (they're already pros).  Happily the gate was unlocked and there was a bunch of other people running the stairs so I felt like I got a really good feel for how it'll be on race day (adjusting my pace, passing safely, letting others pass me).

 

but oh man, was it hard.  the stairs are super high - like 10 inches a step!  and the incline is brutal.  I thought I was in pretty good shape but I got a reality check yesterday.  Think it took us about 30 minutes (left my phone in the car!  no watch!) but we parked the car just before 8am (like maybe 7:50?), walked over to the stadium, did the stairs, rested for a few minutes before walking back to the car by 8:41am.  Next week we're going again and for sure I'll bring my watch.

 

so A on the building.  A on the road - got my three runs in this week.  C on the hill - logging meals daily but all over the place with the carbs/protein.  A on understand - was able to get in daily study of spanish this week.

 

Also, joined the Nerdwarts mini-challenge (Yule in July) which was alot of fun and boy did I need all that stretching, it saved me on Saturday for sure.  +1 DEX for me (yeah!).  oh and I improved on my nerdwarts exams so that was good too.

 

more good than not good this week!

[Elastigirl]

 

Week 4 Review

 

 ("unleashed" page in journal)

 

Finally I did a test run of the actual Stadium Stairs!  Got two out of my three boys to come with me and we drove down to Tacoma bright and early on the 4th so I could do a dry run of the course (they're already pros).  Happily the gate was unlocked and there was a bunch of other people running the stairs so I felt like I got a really good feel for how it'll be on race day (adjusting my pace, passing safely, letting others pass me).

 

but oh man, was it hard.  the stairs are super high - like 10 inches a step!  and the incline is brutal.  I thought I was in pretty good shape but I got a reality check yesterday.  Think it took us about 30 minutes (left my phone in the car!  no watch!) but we parked the car just before 8am (like maybe 7:50?), walked over to the stadium, did the stairs, rested for a few minutes before walking back to the car by 8:41am.  Next week we're going again and for sure I'll bring my watch.

 

so A on the building.  A on the road - got my three runs in this week.  C on the hill - logging meals daily but all over the place with the carbs/protein.  A on understand - was able to get in daily study of spanish this week.

 

Also, joined the Nerdwarts mini-challenge (Yule in July) which was alot of fun and boy did I need all that stretching, it saved me on Saturday for sure.  +1 DEX for me (yeah!).  oh and I improved on my nerdwarts exams so that was good too.

 

more good than not good this week!

 

That sounds hard. Super impressed that you can do it!

[mom2sjm]

I'm going to adjust my hill goal.  again.

 

 

hill goal (carb control) - Initially I had a range just for the carbs (log meals daily/1pt per meal and be in carb range/2pts per meal).  Then it morphed into a range for carbs and protein (log meals/1pt per meal, in carb range/1pt, in protein range/1pt).  But the ranges kept changing based on whatever I was reading at the time.  so many opinions on the range!!  anyway.  too much information and I am all over the place.  I am getting way too hung up on the numbers (the totals).

 

For the remainder of the challenge I'm going to have the goal of balancing every meal 3g fat/7g protein/9g carbs.  People familiar with "the zone diet" will recognize this strategy (blocks).  but for everyone else it works like this - if I have a snack and it's a slice of cheese that's 7g protein.  To balance out the meal I need to add 1/4 of an apple (9g carb) and like 5 almonds (3g fat).  if I have a 3 ounces of chicken for lunch that's about 21g of protein so I need to have 27g carbs and 9g fat for a balanced meal.  the zone has this whole formula to work out how many "blocks" you need each day.  I'm not going to worry about that - too much like calorie counting which stresses me out.  

 

weirdly I don't have a problem counting the macros... 

 

Anyway, I've been doing this to some degree over the past week and I'm finding that when I balance my meals I feel alot better.  physically, mentally - I just feel better.  I'm still logging daily onto MFP but instead of worrying about the recommended range they provide for my calories/macros I'm just going to do the math per meal to be sure they're balanced.  and we'll see how it all works out in the end.

 

amended hill goal - log meals daily onto mfp (1 point per meal) and balance each meal using 3-7-9 scale (2 points per meal).  

[mom2sjm]

Running Up that Hill by Placebo...

 

... and another cover by Track and Field

 

 

I've loaded all three versions of Running Up that Hill on my playlist.  

 

 

Heading to Stadium tomorrow morning for another run at the stairs. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

 

[mom2sjm]

Running up that building training (me and my youngest son)

 

 heading down 1st set...    heading up final set...

 

It took us 20 minutes (not including the start/end run - wasn't sure of the distance so I didn't time it).  Afterwards we had to stop by 7-11 because today is 7-11 day (free slurpees from 11am to 7pm).  I stuck with water but here is my stair partner in crime enjoying something blue...