stillskies is not fast

[stillskies]

Oh hey, Scouts! Joining up with you guys for this challenge since my half marathon is during this challenge. Plus, I ought to venture out of my comfort zone at least a little, right?

 

ANYWAY. CAN YOU GUESS THIS CHALLENGE'S THEME?

 

I'll give you a hint: this guy is in it:

 

 

If you guessed Big Hero 6 (get it? Marvel theme, Marvel half marathon???), then you're correct! If you looked at adorable Baymax and said, wait, who is this Stay Puft Marshmallow Man reject, well, you need to get thyself to a video store and buy ye olde Big Hero 6. And watch it. Because it is amazing and adorable and all of those in the feel things. Anyway.

 

Let's go!

 

 

MAIN QUEST: Keep on keeping on. Re-establish habits to make me a happier, well-balanced person. Break necks with my thighs. Chill out and enjoy life.

 

MOTIVATION: Re-hit that goal weight! Survive the half of doom! Get over those roadblocks!

 

 

We’re going to do this challenge a bit different than other ones, mostly because I enjoy screwing with challenge formats, and partially because it’s the last challenge of the year, which means it needs to be special. Or something, right?

 

So, structure wise, I’ve got a shit ton of goals. I mean, you look at the sheer number and go, “Whoa, Sherri, I don’t know that that’s a good idea, I mean, what about burn out?†And I would of course tell you that I CAN TOTALLY DO ALL THE THINGS SO LAY OFF. Ahem. Well, irrational Sherri would say that, but as I am a (mostly) rational person, I would actually say “Why, yes, good fellow, I recognize that and I HAVE A PLAN.â€

 

Actual representation of me if I tried to literally do all the things at once all the time for six weeks.

 

Some of these quests will run the entire challenge. Others will be certain week challenges, or a one-and-done kind of challenge. Some are super low-maintenance, others require more work. In a way, this is similar to my grab bag challenge, but also ensure that I touch every goal at least once during the challenge. This way, I don’t neglect areas that I might otherwise let slide during a regular grab bag, but also gives me a bit more flexibility that my usual structure doesn’t allow.

 

Now, onto the challenges!

 

Actual footage of stillskies trying to run.

 

BAYMAX - I am not fast. (STA +2)

CHALLENGE: Run a sub-03:00:00 half marathon. (Weeks 1 - 2)

My very first official half marathon is on 15 November. Fittingly, because I am a superhero (obviously - I mean, look at the theme, duh), I am running the Disney Avengers Superhero Half at Disneyland. This is super exciting for a variety of reasons (Disneyland! Character photos! CHURROS!) and super distressing for others (13.1 miles comes to mind…). So, in keeping with tradition, this challenge has mini-quests!

 

A taper is playing with cats, right? Right?

 

MINI QUEST 1: Continue training during the dreaded taper

I’m not going to get through the half without training, and I have never actually done a taper in the past, but I’m told it’s necessary, so a-tapering we go! An actual tapering plan will be forthcoming since I need to figure out what, exactly, that entails.

MINI QUEST 2: Refuel properly after the race (Day 14)

I’m bad at eating after a run, let alone eating after a long run. And while I know I’ll eat every churro I come across, I also know that I need to eat something that isn’t a churro (or twenty). So, to ace this quest, I need to eat an actual meal after the half. Whether that’s at the park or at a restaurant near the park, I need to put adequate calories in my body to keep me functional so I can enjoy Disneyland. (And the churros)

 

Grading: A - trained, ran, refueled B - trained or refueled C - didn't train and didn't refuel

 

Me, if left to my own devices.

 

HIRO - No, no, no, that’s okay. No touching. I’m fine… (WIS +2)

CHALLENGE: Declutter my Facebook friends. (Weeks 1 - 6)

Somehow, I’ve got 238 ‘friends’ on Facebook. Some of these are family, a lot of them are just… random. A bunch are nerds added in the pre- and post-Camp NerdFitness period. I’m not sure who most of these people are most of the time, and it’s kind of distressing to look at my news feed and not know who these people are. So it’s time to rein it in and start getting rid of people without feeling guilty about it. I don’t want to put a hard number on this - it seems really arbitrary to say “I want only 200 Facebook ‘friends’†or whatever - so this goal will be measured by my comfort level. Do I still feel stressed out logging into Facebook? Do I have to rack my brain to figure out who the first three people on my feed are? I just want to feel comfortable with the people I’m supposedly friends with, and I don’t feel that way right now.

 

Grading: Pass - feel comfortable with my Facebook feed Fail - still feel anxious about my Facebook feed (again, no real in-between here)

 

Squad goals. Just gotta build that squad first.
 

HONEY LEMON - No, don’t push us away, Hiro. We’re here for you. (CHA +2)

CHALLENGE: Spend quality time with at least two friends over the course of the challenge (Weeks 1 - 6)

 

Actually me when forced to socialize. Isn't the first Honey gif so much nicer?

 

Again with the trying to make interacting with people a habit. But this time, I want to take it offline (in as much as is reasonable). There are at least six people in the world, minus Stars and family, that I actually like. More or less. And I should hang out with them more, but I also don’t want to force myself to hang out (or Skype/phone call/etc) with people. So, rather than making this a weekly type of goal, I’m just going to give myself leeway and say I have to do it twice during the six weeks. If I spend time with more than 2 people, cool. If I do it all in the first week, that’s also cool. But it should be because I want to, not because I have to.

 

Grading: A - spent quality time with two or more friends B - spent quality time with one friend C - ignored the world in my pink chemical bubble

 

Me and Wasabi understand each other. Gotta follow the rules, or someone gets hurt. Usually me.
 

WASABI - Upgrade who now? (WIS +2)

CHALLENGE: 2016 training plan (Weeks 3 - 6)

Unless I have something to train for, I tend to wander aimlessly. This is okay for a while, but then I get bored and discouraged, so I need to put together at least a general program. This challenge will be divided into mini quests, as well,  because well, I run, lift, and bjj, and those all require their own attention.

 

Or, at least I will.

 

MINI QUEST 1: Pick next year’s races

This year, I was so close to the at least one race a month thing. I missed April, and then I missed last month. I still have to sign up for a December race, but still. Next year, I want to run at least one race a month, and since that adds up, I want to get the best prices I can for them, which means looking at and picking them early.

MINI QUEST 2: Figure out next year’s goals

Do I want to get my blue belt by the end of the year? What PRs am I going for in lifts and run? Need to figure this all out so that I can move on to Mini Quest 3...

MINI QUEST 3: Put together a general training program

This will, obviously, take into account Mini Quest 1 because girl’s gotta train. And Mini Quest 2 gives me things to reach for. With those things, I can sit down and start to figure out a general training plan for the year, which will, of course, remain flexible because O:OU.

 

Grading: A - races picked, goals made, training program completed B - some races picked, goals in some fashion of done, skeleton of training program C - hahahahaha #nope

 

No, Baymax, baby. You do not have all the right moves.

 

GOGO  - Stop whining. Woman up. (DEX +2)

CHALLENGE: Get back to BJJ 3x a week (Weeks 4 - 6)

My half training has (understandably, regrettably) forced BJJ to take a back seat. BJJ tends to leave me with a very sore body, which isn’t wise to run with. And all of the running I’ve been doing doesn’t make it the safest to go to BJJ, especially the day of or after my long runs. So, once the half is done (and I have a week off of pretty much all the things!), it’s time to regroup and woman up. Three times a week was what I was doing before, and it’s easy enough to keep up with.

 

(This goal may or may not be modified depending on the success of O:OU.)

 

Grading: A - BJJ 3x B - BJJ 2x C - BJJ 1x

Keep that imagination going, Fred.

 

FRED - Oh-ho, yeah, I like where this is heading… (CHA +1)

CHALLENGE: Write at least 1,000 words a week. (Weeks 1 - 4)

I’m not giving myself some high and mighty goal, and I’m not even saying that the words have to be fiction. It could be something for fandom, like a meta piece or something. But I miss writing, and when I do it, I feel good about myself since I’m a fairly decent writer. I’m not doing NaNoWriMo because ain’t nobody got time for that, but November is the big writing month, so I want to do something. 1,000 words in a week seems fairly reasonable. Maybe I’ll even post those words to my thread.

 

Grading: A - 1000 words written B - 750 words written C - 500 words written

 

Accurate representation of stillskies eating like an asshole. But, mmmmm.... donut.....
 

AUNT CASS - Stress eating! (CON +4)

CHALLENGE: Get my eating back under control (Weeks 1 - 6)

For the last challenge, I tried to rein my eating back in. I stopped tracking two challenges ago, which, in hindsight, was probably a bad idea. But looking at the number of calories I was eating sent me into spirals of ensuring I ate the absolute minimum and nothing more, which is probably a sign of disordered eating or something. But without tracking, I have no clue how much I’m eating, and no way of tracking my protein, which I really need to be doing. So, we’ve got mini quests for this challenge to help me out!

 

Probably, tbh.

 

MINI QUEST 1: Meal planning on Sundays

Every Sunday, I need to sit down and figure out what I’m eating for the week - breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’ve already started this quest as a trial run for Week 0, and I already know that I’ll likely need a little flexibility with it - swapping things to eat with other days or meals, mostly, but also the occasional adding of something (like yesterday’s three bowls of cereal with my two slices of pizza for dinner, although hopefully not that much going forward).

MINI QUEST 2: Track calories in MFP 4x a week

Tracking is what helped me lose weight. Not tracking (and eating like an asshole) is what inevitably caused me to gain back 7lbs. While this is not a huge weight gain (less than 10lbs while eating pints of ice cream daily as well as other crap isn’t bad) it’s still not where I want to be. I’m trying to re-evaluate where I feel okay weight-wise (do I want to get back down to 155lbs or is what I’m aiming for really BF% reduction?), but that’s neither here nor there. Point is, I need to get back to tracking while working out the emotional component of actually tracking. Four times a week doesn’t seem like a lot, but with my mindset, it is.

CONTINGENCY QUEST 1: Work out general calories of the limited foods I eat and do a grab bag

In the event that I start spiraling with the counting, this is a contingency plan. Since I’m a horribly picky eater, I only really eat a handful of things to begin with. If necessary, I can sit down and just work out the rough calories and macros of things I eat that so that I can do away with tracking while still having a rough idea of what I’m eating. I want to try tracking, though, so this will only go into effect if I can’t deal with the mental piece of tracking.

 

Grading: A - planned my meals and tracked 4x B - planned some meals and tracked 2-3x C - planned no meals and tracked, like, nothing

 

Unbelievably awesome, he means.

 

BONUS TADASHI - Unbelievable.

BONUS CHALLENGE: Finish a Kingdom Hearts game with 100% completion. (Weeks 1 - 6)

This is a stretch goal, because lulz 100% completion fuck you Final Mix+, but it gives me something to work towards. And, fortunately, it can be any KH game, so if I manage to do it on Birth by Sleep (my current toiling project), then great. But it’s not going to affect anything except my sense of accomplishment. And let’s be real - if I don’t do it during the six week challenge, I’ll get it done eventually because I am just that damned determined.

 

Because I can be a dick sometimes.

 

Point breakdown:

 

STR : 0

DEX : 2

STA : 2

CON : 4

WIS : 4

CHA : 3

 

Next year I'll start back up with measurements and progress pictures, but for now that's just too stressful.

[starsapart]

I love everything about this.

 

[stillskies]

I love everything about you. :*

[starsapart]

[goodbye_farewell]

I'm here to see you kill this half.

[stillskies]

I'm here to see you kill this half.

 

More like you're here to see this half kill me, right? Because I'm pretty sure it might.... (Phoenix Downs are, of course, churros, so I'll be only slightly dead.)

[BlackTezca]

BIG HERO 6 THEME IS AMAZING!!!!

 

You have quite a few goals but from reading the details here, this does seem manageable!  The decluttering facebook list is something I do semi regularly and I like that hanging out with friends is a nice relaxed pace quest.

 

I like the 2016 training plan idea!  That is cool and I'm looking forward to reading up on the ideas you have!  Fantastic about getting back to BJJ as well!

 

This looks awesome and the theme and all the GIFS are awesome!  You're awesome!  Let's do ALL THE THINGS!!!

[Koaladle]

I love that you included de-cluttering Facebook! It is a utility, NOT a social obligation. When I trimmed down my Friend list, I would put on a movie and turn off the sentimentality: do I have their phone number? Know the names of their family members? Remember their birthday without a reminder? Do I actually enjoy the company of this person?

 

I ended up deleting my Facebook altogether because the test of time and distance proved who was around for good. Now that I don't know what my besties had for breakfast, I spend a lot more time talking to on the phone and over Skype. That contact, along with the occasional lunch or coffee date, has been significantly more fulfilling than passively scrolling through Facebook.

 

..but this is what I'm getting at: don't feel guilty for deleting people. It's the online way of letting a relationship run its course and going separate ways. Best of luck!

[Strickland5]

Lots of guild swapping goodness this time around!  

 

I encourage running!

[blkhole24601]

........ I still haven't seen this movie. I need to correct this.

 

WOOOOOOO HALF MARATHON TIMEZ

[starsapart]

........ I still haven't seen this movie. I need to correct this.

 

WHAT.

 

[blkhole24601]

WHAT.

 

 

I knoooooooooooooooooooooooooooow don't judge me ;_;

[starsapart]

I knoooooooooooooooooooooooooooow don't judge me ;_;

 

There is no judgment here.  But when can you come over?

[stillskies]

BIG HERO 6 THEME IS AMAZING!!!!

 

You have quite a few goals but from reading the details here, this does seem manageable!  The decluttering facebook list is something I do semi regularly and I like that hanging out with friends is a nice relaxed pace quest.

 

I like the 2016 training plan idea!  That is cool and I'm looking forward to reading up on the ideas you have!  Fantastic about getting back to BJJ as well!

 

This looks awesome and the theme and all the GIFS are awesome!  You're awesome!  Let's do ALL THE THINGS!!!

 

Big Hero 6 is best theme. BEST. THEME. EVER.

 

And yeah, that's why I put in that explanation beforehand. I'm not entirely burned out, so I didn't want to do a grab bag (plus, I let things fall by the wayside with those, so it's best to use that format when I'm just done with everything), and since it's the end of the year, I wanted to get a head start on next year. I figured this was a good way to get everything done while not making it overwhelming. 

 

I *try* to clean out my Facebook every so often, but I just get so paranoid that I'm going to piss someone off by unfriending them. I also recognize that, more than likely, they won't even notice. But still. 

 

I have a lot of ideas, hence the several mini quests. Don't want to over commit, so want to start lining up some goals. Also, since I don't actually have goals that I'm reaching for (aside from one off goals), I figure it's a good thing to do.

 

ALL THE THINGS!

 

 

I love that you included de-cluttering Facebook! It is a utility, NOT a social obligation. When I trimmed down my Friend list, I would put on a movie and turn off the sentimentality: do I have their phone number? Know the names of their family members? Remember their birthday without a reminder? Do I actually enjoy the company of this person?

 

I ended up deleting my Facebook altogether because the test of time and distance proved who was around for good. Now that I don't know what my besties had for breakfast, I spend a lot more time talking to on the phone and over Skype. That contact, along with the occasional lunch or coffee date, has been significantly more fulfilling than passively scrolling through Facebook.

 

..but this is what I'm getting at: don't feel guilty for deleting people. It's the online way of letting a relationship run its course and going separate ways. Best of luck!

 

I didn't get a Facebook until 2010, I think. Mostly because I wanted to keep in touch with family and a few friends. Then it sort of... grew. Rationally, I get that I shouldn't feel bad for unfriending people - especially people I don't know/never talk to/don't particularly care what they're up to/etc - but... Welp. It's something I need to work on, especially since I care more about other people's feelings than my own. 

 

Lots of guild swapping goodness this time around!  

 

I encourage running!

 

Run all the races! And yeah, lots of people moving around the guilds this go around. Makes it hard for me to find everyone. 

 

 

........ I still haven't seen this movie. I need to correct this.

 

WOOOOOOO HALF MARATHON TIMEZ

 

You need to. Perhaps I shall put it in the Halloween movie rotation. I mean, the villain is sort of scary, right???

 

HALF MARATHON TIMEZ OH LORDY

[blkhole24601]

There is no judgment here.  But when can you come over?

 

I'll be over on Saturday??????? But pending the results of the master class auditions, I'm generally free most evenings aside from Mondays and Tuesdays and Thursdays if I ever get my ass in gear to actually get to the tap class. Next Saturday (11/7) I'm going to a wedding and this Sunday (11/1) Tyro wants to take a day trip because we're both kind of burnt out on life currently and his proposal is that getting away will help (because vegging at home is certainly not because guess what we've been doing a lot of lately), but aside from that, yeah, basically free. Unless I somehow get into that master class. Then uh. Weekends only. ;;;;;;;;;;;

 

HALF MARATHON TIMEZ OH LORDY

 

YOU CAN DO EEEEET.

 

Also, all of the races in 2016, I AM DOWN FOR THAT. Except for the sprint triathlon time. I still need to figure out which one I'm doing but a lot of them don't have their 2016 dates set yet, arrrrgh. But I'm aiming either for June or August since July is chaos and anything earlier or later is just too cold. And later is also pure chaos. ;;; BUT YES LET US DO THE RACES? I will do 5Ks or 10Ks with you~ 

[starsapart]

I'll be over on Saturday??????? But pending the results of the master class auditions, I'm generally free most evenings aside from Mondays and Tuesdays and Thursdays if I ever get my ass in gear to actually get to the tap class. Next Saturday (11/7) I'm going to a wedding and this Sunday (11/1) Tyro wants to take a day trip because we're both kind of burnt out on life currently and his proposal is that getting away will help (because vegging at home is certainly not because guess what we've been doing a lot of lately), but aside from that, yeah, basically free. Unless I somehow get into that master class. Then uh. Weekends only. ;;;;;;;;;;;

 

LOL what I am hearing is NEVER I AM FREE NEVER WE WILL NEVER SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN EVER.

 

Adulting, why so irritating????  I have Mondays and Thursdays free most weeks, so we're just SOL apparently unless we find a weekend somehow..................

 

I think Big Hero 6 is unlikely to happen at the Halloween party, so..................

[stillskies]

YOU CAN DO EEEEET.

 

Also, all of the races in 2016, I AM DOWN FOR THAT. Except for the sprint triathlon time. I still need to figure out which one I'm doing but a lot of them don't have their 2016 dates set yet, arrrrgh. But I'm aiming either for June or August since July is chaos and anything earlier or later is just too cold. And later is also pure chaos. ;;; BUT YES LET US DO THE RACES? I will do 5Ks or 10Ks with you~ 

 

At this point, I know I can. I'm just not sure I want to. Three days post-long run and I still hurt.

 

Yass! Once I get to that part of the challenge, we shall discuss all of the race things! I may join you for the sprint tri depending on things.

 

I think Big Hero 6 is unlikely to happen at the Halloween party, so..................

 

Pft. I intend to put on Nightmare, Hocus Pocus, and now Big Hero 6. And I will watch them all. Come hell or high water.

[blkhole24601]

At this point, I know I can. I'm just not sure I want to. Three days post-long run and I still hurt.

 

Yass! Once I get to that part of the challenge, we shall discuss all of the race things! I may join you for the sprint tri depending on things.

 

At least when you're done, you can say you did it! 100% of the reason I went through with the marathon even when while running it I thought, "UGH I'VE MADE A HUGE MISTAKE." I got to the break-off point between the half and the full and considered just doing the half. Went for the full for pride reasons. I regretted it at the time, of course, but as soon as I was finished and even now, I was proud that I did. Because seriously, 13.1 and 26.2 miles both are HUGE accomplishments that not many people can say they've achieved!!!

 

YES YES YES. I eagerly await. I still need to get back into sprint tri research but YES LET US DO THE TRI TOGETHER. IT IS BETTER TOGETHER THAN ALONE!!!

[Kagetsukai]

Found you!!

[stillskies]

At least when you're done, you can say you did it! 100% of the reason I went through with the marathon even when while running it I thought, "UGH I'VE MADE A HUGE MISTAKE." I got to the break-off point between the half and the full and considered just doing the half. Went for the full for pride reasons. I regretted it at the time, of course, but as soon as I was finished and even now, I was proud that I did. Because seriously, 13.1 and 26.2 miles both are HUGE accomplishments that not many people can say they've achieved!!!

 

YES YES YES. I eagerly await. I still need to get back into sprint tri research but YES LET US DO THE TRI TOGETHER. IT IS BETTER TOGETHER THAN ALONE!!!

 

Pretty much. I intend to get a 13.1 sticker after this because hello accomplishment. I'm still in the 'marathon ahahahahahahaha nope' camp, so I'm thinking 13.1 is the longest race distance I'm willing to go. 

 

TRIIIIIII. I'm thinking of the doing the Colfax 10M next year - 10M is a nice distance for me to do maybe once or twice a year or something. But I haven't really looked anything up.

 

Found you!!

 

[Kagetsukai]

 

[stillskies]

 

[Kagetsukai]

 

Amazing.

 

[stillskies]

Amazing.

 

 

That is adorable and I want it.

 

[Kagetsukai]

That is adorable and I want it.

 

 

I want him toooooooooo!!! I am forbidden from purchasing any more Funk Pop Arts, though, because it seems like Ru has purchased ALL OF THEM and will be gifting them to me for the next 3 years on all occasions