Scouts Tavern: The Common Room Welcomes You

[zeroh13]

Hi! I'm thinking of joining the Scouts this challenge. Urm... *Looks around the quiet tavern* Anyone?

[The Running Man]

Hey Zero13 - me too, basically.

 

I'm recovering from major chest surgery that I had at the beginning of the month. I've been given the all clear to start getting back into exercise - gently. Walking and gentle jogs for now, but I'll be able to build up to running again in time. The end of the month, which is coming around fast, seems like a great time to try my first 4 week challenge.

[Koaladle]

Howdy howdy!

 

I'm excited to see the cooler months come around. I think today is the day I'll do my virtual 9 3/4k for the Hogwarts Running Club. I'm going to walk it, admittedly, but I'm working towards a weight where I can run without tearing up my knees.  

 

 

[The Running Man]

@Koaladle What's the Hogwarts Running Club? Sounds awesome. Also - I hope the virtual walk goes well!

[Koaladle]

HRC is a virtual running club that raises money for charity by hosting virtual runs. They also have Facebook groups for support and teams on Charity Miles that compete for the House Cup. I am a BIG Harry Potter fan and love that it's a virtual race because as long as I self-propel myself the distance counts. I could be in a paddle boat so long as I was the one making it move. Add on that there isn't a time limit? OH YES PLEASE.

[Strickland5]

So how we doing scouts? Not a lot of challenges posted ... seems an issue for sure.

[Koaladle]

Had an awesome day so far! I did my first HRC race and went 10.85km--a full km farther than the 9 3/4 requirement. I had a terrible time convincing myself to get out the door at all, so I am incredibly pleased with myself.  The route I took is also perfect for biking. Not only is there an actual bike lane, but there are hills (in Florida? o.O) and a ton of parks nearby. I also discovered a YMCA with a pool, so next summer I can bike over and take up swimming. In the meantime, I'll walk there and back; once that isn't exhausting I can go for that gym membership. 

 

Me, currently

 

[Koaladle]

2 hours ago, Strickland5 said:

Not a lot of challenges posted

 

I keep all my challenges in my battle log and run on a monthly basis. I tend to fall apart during zero week so that works out better for me. 

[The Running Man]

6 hours ago, Strickland5 said:

So how we doing scouts? Not a lot of challenges posted ... seems an issue for sure.

 

I noticed that too. I'm pretty new around here and not sure how the challenges work yet. Really hoping to see more scout activity and get involved in the upcoming 4 week challenge as well.

[Koaladle]

2 hours ago, The Running Man said:

 

I noticed that too. I'm pretty new around here and not sure how the challenges work yet. Really hoping to see more scout activity and get involved in the upcoming 4 week challenge as well.

 

This guide should help! I use a similar format for my challenges.

[zeroh13]

9 hours ago, The Running Man said:

 

I noticed that too. I'm pretty new around here and not sure how the challenges work yet. Really hoping to see more scout activity and get involved in the upcoming 4 week challenge as well.

I think the important thing is to make goals that work for you. The link that @Koaladle provided has some good sample goals. And you can always check out other challenges for inspiration, you might even be able to get some ideas from non-Scout ones. Creating SMART goals is a lifesaver too. Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Realistic. Timely.

 

And you can always share your ideas here and we can give you some feedback.

 

 

[The Running Man]

These are my first round of goals. Since I've just had major surgery I have to go easy on the exercise and can't do heavy lifting or stretching till mid-November at the very earliest I'm easing myself back in with walking. I'm focusing on eliminating some dietary bad habits and building better ones and trying to get a consistent, healthy sleep pattern.

1) Drink 1 one more glasses of water per day, every day for 4 weeks.
((I know this isn't a lot but up until now I haven't liked water so I never drank it at all. The 'new me' drinks one glass of water or more per day.))

2) Drink a maximum of 1 soda per day for the next 4 weeks.
((I want to cut it down to zero sodas but up until now I've had zero restraint. If there is soda in the house that is almost exclusively what I'll drink. I don't buy soda, my partner does. I've asked him repeatedly not to buy it as I'm trying to give it up and sometimes he stops buying it for a while and I give it up for a while. Then he starts buying it again. So the fact is there are going to be times when it's in the house, so I need to develop the self-restraint not to drink it. I've tried cold-turkey a few times. I can give it up for a few weeks of a few months but inevitably backslide. Ross doesn't mind his soda room temperature, whereas I only drink it id it's chilled. So one barrier I'm trying is to only chill one drink at a time. If I go in the fridge and there's more than one in there, I take the extras out again. If I drink my 'one can' I don't get to refill the fridge till the end of the day at the earliest. This time things will be different. I will crack the sugar addiction.))

 

3) Get 8 hours of sleep per night.

((Since the surgery and being off work my body clock has been off worse than ever. I've been trying a few days now - going to bed at the same time but I just roll around awake till 4am etc. So there are a few things I'm working on. I've installed f.lux on my computer so when I use it in the evening it's not punting out as much blue light. I'm coming away from the computer at least 30 mins but ideally an hour before I want to fall asleep and am reading. Last night it was my running magazine that had just arrived but other times I'll read a novel. I have my phone on silent at nights now. I receive a lot of emails 24/7 and if I hear my phone go off I inevitably want to check it. So it's on silent and/or flight mode so it can't disturb me the same. I also rearranged the extension cable in my room so I can charge my phone overnight and have installed sleep cycle to hopefully wake me up at a better point in my sleep cycle! So there's plans in place to try and help this along some.))

 

4) Eat a healthy breakfast 3x per week or more for 4 weeks

((Up until now I am always skipping breakfast or eating something substantial. This morning it was a packet of beef monster munch crisps which I guess is arguably worse than nothing. However, this morning I did some research into healthy breakfast options and have 'pinned' 18 recipes. I'll choose 2 or three before I collect Jessica from school and shop for the ingredients today so I can have healthier breakfasts the rest of the week. It looks like there are many eggs in my future. This is something my daughter and I will both enjoy as we love egg.)) 

 

5) Walk at least 30 mins every day for 4 weeks

((I already walk at least this much most days of the week - especially if schools are on because I walk to/from the school as I do the school run daily. I don't always get much exercise if any over the weekend though so the trick is going to be motivating myself to get up and do that. With Jessica, who will no doubt be more up for it than me - something I can use to my advantage I think. If she's excited to go out she'll nip my head to do it. Especially if there's a trip to the park involved.))

So there it is? What do you all think? Feedback welcome.

 

[Koaladle]

A lot of the things that you're mentioning are things I have struggled with as well, but you're setting some great bumpers to keep you on track. If you can keep from buying the junk in the first place, you'll be less vulnerable when cravings hit. Being picky about your soda is a great advantage; it's hard to get partners on the same page when they aren't also working on changing their eating habits, but finding that compromise is going to be a big help.

 

I totally endorse having breakfast and walking around with your daughter! She's going to love the koalaty time, and you're going to have someone to keep you accountable and motivated. 

 

Keep your changes little. It's not about going cold turkey and falling apart in two months, it's about making sustainable changes. Ease into your goals, and you'll find yourself improing on them in no time. Do too much, on the other hand, and you may find yourself burning out. 

 

Do you have any thoughts on rewards for X amount of completion?

 

 

 

[The Running Man]

There's actually a few small things I am aiming for and I've assigned them to different goals. So if I end up not completing my challenge for healthy breakfasts but I nail the sleep I still get something for the success I did have. It feels a bit generous of me and maybe I'll be less generous in the future but I'm wanting to build up momentum so it surely won't hurt.

 

So if I nail goals 1 and 2 I'll get a (kinda expensive but cool, nerdy) Christmas jumper I've been looking for. By the time the challenge ends it'll be a good time to buy such a thing. 

For goal 3 some new scented candles, which as awesome and relaxing and can encourage more win in the relaxation department.

For 4 a yoga mat and 5 some resistance bands.

 

For a month of hard work to get me started in the right direction and proving I can do this it doesn't seem outrageous. We have very little disposable income. My partner is very good at buying whatever he wants or needs on a whim but I don't tend to do that. Anything extra is usually spent on my daughter. I've wore the only 2 pairs of footwear I had for years to the point of having holes in the soles. I wore them in that condition for countless months before finally getting a single replacement pair. So these little things are things I've wanted a long time, that'll enhance the positive steps I'm trying to take and wouldn't otherwise ever quite get around to buying. Seems win win to me.

 

I'll do some bigger rewards but It'll be for bigger goals. I have a bit of a list of 'loot ideas'. 

 

I've started 'early'  - aka a couple of days ago - working on these goals and yet to have success with getting sleeping right (because I just can't sleep. I roll around in bed) and eating healthy breakfasts (I have my eggs ready for tomorrow though) and I'm not too worried if it takes a few days, a week or maybe a bit more to nail things. I can't MAKE myself fall asleep. I can do things to promote sleep but if it still won't come... So I won't beat myself up as long as I'm being responsible and trying. It'll fall into place.

 

Things like drinking water/limiting soda I have complete direct control over - and so far I've been nailing it. I had to pop down to the convenience store tonight to buy some wholegrain bread and I was craving soda. I already had my one can today though so I had to resist the temptation. No 'I've been good so far'... or 'I'll put it in the fridge for tomorrow'. No! I don't need it. I got (another) glass of water when I got home instead.

 

rambling now. lol

[Strickland5]

With the powers that be here at NF pushing so far on upperbody work, I'll mention this is good even for us scouts though should keep it in moderation as more muscle means more weight you're carrying on race day

 

Good article over on active

[Koaladle]

Is the upperbody push due to the NFA expansion? O.o 

[Strickland5]

1 hour ago, Koaladle said:

Is the upperbody push due to the NFA expansion? O.o 

 

I believe that is the case but I don't do NFA so can't speak to it 

[zeroh13]

1 hour ago, Koaladle said:

Is the upperbody push due to the NFA expansion? O.o 

I didn't even know there was an NFA expansion. Then again, I'm not in the NFA, so that's not surprising.

 

2 hours ago, Strickland5 said:

With the powers that be here at NF pushing so far on upperbody work, I'll mention this is good even for us scouts though should keep it in moderation as more muscle means more weight you're carrying on race day

 

Good article over on active

Interesting read. The article covers how a little upper body strength helps with racing. Now I'm wondering how important increasing your lower body strength is. And is there a point where two much lower body strength just ends up adding more weight than benefit. (This is mostly just curiosity, as I still have a bit of fat to lose, and I don't have much in the way of strength period.)

[Strickland5]

16 minutes ago, zeroh13 said:

Now I'm wondering how important increasing your lower body strength is

Getting stronger muscles which you can explode with is pretty important 

 

Articles a plenty

http://strengthrunning.com/2015/07/best-strength-exercises-for-runners/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/strength-training-for-runners-5-rules-to-run-faster.html

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/strength-training-for-runners-how-to-do-it-right.html

http://www.runnersworld.com/strength-training/10-essential-strength-exercises-for-runners

http://running.competitor.com/2014/08/training/the-four-best-strength-training-exercises-for-runners_40725

http://greatist.com/move/strength-workout-for-runners

 

 

[Koaladle]

Are there any scout cyclists around? I had a problem with elbow fatigue, of all things.

[Scatterbunn]

@Koaladle I happen to be primarily a cyclist, getting into running for cross training/bone density benefits. (Also ridiculous 3day event called the Triple Threat next August). I am really focusing on my core and arms over the winter because I have a real problem with my legs being willing but my arms saying "no more."  I have read that one of the best things you can do for elbow/shoulder fatigue is to monitor your posture, keep you elbows slightly bent with a relaxed grip on the handlebars and keep shoulders back (resist the urge to roll them forward over the handlebars). This was mostly in the context of road cycling, but I assume it would hold true in MTB as well.

 

Interestingly I also have issues with "elbow fatigue" but only in my right elbow. I was told a few years ago after a car accident that I had some mild scoliosis (preexisting) so I kind of assume its related? maybe? hoping that Strength training will help work out imbalances.  

[Scatterbunn]

Also for cyclists upper body strength helps with stamina/holding position but also with hills/sprints where you are pulling on the bars for leverage.  Just like with running you don't want to go overboard but more upper body strength can translate to more speed/power.

[Koaladle]

No kidding! I only got it in my left elbow, but I'm left handed as well. I changed my posture a number of times because I'm staying conscious of it anyway, and I try to keep my hands relaxed because they like to swell when I work out. Hmm, I'll work on your suggestions and see if that helps. 

 

I'm pretty weak in my upper body as it is, so I'll work some pushups and see if that helps. 

[Scatterbunn]

That's interesting, I'm right hand dominant.

[Koaladle]

TO THE GOOGLE!