Jarric

Hahahahaha! No chance . I'll be amazed if I ever run a road race longer than a half marathon (though 20 miles of obstacles at dirty weekend next summer might be a thing). Thank you guys! I'm equal parts nervous and excited I think!

Challenge Wrap-Up Sorry it's so late guys! I had been meaning to post this earlier, but it's been an odd week. On to that shortly! Scores Week 1 - 78 Week 2 - 92 Week 3 - 73 Week 4 - 99 Total - 342 Finished strong here! Would have been nice to break the 100 points mark but still week 4 being my best week is promising, and hopefully shows some progress. Every week had low days and high days, but reading back through this challenge I can see things starting to come back together for me. In retrospect I think in a perfect week I could average 20 points per day (given a few days in the high 20s that I've had), so a weekly score of 140 and a challenge target of 560 for a perfect challenge. A perfect challenge for me would be 50XP for a half level-up. Here I got 342/560 = 61%, so I'm giving myself 31XP for the challenge. Plugging it in that just barely brings me to level 8, my first level up in quite a while which feels fitting! It's been an odd challenge too - in week 0 I got job offers for 2 separate companies, so in week 1 I handed in my notice. Working around dealing with that and everything else has been odd, but I've felt far more productive as the prospect of moving jobs becomes more real. Fitness wise climbing has been ok, but then I love that and it's on a weekend so not hard to be consistent. Lifting was non-existent at the start of the challenge but has come back in. I've now re-joined my old gym near my home (I was going to the gym near my job) and I've been twice this week, so excited to get back into the swing of this. Running, unfortunately, is really suffering. I'm not doing very well, mostly I think due to lack of enthusiasm whilst I'm running, and as I'm not enjoying it and my enthusiasm further wanes it's making it harder to get out and finish runs, and it spirals down from there. I think part of this is that I'm lacking any sort of running plan at the moment - the last one died with my 10k - so I'll be posting a thread up specifically for that to try and get a long-term running routine in place. I've also done some really cool stuff this challenge, from getting a new job and handing in my notice at the old one, trying top rope climbing in week 2 and running my first 10k race (and setting a nice benchmark time), and having a go at archery and axe throwing in week 3. Not too shabby a list for one month . In terms of the challenge set-up itself this definitely works, and I will be keeping pretty much the same format next time. I'll fiddle a bit with the bonus points, particularly the morning and evening routines as I like having a bonus for a block of work. Maybe other bonus blocks if I think of any. A few things I've learned about this system: It helps me to make good choices in bad situations, so that I can salvage some points on difficult days It also helps me to be able to get points in a variety of ways - if I miss a workout I want to work extra hard on my planning and nutrition to make up for it It only works if I keep my bujo updated - I haemorrhaged points in week 1 because I didn't track and I couldn't award myself for stuff I wasn't sure I did It definitely helps to have a list of possible actions to refer to to remember what I did. In the end I found myself referring to that list to see where I could squeeze in extra points, by doing a daily dare or a yoga video or something at the end of the day. As always thank you all for sticking around and cheering me on. I have been terrible at keeping up with people and I'm really sorry for that, I will find a way to spend more time on here once I'm settled in the new job. Speaking of which, I start a new job tomorrow (after a 5 day weekend to get my life in gear)! Still much to do so I best get off, and I'll post the new challenge as soon as I can.

Week 4 Wrap-Up Friday was my last day at work, so as predicted not overly productive and several beers after work. Score of just 4 points. It was a weird day and as much as I hated the commute I'm going to miss some of the people I worked with a lot. Saturday I got out to Parkrun, which didn't go too well but I finished I guess. Also went bouldering and totally shot my forearms, but had fun! Double exercise day got my to 17 points, whilst having to do very little else. Sunday was a domestic rangering day and we've got the house looking a bit better. My long run went hideously however - I got lost and ended up walking most of the way. Still I went out and tried so I took those points towards a total score of 13.

This is awesome, it's so cool to see you feeling this way in yourself - you really deserve to feel like that.

Woo! You've done so much stuff this challenge - you are honestly an inspiration for me. I mean, clearly you do have a high level of fitness, but it's good that you'd like to be fitter. You should never think your "fit enough", otherwise you might stop!

^This is spot on. The closest I have to a "big why" is that I want to be a cool person with cool stories to tell, and to get there I need a body capable of doing cool things. It's not noble or profound or anything, but it's what I want. It sounds like you want something similar, just to have a body capable of doing cool stuff. What I'm finding most useful now is just trying to make every decision I make a good one, one that aligns with me being stronger and more capable. I fail at this (a lot), but that's no reason to not make the next decision a good one. And little by little I think I'm improving from it. ^Also very much this; you are awesome.

That sucks . Hope the injury's not too bad? Heal up quick

Hey, thanks for the nudge! There will indeed be a final update, which I totally meant to write yesterday! I'll sit down this afternoon and get it done

You look awesome in that costume! Well done for getting up the courage to do it, it was definitely worth it!

Sorry to hear life's thrown you another curveball. If there's anything I can do, or if you just want to talk, PM me.

Sorry about the injury dude, that's rubbish. The next race will be better.

Woooo, well done you!

3 amazing cities in a week? That sounds like great fun! I'm pretty envious right now. Glad the knees are getting better - keep on working on them and I'm sure you'll keep seeing positive results

Doing well thanks man! Been rubbish at keeping up with everyone on here, but I've been enjoying your archery badassness on insta!

Witchcraft! Or pre-race excitement? Nah, probably witchcraft. Hope you have a great TM weekend, good luck to you and Stubes (not that you need it!).

This is all sorts of awesome mate, well done. It's a shame that you got ill in the end, but you've already accomplished so much and you've still got another race to run! Conversely as your routine changes it could actually be a great time to build more healthy habits. It won't be easy, but if immediately in your new role you start doing good things then that would be the easiest time to make them stick. A challenge and an opportunity perhaps?

Definitely! I've got a nice zero week ahead too - three days off, first two days in the new job and then it's the weekend . ====== I just wanted to share today's comic from xkcd here, in case anyone reading this has any doubt as to how amazing their body truly is:

Makes sense to me - you're getting too hot and your heart rate's really high, you need to slow down. So surely the training zones would still work? The October ultra sounds exciting. How far is it?

Week 4 - Wednesday - Back to Competition Wednesday night is snooker night, and I've signed up for a little in-house summer league at my local club. Because of this I didn't have as much time in the evening to score points. Hayfever meds Pre-prepared breakfast Updated journal Workout - OHP day. My 5x8 on OHP became 8, 8, 7, 8, 7 which is about the closest to Rx I've had this cycle. Definitely need to repeat this week and actually hit my weights. I'd also gotten up late so a bit of a short session. [+5] Stretched 5 min mindfulness at lunch (I knew I wouldn't have time in the evening, but wanted to get this in for the mini Checked in on here Laid out work clothes for morning Home cooked meal - Pork belly with leek and mashed potato Hayfever meds For a total score of 15. Thursday - New Beginnings Last night another busy night, as I went out to meet the team I'll be working with from next week. Had an excellent night and a few drinks and really got on with everyone, so that's hopefully a good sign! I was supposed to run in the morning, but I woke up feeling rubbish with my legs still very angry at me and decided to go back to bed. Hayfever meds Pre-prepped breakfast Updated bujo 5min mindfulness at lunch Laid out work clothes Packed gym kit Brushed teeth Hayfever meds To bed on time For a total of 9. By my count that puts me on 65 points for the first 4 days. Tonight will be leaving drinks as it's my last day working in London (wooooo!), but with a decent weekend I could be on for my best week of the challenge here.

Excited to hear what your new system is, consider me intrigued. This is the first I'm hearing of this. That really sucks.

My thoughts exactly, big nope!

Well I'm massively late to the party, but I'll definitely 800th this!

I'm so pleased for you that the move worked out, it sounded brutal but you rangered through like a pro ...world domination?

Oh my god that sounds incredible! I very much want this! *sits and sulks while continuing to eat his apple*

Week 4 - Tuesday - An Inauspicious Start Yesterday I got up, ran for my train, and it was delayed. By the time I got to London it was about half an hour late, which was eating into a big chunk of my gym time. In a bad mood I rushed to the gym and got changed for my workout. Then, during squats, as I tensed to lift the bar for my working set and before it had even left the pins my left leg seized up. I stretched it out and tried again. I got an entire rep (of what was supposed to be 5x8) before deciding that this definitely didn't feel right - my quads were just shot for some reason. Got in what assistance work I could with the little time I had then hit the showers, only to have to queue for the showers because it was so busy! Now I'm rushing as I'm late for work and as I'm getting dressed I turn a sock out... There's sand in my socks. Fucking sand! I just, I don't even know how that got there! I was so confused and so annoyed and just... sand?? seriously??? Anyway, the day did get better from there. Here's the whole thing: Hayfever meds Checked in here Updated bujo Lifted (a bit, as above) [+5] Stretched Half hour walk at lunch Daily dare - 2 minute tricep hold - split over 3 sets Yoga quickies 5min meditation Cooked dinner - tomato-y chicken pasta with yellow pepper, red onion and mushroom Made extra dinner for Wednesday's lunch Prepped eggs for breakfasts x 3 [+3] Set bujo up for next day Teeth brushed Hayfever meds Laid out work clothes Packed gym kit In bed early (10:15 ish) No alcohol all day No caffeine after 4pm For a total score of 26 points! I'm still feeling ill, and I'm disappointed about the gym session (I think I'll actually run this week of the program twice to break back into it as I've had such a long break). Overall however a good day.