KaZing! Back on my feet and ready for the next level!

[BMK]

Hi again, NF boards.  I was only here once, back last spring, for my first challenge.  I poked around the boards a bit but didn't make much of a presence.  When the challenge was over I went back to doing my own real-life stuff, but I didn't completely abandon the progress I had made during that first challenge.  I still walk to work most of the time, even now in the bitter cold, and my diet is steadily improving (though there's loads of room for improvement).  My bodyweight workouts aren't as consistent as I would like, but over the summer I augmented them with a new activity I never thought I would enjoy - running!

 

I live and work in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, very close to the amazing river valley that runs through the city.  The elevation down into that valley is fairly steep, but there's lots of stairs in place around downtown which make for an excellent exercise challenge.  Shortly after that first challenge of mine ended, some friends of mine at work started going to the river valley after work twice a week, for a mix of running and stair-climbing.  I was invited to join them and, since my karate classes were about to break for summer, I gladly said yes.  When I started with them in late May, I couldn't even run more than a couple of minutes without agonizing leg pain, and I'd get winded before ever getting to the top of the staircases.  But we were dilligent, some people were experienced runners and gave us great advice, and in October we participated as a group in the Edmonton Zombie Evasion 5K fun run!  Of the eight of us in our group, I posted the slowest time - 44:54.  Not exactly a great 5K time, but I was only a couple of minutes behind our best runners (who intentionally slowed down at times to keep with the group, bless their hearts) and I finished feeling strong and happy.  And I can tell people I did my first run with a sub-45 minute time. 

 

Sadly our running has fallen by the wayside thanks to the icy grip of winter.  We still have a set of indoor stairs to climb on our usual schedule, but many don't want to join in as they find indoor stairs without outdoor running too boring, so they're going to the gym or running on treadmills at home.  And the Christmas/New Year's break has really smashed up my schedule to the point where I haven't done any exercise aside from walking to work.  Hence why I'm back - I want the structure of a challenge, with a few defined goals to bring myself back up to that level from the end of October, and find a way to push to the next level.  This time around, it will be nice to align myself with a guild and maybe even some accountabilibuddies as well, to keep me inclined to post my progress and make more use of the community to help reach my goals.

[Ocelot]

Running is good but I do find its good to spread yourself over a few different activities, one to keep it interesting, two to keep strengthening and improving in different ways, and three because with running sometimes it rains or it is winter :/ You could do something else for the meantime like bodyweight stuff (aka, assassination ) or martial arts or circus or or well... the possibilities are endless! Do you already have anything in mind? hope to see you in the challaange

[BMK]

Oh, I forgot to mention - my main activity is karate, I've been doing that for a couple of years now.  The reason I did my first challenge last spring was because I wanted to be in better shape so I could be better at karate, which has been happening!  The running was a side activity I unexpectedly enjoyed!  I do bodyweight workouts as well, though I'm inconsistent with them... guess I know what one of my goals should be in the next challenge. 

[Ocelot]

Come come come to the asssaaaassins The challenge starts on Monday!

[Akuyo]

Ocelot is definitely NOT shamelessly plugging the assassins, I swear! I'm excited to finish my first challenge so I can join their ranks though. Welcome back to NF, I can't imagine walking to work in Canada... it's cold enough in Missouri for me.

[Ocelot]

No no, not at all. (Muahaha.) You'd be a recruit anyway, for now, and specialise later! I'm just plugging the challenge in general... and then NEXT challenge you can be an assassin if you like XD

[BMK]

Sorry for being late replaying - life got in the way.  I already completed a challenge once upon a time, so I can pick a guild this time.  But sorry again, I'm going with the Monks, since I'm in a very Karate-focussed mindset right now.  Once the warm weather comes back and my running picks up again, I might switch over to an Assassin-esque challenge!