Final Word On the Maggie Downie Challenge
So it’s been a full year since I started my challenge to get in the best shape of my life. And I have to admit I don’t feel like I was successful. Technically I only completed three out of four original challenges and I didn’t really change the way I eat, which I think will be key in my ultimate goal of getting into the best shape of my life. (I may not have been successful, but I’m not giving up.)
If you asked me in the fall if I had succeeded my answer would have been yes. I felt strong, my body felt good. I was five pounds lighter than I am now. I wasn’t eating great, but I was willing to excuse it because I was exercising so much, doing a lot of cross training and felt good about my health.
The Final Challenge: Letting Go
Okay—I don’t have one. I think I’m going to have to let it go. At this point I literally have one month to come up with something.
The best laid plans, I guess. What do they say? Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans?
On the one hand, it seems ridiculous that I couldn’t come up with four challenges throughout the year. And it’s not that I didn’t. I ran the Ragnar, two half-marathons, hiked the Grand Canyon. There are four right there, but I wanted them spaced out seasonally and I didn’t want them all to involve running.
Still, I learned a few things. Having physical challenges that have activities with set dates really helps keep me stay motivated to stick to a workout routine. Having other people working to the same goal really helps me too. But I also learned that after three seasons of having a challenge planned, my body and mind were both tired and in need of a break.
So for next year, I’m already planning on doing a different Ragnar race and another half marathon. We’ll see what other challenge come about as […]
Possible Final Challenge
Okay, so last week I had no idea what I was going to do for my final challenge and now the possibilities seem endless. A friend of mine is doing an indoor triathlon and while I didn’t have any interest in swimming or biking this is a very “easy triathlon” in that you can swim the breast stroke and the bike is stationary. It is the only type of triathlon I think I’ll ever do. It will be a challenge for me in that I’ll be doing some activities that aren’t up my alley. Then there is the American Lung Association Climb for Air Charity Event in Hartford. You climb 21 flights of stairs. Although technically this is March 31st (after my birthday so it wouldn’t be part of my 30th year). And there is still the chance it might snow and I could do something that involved cross country skiing.
Which do you think would be the biggest challenge?
Final Challenge Dilemma
So my final challenge was supposed to involve cross country skiing. I was hoping to get some practice in before finding a race to participate in, but unlike last year at this time we have no snow. And this weekend a 10-mile cross country tour I was going to take got cancelled in Vermont because of lack of snow. In February I’m going to New Hampshire for a Chocolate Festival where you ski from inn to inn to pick up chocolate, but I’m not sure that is going to count as a challenge. (Although, I could consider the chocolate as energy to get me through the next leg of the trek like goo on a marathon.) So I’m still searching for one final challenge that I need to complete and prepare for before March 27th.While I’m at the chocolate festival some of my running buddies […]