Hey fitness freaks....and wannabe freaks. Time for the November installment of the fitness challenge. To try to be more inclusive and get more participation, I'm going to open things up in a new way.

The point of this challenge is to set a goal for yourself for the month of November. A fitness goal which will be challenging.....slightly more than you know you can do, more than you did last month. The goal needs to be a concrete measurable goal. The goal can be miles run, walked, biked, swam, ellipted or paddled....or a combination of all of them. But it can also be a goal of hours of exercise. 30 hours of exercise in a month is a challenging goal for many people. It can also be a specific exercise if you prefer....like 3000 squats and 1000 push-ups. Whatever it is, make it challenging, not easy. As I always say, growth and comfort cannot coexist. You want to be slightly uncomfortable. The goal should challenge you...make you slightly nervous as to whether or not you can reach it. Then....GO FOR IT!

Introduce yourself and spell out your goal for the month. Then come back here everyday or as often as you can and update the group as to your current progress toward your goal. Whether or not you make your goal is not the point. The point is to push yourself just a little further than you thought you could go.

I'll start. I'm only 4 weeks post op from my TT so not back to 100% yet, but I anticipate getting stronger as the month goes on. So my goal for November is to walk/run 60 miles. That's double what I'm going to do this month, so a challenging goal. Wish me luck.

Please join in and get moving.

It has been a good month of fitness. Each day has seen between 2-3 miles of running, mostly either sprinting for short distances (400 m intervals) or fast for longer durations (6 min average for 1 mile). Running a mile feels really comfortable now at race speed. My lifting has seen a slow progression of PR every week.

This Friday marks the end of our 1 month nutritional challenge at the crossfit box. We will also be doing a special chipper WOD that identical to the one from last month to see where we have improved. Most are taking on weight loss as a goal for the end of this challenge. I wasn't intending to and actually saw my weight climb by 5 lbs in last few weeks to hold stead at 182. Every day. I attributed the weight gain to lack of proper recovery / sleep / muscle gain, but not really sure of actual cause.

Today, I got on the scale this morning and it said 176. I checked and rechecked 8 times. Same weight. Interesting drop. Batteries are Ok. Not sure if it was because I slept more (actually got 8 hours instead of usual 6) or because of a chipper workout I did yesterday:

6 Sets Of:

​Hang Clean + Power Clean + Jerk

then

14 Minute AMRAP:

10 Ring Dips

200m Sprint

10 Pullups

200m Sprint

I got 6 rounds and, man, was that tough. My dinners have also been a little more on the "rich side" these last few months, but last night I had straight Turky (4 ounces). Maybe that did it? Who knows...

Got in 3.5 miles on Monday and 4 today , i more str. session, MTD-64.5 miles and 7 sessions, got to kick it into gear.

5 miles on the trail this morning. 52.8 MTD.

I have met one goal so far, I have upped my weights on all machines by atleast 5 pounds and some by 10 pounds. Very happy.

Have been able to do a 2 mile run so far - but to be honest I have slacked off on the running. I don't really enjoy it. But I did add yogalates which is for strength and flexibility which I really need more flexibility and balance. So happy with how things are going, but I really do need to try another run this week.

Just popping in with a current update:

117.3 miles

And looking at the calendar and knowing "about" how many miles I do each week, with being gone the week of Thanksgiving, I might actually fall short of my 175 goal. I'm going to step up my game a bit but I might actually not make it this month!

Made an additional 4.5 today. Puts me at 87.3.

And just for cheer. Isn't this a lovely Princess with Cinderella? Of course, I'm prejudice.

30 minutes of MMA! I absolutely LOVE doing this!

MTD: 29 miles. Need to get my butt in gear

MTD: 31 AND. I planked today for 90 seconds. I'm happy about that.

MTD: 31 AND. I planked today for 90 seconds. I'm happy about that.

That awesome. There are soldiers in boot camp right now who can't plank for 90 seconds.

4.65 miles today...feeling pretty good. Having some uncomfortable feelings in my hips for some reason. Mainly when I first stand up. Once I get moving it feels better. Not sure what it might be. Anywho...my MTD now stands at 85.85 miles.

Speed drills tonight for 3 miles of running.

Totals so far this month:

Run: 25.2 (Goal 40)

Walk: 48.3 (Goal 50)

Bike: 15 (Goal 30)

Total: 88.5

I got in 4 miles on the exercise bike tonight for a new total of 57.38 miles. Tomorrow might be a day of rest, I'm baby sitting after working night shift so figure I will be wore out. We shall see!

OK, I have a quandary and need advice.

My fitness goal is a 10,000+ steps per day average for the month of November; but I just started my strength training last week with my PT.

So now I'm doing an hour of cardio on MWF and about 30 min of cardio + an hour of strength training on TTh. On weekends, I'm doing whatever I can (still aiming for 10K steps), and trying to rest some too.

With the strength training days though, I'm gonna be chronically under 10K unless I exercise for like 2.5 hours! That can't be good at just 5 weeks out, can it?

Should I do the 10K steps on top of the strength training? Make up for it on weekends? Give up on ever having a rest/recovery day?

What are my priorities here?

Overall fitness would be my priority....not the steps.

But Butter! How can I let you and the team down with my fitness challenge!!??