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.

Fiddle, I also have arthritis in my spine. Orthopedist told me to stretch out the spine and gave me some exercises. Some were mentioned earlier. Getting on my knees and arching my back is one that helps a bit. He also has encouraged me to swim, says it lengthens out the spine. Have not done that yet, maybe after Surgery. Hope the pain is manageable

I'm at 94.5 miles for the month. Gonna have to kick it to make it by month end but I'm. Do my best.

Dropped a back squat barbell on my neck 30 m ago. Did not bail properly. In urgent care getting checked out. Hope this is not the end of my fitness. Pretty painful in neck and back currently. I got a little too fast and made a mistake during the lifting part of a chipper workout.

Dear lord. That is very scary stuff. I'm praying everything is okay.

MTD:36.5 but I worked out like a mad woman. 2.5 hours of it, mainly upper body. Doing what, you ask me? Trying on clothes to clean out my closet. No I didn't make it up. True story. Like, my arms hurt!

MTD:38

35 min walk yesterday and another this morning in the frigid air! Brrrrrrr!

35 min walk yesterday and another this morning in the frigid air! Brrrrrrr!

You are my hero. I'm sitting here drinking coffee wrapped in 2 layers to keep warm. LOL!

I love getting my sweat on but I better have a jacket to put on as soon as I'm done "moving" because the sweat all the sudden turns into a super-air-conditioner that I don't appreciate so much.

I'm at 139 miles and KNOW that I won't make my goal of 175 for the month unless I start doing something drastic...we shall see!

Hip hurting too bad today to push too much, only 3 miles today. MTD-84

Feeling good today after a lot of mobility and stretching yesterday. Bad aches from lifting exercise accident on Friday were short term. Oh and the nsaids happened to help a lot yesterday. I am currently on a tday vacation in Santa Cruz CA with my wife visiting her sister and boyfriend. Weather is beautiful and a little chilly, but not bad. I like the redwood forests here, so beautiful and inspiring. My wife and I are defn going to take some walk/hikes through these beautiful forests. My SIL and I are going to go to her cross fit a few times this week. I am looking forward to being a visitor and experiencing a different box.

5 mile run this morning....brrrrrr but I did get to wear some sexy spandex running tights that I would have never worn before. I'm thrilled to be back to running 5 miles at a time so quickly. I thought for sure it would be 2 months of building back up but I'm only slightly slower than before surgery.

So...MTD...66.2

MTD:38

MTD 39.5. And 90s plank

I'm a little torn. On the one hand, I'm not going to make my goal of 60 miles. On the other hand, last month I had 3-4 really bad flare ups to make that goal and this month I haven't had them because I'm not pushing myself. Guess I will try to do what I can and know at it's more than before so maybe it's okay.

No miles today unless tossing and turning count! I might get on the exercise bike later.

MTD 39.5. And 90s plank

I'm a little torn. On the one hand, I'm not going to make my goal of 60 miles. On the other hand, last month I had 3-4 really bad flare ups to make that goal and this month I haven't had them because I'm not pushing myself. Guess I will try to do what I can and know at it's more than before so maybe it's okay.

I think it's more than just OK. Of my 3 goals, I have achieved 1 (adding 10 lbs to my weights), but I missed going to the gym 3 times this week...I went only twice. And as far as planking, I have made it to 100 seconds but not beyond that. I am continuing to plank most days, but just can't achieve the time frames listed on the challenge. However, I still think I have a win this month. For the first time in my life, I set fitness goals & seriously applied myself to meeting them. I can do more now than I could at the beginning of the month....and the month isn't over yet. Plus, I have already identified my challenge for next month & that is not something the old me would have done. We are changing our mindsets & that's a huge win that deserves to be celebrated!

I think it's more than just OK. Of my 3 goals, I have achieved 1 (adding 10 lbs to my weights), but I missed going to the gym 3 times this week...I went only twice. And as far as planking, I have made it to 100 seconds but not beyond that. I am continuing to plank most days, but just can't achieve the time frames listed on the challenge. However, I still think I have a win this month. For the first time in my life, I set fitness goals & seriously applied myself to meeting them. I can do more now than I could at the beginning of the month....and the month isn't over yet. Plus, I have already identified my challenge for next month & that is not something the old me would have done. We are changing our mindsets & that's a huge win that deserves to be celebrated!

I love your attitude! And I haven't broken my 90s barrier either on planks. But you're right, we started out not being able to do 20s so...what's your Dec challenge?

3 more miles for a total of 69.37 and I'm not done for the day.. Or night whatever you want to call it.

7 more miles tonight for a total of 76.37 miles!!! I think I just passed my November goal... I'll have to go back and check! Also I think a new daily total of 10 miles!!