Hey folks. It's time for the December addition of the monthly fitness challenge. For those of you unfamiliar, the goal is to set a specific fitness goal for yourself, and then go for it. The goal should be specific and measurable, so that you can keep a running log here toward your progress. Some common goals are xxx miles run/walked/bicycled over the course of the month....xx hours on the elliptical, stationary bike..... xx workouts per week or xx hours spent exercising per week. Whatever you want, so long as it is specific and measurable.

Start off by introducing yourself and stating your specific goal...then come here each day or as often as you'd like and update your progress for the month.

The whole point is to set a goal that is slightly above your comfort level....one you have to push yourself a little to achieve. But whatever your goal, the success will come for reaching for it....whether you make it or not is irrelevant. We all have setbacks...we get sick, injured or just plain busy. If that happens, don't give up. Just amend your goal and continue on till the end of the month. This challenge will carry is right into the new year and hopefully by the time it's over all of us will be breathing easier and feeling better from the activity.

Ok....I'll start. My goals for December are to run 120 miles, swim 9000 meters and do 1500 walking lunges.

6 miles today. Makes 12 for the month

5 miles today did the plank thing again, still only did 15s, I truely am a wimp! Love the yoga class would do it everyday if I had the time. MTD-16.5 miles 3yc, 1 ss, 15m plank

Talked to my primary cross fit coach (owner) today about my December goal of achieving sub 20 or sub 18 min on filthy 50 workout described earlier in this thread. We both came to the conclusion it is not realistic. Instead, I am going to attempt to shave 30 seconds off my existing time by end of month. Today I did 3 rounds of 10 x set of max back squat. This is harder then I anticipated and began to really struggle after 3rd round at rep 7 where I "failed and bailed." Bailed properly this time and did not drop bar forward as I did a week and a half ago. Second part of workout was 4 400 m sprints with 1 min break in between. Man, it was frigid outside for this. I know Seattle is not nearly as cold as Midwest (25 f instead of -20 f), but still. First time sprinting in sub freezing temps. Did not cramp so am glad for that.i got 55 s,61 s, 55 s and 54 s for the 4 sprints (aggregated, 1 mile). Feel bad for you guys in Midwest that are bone chilling cold and are trying to run outside. The only negative aspect of running in such cold weather is my respiratory system got all screwed up for about 45 minutes afterwards. Hard to breath. Felt like I needed an inhaler or something.

Edited December 5, 201312 yr by Fiddleman

5 miles today did the plank thing again, still only did 15s, I truely am a wimp! Love the yoga class would do it everyday if I had the time. MTD-16.5 miles 3yc, 1 ss, 15m plank

15 m plank? You are awesome!

I know it's a few days in but I'm in for the month. My goal is to keep with my new fitness level set during last month's challenge and exercise 5-6 days a week. I am also setting my first mileage goal of 18 miles. Sounds low but I alternate running with other forms of exercise so I only average running two days a week and I'm a beginner.

So far this week I have run 4 miles and worked out 3 days.

Day four Insanity: today was a recuperative cardio day but make no mistake, there was still plenty of sweating and swearing and afterward I was shaking and wobbly! I also got on the scale this morning and was UP A POUND. #%^^&**#!$!! I eat pristine so what the eff.

Still fighting that head rush when I stand up but it didn't get to black out level today. Oh, I also started weights afterward today.

Oh and Butter - run barefoot or in the "toe" shoes, no blisties!

Edited December 5, 201312 yr by Globetrotter

and Butter - run barefoot or in the "toe" shoes, no blisties!

You're absolutely right. The VFFs (toe shoes) never leave blisters. I was wearing some new shoes with no socks. And it was hot as hell so I was drenched with sweat. The sweat makes blisters much worse.

I caught myself being foolish and impatient. I was trying to up my mileage too fast and new I couldn't do it in my VFFs. I'm desperate to get back to my fitness level before surgery, but I need to give it time.

Talked to my primary cross fit coach (owner) today about my December goal of achieving sub 20 or sub 18 min on filthy 50 workout described earlier in this thread. We both came to the conclusion it is not realistic. Instead, I am going to attempt to shave 30 seconds off my existing time by end of month. Today I did 3 rounds of 10 x set of max back squat. This is harder then I anticipated and began to really struggle after 3rd round at rep 7 where I "failed and bailed." Bailed properly this time and did not drop bar forward as I did a week and a half ago. Second part of workout was 4 400 m sprints with 1 min break in between. Man, it was frigid outside for this. I know Seattle is not nearly as cold as Midwest (25 f instead of -20 f), but still. First time sprinting in sub freezing temps. Did not cramp so am glad for that.i got 55 s,61 s, 55 s and 54 s for the 4 sprints (aggregated, 1 mile). Feel bad for you guys in Midwest that are bone chilling cold and are trying to run outside. The only negative aspect of running in such cold weather is my respiratory system got all screwed up for about 45 minutes afterwards. Hard to breath. Felt like I needed an inhaler or something.

Fiddle forgive me for not following exactly, but WHY are you running outside? Is there not a place to run indoors? I know many Crossfit places probably don't have an indoor track (my gym does have an indoor track) BUT what about running on a treadmill???

We rushed to put up Christmas lights before a big storm blew in and as we were outside for about 3 hours, the temps. kept dropping, I had a down jacket on, but only exercise pants on, (was wearing gloves, hat, etc.) but when I came in I was really freezing. My legs and cheeks were bright red and even after a hot shower I still could not get warm. I'm freezing all the time anyway (probably thanks to losing a couple of layers of fat) but I know that a lot of people post WLS spend a lot of time feeling cold...probably for the rest of their life.

So why on earth are you deciding to be a cold weather runner? Doesn't seem like it's really worth it if you felt like you needed an inhaler. That doesn't seem like a good decision. Trust me I'm only saying this because I care not to be rude or anything.

I'm in for this month. I think I am ready now. My Plastic Surgery set me back 6 months.

I do not know how much I can do. I am working towards a 15K marathon on March 1, 2014.

So far this month 4 miles. Yahoo!!!!!!

Fiddle forgive me for not following exactly, but WHY are you running outside? Is there not a place to run indoors? I know many Crossfit places probably don't have an indoor track (my gym does have an indoor track) BUT what about running on a treadmill??? We rushed to put up Christmas lights before a big storm blew in and as we were outside for about 3 hours, the temps. kept dropping, I had a down jacket on, but only exercise pants on, (was wearing gloves, hat, etc.) but when I came in I was really freezing. My legs and cheeks were bright red and even after a hot shower I still could not get warm. I'm freezing all the time anyway (probably thanks to losing a couple of layers of fat) but I know that a lot of people post WLS spend a lot of time feeling cold...probably for the rest of their life. So why on earth are you deciding to be a cold weather runner? Doesn't seem like it's really worth it if you felt like you needed an inhaler. That doesn't seem like a good decision. Trust me I'm only saying this because I care not to be rude or anything.

I do not have a really good answer for why we had to run outside. The only answer I can offer you is It is a cross fit box so the only cardio equipment we have is the rower (eg concept 2) and not very big inside. I think I would have suggested we measure out the equivalent distance inside and run between walls. Unfortunately, no room for this given other people doing other things and, in my opinion, too much deceleration and acceleration required when changing directions when hitting a wall (about 50 m between longest distance inside). We already have one direction change when running outside and that eats into time in order to decelerate and accelerate again. Rowing for max calories would have been a similar workout (in my opinion), but that is not what the workout prescribed. We were to run 400 m sprints for time. I am seriously questioning why we did it though. I had bad breathing issues for at least 45 minutes after the running and trouble breathing normally for the remainder of the evening Again, felt like I needed an inhaler or something. Pretty sure it is the cold air that did this because I have run fast before many times and never had this issue. Only guessing, as I have no experience with breathing issues like asthma or chronic bronchitis for example. Feel fine this morning though or at least better. Notice my times. These are fast (sub 1 min for each 400 m sprint, 50 s fastest). Maybe one should not be running this fast in sub freezing temperatures where the heart requires so much oxygen that breathing rate goes through the roof. Guessing, as again, no idea. Hopefully we get some warmer temps next time.

Edited December 5, 201312 yr by Fiddleman

6 more miles today, 18 total for the month

I do not have a really good answer for why we had to run outside. The only answer I can offer you is It is a cross fit box so the only cardio equipment we have is the rower (eg concept 2) and not very big inside. I think I would have suggested we measure out the equivalent distance inside and run between walls. Unfortunately, no room for this given other people doing other things and, in my opinion, too much deceleration and acceleration required when changing directions when hitting a wall (about 50 m between longest distance inside). We already have one direction change when running outside and that eats into time in order to decelerate and accelerate again. Rowing for max calories would have been a similar workout (in my opinion), but that is not what the workout prescribed. We were to run 400 m sprints for time. I am seriously questioning why we did it though. I had bad breathing issues for at least 45 minutes after the running and trouble breathing normally for the remainder of the evening Again, felt like I needed an inhaler or something. Pretty sure it is the cold air that did this because I have run fast before many times and never had this issue. Only guessing, as I have no experience with breathing issues like asthma or chronic bronchitis for example. Feel fine this morning though or at least better. Notice my times. These are fast (sub 1 min for each 400 m sprint, 50 s fastest). Maybe one should not be running this fast in sub freezing temperatures where the heart requires so much oxygen that breathing rate goes through the roof. Guessing, as again, no idea. Hopefully we get some warmer temps next time.

So I realize the limitations at your crossfit place, and it makes sense that you wouldn't just run wall to wall zig zag-ing through equipment etc. But since you didn't feel so hot after running outside I think I would just opt out of doing that again. I realize there is quite the competition mentality stemming from crossfit and I'm totally on board with a bit of healthy competition, but if I wasn't comfortable doing something I certainly wouldn't follow along just because it's the "prescribed WOD" I would speak up and say "no thanks, I will do XYZ in HERE while you guys are out running in the cold."

And I might be a tad sensitive today because our HIGH TEMP for today is like 3 degrees. So we are in a wicked cold snap and I'm honestly just sitting here thinking...at what point do you say NO... I don't like the way this makes me feel so I will sub something else for this portion of today's programming???

Oh and I forgot to update my own stats: 33 miles so far, biking and walking (couple of those were walking while carrying 20lbs worth of weights...fun fun!)

Can I count vacuuming as exercise? ;p

Can I count vacuuming as exercise? ;p

Only if you run laps at the track with the vacuum on your shoulders.

So I realize the limitations at your crossfit place, and it makes sense that you wouldn't just run wall to wall zig zag-ing through equipment etc. But since you didn't feel so hot after running outside I think I would just opt out of doing that again. I realize there is quite the competition mentality stemming from crossfit and I'm totally on board with a bit of healthy competition, but if I wasn't comfortable doing something I certainly wouldn't follow along just because it's the "prescribed WOD" I would speak up and say "no thanks, I will do XYZ in HERE while you guys are out running in the cold."

...?..

Yes yes and yes. We have to keep in mind why we're doing this. To improve our quality of life right?