Another challenge

Last year I had a challenge: waling 790 km in total. At least. Due to the move and the knee deciding not to blay pall aytmore sometime around October, I did not make it. Not even by squinting. I was noweher near. I did get into cycling sometime in November at least, so did not stop mivng about. Well, not until the hand was hacked into and the outside cycling also flell away.

Not only did the moeving about more or less grind to a hald several times, the wiehtt I had worked so hard to get down, also slowly started creepuing up again. And then stopped creeping and stuarted running and jumping. Which meant that by the time January 1st rolled around, I had gained back nearly all I had lost. Yikes!

Now I have talked about the Conqueror Challenges before and am very happy with them. I am currently in the process of (indoor) cycling the Ring Road of Iceland and am making good progress, after I had to claw it back from over 200 km behind. (now about 150 km ahead) I am hopeful I can finishe htat challenge sometime in Februrary or eraly March. 

They do also have a annual challenge, which they name ofter the year and this year's challenge is 2022. It can be anything you choose, be it the distance thyou plan on running or walking or cycling or swimming or whatever this year. You can also have other gowals and people use it for a dayly help to stay sober, get off the couch, brush their hair, and wieth lss. Weight loss. 

I have decided that this year it is going to be weight loss for me. I have lost 16 kilograms in the past in about six months, so trying for 25 kilograms for the year should be feasible. So far I am on track. If i reach the goal partly through the year, I can adjust the goal upward (I canalso adjust downward, but to met hat isnot an option. ) And at the end a medal shoudl be coming my way, showing that I can do it!

Another goal this year is gettin back to walking. For that I need to loose weight as well, as my knee is suffering from all the xtra weitght. In the mean time I will ycyle , either at home or outside and I hope that once my wrist ois okay agai, I will get to go swimming again. I know I wol never do a tiratho triathlon again, but to be able to at least walk, would be great. 

In short: 25 kilograms weight loss; get back to walking atg some point; get swimming. My 2022 Challenge!

This year's challenge

Remember this year's challenge? The one I set at the end of last year? Walk 790.8 km over the course of the year? So far... I am doing okay. I am. Really. Having started the River Vecht walk and the virtual walks help as well and that is why I am pleased to say that I have as I am typing this (April 13th) walked just over 39%. 

That 39% means that in under one third of the period (which would be 4 months), I have done over one third of the distance. I am going great! In fact, each month my distance went up, last month I nearly did 100 km. 

There is a slight note to this. The total distance last year was calculated using all kilometers I did, whether it was proper walk or not. The total distance this year is calculated using only proper walks. Which means that any steps taken during work are not counted. Any steps taken while going to the shops (unless part of a walk) are not counted. And I still have more km than I did last year. 

The 2021 Challenge is going fine!

Hay ho!

Day one of the new year. And we all wish 2021 will be a different year than 2020, less isolation for a start! So, I wish everyone a great year with plenty of hugs and kisses, family and friends, parties and socialising and of course travel. 

For me the year started early as I had to work this morning. Which in turn meant I was in bed at 11.30 last night. Fortunately there wasn't too much heavy fireworks in our neighbourhood. There wasn't meant to be any as it was forbidden, but there are always people who think they are above any rules. Which is also the most likely reason one of our wheelie bins and all three of our neighbour's have gone up in smoke! Idiots!!!

The sign reads: you're laughing now...
Ominous

Anyway, after work I made a start with the challenge I had set myself: 790,8 kilometers to fulfil by December 31st. I had meant to do about 2 km, but when I got back to the car, I had done just 1,6. A mile. I had done all of a mile. Ah well, at least it is something. Tomorrow will be another day and another chance to whittle it down. And every journey starts with a step and these were my first steps.

So, that's it for now. Not much to report on this first day of the year. Enjoy your weekend.

The last one of the year

This morning I put on my walking gear once more. I was not going to drive for a long time trying to find a nice woodland walk. This time I was going to stay local. Ish. Yes I was staying in my home town, but I was going to a different area than what I know. 

It was a lovely walk, very much helped by good weather. I started in one of the suburbs, but pretty soon I was out of town and walking alongside fields and farms. I met a fair few dogs guarding their homes, saw some cattle, one sheep, a few horses and ponies. And trains. Plenty of them as there were two different lines running through the area I walked in.

I must admit I prefer walking in woods (softer on the legs), but this was a really nice walk. Longer than normal and that was on purpose. I felt that if my knee would hurt for 5 km and for 8 km, I might as well do the 8 km. So I did. 

Some of the farmhouses were gorgeous and I was quite jealous of whoever lived in them. I would put up with the trains if I could live there! Most of the farms were still working farms. I saw cattle farms and a flower farm. And several others, but I didn't always look too closely.

When I got home I decided to enter all my kilometers in a spread sheet. See how well I have done this year. Which wasn't that good to be honest. Especially the first Corona wave had me sitting on my bum all day it seemed: April saw me log a total of 4,24 kms. That is just over 2 miles. For the whole month! Very very bad.

As you know I always have a goal for the new year. In 2019 I listed all the things I was grateful for on a weekly basis. This year I saved money by putting money aside every day (1 cent for day 1 of the year, 2 cents for day 2 of the year, etc. I now have a fair amount of money I will find a nice cause for soon). For next year?

Well, seeing as I have really started to like all this walking about and it does me good physically and mentally, I decided to put out a goal. Over 2019 my best month was October with a total of just over 67 kms. This year's best is November with a total of close to 65 kms. I added those two up and divided them by 2. Then I multiplied by 12. My goal for 2021 will be a year total of just under 791 kms. Or 491.7 miles if you are of the imperial mind.

It means I have to get out and walk. I will take my camera along and take photos of winter, spring, summer and autumn again. Anybody wanting to join me (not necessarily for the whole distance): welcome! Let's make it the 2021 Challenge!