November 3, 2022

Three Things Thursday

Today is day three of 75 Hard and also Three Things Thursday... so I thought I'd write about three things that I hope to accomplish by doing the 75 Hard challenge. I have to say, it's been harder than I expected! Not necessarily physically, but mentally (which is the whole point of the challenge in the first place--a mental toughness challenge). I can definitely see how this builds discipline; it invalidates any excuses I might come up with.

The last time I started 75 Hard was in 2020 during the pandemic. When we were on lockdown, I obviously had a lot of free time on my hands--so it was perfect timing for a challenge like this. Now, being busy, it's definitely tougher. Which is a good thing! If it was easy, there really wouldn't be a point to doing it.

Anyway, here are three things I hope to accomplish within the next 72 days:

1. Get back into a running routine.

While I don't have particular running plans right now, I do want to get back to running at least three days a week--preferably five. If my body is cool with it, I'd like to build up my mileage again, too. Reading 'Running & Being' by Dr. George Sheehan has started to make me remember what I felt like when I was running 10 miles with ease, or disciplined enough to run six days a week (200 miles a month) when marathon training for Chicago in 2013.

Being older now and not really interested in racing, I would like to run for the "high" of it. To feel really damn good after running. I remember what it was like to go for a cold 10-mile run and be home by 8:00 in the morning, showered and ready for the day by 8:30. It was awesome!

I don't have the desire to run a marathon or even half-marathon (I'm not saying "never"--because who knows what will happen later on?--but I don't have interest in it right now.

However.

I have this really crazy goal in mind that I'm hesitant to post here because I could very well change my mind and admit to myself just how ridiculous it sounds. David Goggins has this challenge called 4x4x48... which means running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours. It's not a speed challenge--you can definitely take walk breaks or run really slowly (or even do another exercise entirely); but the point is to go 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours straight. Crazy, right?!

When you do the math, it adds up to a LOT of miles--if you were to do a 15:00/mile pace, for instance, you'd go 48 miles in 48 hours. I'm familiar with running on tired legs with little to no sleep from doing three Ragnar races--but those don't even compare to this. Even mentally, this will be a lot tougher because you don't have a team cheering for you or the excitement of a race or anything like that.

Anyway, if I'm serious about this, I have to start training for it NOW. So I'm going to run a few times this week and see how I feel about it. I went for a run today and I didn't hate it ;) 


2. Get in the habit of a good daily routine.

It's hard to follow that first one, because that's such a huge goal! But on a much easier scale, another thing I'd like to accomplish by the end of this challenge is to get in a good daily routine--waking up at the same time every day, eating at roughly the same time when possible, exercise (whatever my choice may be) in the mornings, read a book before bed, and then lights out at a particular time.

Right now I'm still figuring out the best routine for me, but over the next couple of months, I hope to see what my body likes best. It would be especially nice if I could figure out a good sleeping pattern to combat my insomnia. Maybe if my body gets used to lying down a particular time every night and getting up at the same time every morning, it will allow me to sleep!


3. I'd like to start doing strength training exercises.

I just don't like them and I've avoided them for years! When I was in college, I loved using the weight machines in the gym. I even took an ACE certification class to be a personal trainer (although, like with my running coach certification, I never intended to take on clients--it was more for my own knowledge and credibility). I worked at Curves for a couple of years and I loved doing the machines there as well. Curves was actually a really good cardio + strength program now that I look back on it.

Anyway, I don't have interest in joining a gym--it would take me just as long to drive to and from than it would to do a workout--but I know a ton of strength exercises I can do at home. Even just doing a short body-weight strength routine would be better than nothing. (I could go to the rec center if I really wanted, but it's at the high school and full of teen boys--as far from ideal as I could get, haha.)

I'm not going to dive in with a big routine, but over the next 72 days, I can do strength workouts here and there until I figure out what I enjoy the most. Ever since turning 40, I've been thinking more and more about my health--and I *know* how important strength training is. I just need to quit the excuses for not doing it!

So, there you have it--three things I hope to accomplish over the next 72 days:

1) Get back in a good running routine, possibly build up mileage and do a (super-crazy) goal of completing a 4x4x48 challenge.
2) Develop a good daily routine for my body.
3) Start strength training.

Aside from the 4x4x48 challenge, I think those are very doable things to work toward and accomplish by the end of the 75 Hard challenge (January 14, 2023). Maybe I'll aim to do the 4x4x48 on my birthday--January 25th. But I'm getting way ahead of myself--it's only day three. We'll see how I feel on day 30 or 40 or 50... haha!

6 comments:

  1. Katie, I’m happy to see you so excited about running again! But take it slow and don’t hurt yourself!!!

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  2. Have you ever tried a kettlebell? Not too expensive, takes up very little space, and is a great, easy, quick workout!

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  3. I've thought about the 4x4x48 and after I recover, I'll give it another look. Glad 75 Hard is helping with your goals!

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  4. The 4 x 4 x 48 is definitely a possible thing for you with some consistent training. I did a Yeti Challenge which is 6 x 5.2 (which is 50k) every 4 hours, so it's in 24 hours. The breaks help so much and it's definitely a lot easier than trying to do the whole mileage in one go, like a race. That said, the 48-hr aspect of it leads to a lot more sleep deprivation, so I think that's what will take that challenge up a notch.

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  5. Sorry this is so off topic, but I was wondering where and what kind of barley you buy? All I can find is quaker barley at Walmart and it had bugs in it last time I bought it! It's on amazon of course, but wasn't sure which kind to buy.

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    1. The only barley that my Kroger has is Bob's Red Mill (pearl barley, not quick-cooking). I've never had a problem with bugs in it--even when we had the pantry moth disaster, hahaha! I've always liked Bob's Red Mill stuff, even if it's a little more expensive.

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