Spring Bootie Buster Challenge? #BestFoot?

Spring bootie buster challenge?  #BestFoot?  What the what?

I was reading my friend Jen’s blog when I happened upon this logo and link to information about the #bestfoot Spring Bootie Buster Challenge.

Jen said she did the winter challenge which had her in great shape for the Ragnar Key West relay.  What was this all about?  So I clicked through.

Basically Amanda at Run to the Finish sets up challlenges designed to motivate people to stay healthy through the seasons.  Focused on getting a good portion of fruit and vegetables daily, plus adequate hydration AND just plain old working out, the spring challenge seemed like a fun way to link up with people for a little bit of added motivation.  Something I particularly need for doing my rehabilitative physiotherapy on my shoulders and knees at the moment.  So I figured – why not?  I signed up.  My first ever participation in a formal gigantic points based blogger fitness challenge.

It’s good to try out new things to stay motivated, right?

#BestFoot Week 1 Round-up

 

Water: 7/7 points (1 point for each day where the target was hit)

The challenge sets a level of 64 ounces a day which is about 2 litres – I know when training I need about 3.5 litres minimum as I am a sweater.  So this target is a really easy one for me to meet without thinking about it. 

Fruits and Veggies: 4/7 points (1 point for each day when the target was hit)

The challenge sets a level of 7 portions a day – I thought this would be no problem but it turns out that unless I add more to my smoothies I can fall short of this with the way the portions are counted.  The easiest days for me are when I add a handful of berries to my usual morning smoothie, and when I have a nice sized salad for lunch.  The hardest days?  The ones when I am out to eat for dinner.  The vegetables portions of restaurants just don’t equal what I typically have at home.

Training:  41 points (1 point for each 10 minutes of exercise) – total training time 6 hours 50 minutes

I had a pretty solid training week, and am feeling very good about things.  Amazing how that happens when I am in the country for more than a week straight (I have a lot less work travel at the moment).  I had some highlights, including new things in bike sessions, and a re-start of bootcamp after a 4 week break due to my knee injury.

Swim: 2 hours (including my first ever 1:32 100m—with paddles, so I was assisted a bit, but I’ll take it!)
Bike: 2 hours 40 minutes (including 20 minutes of commuting time, and my first ever attempt at setting power thressholds)
Run: 40 minutes (30 minutes on the Alter-G at 20% body weight, 10 minute lap of the fiels—and no swelling! great stuff!)
Bootcamp: 30 minutes
Yoga: 1 hour

Much to learn…

 

DH gave me a bag for Christmas with this emblazoned on it – and it is so true.  I have so much to learn…

First, I need to learn about my own capabilities, and then train to improve them.  This is a background focus for my cycle training at the moment. 

I agreed with my coach to turn my attention to cycling with power at least once a week, using my CompuTrainer to do some power focused work.  I have never done this before and oh my… A shock to the system!  I did my first attempt at a 20 minute threshhold test on Tuesday.  I did the first 5 minute power warm up fine, and then completed misjudged my target 20 minute power level and crashed and burned at 10 minutes.  Live and learn!  I am not sure you can say that you “enjoy” this type of torture, but I did actually like pushing myself where I thought I could not go…  Anyway, we still need to finish a CP20 test, but in the meantime I have more power based sessions in my schedule to get used to this type of training.  I love really testing my capabilities, and I have a feeling this is going to be a key part of my plans to get “Tabayesco Fit” for next year’s trip to Lanzarote.

Next, I need to learn to make my physiotherapy a part of my life.  I have not been consistent, having done only 2 sessions of shoulder work and 2 of leg work last week (and I am counting 1 each of these at bootcamp, so that is only twice outside of bootcamp – no bueno!).  My sports physiotherapist Ellis Taylor has told me that so often athletes skip the fundamentals, leading to recurrence of injury or only temporary improvements.  After hitting new milestones in swimming this week and finally feeling strong in the water again (9 months after my topple) it is tempting to just go back to “situation normal” and skip my rehab.  And goodness knows the knee rehab I have is boring stuff, and it is so easy to just skip the boring especially after a long day and especially when I am not having any inflammation in my knees post running.

But it is a charade – a false sense of security.  I KNOW I need to live and breathe my PT.  I need to do either legs or shoulders EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  So I have added a block into my Training Peaks.  A reminder.  And Amanda (ring leader for the SBBC) has agreed that I can count my PT for Workout of the Week points.

So…

Here’s to new things – like participating in the SBBC and power-based cycling – to keep me motivated, to help me to develop new habits, and to keep me progressing to my bigger goals… 

#BestFoot is the first step in my Project #TabayescoFit

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