HE CHOMNK

I'm not gonna lie; i didn't really keep up my running routine post Ragnar.  I ran a handful of times in September, including a 5K PR, and then like twice in October, and then there was a kinda nice day in November so I got out for three miles, and then I did one treadmill run in December.  And you know, it turns out things like donuts and cheeseburgers are REALLY good.  So, as summer turned to fall, and fall turned to winter, and then it's PIE AND COOKIES SEASON, and wouldn't you know it I gained like ten pounds.

I knew halfway through December that I was going to have to turn things around; not just for Ragnar (and don't forget, I'm running two Ragnar events in 2020; Sunset and Road) and the Disney Virtual Half-Marathon I'm running in March, but also because I'm 42 and if I don't make some lifestyle changes soon the next 30-40 years are gonna be a little rough.  

With that in mind, I hit the ground running (well, not really the ground, since it's cold AF out there) on January 1st.  We fired up a Ragnar 31 Day Challenge, which means on New Year's Day, more hungover than I've been in years, I powered through 20 minutes on the elliptical.  I then hit the treadmill at the campus rec center two days in a row, and then went and got a membership to Lifetime Fitness solely to run on nights and weekends.  I put all of the Hal Higden Half Marathon Training runs on my calendar through March.  So how did I do?

Today we finished up the Ragnar 31 Day Challenge.  Sure, I might have a few "underwater basket weaving", "bear wrestling", and "typical viking stuff" activities in there, but I also have more miles logged than I EVER have in one month.  I'm not counting calories, but I'm making smarter food choices, a big part of which was the decision to stop drinking during the week and being mindful of my beer intake on the weekends.  I'm now one pound off my Ragnar weight, and my goal is to be 20lbs lighter than I was last year during Ragnar.  I also now own winter/trail shoes and RUNNING TIGHTS, because I realized that damnit I'm a born and bred Minnesotan and I need to embrace the cold like I did as a child, and so this weekend i'm gonna hit the snow for a few miles.

I doubt I'll ever be A FINE BOI on this chart, but I'll at least be closer.