[Closed] 100 Day Challenge 2020 - exercise every day til Christmas

Bern stumbling through lazy walks the last few days so feel like I'm cheating a bit,  but still clocking more than I typically would. Wet night rides for the next few nights it looks like

Two rides today (to/from, not commute) total 18.7 miles, on the hardtail, doorstep, cross country, link-lanes, muddy in places. Intending to keep effort low, but needed to get places after the rides but wanting to go places during the rides and windy and tired from exercise yesterday evening. Summer really definitely over now.

65 miles on the road bike today with a shed load of climbing. Not ridden that far this year as my focus has been running so it was good to test the legs.
And having done that I then had to go and run 4 miles as I have a streak to keep up.
Won’t lie, I’m shattered now.

Bern stumbling through lazy walks the last few days so feel like I’m cheating a bit

It's not a race. We're only on day 26 🙂

A quarter of the way in, rattling on towards a third. It's definitely not the time to go tearing around every day - I think I've learnt a lot this year about riding slowly to ride faster so while I'm doing a few tough rides every week I'm doing a lot of gentler stuff too. It must be working - I've had a Strava achievement every week of the challenge despite not having really had any for the past five years, and am beating times I got earlier in the year (up and down hills - fitness helps even if gravity is on your side!). So, don't feel bad about taking it easy some, or even most, of the time.

Here's what I've been up to-

Day 22 - A morning road bike lap of Arthur's seat before a web conference for work.

Day 23 - Another early morning road ride made exciting by a bloody massive swan flying straight at me, only deviating at the last second.

Day 24 - A night time lap of Arthur's Seat with my wife now that everyone's decided to ignore the Scottish Government's advice to work from home and drive to the city, meaning our usual loop is too busy.

Day 25 - I have two specialities on a bike, and they're things no other mountain biker gives a shit about - trackstands and grinding up ridiculously steep slopes that most people struggle with- at least they're rewarded with great descents. I love switching my brain off and mashing away up 20% gradients like the ones on this ride in the Pentlands. My mate Stephen, not so much-

That was 24 miles with nigh on 5,000ft of climbing and I followed that with an eight mile round trip ride to a 6 mile hike with some friends so I was fully toasted after that.

Day 26 - I had sort of hoped to just keep riding my bike but the big climbing efforts on the MTB the past week were starting to get to me so we went for a walk.

Peeped some good trains too-

Day 27- I'm on a diet (as moral support to help my wife with hers but I could do to lose 5kg anyway), the 5:2, and today is a diet day so I just got out of bed and went out in the pissing rain to avoid doing it when I'm really hungry later. It was nice enough - the colours are starting to kick off on the trees.

Lovely pictures Munro biker.
I'm out for a bit, just had surgery. Docs say nothing strenuous for a month. My last effort was a five mile run and 1km North sea swim on Wednesday.
I'm going to claim that technically I've prepaid this month, cos I started my exercise every day in mid August knowing this time would come. Hope you'll have me back when I'm allowed to exercise again, will be back to starting from scratch with gentle walks.
One thing I have been doing is reading about training, and found some useful stuff on this sort of challenge in a Joe friel book.
Apparently, mental toughness is made up of confidence, commitment and patience, and the biggest threat to consistent training is a lack of patience. It's going too hard too soon today that's most likely to scupper tomorrow's session. So stay steady, all. 🙂

What was your 24m/5000ft route MB? We have similar tastes in ride/climbing... I'm also way behind on the 7500m/month Strava challenge so need a big day this week.

EDIT: indoor bouldering on this wet day for me

jimmy - from my house to Bonaly, round to Maiden's and down, up the head of Loganlea then left and straight up the side of the hill to the top of Carnethy. Then over Carnethy and Turnhouse and up Allermuir, then descending the goat track to Hillend. Probably my two favourite descents in the Pentlands but not quite as big a ride as the full Kips route.

I'm just feeling tired at the moment!! Keeping it up, and got a 20k ride planned from home to my other half's this evening..
I'm going to take it easy - keep an eye on the power meter to ensure i'm just turning the legs, rather than the 40 minute TT i normally turn it into!

DrP

Nice pictures munroe.Not convinced your wife needs to be on a diet though!Jimmy,what on earth is indoor bouldering?Where would that take place?

monkeycmonkeydo - it's basically just rock climbing indoors. There are climbing walls that offer it - it's quite dear compared to say, swimming, but it's bloody good fun. There's loads of places set up for it now.

With this challenge sort of in mind I used the start of lockdown to convert my loft into a bouldering wall using old carpet from rooms we'd done up, paint left behind by the old owners, free sheets of wood from IKEA and some high quality timber. This should be enough to keep me entertained when it's too wet for me to face going out-

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@munrobiker that is awesome.

I miss the wall and I’m wondering about making it my one thing I’m prepared to mix with people for. That said, they fall under gyms so if Leeds heads the same way as Liverpool, they won’t be open for long.

7 Teams meetings today...think it’s time to head into the garage for some kettlebells.

Munro biker can we swap lives!!!

Mega day out hiking in the Lakes yesterday and the 7km in the Peaks today. Didn't check the forecast today and it wasn't raining when we left! Pint at the Ship at Wincle sorted us out though! As did the Sausage Rice and Gravy for the pooch!

25 minutes go at some weights.Will try to do some more later.Felt a bit tired after the weekends mild cold like symptoms.Didnt want to push it with my asthma.I also think,not having music blasting in my ears tends to make me a bit bored.

I think you could play five a side in Munros loft.

things no other mountain biker gives a shit about – trackstands

Ah thought you said you can barely do that type of thing? It's a fundamental building block of trials. Could probably build a fairly decent beginner trials park in that loft 😉

A 5k run for me today, with a little walking either side to warm up & cool down.

90 minutes walking. 6.5km.

I took the opportunity to explore a little corner of the world I'd always wondered about and where a bike would have been a complete hinderance.

Caught some canoes going down the Spey too

Loganlea then left and straight up the side of the hill to the top of Carnethy

Oof. I've never biked up those hills as I thought it's mostly unclimbable... Until last week. Went from the col between West Kip and Monk's rig around the Kips (Northside, not over) then lurched up alongside the felled trees on the forestry path up to the col an up Scald Law. The slippery grass caught me out near the end (was pissing down). Needed all the gears for that.

The loft looks great, good work.

Dragged myself out for a run after binning the broken washing machine, replacing it with a spare the parents had. But the waste pipe on that had been mangled by my dad when he took it out of their kitchen so that needs a new waste hose which I've ordered.

Now just been into the kitchen after my run and the sodding dishwasher has leaked all over the floor.

1st world problem, I know. But FFS!

Struggled today, busy at work, being audited 😵, eldests birthday tomorrow so flying about sorting that plus domestic gubbins. Gone 9 by the time I could even consider it. Didn't fancy gearing up and going for a run or a ride so stuck 20kg of weights in my rucksack and went for a walk up and down the hill. Weird but good. Turns out you can also drink beer while doing it. Win.

Once again - thank goodness for running. Shitty weather all day but I eventually dragged on my shoes and did a 31min/6km.

Dragged myself out first thing for a walk whilst it was sunny. Thank goodness I did as another 11+ hour work day followed. Thank goodness for this challenge as otherwise I’d easily not leave the house!

I've failed today 😔 life has just got in the way.

Will get out tomorrow though....99/100 days will still be a good effort I think.

Attempted to do the Bodyweight Warrior's PNF Full Body Flexibility Routine today. Struggled with the hip flexor stuff

Got the rarely used gymnastic rings out this evening and did half an hour off basic support holds, hangs, and planks, and hangs with different grip on the pull up bar.

Dragged myself out first thing for a walk whilst it was sunny.

This is what I should have done, instead of seeing the best part of the day slip away into grey mizzle.

Yesterday I was struggling for motivation after a busy day of working then sorting out some leaking plumbing so wasn't able to do anything until 10pm. Didn't help that it was lovely and sunny in the morning whilst I was stuck at my desk working and then the rain descended around 1pm 🙁

So dug out some resistance bands, which I've never used before, and did a YouTube video for half an hour. Was quite good fun but I definitely ached when I woke up this morning. Probably due to the fact that I never do any upper body work.

In the garage at 8 am this morning with the dumbbells. I never had to sweep the floor at Nuffield before I worked out... ha! Getting bored of a limited dumbbell and kettlebell range after 7+ months. Thinking of investing in a Olympic bar as I don’t see myself back at the gym for a long time (plus my garage is more convenient round work!).

Back at it today, a nice sunny walk up Bosley Cloud with the pooch.

Still going here - yesterday was one of the last few midweek after work rides, if we're lucky it'll be this week and next before the clocks change. Then it'll be back to the turbo (or skive off work during the day...)

And it was a good ride, too 🙂 I went out with my mate Carlos on the road bikes, we gave it a bit, nicely cooperating as one flagged the other took over, and managed a few new PBs and a new PB average speed for the route.

Run+swim tonight.

Been keeping 1/2 an eye on this...

Not missed a day as yet but seeing as i have dog that needs 60-90 mins of walking per day, I'm pretty unluckily to miss a day unless i get sick/injured.

I have also been doing 3-4 garage gym sessions (powerlifting and bodybuilding work) a week too since i sorted out the garage, however I really must get out on the bike more as I have been very slack in that regard!

This challenge has got me swimming again to add a bit of variety to my activities. After about 10 sessions I thought I would get myself a lesson as it had been about 40 years since the last one - turns out there is definitely room for improvement, I stop kicking when I rotate to breathe and need to slow my arms down and stretch them out further amongst other things. It was a one to one lesson and I was exhausted after only 30 minutes, swimming is hard work!

Thank god for Zwift is all I can say, 31 days of at least 30 minutes exercise now in the bag, no way would I have managed if I had to go outside, not when I got home at 9pm on Sunday after clearing my mother's house anyway, but was able to grab a 30 minute Zwift workout.

Had planned to ride into Edinburgh yesterday and do a 7Hills route. However, it was hosing down so messaged my pal to say I'm not doing it, leaving it suitably open-ended so that he arranged to come to mine for midday. He got the worst of the day's rain riding through and then we went up the Pentlands for a proper soggy round. Great fun.

After running, climbing and biking, goosed today but got an hour's yoga in this morning to clear the rest of the day.

I managed to sneak in the 8-9pm dry weather window yesterday and did a ten mile loop at about 85% effort - I seem to struggle to get the gravel bike past the 19mph mark but it was fun to go for a bit of a burner, I might make it a weekly thing.

I've tracking 3 days behind at the moment but plan to 'buy them back' by getting out twice on a few days over the next week or so.
This is harder than i thought with work commitments, looking after kids and deteriorating weather.

Glad i'm doing it though.

Stayed in all day yesterday waiting for covid test results for son who had a very high temperature Tuesday. Felt a bit tired from exercising so decided to wait until the evening when kids in bed, to do yoga. Instead I spent the whole evening trying to get a Windows laptop to print to printer plugged into a Linux desktop. Annoyed with myself because I missed the exercise and didn't even get the IT stuff working.

Test results thankfully negative arrived this morning which we expected after his temperature had returned to normal yesterday.

Will be out on bike(s) today.

40km on the fatbike yesterday. Rode up to the Cas car park (always a joy 😉) for a hot chocolate and stashed a beer for our local beerienteering group. Colours are turning, especially the birch.

It was a one to one lesson and I was exhausted after only 30 minutes, swimming is hard work!

@claudie if you're swimming on your own (ie not a lesson) it's worth slowing down and focussing on the technique, thrashing up and down the pool might make you feel like Phelps but long run you're better off getting it right and making it look effortless 🙂

Last night's training session was hard: the coach had promised "a surprise", and that turned out to be a circuit - 3x50"x8 stations (with 10" to move to the next one), things like skipping/standing jumps/running round cones etc. Nothing too hard individually, but the cumulative effect is a different matter. And then despite my "effortless" comment above, the swim was anything but. Felt great afterwards though!

@scotroutes wtf is this? "stashed a beer for our local beerienteering group" ? Sounds great 🙂

@mogrim - something we started during lockdown. The idea is to take a can of beer, hide it, take a couple of photos and then post these on a Facebook Group we set up for the purpose. The photos ideally give a (not too obvious) clue to the location. Adding something in the text might be handy too. Then, other members of the group try to find it. It worked really well as a means of getting folk to explore some of the less visited areas around us when travel was restricted.

My own "rules" are only one beer per ride* and beer must be drunk where found. 

You want to keep the numbers in the group to a manageable size and best if you know they are all responsible types, so Invite only/Closed group. . We prefer no bottles (risk of damage), though beer has occasionally been supplemented by miniatures of whisky.

IIRC there are currently 20 caches up and down the Strath waiting to be retrieved.

* I made an exception to this on one bivvy ride when I picked up 2 cans en route to the 3rd, which is where I bivvied.

That's something I could do with my trail running club, there's enough of us to make it viable... might have to suggest it.

Oh, we don't restrict it to cycling either. Can be walk, run, paddle, swim etc. A couple have been placed on islands.

If you want a suggestion, set up 3 Topics in the Group;

Beer to be chugged

Chugged

Missing

When someone creates a new post, they use the first topic. When someone finds one they add a photo of themselves drinking it as a reply to that post and then the original poster changes the topic to Chugged. If someone finds the location and the beer can't be found then they report that on the post and the original poster changes the topic to Missing. This makes sorting the posts out much easier and you can filter the Group by Topic rather than just seeing all the posts in chronological order.

I hqve to say im finding this quite tough. Its not that i have to do 3.5hr of exercise a week, Its the everyday part.
A day shift for me is up at 5am and home just before 6pm. So getting out on the bike is a bit of an effort.
On the plus side, once out i may as well do an hr as a 30min ride. That then means clean bike, shower, supper and bed for 9pm.
It is a little easier to strava a dog walk but ive only had to do that 4 times so far.
I have added not drinking alcohol for the 100 days too, and whilst i love a good IPA or a single malt im now over it and can walk past bottles of beer without it being a personal challenge to drink them.
Im guessing this challenge is really doing me good, but im waitimg for fatigue to turn into fitness....
Hope you are all having fun.
Ian

I personally know I am not pushing myself hard, but importantly for me it’s getting me moving around work and being stuck in a WFH rut. Yes it will probably translate to some fitness, but after 30 days of doing something every day I know overall I am better for it. No doubt some of you will come out a lot fitter. Everyone’s challenge is their own.

Today we walked 4.5 miles along the Somerset coast. Quantock biking tomorrow 🙂

(See also the hillwalking thread).

3 hours up and down a wee hill near Loch Laggan. Hard work through the grass and heather bog as it was remarkably pathless.

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After the general fatigue of last week I decided to take this week pretty easy. I've really only been doing the minimum each day. Yesterday was around 30 mins on Zwift with Diesel Dan. Just really working on improving my cadence, which has been slowing down a lot lately.

Has anyone tried the 10,000 kettlebell swings workout? I'm tempted to have a go but it seems like it will probably be pretty uncomfortable! It'll probably take a month, and each workout is around 30 mins (depending on effort!).

Has anyone tried the 10,000 kettlebell swings workout?

No. Sounds painful, but tell me more...

Has anyone tried the 10,000 kettlebell swings workout?

No. Sounds painful, but tell me more…

FTFY- No. Sounds painful, but don’t tell me more… 😱

Had my lowest day yesterday after a tough week (for me). Rode back from the garage (about 20mins) and went for a 20-30min walk. Essentially, put no additional effort in to my day, but it was needed. My body is feeling a bit done in.

Going for an easy ride now to loosen up for an hour.

Its the everyday part

Yeah, me too I failed for the first time on Monday, work plus a couple of evenings out after a massive gardening effort on Sunday had me beaten, but on the whole it's def doing me good.

I would count your massive gardening effort dickyboy.

Cycled along the Tees, somewhat quickly for me.As I,m shaking of last weeks lergy,this might not have been a great idea.Will head home later in the dark(which I like).Suns out folks!

We've been on holiday in Fife for the last week. Managed to get out a dedicated walk each day as well as the other wanderings with family. Ready to chuck myself back into it when we get home, I'm starting a program on the Wattbike hub which will take me into the start of January. Hopefully this will motivate me through and ebbs hereon in.

17 miles of mtb in the Quantocks today. I’m tired and could have jacked it in earlier but we just took our time and had a nice day. It was pretty quiet and there was even some sunshine.

Sounds painful, but tell me more…

It's this right here. Basically do 500 swings a day for a month (couple of days off a week). I did a little tester the other day and it was definitely unpleasant! But I do need some hip work and this seems like completely the most extreme way of getting that!

On a less bad idea, I rode on Zwift for a couple of hours last night. Felt better than I have recently, was able to complete a workout, then kept on riding. I think the last week of gentle exercise was a good idea. Now where did I leave that kettlebell..

Edit: I have maintained so far at having missed 3 days.

Took a walk up one of our local wee hills, Ord Ban.

It has some relevant history.

Stretched the 45 min trot around Kinnoull Hill to 60 mins with half a dozen HI sprints.
Been doing it every day since 1 September and will keep going for the rest of the year, illness permitting. It’s not mega taxing, but keeping it up day in day out is paying out.

Game over.
After running every day since lockdown began I went out today and within 0.5 miles my knee was in agony. No idea what I’ve done to it. Walked to another 20 mins but that was it.
Going to get in the bike tomorrow and then try to run again in a weeks time.
I’m not happy.

Game over.

Walking still counts. As does swimming. No reason to give up yet.

Yep walking, swimming and gym still count. I've done a couple of tension band YouTube workouts at home when I've been short of time.

Anyhow went out for a 10k today to pickup my Garmin edge explore from the PSA thread. Nice to get out for a slightly longer run than the usual 5k that's squeezed in.

Nice gentle ride round the Pentlands this morning. It was so still and peaceful.

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> Https://strava.app.link/I1HMDpvJDab</span>

Puffin like a steam engine after a couple of sprints on the bike.Pray to god it's not covid.

A hardcore sledgehammer workout today. Went at it a bit too furiously to begin with, and kept stopping, then kept thinking there must be an easier way. Left wrist has been a bit sore the past couple of days and left shoulder aching last night in bed. After I found rhythm & technique with it it wasn't so bad. Shorts & t-shirt job.

Days 32 and 33.

Out for a bivvy last night.

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Road bike ride this morning, watch ran out of charge mid ride and didn't save. Does it count? 🙂

18 mile Exmoor mtb epic yesterday (800+ m of climbing in first 8 miles, including two descents!!!) resulted in a 8 mile walk today. Time to head home ready for the anticipated lockdown. Think tomorrow will be a leg light day.

However the 5 weeks straight exercise on Strava (I had a couple of rides the two days before) is very satisfying. Thanks all for the mutual support 🙂

@YoKaiser - of course it counts. If you want the clean sweep on Strava just log a manual entry.

Family stroll up a hill in Ambleside today. With 17kg of daughter occasionally on shoulders.

5 mile run today.

I’m back.
Was not happy my running, which formed the largest part of my work, was out due to injury.
But, I’ve had a word with myself and it’s not over yet.
30 miles on the fixie yesterday and 30 on the roadie today.
Going to set the turbo back up in time for tomorrow and will be going for long walks with my camera too.
Just need to drop my food intake down a touch as the calories used will be going down as well.

@ahsat, I'm just kidding. This is mostly a personal target, I don't really feel that if it's no on Strava it doesn't count 🙂. Mind you I did nip out for a walk(I'm also trying to record at least 10k steps a day too) and recorded it. Maybe I protesteth to much.

Haha. You can never tell 😉

I have been uploading mine to Strava (but not to the group) as know how my mind works and find it good motivation.

I'm not too concerned about Strava - I don't upload "virtual" rides to Strava as I hate seeing them clog up my feed, particularly 100s of "Watopia" zwift crap. So from next week (when the clocks change) my Strava stats won't reflect the amount of exercise I really do, but who cares? I know I'm doing at least 30min/day, and if I fail that's my problem. I could lie to a bunch of strangers and pretend I've done my day's exercise, but that would be a bit pathetic tbh.

Totally fair enough. Everyones motivations and approaches to things are different. And to be honest, not a hope in hell of my lying to myself (let along Strava!); I am my own worst enemy... 😆

I downloaded Strava to start this challenge.... basically given up on it already. I just don't get it at all! Maybe it'd be different if I was biking, but all of my days so far have been an extended dog walk, or full day hikes in the mountains....so obviously not as relevant on Strava. Still just missed the one day....we did a really tough 6 hours hiking in the Lakes yesterday. Hopefully I'll be able to add some biking to this challenge in the next few weeks....I'm in the process of getting my MTB back up and running....very excited!!!

Awesome pics as ever Scotroutes!

Everyone doing ok? No updates from anyone all day is unusual. Hope everyone is powering through to month 2. Very busy work day here but fitted in a 2 mile walk at the end.

Still going. 1/3rd complete.

Another soggy day so pulled on waterproofs and headed off walking along a mapped, but hitherto unexplored, path. I ended up wading through shoulder-high bracken. Thanks OS. Had a red deer stag barking at me too because I was too near his harem. They can get a bit cranky at this time of year so that fair got the adrenalin up 🙂

Yep, still in. Definitely doing me some good, pretty far from fit but improving. The low daily requirement is a massive win, when I look back on all those days I just wouldn't have bothered.
Big challenge for me coming up though, hoping to move before the end of the month. So not sure if the disruption will break the streak.

Biked to house we're eventually going to move into, light xc, extended route. Strava'd myself breaking up hardcore for a shed base for an hour (3rd day in a row of wielding the sledge hammer). Biked home longer route, light xc & coastal paths. Total 3 hours, 24 miles. Don't think I can include scraping the last remnants of wallpaper off walls as exercise. Felt fatigued.

Not good at all here,in fact I,ve thought of giving up this year.The combination of bad weather,lockdown and my environment has flattened my enthusiasm curve!I don't suppose my age and health help either.I do a lot of walking and cycling still but that's only because I don't own a car.I will keep an eye out for how the rest of you manage.Neil.

Still going! On holiday in Fort William for the week but missed a day when we arrived so did a double the next day. A slopfest bike ride along some of General Wades military road yesterday and an hours walk in the bucketing rain today. Cycle at the Nevis Range tomorrow with some kayaking on Thursaday planned so far!