The Epiphanies (Team 2) - January Challenge

Go Team!!!

Hello everyone!  I recognize a few names from previous challenges, but for those that don't know me, my name is Tim.  I'm sure glad to be part of the winning team.

Goals for the month:

140 miles runnning
12 hours bike trainer

I am still in the midst of developing my goals. They will include running (meeting or exceeding my marathon training plan), swimming (just getting back in the pool after a long time off), biking (making use of my rollers that are still sitting in the corner untouched), and yoga (getting to my early AM Ashtanga classes at a minimum).

I'm also glad to be part of the winning team! I broke my ankle in August and was off for a long time afterwards, but before that in the summer I had a 100% challenge participation success rate. Looking forward to picking up where I left off.

Hi Team!
I don't know that many people on the team, so: I'm Laura. I did the First Annual Halloween Run challenge many years ago, became a couch potato again, and just got back on the challenge/tri bandwagon last month. Slow and steady volume building is my game right now, so my goals will probably be running, trainer time, and maybe some yoga. I'm looking forward to being on a winning team!

Wow, we might be the challenge team winners, but we're definitely not going to win the secondary post-padding challenge at this rate!

I know the challenge doesn't officially start until Friday, but do we have any preliminary team name suggestions? I'm not very good at thinking of things like this!

I like your initiative... So, you've got my vote for captain  Seriously though, I just did the whole captain thing last month and would rather pass this time around.

As for a team name, is there anything special about January.  Some type of play on words for the month??  I'll do some thinkin' later while swimming.  What else is there to do but stare at the black line anyways?  Oh yeah, make a few kick turns here and there.

My mother the Catholic would want me to point out that Epiphany takes place during January. Not sure how that would translate into a team name though.
I never know how to pick my goals for these things. Do I just look at my proposed training and use that? Last month we had unexpected snow, so I had to change my goals accordingly, but now I'm left feeling that I didn't "really" meet my goals, rather changed my goals to accomodate myself. I'm obviously neurotic, don't mind me. My Dec challenge team thread has been rather quiet, so I'm testing the waters here.

ETA: I'm seconding a vote for trysprintolympic for team captain, based on initiative!

Edited by Atlantia 2009-12-30 4:43 PM

You COULD just stick with "Team 2" all month.... LOL

Hi Laura.  You're right - it sure is quiet in the Cookie thread.   For your goals, be conservative.   Life will get in the way somehow.    It is easier to raise the bar if all is going great.   Another way to be conservative is to use the number of sessions instead of minutes/miles.   

X3 on trysprintolympic for team captain.

 

Hi everyone. My name is Rhoda and sorry I've been so quiet! I've been busy trying to meet my December goals and pad my team's post count. We seem to have been the chattiest this month (VIXENS Revisted)!

I'm still working out my goals... It will definitely have a bike and run goal, as these are the two I always need more work on. I will add some type of swim goal to get myself back in the water. Trying to decide whether to add a 4th...

I just wanted to pop in and say hi. I will think about a name as I'm doing my 20 mile trainer ride tonight - this will get me to 100% of the last of my December goals!

Laura - I'm extremely neurotic about my goals too... you should see the color coded excel spreadsheet I have in addition to BT! If I'm trying to build distance, I tend to make my goals based on distance. If I only have a goal of x number of sessions, then I notice that all of my sessions are "short"... but that's just me. I have the same issues with whether to build in a buffer of the unplanned, whether it's weather, kids getting sick, etc. This is why I can't finalize my goals for January!

Are you starting the smack talk already?????

I'm the opposite.  I usually prefer to use distance for my goals.  This forces me to actually put out the work.  For example, last month, I used 30,000 yards swimming.  I could swim each session for whatever amount of time, but still had to meet the distance.  Whereas, saying I wanted to do 10 sessions, I could of dogged each one for only 1,000 yards.

For running, I pretty much just total up my marathon plan and hope I make it for the month, which is my goal.  My secondary goal is using something I want to strengthen.  With some off-season duathlons coming up, I decided to use January to get my bike legs back in shape.

It really is personal preference.  Pick what works for you.  Be realistic, but challenge yourself.  Thats the point, right?

Looks like someone is getting railroaded right into leadership!  God I love democracy!

Thanks all so much for the suggestions for how to approach my goals. I think since my plan is time based I'm going to go for time, and maybe give myself a little tiny buffer in case I miss one workout in each discipline.

Has anyone else had the phrase "First is the worst, second is the best" stuck in their head today? Go Team Second!

Spreadsheets for your January goals are now posted! See the FIRST POST in this thread for a link to your team's spreadsheet.

Morning Team 2,

How is everyone?

A nice days rest & then start this train a rollin' tomorrow!

I'm Richard, mid 40's Clydesdale. Typical story: athletic teen...caught up in work & family...couch potato. Tried to get active 2 years ago. Started resistance training & running, broke my ankle 1 year ogo..few months rest...started biking this year. Did 1st Duathlon...Trying to learn to swim...to do 1st tri this summer.

I am goal orientated, similar to Brick (Tim). Need solid numbers or it's too easy to cheat. I am a little too obsessive for that. Gonna get my goals sorted out today.



PS. I annoy the others teams when I am bored. By association, your names may be taken in vain as well! Just a warning!

Edited by GoGoGo 2009-12-31 5:21 AM

You're late to the party.  I already took your stick and started stirring the pot with team 1.

They do seem to be a good target!

Time will tell whether they deserve that much time or stirrin'

He He

Edited by GoGoGo 2009-12-31 10:28 AM

Starting? Hm. It's more like a continuous thing with me. I guess it started in September 2007, when I participated in my first BT challenge, and it hasn't stopped since. LOL

I'm like you and Tim. If I put down "Sessions" as my goal, well, they potentially become really SHORT sessions. LOL

On the other hand, January will probably be a busy month for me, so I may go with sessions. That way, I'll be forced to train "x" number of times during the month, rather than do ONE really long "cram session" all at once. (After all, we need to keep Team 1 in the lead.)

Oh, and I spend a lot of time annoying everyone. Being evil makes me happy.

I have a feeling Team 1 won't mind. In fact, at the posting rate we're going at, we probably won't even notice. LOL

Very funny about loving democracy because I just got myself all worked up about some Canadian politics here at home where I feel democracy is being undermined (AGAIN!)... but that's really completely off-topic.

Although I love democracy, I have never been a team captain before. If you're fine to let a rookie take the lead, I will do my best!

I will post my official goals in the spreadsheet tomorrow (today is my wedding anniversary and the hubby and I have a big day planned). I like Team Epiphany, even though it would have completely non-religious undertones for me. Something like having an epiphany about the need to focus and buckle down in the New Year. "Team Two" is not getting any votes from me!

I will let the rest of you choose the team name today in my absence. Have a good one everyone! See you in 2010!!