Crappy Winter Weather Challenge 2014 - 2015

 Looking to enjoy life-Be grateful for everything!

Subject: Crappy Winter Weather Challenge 2013 - 2014

Since Lenny posted something on the Challenge Forum by pulling our old thread up from last year I guess it is time to get the ball rolling! For the vets welcome back. Rookies read over the rules below and ask any questions. 

Here is scoring format: 

Scoring will be on page 2 of the document once it is set up and also a multiplier at the bottom to just add time and points and it does the math for you and here: 

Wind factor 
light winds (5-10 mph) 1 Point 
11-19 mph 2 Points 
20+ 4 Points 

Temp factors 
30-35 .5 points 
25-29 1 Point 
15-24 3 Points 
1-14 5 Points 
0 and below 8 Points 

Precipitation 
Drizzle/Light Snow 1 Point 
Medium Rain/Snow 2 Points 
Heavy Rain/Snow 3 Points 

Bike Multiplier - 1 point for outdoor ride sub 40 degrees 

Polar Bear Challenge 5 Points 

Suck-o-meter scoring 

Time in minutes x (Temp mult+Wind mult+precip mult+ Bike mult)= Suckitude score 

Scoring starts with temperature - if your event does not gain you temperature points you get no points for the event (remembe any number x 0 always = 0). Bike gets you points at 39 degrees or less and all other activities get you points at 35 or less. Once you get temperature points you can add the other factors in to get your point total for that activity. Minimum of 20 minutes for an event to count. 

Darren (Big DH) is back to back champion and has smoked us all pretty bad the last couple of years but I think Lenny has a trick up his sleeve for this winter. I am planning on riding snow all winter long and take some breaks for cross country skiing and snowshoeing as well and the forecast for our area is calling for below average temps and above avg precipitation. 

Happy a Craptastic Winter everyone and be safe!!! 

Will get a spreadsheet up and going from home one day this week. Pictures in the thread are always welcome and actually quite funny at times!
-----
Bill 

Thanks for getting this going. Already been having some winter weather here.

Not sure Iowa can compare to more northern folks but seems like a neat game since I do enjoy winter weather running!

We got snow Sunday morning. Getting hit with a snow storm today into Tuesday.

I'm glad I'm "FROM" Wisconsin, although we are supposed to get a touch of snow this afternoon and tomorrow.

Now if I lived in Steamboat Springs, I might have a chance to compete...

Sounds like a fun way to motivate ourselves to go out in the wonderful crap! Been mild so far here in Maine, but that can change soon.
By "event" do you mean any training ride or run?
Any specific place to gather the weather data?

Looking forward to the challenge since I will be starting training for my first ever Marathon shortly, Marathon is in Early May.

You can count skiing, snowshoeing. hiking etc.

We usually have a spreadsheet on google docs. Not sure how to create a new one. I guess we could take the one from last year, clear the data and use that one.

I'm just playing with Google Docs. I think I'm pretty close to having something that I can share for tracking this challenge. Give me a day or two and I should be able to post a link.

Are we going to go from November 1? I've noticed that Garmin Connect automatically includes the weather for the date and time of my activities so I can calculate my points. However, if others will have trouble coming up with weather data we could delay the official start date until we have the a file to use for tracking.
Don

I just started keeping track of my points over the weekend. So if you want to go back to Nov 1st you can. Its a long winter and people jump in late.

Here's a link for tracking results. It's pretty similar to last year's spreadsheet. There's a column for every week - just put your name in one of the rows and then enter your points in the column for each week. Please let me know if you have any trouble with the spreadsheet.

I have also added some other tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet. These tabs include the format that I used last year in my personal points tracking spreadsheet. The "Metric Calculator" includes conversions from Celsius Fahrenheit and from in kph to mph. So you can copy this if you want to use it in Excel on your own computer. Or you can just use the shared file for calculating points for individual activities.

I've entered my November activities as an example.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kBBhTK2OIvMWKFRCIoznji3-98r5...

Don

Thanks for putting the sheet together, it looks good!
Damn Maine weather is not helping, 56 deg today doesn't make for a good score. I'm sure that will change all too soon, I kick off my Marathon training starting the 22nd, should give me a boost by then.

You can have some of our cold weather. This is too early to be this cold already.

7 Day Forecast

TODAY
Hi 24 F
Lo 15 F
Mostly cloudy with a few flurries possible.


FRIDAY
Hi 24 F
Lo 9 F

Partly or mostly sunny and cold.

SATURDAY
Hi 24 F
Lo 4 F

Increasing clouds with a 50% chance of light snow in the evening, especially south of Wausau

SUNDAY
Hi 23 F
Lo 12 F

Mixed skies and chilly with a few snow showers possible.

MONDAY
Hi 19 F
Lo 9 F

Breezy and even colder. Scattered snow showers.

TUESDAY
Hi 18 F
Lo 5 F

Partly sunny, breezy, and very chilly. Flurries possible.

WEDNESDAY
Hi 25 F
Lo 9 F

Partly cloudy with slight warming.

You might just need to do that, just went for a run in shorts and a couple light shirts, 46 deg in November I guess I shouldn't complain.

Yes, "It is a long winter..." Which makes me extremely thankful for the crappy winter weather challenge! It has snowed several times in northern Iowa this last week with temps in the teens...time to get some points

Everyone else is complaining about the cold and we get excited! It is 14 degrees with some wind! WooHoo! snow tomorrow

Help! For some reason I am having trouble adding myself to the spreadsheet.

Are you able to follow the above link?

I didn't sign in, and it worked.

Lumberdad I can get there and see everything...just can't add my name or numbers...maybe because I am using a notebook?

This user's post has been ignored.

HI nichip
We have tried at my house using IPAD and Android tablet but neither worked. Our Windows and Mac computers and laptops do work however. Do you have any other devices that you can try?
Don

I can add my name and numbers to the "Tracking Sheet" section and my total shows up in the "Results Summary" however I cannot add my name? It says that the cell is protected.

Finally had some cool weather and a little wind, looks like maybe winter is starting to creep in.

Hi Lumberdan
I was missing some formulas in the results summary. It's supposed to automatically copy the names from up above. I think it is fixed now. Thanks for pointing this out.

I have made some changes to the "Points Calculator" section. You don't need to enter the points. Just enter Temp (Fahrenheit), Wind (in MPH), Precip (0,L,M or H), Bike (Y or N) and logic statements in the spreadsheet determine the number of points and perform all of the calculations. I think the results it gives are pretty good (it works for all of my activities) but if you enter something that gives funny results, please let me know.

I didn't delete the previous entries in the points calculator - you need to page down if you want to see them.

I haven't done automatic metric page yet - I'll do this later today or maybe tomorrow.
Don

Oops - sorry Lumber Dad and Mountaindan. I was mixed up and mashed your names together.

Mountaindan - my message is in reference to your message about having trouble adding your name.
Don

Don
Thanks for your help..we don't have a laptop or another computer right now. But I can go to the library tomorrow.