January-March 2025 Step Challenge and Scavenger Hunt

[Baltoscott]

Happy 2025!!

We are continuing to combine monthly challenges into a single three-month thread. It’s a new year and time to reaffirm your good fitness habits and maybe to add a few. While the start of the thread is January 1, please jump in at any time.

General instructions are below, including the monthly picture scavenger hunt.                                                       

How It Works

The primary purpose of these challenges is to keep track of your daily step goals and commit for a period of time; though many of us track other things as well, like body weight exercises, sleep, trips to the gym, logging food, etc. Try to reevaluate and update your goals/commitment each month. This is not a competition to see who can do the most of whatever, instead it is a challenge to measure your consistency. So whether you do 1k, 5k, 10k or even 40k steps a day, this is measuring how many days out of the monthly total you can hit your goal.

Some might have a constant goal of 10k steps every single day and others might have a variable goal throughout the week, (and some might even plan days off!) for example.
Monday -> Friday = 10k steps a day
Sat & Sun = “6k steps a day,” or “not tracking”

Regardless of how you structure your daily goals, the only thing that matters for the monthly challenge is whether or not you reach what you set out to do.

Suggested Posting Format    
1) Post either your constant or variable step goal.
2) Keep track of the # of daily goals achieved out of the monthly minimum and or monthly total

Picture Scavenger Hunt

The idea is to find at least three pictures while you out and about based on a monthly theme. For January, street art or hidden pictures. Street art is any graffiti you come across and any art built into architecture.  Hidden pictures are designs in nature that might be there on purpose (someone carved something into or hung something on a tree) or might be something you see in a natural formation (a shoulder or face in a mountain or a cloud). For February, find the ‘odd duck;’ something out of place; someone oddly dressed; something a little ridiculous. Of course, an actual duck or a rubber duck is fair game too.  For March, look for shamrocks (Saint Patrick’s Day), or something that conveys marching (marching band, boots), or the month of March (migrating animals, spring or fall (depends on where you live) foliage change  . (If you have other ideas over the coming months, post to the thread and I can update).

Life Underground. 2001 work of public art by Tom Otterness located in 14 St (A/C/E/L) station (New York City Transit)

Posting

Although you certainly don’t have to post daily, you’ll likely stay closer to what you set out to do by updating the thread several times/week.

Injury Notice
If you injure yourself during the month and need to scale back due to the injury, then all you have to do is adjust your goal for that period. If you normally do 10k steps a day but pull a hamstring and decide to do minimal walking (2k steps a day), then all you have to do is change your goal.

[NellyG]

Haha love it @Vidd 

10 January

12 days over 10,000 steps                     7/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      6/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         3/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   16/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[Andrifit]

Sunny and warm weather here in our island!!!  Goal for the month of January is approximately over 30,000 steps per day! Goal achieved for 10/31 days!!! My dog is my plus 1 in this journey!!! I hope everyone is having a lovely month so far!!!

Today me and my grandson went to a dog shelter! 

[Vidd]

Welcome on board, @Andrifit!. 30,000 per day is a great target, one I hope to get back to when I can.  Until the end of June last year my dog came with me on all of my long walks - three a day - and one day my wife and I will have another one.  Those dogs in your picture are just looking for a home - are you thinking of adding one?

[NellyG]

11 January

12 days over 10,000 steps                     8/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      6/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         3/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   17/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[NellyG]

12 January 

12 days over 10,000 steps                     9/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      7/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         3/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   19/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[Andrifit]

I hope everyone is have a wonderful month so far!!!!

I wish I had the space @Vidd. I sometimes visit with my grandson and help out a bit or donate food. I have a small yorkie and she brings a great deal of joy and companionship into my life! 

Saw this at a store today and thought what a beautiful message !

Step goal achieved for 13/ 31 days for the month of January. 

Lastly I want to say great job everyone !!!!! Keep going!!! 

[Baltoscott]

Day 14

12K steps/day for 22 days		13/22
15 floors/day for 20 days		11/20
1 pushups for 25 days		14/25
12 weight-lifting days		5/12
post 3 scavenger pics		2/3
Sleep 6:00 hours + 15 days or more during the month		13/15
1 pull-ups for 25 days		14/25
Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 20 days		3/20
25 dry days		11/25
Beat January 2024 bike mileage (209 miles)		69/209
120 active minutes 20 days.		9/20
Log Food - 25 days.		14/25

@Vidd - I DO see a happy face in that biscuit.

We've 5 or 6 days below freezing weather here and the snow we got a while back as yet to melt. Some of the neighbor kids got industrious in building their snow fort. Not sure, but I think they filled balloons with water, added food coloring to some, and then let them freeze up. Here's how one person did it. Pretty clever. Alas, a lot of balloons must have been sacrificed in making the fort.  

Ice molds?

[jantonini]

@Andrifit Great goal and welcome!

@Baltoscott Cool “balloon” fort

@Vidd such a happy biscuit!! That made me smile 😊 

 January 13tj:

10k steps per day -3/4 days

Over 13k steps per day -616 days

Over 16k steps per day - 3/7 days

Over 20k steps per day - 1/4 days

Weights -6 /13 days

Yoga/pilates/stretch -7 /16 days

90 oz Water every day -13 /30 days

pics 1/3. Does anyone else see a large plane coming in that is actually the wolf moon?

 

/3

[SunsetRunner]

January - 9,10,11,12,13,14

6,000 Steps - 4/10 days

8,000 Steps - 3/8 days

10,000 Steps - 4/8 days

Home Fitness - 3/12 days

Fitness Center - 3/8 days 

Lose weight (starting 62.4)  - .8/2.0 kg 

Visit Castle/ Museum/ Gallery - 0/4 days

Photo challenge - 0/3 pics

Also like the smiley 😊 biscuit, @Vidd . And agree @jantonini the Wolf moon shot looks like a plane coming in for a landing. From here less dramatic (too much 'white light'.

[Baltoscott]

Day 16

12K steps/day for 22 days		15/22
15 floors/day for 20 days		13/20
1 pushups for 25 days		16/25
12 weight-lifting days		5/12
post 3 scavenger pics		2/3
Sleep 6:00 hours + 15 days or more during the month		10/15
1 pull-ups for 25 days		16/25
Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 20 days		6/20
25 dry days		12/25
Beat January 2024 bike mileage (209 miles)		86/209
120 active minutes 20 days.		10/20
Log Food - 25 days.		16/25

@jantonini - yep. I see a plane in your wolf moon. 

[NellyG]

17 January 

12 days over 10,000 steps                     13/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      10/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         4/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   26/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[NellyG]

18 January

12 days over 10,000 steps                     14/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      10/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         4/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   27/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[NellyG]

19 January 

12 days over 10,000 steps                     15/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      10/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         4/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   27/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[Vidd]

JanuaDry update - Day 18

Goal days revised due my trip down to London to the NHNN.

In bed by 11 every day	18/31
5 flights of stairs each day	14/26
1000 steps per day	15/27
5000 revs on the exercise pedaller daily	15/27
3 Scavenger Hunt pictures	1/3

I came back home to beautiful Shropshire yesterday evening.  It's been like one of those slow bicycle races between Mrs Vidd and myself, as she was in for her knee replacement operation.  It all started last Tuesday with a 4.00 a.m. alarm.  I was out at five - luckily with a good moon - to do the tyre pressures for both of our cars.  This ran down the battery on hers, which then wouldn't start, so it was back up to the house to get the battery charger and hope that it would give it enough juice to start the engine.  There was no Plan B drawn up!  Fortunately 30 minutes of charge was enough.  She was expected home on Wednesday, with Thursday a slight possibility.

On my way to London I got an email to say that one of my tests, an EMG, had been put back a month.  So I emailed back (thank goodness for modern tech!) politely but firmly to remind them how I was travelling for 4.5 hours in the back of a car to get there, and how all the scans and tests had been organised some time ago in an efficient and helpful manner.  I got a reply within about ten minutes!  Yes, they could shift it to a different day, and the MRI that was to follow would be OK if I arrived a bit late.  I was impressed that they could respond so positively.  However, on the day itself - Wednesday - the EMG was very late in starting, so it knocked the MRI completely off the board.  No worries - they put it for the next morning.  I then pointed out that I had what the medical staff called a neurofizz, i.e. a neurophysiological test, booked for half an hour after the MRI was to start.  That was a problem, as the MRI was two hours long.  So they had another go and put it for the afternoon.  All the ducks were in place and my test card was complete by the end of Thursday.  I had originally organised my transport home for that day, but had shifted it to Friday.

Transport was somewhat complex because the NHNN is very hard to access by car.  Those of you who have been to London will know that driving a car is not the best way to get around.  Because of this, and also because my first appointment was for 08:30, I had arranged to be dropped off the night before at accommodation provided by the Catholic Church in north London - the priest there is a great chap, known to me because his sister is a choir member and great friend at my own church in Shropshire.  I qualified for hospital transport to and from the NHNN, but could only get the latter arranged when I knew my departure day and time.  I was expecting this to be Friday, but I was told that my consultant would come to see me before I went.  He had tried to do so on Thursday, but came when I was having my MRI.  He couldn't come on Friday, as it turned out, so I remained there overnight and then came home yesterday.

Results are not yet all through, but they are very quick at the NHNN, so I hope to hear something this week.  I also hope that the test results point the way to either more tests, or to a treatment plan.

Mrs Vidd had a successful knee replacement but had to stay extra days, firstly because the wound took a bit of time to seal, and then, because she wasn't felling too great, they gave her a blood test, and found her to be low on sodium.  We spoke often on the phone, and she was feeling very down by lunchtime yesterday.  They decided to give her a blood transfusion, and when I was back home yesterday, she called me again the evening, in mid transfusion - sounding much happier.  The new blood had really perked her up!  A close friend of ours has gone up with a bag of fresh clothes, which Mrs Vidd had specified - she'd also told me exactly where to find them!  Those will cheer her up for her return journey, which is tomorrow.  She will be on crutches, of course, and they've given her good tuition in how to use them especially on the stairs.  It will be good to have her home again.

Having suspended my goals during my time away, I got straight back on the Cubii last night, and, as usual, began the day on it.  It's one thing that hospitals must worry about - the whole business of patients not getting enough exercise, and suffering muscle wastage.  

I even had some dry days, of course.  But I did have a glass of wine with my supper when I was home last night.

@jantonini I can definitely see that plane - great picture!

[NellyG]

20 January

12 days over 10,000 steps                     16/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      10/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         4/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   27/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[Baltoscott]

Day 22

12K steps/day for 22 days		20/22
15 floors/day for 20 days		18/20
1 pushups for 25 days		22/25
12 weight-lifting days		5/12
post 3 scavenger pics		2/3
Sleep 6:00 hours + 15 days or more during the month		13/15
1 pull-ups for 25 days		22/25
Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 20 days		8/20
25 dry days		18/25
Beat January 2024 bike mileage (209 miles)		92/209
120 active minutes 20 days.		10/20
Log Food - 25 days.		16/25

@Vidd - What an odyssey you've been on. I hope Mrs. Vidd's recovery is quick and uneventful and that you get some positive therapy. I'm really glad you've got that Cubii and that you can use it.   

The weather is really messing with my goals this month. Ice and snowpack on the road has limited my bike and unicycle rides, and I've just been out of my routine for the on a lot of days. On the other hand, I'm happy with my dryish January goals so far and I've had a number of nice hikes with my camera in the woods.  A couple of pictures of a golden-crowned kinglet from a few days ago. Small little bundles of energy. The way they flit around reminds me of the Golden Snitch of Harry Potter fame. Especially cute all puffed up to stay warm in the cold.

[jantonini]

 January 24

@Vidd Oh what a crazy and long journey for both you and your wife! I’m sending you lots of positive vibes and prayers for positive results.

10k steps per day -5/4 days

Over 13k steps per day -12/16 days

Over 16k steps per day - 5/7 days

Over 20k steps per day - 2/4 days

Weights -9 /13 days

Yoga/pilates/stretch -12 /16 days

90 oz Water every day -‘22/30 days

pics 2/3. this may be a stretch, but I see some of the branches of the trees below in the form of a trellis that the eagles are on top of.

 

[SunsetRunner]

January - 15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24

6,000 Steps - 8/10 days

8,000 Steps - 6/8 days

10,000 Steps - 6/8 days

Home Fitness - 6/12 days

Fitness Center - 6/8 days 

Lose weight (starting 62.4)  - .1/2.0 kg  (gained back most of what I'd lost 😞)

Visit Castle/ Museum/ Gallery - 1/4 days

Photo challenge - 1/3 pics

[NellyG]

28 January 

12 days over 10,000 steps                     20/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      11/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         4/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   32/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[NellyG]

29 January

12 days over 10,000 steps                     21/12

8 days over 12,000 steps                      12/8             

4 days over 15,000 steps                         5/4           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   34/25

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3