Muddy March 2024 — Step Challenge and Photo Scavenger Hunt

[Baltoscott]

It is the third month of the year and time for the seasons to change on the calendar. March 19 will be the Vernal equinox - spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn in the Southern hemisphere. Around Baltimore we might get a few days of cold and snow, but it will thaw quickly and probably be muddy. But the trees will start to flower, and tulips have broken ground and will start to bloom before April … so get out and move your body, while you keep up with your monthly health goals.                                                    

How It Works

The primary purpose of these monthly challenges is to keep track of your daily step goals for the month; though many of us track other things as well, like body weight exercises, sleep, trips to the gym, logging food, etc. 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 — 3 pictures

Since March will be the lost month of winter for most of us (and summer from some of us), it’s a good time to get pics that show that change. A final snowfall, buds on trees, rabbits, birds and more. Just try to find three pics that somehow represent March. Extra points for Saint Patrick’s Day Pics.

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.

[Baltoscott]

The magnolias are blooming. One bush is growing up around a old tree trunk. Wonder how long that took. The other magnolia, goldfinch and junco are from my backyard today. We had a lot of rain, and that gave the junco big eyebrows. 

Groucho Marx Juncobackyard junco in the magnoliaGoldfinch in the magnolia

[NellyG]

23 March

10,000 steps a day for 15 days                      17/15

10 days over 12,000                                         12/10             

6 days over 15,000 steps                                 8/6           

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

100km on my bike                                             142/100

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[NellyG]

@Baltoscott That magnolia is beautiful!

25 March

10,000 steps a day for 15 days                      18/15

10 days over 12,000                                         13/10             

6 days over 15,000 steps                                 9/6           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   38/35

100km on my bike                                             142/100

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[NellyG]

26 March

10,000 steps a day for 15 days                      19/15

10 days over 12,000                                         14/10             

6 days over 15,000 steps                                 9/6           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   41/35

100km on my bike                                             142/100

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[SteppingBooks]

Muddy March 21 to 27

11.3K Steps/Day, 21 Working Days: 4/21

10K Steps/Day 8 Off Days: 2/10

2000 Calorie Limit/Day: 26/31

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend):  27/31

Weights 2x/week: 5/10

Stretch 4x/week: -/15

Squats 30/day: 1/10

80oz Water daily:  4/31

Lose 3 pounds: --/3

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 177,943/337,000

[NellyG]

28 March

10,000 steps a day for 15 days                      20/15

10 days over 12,000                                         15/10             

6 days over 15,000 steps                                 10/6           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   43/35

100km on my bike                                             142/100

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[Baltoscott]

@NellyG @SteppingBooks @jantonini @KarenRogers (keep at it!) @Vidd @Seaturtle7 @Taking_the_Mike (no group, all you do is post to the thread) 

April Showers is up. Go post your goals.

[Baltoscott]

Thanks @NellyG. Love the magnolias.

Friends in town this week so we took them to DC to see the Cherry Blossoms at the tidal basin. Last year for some of the trees as the have to build up the retaining walls to address rising water levels. "Stumpy" one of the originals, will be removed, but clippings will be saved to propagate new trees. 

cherry blossomsSave Stumpy!Washington MonumentStumpy!Rising sea levels

[Seaturtle7]

March goals

Well, March was pretty much a washout as far as exercise goes.  I had vertigo for 18 days, then grandkids for 7 .  They left yesterday but I woke up yesterday with significant knee pain.  Going to stay off it till Monday and start again.  I did manage to do pretty well on my steps all things considered.

Walk 1.25 miles 1x week.   0/4

30 minute exercises 1x week   3/4

Weights 1x week      1/4

3500 steps 17 days.  15/17

5500 steps 13 days.   7/13

Lose 3lbs.      1.2/3

3 pics.                0/3A

[jantonini]

I have enjoyed looking back on all of your pictures! It has been a crazy busy few weeks with school and extra classes.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!

Muddy March  Day 30

10k steps per day (Sundays) -  4/5 days

13k steps per day -  15/15 days

16k steps per day -   4/4 days

18k steps per day -  4/4 days

Over 20k steps per day - 1/3 Days: 1-21,887; 2-22,838; 3-23,444

Weights -  16/16 days 

Yoga/pilates/stretch - 14/16 days

90 oz Water every day -  29/31 days

4 lb weight loss -  1/4 pounds lost

Mindfulness/Meditation at least 3 minutes-    4/8

March pictures. 3/3  

Below, special red lilac bush is getting ready to bloom and spring allows me to get more fresh blueberries and strawberries, therefore the picture of the salad. I am known on Facebook as the salad queen. 😂 

 

 

[NellyG]

31 March

10,000 steps a day for 15 days                      21/15

10 days over 12,000                                         15/10             

6 days over 15,000 steps                                 10/6           

35 exercise sessions (swim, bike, walk, gym, dance)   45/35

100km on my bike                                             142/100

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      3/3

[Baltoscott]

Muddy March Day 31

17K steps/day for 25 days		23/25
1 pushup for 25 days		31/25
9 weight-lifting days		2/9
post 3 scavenger pics		3/3
Sleep 6:10 hours + 20 days or more during the month		12/20
1 pull-up for 25 days		31/25
Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 20 days		17/20
20 dry days		16/20
Beat February 2023 bike mileage (237.3 miles)		343.5
100 zone minutes 20 days.		14/20

I'm happy with the bike miles. Came up short in other areas, but some of that is because of the pinched nerve in my neck. I have full range of motion now, but it still hurts some when I look left. Need to get back my weigh-lifting days back up.