Stomping STEPcember Challenge and Scavenger Hunt

[Baltoscott]

Stomping STEPcember Challenge and Scavenger Hunt

Anything Goes August is almost over and it is time to start a new step challenge.  So here comes the STOMPING STEPCEMBER Step Challenge and Scavenger Hunt.  Yes, STOMPING because just like kids going back to school, we know it sucks that summer is over (in the Northern Hemisphere anyway), and that it sometimes helps to express your feelings with a stomp or two.

General monthly instructions are below, but we are also continuing the practice started last month of a picture scavenger hunt:  

Take your phone or other camera on your walks and look for, snap, and post three pics or more of the following: 

1 - the oldest structure in your area (of any type, oldest house, monument, school, whatever — tell us what it is and how old it is); 

2 - storm drain or manhole or other utility cover (keep your eyes pealed — there are some very artsy manholes in the world); 

3 - a wild animal.  (Going to the zoo is OK.  The animal need not be alive.  Statutes are OK.  If you use a stuffed animal, put it somewhere usual for the shot).  I found this guy in the DC hood ...

  

Although a picture of your dog/cat other pet won’t satisfy the scavenger hunt, post those anyway.  We love ‘em.                                                           

   
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

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.

[SunsetRunner]

And another scavenger photo, from a walk this afternoon. The 'roos on the golf course posed for me. If you look closely, you'll see the joey in the pouch (third from the left).

Edit: meant to add progress in goals.

Day ten of thirty stomps:

• At least 5000 steps every day: 10/30
• At least 7000 steps on two days each week: 3/8; 1.5/4
• By the end of the month, have the 28-day average at 7000 steps: Average = 6601 Day 1 -> 6732 Day 9 (I've changed this and am now calculating the 28-day average of the daily actuals to yesterday. The 28-day average on the website dashboard doesn't reconcile.)
  
• 2 km walk or longer - ten in the month (can include running): 3/10
• At least 6 hours of sleep on 20 days a month: 8/20.
• 3 scavenger pics: 2/3.

[GershonSurge]

@SunsetRunner,

Great pictures of the 'roos.

[WendyB]

@SunsetRunnerLots of Skippy's Thanks for sharing!

[WendyB]

STEPtember 10

Steps: Goal right now is 10000 10/30 This will increase as I go
Boxing 30 days: 10/30
Bike 2 times 30 days: 10/30
Weights 12 days: 4/30

Wall Push ups 30 days:  10/30
250 Steps per hour 9/30 

Lose 3 Pounds .5/3
Post Scavenger hunt photos 3/3

[Jotex]

Stomping STEPcember 10

20 x 13,000 steps — 7/20

20 x 40 jumping jacks — 7/20

3 x scavenger hunt photos — 3/3

BONUS *** getting to 20,000 steps — 0

Alright, I know this ‘wild animal’ is neither wild, nor an animal. But the next best thing I could post from here would be a Swiss cow. 😄

Peter’s royal python Rexi.

[CatLover74]

STEPtember 10

10,000 steps on at least 15 days of the month  -  3/15.

15,000 steps on at least 5 days of the month  -  0/5.

4 walks along the foreshore of my local beach  -  0/4.

7 hours sleep on at least 15 days of the month  -  8/15.

10 wall push ups on at least 20 days of the month  -  4/20.

Scavenger hunt pictures  -  2/3.

[WendyB]

Whats inside @Jotex?  Cant make it out. Kinda looks like an Owl

Its cool looking though

[Baltoscott]

STEPtember 10

15K steps/day	10/30
50 Floors/day 20 times	7/20
1 pushup/day 2/30	10/30
14 non-weight gym days	5/14
9 weight-lifting days	4/9
post 3 scavenger hunt pics	1/3
Sleep 6+ hours 12 days or more during the month	4/12
Weight loss of 2-4 lbs (Sept 2 = 162.3 on TW)	-0.3

[Jotex]

---

@WendyB wrote:

Whats inside @Jotex?  Cant make it out. Kinda looks like an Owl

Its cool looking though

---

It’s a snake @WendyB. A royal python, my husband’s pet, and that’s in the vivarium where he lives in my hubby’s office.. He’s been curled up, hiding, under that partially  carved out tree trunk since Peter left for Iceland 3 weeks ago. 

[WendyB]

Eeeek!!!!! @Jotex Didn't look.like a snake.

Now I looked closer and can see it.

Sounds like it misses your DH.

[Jotex]

I think you’re right about that, @WendyB. Rexi (this snake) is ‘only’ about 1.5 meters long. Peter had a Burmese python for 38 years which grew to almost 4 meters. He died about 10 years ago. He was pictured in an Australian diplomatic magazine years ago with our then 2-year old daughter sitting on him, drinking her tea. I’ll try to find the clipping, scan and post it. 

[WendyB]

I would love to see that picture if you find it @Jotex

[SunsetRunner]

@CatLover74 How are you today? That headache doesn't sound good at all. Did you visit the hospital? I hope you are starting to feel better very soon.

@Jotex - Love the snake. One doesn't think of reptiles having strong connections to people, but this one must if he's pining 🙂

@Baltoscott - keep those photos coming. I'd love to see our local council employ artists to brighten up the footpaths 🙂

@WendyB and @GershonSurge - since the big fires here (2003, 2006 and 2009), the kangaroos have decided to take over the golf course. Before that they tended to stay in the surrounding bushland. Having fewer dogs roaming on the golf course helps, too. I'll see if I can get some better shots before the month runs out.

Day eleven of thirty stomps:

• At least 5000 steps every day: 11/30
• At least 7000 steps on two days each week: 4/8; 2/4
• By the end of the month, have the 28-day average at 7000 steps: Average = 6601 Day 1 -> 6758 Day 10 (I've changed this and am now calculating the 28-day average of the daily actuals to yesterday. The 28-day average on the website dashboard doesn't reconcile.)
  
• 2 km walk or longer - ten in the month (can include running): 4/10 (I'm only counting 2 km days, not walks i.e. if I do more than one in a day, it's not counted)
• At least 6 hours of sleep on 20 days a month: 8/20.
• 3 scavenger pics: 2/3.

I'm having to lift my game to get to an average of 7000 steps by the end of the month, which is probably a good thing. Now aiming for a few 10,000 step days.

[CatLover74]

@SunsetRunner , yes, I was in hospital for about 4 hours being treated for a migraine yesterday.  The head pain is significantly better, although not gone completely; but I'm feeling totally exhausted as a result of the medication they gave me to knock it on the head - so another day of taking it easy today.

[SunsetRunner]

Good to hear you are on the mend, @CatLover74. Migraines can be debilitating and this one must have been particularly gruesome.

[CatLover74]

Yep.  I haven't had one this bad or long lasting since about November 2012.

[CatLover74]

STEPtember 11

10,000 steps on at least 15 days of the month  -  3/15.

15,000 steps on at least 5 days of the month  -  0/5.

4 walks along the foreshore of my local beach  -  0/4.

7 hours sleep on at least 15 days of the month  -  9/15.

10 wall push ups on at least 20 days of the month  -  4/20.

Scavenger hunt pictures  -  2/3.

[Jotex]

---

@WendyB wrote:

I would love to see that picture if you find it @Jotex

---

Aless sipping tea on her favorite 'stool' (Lumpi the Burmese python)

[Jotex]

Here's a slightly better pic of my 'wild animal' scavenger hunt photo. Rexi the Royal Python in our apple tree a couple of years ago. [photos by Peter]

[Heather-S]

Results as of STEPcember 10th:

• At least 10,000 steps every day: 10/30
• At least 15,000 steps three days each week: 7/12 | 1/4
• At least 20,000 steps one day per week: 2/4
• 3 scavenger pics: 0/3.
• Lose 2lbs: 1/2

Well, I got the dream job I wanted!  I start next week!  It's an accounting job and the pay is very similar to what I made in Key West, so I'm super excited!  But going back to work means probably less steps.  My goal will be to go to the gym early before work to get in the bulk of my steps for the day.  I'm so excited to get back to work finally!  Yay!