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Stress-Free Marathon -- April 2023 Step Challenge and Photo Scavenger Hunt

A Marathon for Stress-Free April? Well, read on … 

 

April is Stress Awareness Month and exercise is GOOD for stress reduction, right? Ummm, maybe. Look, I know a lot of Fitbitters want to run a marathon, but if success is trying to accomplish that in a few hours, or even a day, it sounds a little crazy! So try a 30-Day Marathon instead.This April commit to one mile, walk or run, every day. Maybe (gulp) even if it is raining. But don't stress! If it is raining really hard step inside or take a day off. A marathon is only 26 miles.

 

I’ve always been a fan of getting my exercise outside where I can see the earth, the trees, the flowers, the bees, and for April, rain (likely) or shine, I’m going out to see that one stress-free day at a time. Come along and set up some month-long fitness goals as well — a little challenge is good, but for Stress Awareness Month, don’t push too hard. Focus on the joy of daily exercise.

   
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

For Stress Awareness April how about some pictures of whatever brings a smile to your face? Here's one of my dog Jayhawk who wonders why it gets so dark when he goes for his kong.

Is there really food in there?Is there really food in there?

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.

Scott | Baltimore MD

Charge 6; Inspire 3; Luxe; iPhone 13 Pro

Best Answer
122 REPLIES 122

15 April

 

1.6 km (1 mile) per day for 26 days               11/26   (marathon goal)

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                      8/20

12 days over 12,000                                         4/12                

5 days over 15,000 steps                                 2/5           

20 exercise sessions (swim, bike, vigorous walk, dance)   20/20

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      1/3

250km on my bike                                             197/250

Community Council Member

Helen | Western Australia

Want to discuss ways to increase your activity? Visit Get Moving in the Lifestyle Discussion Forum.

Best Answer

April Stress-Free Marathon, Day 14

 

150 floors every day that I'm at home in Shropshire

14/30
10 miles at least with Walter the collie every day, wherever we are.14/30
Play the piano to Walter every day.14/30
In bed by midnight ever day..14/30
..and by 11pm at least 5 days in every 7.  Caught up!10/14
Cleaning/DIY/gardening every day when I'm at home.14/30
30,000 steps every day.14/10
3 Scavenger Hunt photos1/3

 

I need to have my camera ready!

Best Answer

Stress Free Day 15 (tax day!)

 

17K steps/day for 25 days  12/25

1 pushup

 15/25

10 weight-lifting days 

 6/14

post 3 scavenger pics

 3/3

Sleep 6:00 hours + 15 days or more during the month 

 

11/15

1 pull-up (modified)

 

15/25

Unicycle: 15 mins/day for 25 days 

13/25

13 Dry (no alcohol) days 4/15
Beat April 2022 bike mileage (260.9 miles) 

244.1

 

Not everyone on Baltimore likes rental scooters 😂

IMG_4776.jpegIMG_4775.jpegIMG_4774.jpeg

Scott | Baltimore MD

Charge 6; Inspire 3; Luxe; iPhone 13 Pro

Best Answer

Stress-Free Marathon April 14 through 16

17.7k Steps/Day Weekdays:-/20

9.5K Steps/Day Weekends: 3/10

2000 Calorie Limit/Day: 15/30

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend): 13/30

Weights 2x/week: 2/8

Stretch 4x/week: -/15

Squats 30/day: 2/10

80oz Water daily: 4/30

Lose 3 pounds: --/3

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 167,174/450,000

 

@Baltoscott  That's awful heat for this time of the year!  We cooled off a bit.  Today we are down to the mid 40s, possibly into the 50s with rain.  I watched leaves come out in maybe a 24-hour window.  Even with the chill, I had to open my office windows.  It was 80.5 in my office.  I'm at least down to 78. 😫

Best Answer

17 April

 

1.6 km (1 mile) per day for 26 days               12/26   (marathon goal)

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                      9/20

12 days over 12,000                                         4/12                

5 days over 15,000 steps                                 2/5           

20 exercise sessions (swim, bike, vigorous walk, dance)   22/20

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      1/3

250km on my bike                                             248/250

Community Council Member

Helen | Western Australia

Want to discuss ways to increase your activity? Visit Get Moving in the Lifestyle Discussion Forum.

Best Answer

Stress-free April - Day 14,15,16,17

8,000 steps: 9/15 days

10,000 steps: 5/5 days

12,000 steps: 1/4 days

Rebounding: 8/15 days

Weights 2x/week: 6/8 days

Blue Days: 6/10 days

Lose 2 kilos (starting weight: 58.3): -.1 

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 1/3

Best Answer

IMG_0788.jpeg

 

Walter inventing his own amusement with his favourite pursuit - the effects of gravity on a tennis ball.

The camera doesn't really show that he's above the ball and it's on a steep downward path.

Best Answer

Stress Free Marathon April 2023 Challenge @ April 15th

 

My challenge this month is to continue with my steps to accomplish my goal for the year of 3,650,000 steps  

Now that I have been with Fitbit for a year I would like to beat last years numbers

 

To date for the year I have reached  1,222,804/3,650,000 steps

 

Goals to beat:

April 2023/April 2022

    200,026/375,909 steps   

    177/324 floors 

    138.66/261.94 km

 

30 Day Marathon (1 mile =1.6 km)

    /30

 

Bike Ride (once the snow goes away)

    1/4  (14 km bike ride one night after dinner)

 

Loose 2 lbs

 2/2

 

Scavenger Hunt pics of things that make me happy (can only post 3?)

   3/3

339532465_203218972444501_2664738292784638359_n.jpg

Best Answer

Stress-Free Marathon April 17

17.7k Steps/Day Weekdays:-/20

9.5K Steps/Day Weekends: 3/10

2000 Calorie Limit/Day: 16/30

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend): 14/30

Weights 2x/week: 2/8

Stretch 4x/week: -/15

Squats 30/day: 2/10

80oz Water daily: 4/30

Lose 3 pounds: --/3

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 182,326/450,000

Best Answer

Stress-free April 17th update

 

13k steps per day - 9/16 days

10k steps per day - 3/4 days

16k steps per day - 2/4 days

18k steps per day - -2/3 days

over 20k steps per day - 1/2 days  #1-(24,789)

Weights - 7/12 days 

Yoga/pilates/stretch -  7/12 days

90 oz Water every day - 16/30

8 pound weight loss - 4.1 pounds lost  

3  (at least) for photo scavenger hunt. 2/3

Crazy warm here in Central Illinois as well..average temps are around 65 degrees but have been reaching 84 degrees on a few days last week. I am suffering from some severe allergies, but the show goes on.. Our trees below bloomed in a matter of 3 days!  So therein is the beauty 🙂

lilacs at lake.jpeg 

Best Answer

Stress-Free Marathon April 18

17.7k Steps/Day Weekdays:-/20

9.5K Steps/Day Weekends: 4/10

2000 Calorie Limit/Day: 17/30

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend): 15/30

Weights 2x/week: 2/8

Stretch 4x/week: -/15

Squats 30/day: 2/10

80oz Water daily: 4/30

Lose 3 pounds: --/3

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 196,262/450,000

 

What a switch in weather.  We went from chilly, to the 80s, and now we are back in the 30s-40s.  I feel like I've to carry around a suitcase to work because I never know how the weather will go. 🤣

Best Answer

@Vidd- Walter makes me smile. Jayhawk is pretty good with the drop and give commands and we chained that behavior into a variation of catch. I give him a ball and send him to the top of a playground slide and then tell him to drop it down the slide. It rolls down to me and I catch it and then throw it back to him at the top. An indoor variation involves my other dog Cali. Jayhawk drops the ball from the top of the stairs, Cali catches it, gives it to me, I throw it to Jayhawk, and then the whole cycle goes again. 

Scott | Baltimore MD

Charge 6; Inspire 3; Luxe; iPhone 13 Pro

Best Answer

19 April

 

1.6 km (1 mile) per day for 26 days               14/26   (marathon goal)

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

12 days over 12,000                                         4/12                

5 days over 15,000 steps                                 2/5           

20 exercise sessions (swim, bike, vigorous walk, dance)   25/20

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      1/3

250km on my bike                                             248/250

Community Council Member

Helen | Western Australia

Want to discuss ways to increase your activity? Visit Get Moving in the Lifestyle Discussion Forum.

Best Answer

Stress-Free Marathon April 19

17.7k Steps/Day Weekdays:-/20

9.5K Steps/Day Weekends: 4/10

2000 Calorie Limit/Day: 18/30

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend): 16/30

Weights 2x/week: 2/8

Stretch 4x/week: -/15

Squats 30/day: 2/10

80oz Water daily: 4/30

Lose 3 pounds: --/3

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 212,126/450,000

Best Answer

20 April

 

1.6 km (1 mile) per day for 26 days               15/26   (marathon goal)

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                      11/20

12 days over 12,000                                         5/12                

5 days over 15,000 steps                                 2/5           

20 exercise sessions (swim, bike, vigorous walk, dance)   26/20

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      1/3

250km on my bike                                             248/250

Community Council Member

Helen | Western Australia

Want to discuss ways to increase your activity? Visit Get Moving in the Lifestyle Discussion Forum.

Best Answer

Stress-free April - Day 18,19,20

8,000 steps: 11/15 days

10,000 steps: 5/5 days

12,000 steps: 2/4 days

Rebounding: 9/15 days

Weights 2x/week: 6/8 days

Blue Days: 7/10 days

Lose 2 kilos (starting weight: 58.3): -.1 

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 1/3

Best Answer

Stress-Free Marathon April 20

17.7k Steps/Day Weekdays:-/20

9.5K Steps/Day Weekends: 4/10

2000 Calorie Limit/Day: 19/30

IF Daily (12 hr weekday/16:8 weekend): 17/30

Weights 2x/week: 2/8

Stretch 4x/week: -/15

Squats 30/day: 2/10

80oz Water daily: 4/30

Lose 3 pounds: --/3

Photo Scavenger Hunt: -/3

Total Steps: 220,604/450,000

 

 

Best Answer

21 April

 

1.6 km (1 mile) per day for 26 days               16/26   (marathon goal)

10,000 steps a day for 20 days                      12/20

12 days over 12,000                                         6/12                

5 days over 15,000 steps                                 3/5           

20 exercise sessions (swim, bike, vigorous walk, dance)   27/20

3 Scavenger Hunt pics                                      1/3

250km on my bike                                          248/250

Community Council Member

Helen | Western Australia

Want to discuss ways to increase your activity? Visit Get Moving in the Lifestyle Discussion Forum.

Best Answer

@Baltoscott That sounds like excellent canine fun.  Walter's favourite situation is when the slope goes down to a stream.  He'll then wade a long the stream bed, tracking the ball.  The effectiveness of this depends on the current - our water levels can fluctuate quite a bit - so sometimes he has to pick the ball up and give it a fresh drop, but when the water is fast, it's race to get the ball back before it heads off and away.

 

April Stress-Free Marathon, Day 21

 

150 floors every day that I'm at home in Shropshire

21/30
10 miles at least with Walter the collie every day, wherever we are.21/30
Play the piano to Walter every day.21/30
In bed by midnight ever day..21/30
..and by 11pm at least 5 days in every 7.  Caught up!17/21
Cleaning/DIY/gardening every day when I'm at home.21/30
30,000 steps every day.21/30
3 Scavenger Hunt photos2/3
Best Answer

Stress-free April - Day 21,22

8,000 steps: 11/15 days

10,000 steps: 6/5 days

12,000 steps: 3/4 days

Rebounding: 9/15 days

Weights 2x/week: 7/8 days

Blue Days: 7/10 days

Lose 2 kilos (starting weight: 58.3): -.1 

Scavenger Hunt Pics: 1/3

Best Answer