The 58-Day Challenge
I‘m taking a page out of the Life Book of one of our coaches and dear friend, Randy Lane…
Ever since I’ve known Randy—which has been a LONG time—he’s always amazed me with his personal challenges and discipline. Every year he will pick a month and choose a challenge. I think his first challenge was giving up bread for a month. Since then he’s given up alcohol, soda, sweets, carbs etc all for a month at a time.
He just turned 50 and set his goal to run 50 miles! He woke up early a couple weekends back and ran 30 miles, took an ice bath and then he ran the final 20—all in one day! I have always marveled at his discipline and commitment to his word.
I have given up things before (like I don’t drink alcohol during competition season), but it’s never been a proclamation of the commitment. It’s always been more of just something I do… without the proclamation I can choose to change my mind at any time.
I got up this Saturday morning and thought, “Dang it, it would have been fun to commit to doing something for the 58 days leading up to my 58th birthday—too bad I didn’t think of this sooner.”
As I was driving to Pilates I started doing the math and dang it… if it’s not exactly 58 days until my 58th birthday! So… here I go.
I am going to do some sort of workout every day for the next 58 days.
There… I said it. I proclaimed it! Aghhhhh the pressure!!!
Already I’m starting to think of all of the excuses I can come up with: What if I get sick? What if I’m not some place I can work out? What if I’m traveling and its just too hard to do something.
Wimp. EXCUSES BE GONE!
I’ve actually had a warm-up period the past few days—Wednesday was circuit training in the park with the amazing Marco Reed, trainer at Get Beyond Fit and friend of a friend. Thursday was Salsa class—again with the amazing Marco. Friday was Springboard Pilates, which I was pathetic at because my legs and calves were fried from Salsa.
Those three days were my warm-up. Today I took a normal Pilates class (legs and calves are still fried), but I pushed through it. Yay me! Here we go………
Day 1: ✔️
Anyone out there care to add your own 58 day challenge with me?
To keep with my proclamation I will update my progress each day on Instagram.
What a great challenge, Miss Val! Once you’ve committed to doing it, you will, esp if it leads up to your birthday. It’s a fun goal. I ‘ve done this for many years aiming to run or now jog/walking the number of miles equaling the years of my birthday in a defined time leading up to it. It’s so special when I hit that mileage which I’ve kept track on with my garmin which I wouldn’t turn off until I hit my birthday. As I’ve gotten older, it’s taken me longer to reach my mileage goal but that’s ok….I make… Read more »
This is a great idea for my 59th next year!
I wish I had seen your post 14 days ago! I have been going through a bit of a rough patch and I am sure that if I complete the 44 day challenge with at least 30 minutes of exercise each day (which I will, and I hope to keep it going for another 14 days at the end!) it will boost my confidence a little and give me a perhaps needed sense of accomplishment. One of my recent thoughts, which I have been trying to put into practice, is finding ways to use what I would call negative energy… Read more »
YES YES YES! Keep me posted on how it’s going!
Aaahhhh…..I’ve slacked on posting every day. Yesterday was a walk with my dog (which should also count as resistance training), some light arm exercises, drank one gallon of water, and did a few random acts of kindness.
Hi Miss Val! Thanks so much for all your musings. I’d love to join your challenge. Your musing about the desert really resonated. I think changes will be coming in my life this fall and I’m going to be facing my version of the desert. In order to prepare for navigating those changes, I think I need to be in the best physical and mental shape possible – so this challenge is timed perfectly. My goals are to work out every day (even a short workout helps) and to make better food choices (and hold myself accountable by tracking them).… Read more »
Ohhhhh YES sounds wise and wonderful!
I’m trying to get better at reading my bible each day. It remained closed for a couple of years, and now I’m trying to open it and read it every day. I had a bit of a wobble depression wise last week, and I’ve missed some days as a result.
I think maybe I need to make a commitment to going outside even for just a short walk every day.
Let’s do this. 53 days of you going outside for at least a 10 min walk every day!!!!
Hey, Laurie. I can sure relate to the depression. Getting outside helps so much, as does The Bible. I’d be happy to share my daily devotions &/or encourage you to get outside.