August 2017 Monthly Challenge - Back to School BINGO!

It's August, which means it is also Back To School time, so we are playing 

Back To School MRTT/SRTT Bingo 

for our August Challenge! This challenge will run from August 1-August 31.

You should aim to do each item listed on the Bingo board in a "cover all" fashion. Post your progress on your bingo card weekly, or more often if you would like! Make sure when you post each week, you try to share a fun photo(s) of your weekly activities to motivate and give everyone ideas! :)

Once you have completed ALL of the activities on your card, you need to yell BINGO in the group and your name will be put in the pot for a prize drawing at the end of the month!!!

The Worst “Trail” Run Ever

The Worst “Trail” Run Ever

by Amy Mueller, MRTT/SRTT Louisville, KY member

Weekiwachee Preserve

So, my trail marathon plan calls for 8 miles today. I scope out a few runs in Weekiwachee, Florida. We decide on Weekiwachee Preserve and make our way there.

Trail Map with "markers"

We get there and I have no idea of the mileage. I grab a map. I see markers 1 through 12. They are not mile markers. They are latitude and longitude markers. I keep the map and tell dad, "I’ll be back in about an hour and a half."

Let’s just start by saying this trail is part overgrown gravel roads, sandy paths smothered with weeds that may be snake homes, and dead trees presumably from the Florida heat. But the water view is pretty. It is 90 degrees and so humid my clothing starts to get wet as soon as I step outside the car. Dad says: “If you see an alligator, turn around”. Uh okay dad. Sure thing. NOOO Problem.

I follow the “Markers” till about 3. Then I follow the next path. It is a path about the size of a car lane and is all sand with super overgrown weeds. Also, nobody else is on it. Also, its super sketchy and the further I go, the more overgrown it gets. I follow my gut, turn around and head back. Fast. The whole time I envision an alligator chasing after me.

The trail that leads to nowhere

I reconnect with the main path and then just run and try to follow the markers, and the map, to get my “8” miles in for the day. At about mile 3.5, I get menstrual cramps in my legs. You all, I don’t get menstrual cramps in my belly, I get them in my legs. And when that happens, my legs don’t want to move. Plus its ridiculously hot and humid. Plus the trail is boring besides the nice view of the water. So, I think, “You know what, I’m just going to head back to the car, I’m over this.”

At about 5 miles, I come across this nice man “Ron” who is fishing. I ask him how to get back to the car. He’s very helpful. I say “Dad is worried about alligators or snakes getting me." Ron says, "Oh yeah, there are snakes all over the place. But if you stay on the trail you’ll be fine. And Alligators, there here too but they prob won’t get in your way. The largest I’ve seen is 7 feet and they won’t mess with you but the 10 foot ones will drag you in the water." Then he says, "You got enough water?" I say, “Yep, I think I’m good. Seems like I’m pretty close to the car.”  He says "Yeah, probably about 2.5 miles and you are there. Follow the water." I say, “I’ve been following the markers.” and I show him the map. He says, “Oh you can’t trust those, people move those all the time. Just follow the path up there to the right and stay near the water."  Okay, so that explains why I got a little lost.

July Team Challenge is ON!

You heard it right, back by popular demand--JULY is TEAM CHALLENGE month!

ALL PACES/ALL FITNESS LEVELS welcomed!

MRTT/SRTT Louisville, KY Chapter Members - Are you ready for a challenge?

This challenge runs July 1-July 30th!

For this challenge, you must RSVP by June 25th, 2017. 
Those that RSVP “Going” will have their names placed into a pot. We will randomly draw your name and place you with a team at our kick-off meeting on June 29th at Hogan's Fountain (there is a separate FB event linked below for this). You do NOT have to be present to be placed on a team.

Teams will be assigned at random. Each team will choose a “team leader” who will be responsible for cheering the team on and tracking mileage on our spreadsheet. The main goal of the challenge is simple-- get out and walk/run/hike! Activities should be intentional. The team that has the most miles WINS the challenge. We will come back together after the challenge (Location/date TBD) to award prizes for the team with most miles as well as some other FUN awards. 

Activity converstion ratios:
Run/walk/hike: 1
Elliptical:Run is 1:1
Bike or Spin:Run is 3:1
Swim:Run is 1:3
(If you run/walk/hike/elleptical for 5 miles, you count 5 miles total. If you bike or spin 15 miles, you get to count 5 miles total. If you swim 1 mile, you get to count that as 3 miles.)

Note: Running as a team is not required, but highly recommended. If you cannot run as a group, that is okay, just make sure you are tracking everyone’s miles on the spreadsheet as a team.

Don't want to participate in the team challenge? That is okay! You can still set a monthly mileage goal for yourself and we will help keep you accountable here!