I was exploring other blogs out there and stumbled across a girl who started a New Year’s challenge for herself to paddleboard 100 miles in 100 days.  A mile a day doesn’t sounds like much, but when you take into account the fact that it’s an activity that you can’t do on a daily basis, it’s weather reliant, and not actually all that close to the house it puts it into perspective a bit.

I liked the idea so much I decided to challenge myself to do the same.

I just started bicycling a couple of weeks ago, so I thought it would be fun to bike 100 miles in that time too.  That’s something I can just go outside and do, as long as it isn’t lightening.  Fun!

Then I decided to sign up for the Dare Greatly Trail half marathons.   It’s 3 halves starting in December.  I mean, ya I’ve never run more than 4 miles and I haven’t run at all in a year, but what the heck, right?

I even made this great banner photo thing for my post.

Then I announced my super great plans to the boyfriend, aka partner in crime.  (AKA person I’m volunteering to do this with me.) And he used his stupid logic on me.  How many weeks in 100 days? About 14. So that’s less than 7.5 miles a trip.  Easy, right?  We usually paddle about 3 miles, what’s the difference?  Unless, of course, we skip a weekend which is a given considering 5 kids between us. Plus jobs that easily take 50 hours a week. Plus his other job and out frequent non-paddling adventures.  Hmmm, maybe not quite as easy as I thought.

The bike part really should be easy though, we tend to ride the trails near the house about twice a week so that part should be easy peasy. Heck I’ll ride around the block until I hit 100 miles if I have to.

The running, well that’s not a given and not something I’m great at being consistent about. But we have 7 months until the first half, so it’s probably doable. Right? Sure.

So the question is whether or not I should give it a go.  No point trying something you know for a fact you can’t do, but then how do you know if you don’t give it a try?

Any opinions? Are there 3 things that you enjoy doing so much that it would be fun to challenge yourself to do them a lot more than you currently are?

I’ve been in the habit of taking walks on all of my breaks at work for years. Once or twice around the building on ten minute breaks, drive to a local park on lunches, anything would do.

I got my new job and though the short walks were around a parking lot there was a nice park and pier both within a 5 minute drive, perfect!

But then…  they move the office.  To downtown Tampa.  Worst, there is a fence keeping you from even walking around the buildings because it’s a conservation area behind the buildings or something. Yay, conservation.  Boo, sitting at  my desk way to much.

I used Google and my GPS to find a nearby park, no go.  Nothing at all anywhere near.  I was truly bummed.  So I started walking up to the 7-11 on the corner and back, just to be outside a bit. FINALLY one day I decided to walk in the opposite direction and guess what I found?  The Upper Tampa Bay trail, a 4 minute walk from work.  Seriously?  No one I work with knew it was there and apparently neither did Google or GPS.  Saved!!!

So here is how I’ve been spending my lunches lately. Now THAT is better!

Why yes, that is a train track the trail goes under.  Cool, yes?If that wasn’t all groovy enough, yesterday I looked out the window and saw this. Good job conservation fence, now I appreciate you!