So, here's my current philosophy. This challenge has pushed me to do more in the past few months, than I've done since I've been on here. I'm sure it's doing that for others as well. It helps to have Team 1 as a target to try to beat. However, I know they've said they didn't have much competition last race, so we're definitely giving them a run for their money... But that helps them to do more also. So, this is one of those times when we have a win/win. We're all doing more (and reaping the benefits) and so are they.

Would it be better if we'd beat them some more weeks? Of course it would, and I totally agree with pushing for these last two weeks (especially since I know my personal minutes were lacking the last two for various reasons) because I know they are getting as tired as we are. But I have to say, I'm rather tickled right now in maintaining our second place status where we're breathing down their necks at every opportunity Maybe I just have creepy stalker tendencies... But I have to look and notice that our two teams are consistently far ahead of the other teams every week, and we should embrace a bit of that success to help propel us to overtake Team 1.

Honestly, I've noticed they wait until the last minute to log their time and many of their challenge points. It's a tactic, but it could easily backfire should the site have a glitch. I say, we just keep working our butts off, do the best we can, and hopefully it will be enough to overtake them when we finally put it all together (challenge points and minutes). They have found the sweet spot, and I think we're close to getting it too for our team. We are the Fab Five! We can do it!

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On a separate note...I finally got a chance to demo my new SUP 12'6" race board today (under sub-optimal conditions - heavy paddle and a bit of a strong Southerly wind). I put a deposit down on it, and will pay the rest next week when I pick it up. I'm pretty stoked about it, though it's a bit more board than I can honestly handle right now (feels like I'm maneuvering the Titanic compared to my 10'6" surf board). I posted a picture on my news feed. It's pretty cool, a board designed and shaped by a guy in Australia. I got a great deal on it when you convert Australian dollars to US. Now, I have to purchase a new paddle and some other accessories. This is my late birthday present (Oct) and an early Christmas present to myself. The competition with the 50+ women in the raceboard category is brutal, so I'll have to get my act together for next season's races which start in April. But I'm stoked. Already texted my biggest competitor about the purchase...lol...but I doubt she's shaking in her boots...she's a pretty amazing racer. I think I'm going to have be getting out on the water more this winter to figure out what I'm doing...it's pretty stable, for a narrow board, but I have a feeling I might be taking a few dives into the water. Maybe it's time to invest in a wet suit...

I'm trying hard to make the 1000 minutes this week. I've got a good start with today and yesterday. The tricky days are the ones that I don't run!

rusgolden wrote: »

b3achy wrote: »

Seems Team 1 is pretty invincible. For the first time, they kicked our butts in minutes this week (had three people with over 1000 minutes). I think we tied them this week in challenge points, which was awesome!! Sorry, but I just couldn't push myself much farther last night to get more minutes because I was so sore from Saturday (darn that Rockettes challenge)!

Yeah, I noticed the increase in minutes as well. Sometimes I think it would have been good to have a separate Fab Five group for strategizing... I feel like we are "watched" on here and when we say we are going to do this or that to try to overtake them, then they do something to counter it.

Having done a lot of challenges on MFP, I don't think it's a bad idea to have a private group for "strategizing" if you're in a team challenge. Since our teams are not private, we can pretty much guarantee that people from other teams are reading our thread. (Team 1 - you KNOW you are!) LOL

Something to consider for next time!

@b3achy -- you are so correct, this has been a great experience and we've done remarkably well throughout and I am very proud of our team! I'm just uber competitive and not willing to throw in the towel... maybe I'm hoping for some last quarter heroics like my Chiefs have done so many times this year, lol. At any rate, my minutes are already down from normal the past 2 days, but I will try to pick up the pace the rest of the week.

I'm on track with food, will do the videos on the weekend and must smash out the stairs tomorrow as I don't have at home... Currently at 41 flights!

Sorry, no minutes today. Was at work by 4:00AM, getting our rehabilitated seals ready for release, 5 hours at sea and all the normal duties at work still had to be done before or after that. I want my bed... I will try for some yoga (I really need it!)

I got up early and did some biking and yoga this morning. I'm keeping on track with my food this week. So grateful for this challenge! This morning I was back down to my preweekend weight

@b3achy- Do you think it would be a wiser strategy to wait to post our numbers and challenge completions until the end? I've normally been plugging numbers in as I go, but have no problem holding back and then give Team 1 the smack-down at the end.

Bwaaahaaahaaaaa!!

Off to town to try the doctor's steps again and pick up some of those plastic hanger thingys for Christmas lights. We'll see how my knee handles the steps. Damn I hate old lady aches and pains!

There is a danger in waiting. If something online becomes inaccessible when you are trying to log your stuff over the weekend, then you could potentially not get your minutes logged and there isn't much recovery time, which isn't good. I'm continuing to plug mine in as I get them, but it's up to you guys which strategy to employ. It is harder for the team to know what needs to be done to keep us in the race too if people are holding back, but it does keep us playing our hand closer to our chest if some wait to log (even if they wait by a day, though I tend to forget if I don't do something regularly)...I'd say that's a team captains' strategy call. Though right now, it looks like many on our team are behind in logging anyway.

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FWIW, I officially hate stair/step challenges. There I said it! I try not to use the word hate too much...but I really hate the stairmaster at my gym. Probably won't ever get on it again unless I'm forced to for a future challenge. I know it is good for me, but it just totally kicks my butt. I am done with the challenge at 2000 steps. I had to take a bunch of breaks on the stairmaster today (at one point only stepping 2.5 minutes at time), but I got it done (so my 22 minutes of actually working out today probably should be closer to 25 or 30 minutes on that dang machine). I did get my Tijuana Flats after though. That helped!

So, I got both the step and the dance video challenges completed today. And very happy both are done! Food should be easy. I'm thinking I might need a long leisurely paddle tomorrow to recover from the stairmaster.

What a neat climb @MiamiSeoul !! I need to find a place like that to do my future challenges. About the only place I can think of is our convention center downtown has a bunch of steps. While it has a good view on the water, it's pretty meh, compared to your great locations!

Good job @RaeBeeBaby - still getting in some steps despite the weather ruining your plans. Yea, this one is brutal compared to the previous step challenge.

@My_Butt - added your time for Mon - Wed to the spreadsheet. I know Rus usually does it for you, but haven't seen him on here much today, so assuming he's busy.

Good morning.

WOW, just realized we're in Peru!

Let's party!