Sunday, Dec 29
I had such a great week of training in CHS, working out and feeling strong nearly every day. It seemed to catch up to me back in CLT, though. I did a Joe Baker Fitness Sandbag Cardio workout with a 20# Ruck Plate Carrier and 30# SB and got winded, needing breathers between rounds. I used to do a similar workout with Heavy Drop Training with a 30# ruck and 30# sandbag more easily than this, so I wasn't where I used to be.
Monday, Dec 30
My sister visited, and we went to see the 2020 edition of the Lights exhibit at the USNWC. A little over a mile of slick walking. I tried out a new Columbia Omniheat jacket that I got specifically for Bragg.
Tuesday, Dec 31
I wanted some body weight work because I felt too smoked to do SB or even ruck work, so I did HDT IR 18-19.2.1 (legs & core) in 57 minutes. I felt this way even after taking a relative rest day the previous day. BW work makes me feel good. Active recovery.
We went up to Winston Salem for NYE. We made bone broth for the first time (with way too much dill, since it poured out of the shaker much more easily than I expected).
Christmas was over, but I posed with a GORUCK package that I had had delivered to my sister's house.
We watched "The Standard", since my sister has streaming services. Throughout my visit, whenever my sister asked me what I wanted to watch, I'd suggest "The Standard". It's kind of funny... I saw one guy post about how he sat down to watch it with his wife, who thought she was finally getting a chance to spend some normal time with her husband, and soon, she realized what it was, and asked "OMG, is this a GORUCK movie"?
For 2020, GORUCK had a virtual challenge to average 10,000 steps per day. I made it! Not captured: the steps that I did during TA. You can see how it took some time to recover afterwards, too.
My sister was really excited about prepping chacuterie, also known as Lunchables for adults.
We watched live action Mulan. One scene seemed very familiar. I had recently posted it to my instagram.
And then there was another scene involving bucket carries that had reminded a friend's wife of me at TA, haha. Just can't escape thinking about rucking!
We watched the ball drop, while my sister facetimed her boyfriend.
Wednesday, Jan 1
Instead of random monthly virtual challenges, GORUCK decided to start a subscription-based series of challenges. Each month would focus on a different theme, and earning the patch required some kind of rucking requirement, a workout, a designated book of the month, and some extra task. From the start, I really liked how it was set up, because the book added some intellect to it, and the extra task was usually designed to help you become a better person, with character or community building.
For January, the challenge was to ruck at least a mile per day. It's nice to explore new cities via rucking. I brought along my sandbag for some extra difficulty, especially since it was only a mile. The people of WS definitely take masking up more seriously, even outdoors. 1 mile in 23:04 with a 30# shorty ruck and 30# SB.
As I approached home, I let my sister know I was there!
A friend had recommended that I watch "The Queen's Gambit" on Netflix. It was an excellent recommendation! My sister, like a lot of other people who watched that series, really wanted to play some chess afterwards, so I indulged her. She was so excited when she beat me, haha.
She made steak, although it was undercooked, so she had to cut and cook it some more.
In the evening, I did a 40 min 30# SB + 30# ruck workout that simulated some log PT, which is good for Bragg prep. I also started doing 100 pushups/day for a PT-based monthly virtual challenge, although the organizer only stuck with it for 4 months before giving it up due to low signups.
I've been a big fan of chicken biscuits ever since I had one at Bojangles for the first time during the 50 mile Star Course in CLT, when my teammates got really excited about Bojangles. I now often eat it after GORUCK events, or when I really crave it at work at lunch, as a treat. I've wanted to try other restaurants' takes on the dish, so we had takeout from Krankie's. Nowhere near as good as Bojangles, unfortunately. Kind of bland. I prefer the salt and spice of the Cajun Filet biscuit.
After brunch, my sister and I did a leisurely walk around Reynolda Gardens. It's weird to have a town whose history and names is centered around the tobacco industry.
My sister doesn't like this picture, but it looks like a magazine photo to me.... stylish clothes and an idyllic background:
(Feeling fancy and catching Pokemon)
Friday, Jan 3
I did the "Full Body Workout - Body By Yoga" after showering. The practice didn't flow very well, but it worked a lot of stabilizer muscles.
I helped my sister take her real tree to the dump afterwards. Rucking skills come in handy!
Saturday, Jan 4
My sister's clothing choices and her affinity for chilling on her couch cracks me up sometimes.
I had rucked through Old Salem during my first trip to the city, when I did the 2018 non-themed Winston Salem Light with Fagan. My sister hadn't been there yet, which surprised me, so I took her there. It wasn't too far away. It's actually pretty nice... small, but quaint. Probably even better when there's no pandemic.
My sister made lasagna. Not the healthiest thing in the world, but it's food. It is tasty and filing, though.
Sunday, Jan 5
Getting in situps for the core challenge. The concrete floor in the apartment, even with the doubled up yoga mat, made me appreciate the thick mat plus cardboard that I use in my garage. I could feel the chafing.
I did a casual 3 mile ruck along the parkway. I wanted to make it to a cool light feature that I'd pass each time I drove into town.
Afterwards, I did 49 min of HDT IR 18-19.1.2 (legs and core). The BW squats feel more normal now. The BW work and rest has been doing me good, after feeling so worn after that great training week in CHS.
Monday, Jan 6
My toes have gone through some weird phases where they've itched and had skin get dry and hard. I think it may be related to TA? This was just a snapshot of progress. My friend AW said it could be chilblains, but it wasn't really cold at TA. I hoped it wasn't COVID toes. It had been going on and evolving for months, though.
Tuesday, Jan 7
Rucked around for a mile casually with my sister. Afterwards, 15 min of the JBF Sandbag complex with a 30#R and 30#SB, then 15 min of the JBF Core Circuit with a 30# SB only. Weng on the light side for both, since Bragg is a week out. I also did my usual 100 PU and 10K core challenge reps.
Time to go back home, and leave my sister to her studies.
Here are her "studies", by the way...
Two toenails fell off, so as I was leaving, I told her that I left them somewhere for her to find as a surprise. I didn't really, though. I took them home with me.
We facetimed when I got home, since some Chillhop Racoon plushies arrived at last from the UK. Youtube has some channels that just play some light music for hours with a video of something kind of relaxing. My sister uses it to study. It can be nice for company, when you're alone.
Wednesday, Jan 8
Back in CLT. Casual ruck with 30# around the neighborhood in a Rucker 2.1, which feels nearly as comfortable as the v3. Used MACV1s after the rain. That was around noon. 2.0 in 44:42.
In the evening, though, near sunset, it started snowing! It snows 1-2x/year here in CLT, so it's exciting when it happens. I had to go out for a second ruck, to be able to say that I rucked in the snow. I had my snow ruck handy, of course. 2.0 in 48:16 this time.
Even Pokemon celebrated the snow.
Thursday, Jan 9
Did a "Taste of Bragg" workout with Cabarrus Ruck Club. We had cold, 3 rounds of Robbie Miller, "rifle" concrete block PT, a short version of the the Jerome WOD, and 13 Deck of Cards cards in 55 min. For the first time, Cleve was going to be a cadre at Bragg.
After that, some time at the range.
After that, a moving away party for Melissa. No rucking involved, except for on my own afterwards. It was weird to not do anything rucking-related, but still very nice all the same. We tired unsuccessfully to get a fire going in the pit. When that didn't work, we just used charcoal on the grill for burgers.
1 mile on Cattail trail with 30# in the shorty in 24:28.
Friday, Jan 10
Did a casual 2.5 in the v3 shorty with 30# around the neighborhood. Used the Altra Torin plush because it was on hand. Too cushioned for long distance, though.
We celebrated the end of the 10K Core challenge, which was meant to be a good way to train up for Bragg while staying connected over the holidays.
Saturday, Jan 11
I've put pushups on pause for the taper.
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