Team Got Chocolate Milk Update Final Results

The wait is over, I have the news…and it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I just received an email from Team Got Chocolate Milk and it reads:

”Thank you for submitting your application to join Team CHOCOLATE MILK. While your entry did not rally enough votes this time, don’t let the competition leave you in the dust during the next voting period!...”

Yes that’s right, unfortunately I did not make it on to the team during this voting period. I was very much disappointed when I read the email. I really wanted to be a part of the team. The good news is that I have a chance to apply again. I’m not sure as to whether or not I actually have to apply again, but it wouldn’t seem fair to me to not apply again so I just resent my application in using the same video (I haven’t had a chance to make a new one yet, but I plan to do so soon).

So assuming that if my video made the small cut last time, only 8 finalists with only 2 winners, it should make it this time as the cut is larger, 25 finalists with 8 winners. I believe that they widened the cut amount due to the popularity that this contest has gained. That being said, there are going to be a larger number of people applying for the competition and having the opportunity to win. I can get in the door, but I need your help to make it the rest of the way.

This really will be a team effort. Much of what I’ve been writing about lately has been me talking mainly to myself to get myself motivated, but I’ve also been trying to encourage people who read this blog (friends, family, random strangers) that anyone can change and become better. Anyone can workout and get stronger and healthier. There are so many benefits to working out, most notably more energy, better mood, and decreased risk of long term disease.

As I said, this contest is a team effort, I cannot become a member of team Chocolate Milk without the help of all of you, much like all the Olympians could not have made it to Sochi without the help and support of their friends, family, and even those who donate to the Olympic Committee. I loved the celebration after the women’s skeleton race by USA Olympian Nicole Pikus-Pace when she realized that she had won a silver medal. She couldn’t contain herself, jumped into the stands straight to her husband and family screaming we did it! WE DID IT! She never said I did it, she always emphasized the “we.” I was very much inspired by that.

So, provided that I make the final cut for the next round of Team Chocolate Milk voting, I need your help! I need all of you to be behind me! Team JStreet! #teamjstreet I appreciate all of your support as I continue on this journey toward weight loss and healthier living. I appreciate your support as I continue to apply for Team Chocolate Milk. I appreciate you joining me in my journey, bettering yourselves and working toward your own healthy lifestyle.

My first week of riding is done. Total weekly miles from cycling and walking = 31.9 miles. Last night I rode 14 miles while watching the Sochi Closing Ceremonies. I did infact use chocolate milk after my workout and while I was sore this morning, I wasn’t as sore as I thought that I would have been. That’s my blurb training update along with my Team Chocolate Milk update.

The Walk Game by Six to Start

The Walk Game – If you remember my post about the running game I play, Zombies, Run! from six to start (if you never saw the post you can read it here). Well, they just released a new game called The Walk. I will try and describe some details about the game without giving away any secrets of the storyline.

Here is the description as per thewalkgame.com website:

A bomb explodes in Inverness station, and you're given a package that could save the world. To stay alive, you'll need to walk the length of the UK.

The Walk is more than just a (great) pedometer — it's a way to turn walking into a journey, a challenge, and a rip-roaring adventure.

The game is similar to and completely different than the Zombies,Run! game. You still have episodes throughout the game like in Zombies, but instead of choosing an episode and going for a run or a walk the app functions as a pedometer. As you walk through your day you move through the game and as you move through the game you unlock various audio clips revealing more and more of the story.

At first I started listening to them as I unlocked them, but then I found out that it was better to listen to them in a bundle. Say there are 7 audio clips per episode and the episode has a length of 66 min of walking to complete. I stick the phone in my pocket and leave the app open throughout my day. As the day progresses and I walk throughout, I move through the game board or in this case map.

Once I complete the map in that particular episode I will listen to all of the clips that I unlock. This makes the story more enjoyable and I have found that I rather like knowing how much I walk throughout my day.

There have even been a few times throughout my day where I am very close to unlocking the next clip or finishing an episode where I will maybe take the long way to where I am going or take the stairs instead of the elevator. This was the reason that the app was created. It was created in conjunction with the UK Department of Health for the NHS as a way to get people to be more active throughout their day, not just once per day like going for a bike ride or a jog.

As a person who is currently using the app, it works! I believe that it is a fun way to encourage people to walk more and in general be more active.

There are a few things that I do not like about the app such as there is no online tracking feature like Zombies to track how much you

walked over the history of the game, the feature for tracking your achievements seems to me to be too general and I’m not a fan of the way to switch between episodes or track your progress across the UK. Aside from these minor complaints of the app, I do like the tracking feature as it knows when I’m driving and when I am walking or not doing anything. I also generally like the app. It has indeed made me walk more at work and I never realized that I was walking over 3 miles at my job on a normal day, but on a slow day I had to push to make it to two miles.

At any rate I really do like the app and I believe that it has potential. I am also one of those people that like to track my progress and get rewards for my workouts. This app does that trick. I recommend it and really like it despite the changed I think need to be made.

All images are courtesy of six to start and Naomi Alderman via their media package.

Team Got Chocolate Milk Update and Bike MS

It’s been almost two weeks since the got chocolate milk? Team Refuel (now Team Chocolate Milk) voting period has ended for the first of this year and I haven’t heard a thing. Because of the silence, I am assuming I didn’t win, but at the same time I am holding out a little bit of hope. I won’t lie, I really wanted to be a part of the Team Chocolate Milk. All is not lost, especially since I still don’t know for sure. I have been looking and checking the websites looking for any information, but I believe that it is more of a secret than the next Apple product release.

Moving on to where I am in training. I just started my newest training program as a way to get my body back into the swing of working out. I took almost two months off due to illness and then laziness so it is time to get back on the proverbial horse. I am training for a Bike MS race in the middle of June. There are several events during the weekend that I am looking at so I haven’t picked a destination yet, but I will update when I know more. As far as the race goes, for those who don’t know Bike MS is a bicycle race to raise support and awareness for the MS society in order to hopefully find a cure for MS. The races have multiple degrees of distance such as 35mi, 50mi and 100mi and most are two day events which you can choose the same or different distances on each day. My goal and what I am training for is the 50 mile each day distance. This will be the furthest I have ridden. I haven’t invested in a road bike yet because of how much money they are so I was going to try and do the entire ride on my Trek mountain bike. I’ve been told that would be a mistake as the mountain bike is a lot heavier than the road bike, but they are SOOO expensive! I’m not sure, but I know that I will be doing my training on my spin bike and my mountain bike, I figure that will be like taking practice swings with a heavier bat, or swimming with drag shorts on. The extra resistance will give you more power when you use the lighter bat or in this case a regular road bike.

Given that I haven’t done much in the way of working out or training in the last two months, I have had to kind of start over in the way of working out. I found a 20 week program from Britain online to bike a 60 mile bike ride. It is from a website called doitforcharity.com. Here is the program:

20-week training guide for Beginners/Social Cyclists! 

(taken from: http://www.doitforcharity.com/cycling-training-guide.aspx)

Week 1 2 x 15 – 20 mins Sat or Sun: 1 hour Week 2 Mon or Tues: 20 - 25 mins Thurs or Fri: 20 - 25 mins Sat or Sun: 1½ hrs Week 3 2 x 25 – 30 mins Sat or Sun: 1½ - 2 hrs Week 4, 5, 6 & 7 3 x 30 – 40 mins (8-10 miles) Sat or Sun: 2 hrs (25 - 30 miles) Week 8 Tues: 10 – 15 miles Thurs: 10 – 15 miles Fri: 5 miles Sat: 30 – 40 miles (2 - 2½ hrs) Week 9 & 10 Mon or Tues: 10+ miles Thurs or Fri: 10+ miles Sat or Sun: 20 – 25 miles Week 11 Mon: 8 – 10 miles Tues: 10 – 15 miles Thurs: 10 – 15 miles Sun: 40 – 50 miles Week 12, 13 & 14 Mon: 10 miles easy cycling Tues: 15 – 20 miles Thurs: 15 – 20 miles Sun: 45 – 55 miles

Week 15 Mon: 10 miles easy cycling Weds: 10 miles Fri: 15 – 20 miles Sun: 50 – 60 miles Week 16 & 17 Tues: 20 – 25 miles Thurs: 20 – 25 miles Sun: 50 – 60 miles Week 18 Mon: 10 miles easy spinning Weds: 15 miles Sat: 20 – 25 miles Sun: 55 – 65 miles Week 19 Tues: 15 miles Thurs: 25 miles Sat: 25 miles Sun: 60 - 70 miles Week 20 Tues: 25 miles Weds: 15 miles Thurs: 25 miles Sat: 25 – 30 miles Sun: 70 – 75 miles THE WEEK BEFORE YOU GO! Mon: 10 miles Tues: 5 miles Weds: 10 miles Thurs: 5 miles Fri: Rest

This seems to be a pretty daunting task, but I am very much tired or sitting around wanting to do bigger athletic things and not making them happen. I am tired of yo-yoing up and down with my weight and I am tired of not feel as good as I could. Do you ever feel this way? Do you ever feel like you are so tired of sitting on the sidelines of life that you are desperate to do something?! This is where I am and I am so ready to change. So here goes. Cheer me on and/or join me on this journey. You don’t have to do anything huge, but get up and move. If you’re tired of where you are then change is on you! It’s not ever going to be easy and I’ll be the first to admit that most days, I don’t want to do the things I need to do, but I know that I feel better when I do those things. Let me know what your story is and how you are going to join me in this journey!

I can already tell you that one of my biggest challenges is going to be my diet! After being off my game for two months it is very challenging to get back on track with food as well. I know that it is going to be of great benefit for me. Here’s to eating healthy!

I look forward to being able to update more as the training program goes forward. This is my first week and I have completed my first biking workout last night. It was hard and felt good. I biked just over 9 miles. I am looking forward to this race as it will be my first big race since I ran cross country in college. Stay tuned for more updates. Pictures of me training to come…at least that’s the plan. J

If you would like to learn more about the Bike MS races visit their website by clicking the image below. You can also check out the charity website by clicking their link below.

The Resurgence Halftime Show - Pastor Mark Driscoll Interviews the Seatt...

These guys are the real deal and I am so glad that they were blessed with a win! It's true that Jesus is better than the Super Bowl, photography, triathlons and anything else that I work toward. Way to go Seahawks!