Crazy Bear Challenge

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Paul Victory
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

Sounds like a plan, Barbara! I'd love to be able to do this challenge sometime and maybe next year will work. My upcoming races and impending trip to New Zealand make this year a bit problematic, but hopefully I'll be around next year to give it a go. :roll:

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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Jill »

Plummy, did the CBC originate with your friend Stuart, or did he see something that gave him the idea? Why the name Crazy Bear? All sensible bears are probably hibernating by now. :lol: :wink:
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by plummy »

Jill wrote:Plummy, did the CBC originate with your friend Stuart, or did he see something that gave him the idea? Why the name Crazy Bear? All sensible bears are probably hibernating by now. :lol: :wink:
It was all Stuart's idea. His nickname is Crazy Bear ('cos he's big and hairy and a little bit crazy :shock: ). I think it was 4 years ago when he first did it when he used to cover mega metres but only half a dozen or so took part. It has gained momentum each year. I didn't do the first year (I never heard about it), joined the second when I managed all 30 as great training for the million but last year only managed about 13 as I got a chest infection that put me out of action for 7~10 days.
I only get involved as Stuart struggles with spreadsheets and I'm a tiny bit better than him at them.
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Jill »

Thank you Plummy. :)

I wasn't going to say, " Mind how you go now, with the CBC " but as usual, can't resist sticking my beak in ... :roll:

Plummy, my dear, mind how you go now. :)
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

I've made several attempts to add my name to the Crazy Bear spreadsheet, without success. When I click on the edit icon, it asks me if I want to download the sheets app (which I already have) and then, when I open the app, I am unable to find the 2015 challenge. If I type crazy bear in the search box, it brings up the 2013 and 2014 challenges plus a 21 day challenge from April 2015. :evil:

Suggestions on a postcard, please! :roll:
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by plummy »

If you look just under the main picture there are links to 2013 and 2014 results and then a "see more" - click on that and it will bring up the link to the 2015 spreadsheet. You just need to type your name in the next available box and enter a "1" in the date box you did yours - there's no need to download apps etc
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

plummy wrote:If you look just under the main picture there are links to 2013 and 2014 results and then a "see more" - click on that and it will bring up the link to the 2015 spreadsheet. You just need to type your name in the next available box and enter a "1" in the date box you did yours - there's no need to download apps etc
Thanks Plummy. For some reason, I'm unable to do this using my tablet. But I managed to edit the spreadsheet from my PC. Someone had kindly entered my name (you, I presume?).

Anyway, I won't need access to the spreadsheet for a while. I'm starting a taper for this Saturday's PIRC and the plan is to do a few gentle 500s today.
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by CamiCrew »

In 12 days, I am up to...



I loved the Count as a kid. AH HA HA HA! :lol: TEN.
(No, shan't post him for the rest, awesome as that would be :wink: )

Weirdly, the elbows aren't hurting at this point. Was icing them before. Heels have felt mildly annoyed like "why are you doing this again?" And something inside the left glute is telling me that 30 is still the awful idea I thought it would be. Lol. No commitment to 30!

Cheers.
-barbara

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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by plummy »

Love it! Great find Barbara. Also - superb work so far in getting to 10 =D> =D> ^O^ ^O^
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

Feel like an imposter posting here, but I did my second HM today as a recovery row after yesterday's PIRC. Plan was to keep it stress free (apart from any stress I might feel as a Spurs fan watching them play West Ham) and I did this, apart from not being able to resist picking it up a bit over the final 500m and sprinting the final 100m or so. Finished in 1:28:29.7 @ 2:05.8 pace and Spurs won 4-1, so it's all good! :mrgreen:
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Jill »

CamiCrew wrote:I loved the Count as a kid. AH HA HA HA! TEN.
Barbara, when I mentioned The Count to Ian, ( he’s a marvellous mimic ) he said straightaway, “ HA HA HA! “ and so this evening, we have watched the following: Bert and Ernie - ‘ Cookies in Bed ‘, Cookie Monster - ‘ Important ‘ and Oscar the Grouch - ‘ Grover Annoys Oscar ‘ . Lots of laughter and happy memories. :) Thank you. :)

Glad to hear that there are no serious war wounds - I’ll not comment on the ‘ glute dispute ‘. No commitment to 30 :?: Okay … :lol: :wink:

Oh. #-o I nearly forgot. :roll: Big Crazy Bear Hugs to all you Crazy Bears. =D> ^O^ :)

Horse liniment anyone :?: :lol: :wink:
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

Managed to do number 3 today. As with last week, plan was to take it fairly easy. I was watching snooker and occasionally got distracted and my pace fell back to 2:10 or over. But I kept the average somewhere around 2:07 and picked it up towards the end to finish in 1:28:32.2 @ 2:05.9 pace - more or less the same pace as last week.

Not sure how many more of these I'll do this year, but I think I may have a go at doing this challenge 'for real' next year.

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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by CamiCrew »

Jill those sketches are priceless, aren't they? I pulled up the ones you named and was laughing so hard Jack had to come watch them with me. I have new favorite lines for the holidays like (in my best gravelly voice) "... but I don't want the butter cookies to feel bad!" You can feel pretty sorry for the people stuck in narrow boats with me. I did watch a documentary recently on the man inside of Big Bird -- Carroll (sp?) Spinney. Fascinating guy, touching story. A bit sad, he never felt he fit in. I am Big Bird, is the title.

Back on topic -- Crazy Bear #16 is done. I'd say more but I have to get up at 5:20 for practice... #-o

I'm enjoying them. I'm close to last year's mid-challenge paces, which feels good. Still however doing 15 min rate restricted (at 22) erg time trials every other Sunday, rowing on the water 7k to 12k per outing, last minute CTC sprinting, and racing this weekend. Whew. Time for bed. Cheers!
-barbara

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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by CamiCrew »

Here's Crazy Bear #17. Done last night after dinner at a favorite pace (24) and rate (2:22.2).

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And the location. Note 4 inches of high density craft foam has joined my seat pad :lol:

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According to Fitbit, HR hovered in the 130s.

My iPod battery gave up just after the half mark, so it was just me and my thoughts.

Nice row! Up to $4.33 raised for the holiday challenge with 136,237 meters. :fsbgrin:

Happy weekend to all!
Last edited by CamiCrew on Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:22 am, edited 2 times in total.
-barbara

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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by plummy »

Cracking effort so far and for that row Barbara - how very OCD of you. Love the lights!!

For those not on FB I've amassed 100 Nonathlon points, set an SB (by default) and knocked out #14 AND #15 by doing an FM today.
First half was steady to hold back some energy for the sapping second half (FM's bite back hard late on) and had to take 3 drinks breaks in the second half to get the job done.
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

Well done plummy. =D> =D> =D> #4 for me today - a long way behind. But then again, I'm only an affiliate participant in the challenge. :roll: :lol:
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by CamiCrew »

Great job on the FM, Plummy :!: =D> Way to log them when you can, Paul.

Yea Dave that :00.5 of a second was mildly annoying ](*,) and of course the dreadful Time column! Half marathons seem a bit prime number-y for an OC attempt anyway.

:fsbgrin: :D :fsbgrin: :D
-barbara

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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by CamiCrew »

Since the previous post, I've logged #'s 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and this morning at zero dark thirty - #23.

These have been rowed between 1:34 and 1:55 - keeping the pacing conservative means I can log consecutive days.

However, my little monitor (fitbit) has told me that since my OTW race (Dec 6 - a 15 hour day with three 850m races) and even with 1 day rest before and 2 days rest after, my Resting HR has been steadily climbing and is now 8 beats higher over the past week and a half.

So -- I have to ask myself... am I slipping into the overtraining mode? Is this what had me quite a mess last January, following Crazy Bear?

Or is it other factors -- holiday time is when life seems to accelerate, work is stressful, less sleep, more wine, more sugary things -- are those contributing to the RHR rise, or is it just excess meters?

So I have 7 HM left to do if I choose. Physically, yes, I can do them. But here's where the "crazy/irrational" either kicks in or doesn't. I had wanted to be at a point where I could challenge my last-year PB, or even attempt a first-ever FM.

But, given the HR signs, I'm debating finishing up with slow rows, or... not.

I know - TMI.

Thanks for listening :D :fsgrin:
-barbara

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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

That's a difficult one. Having put in all the effort to get this far, it would be nice to complete the challenge. But, is it worth it if it messes up your training for the next couple of months or, worse still, causes you to become unwell over Christmas.

My advice would be to take a day (or two) off and see whether this helps. If you decide to keep going, I would suggest that you slow right down and do them at a very comfortable pace, taking lots of short breaks along the way (which I presume is allowed as long as the clock keeps ticking).
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by strider77 »

Barbara, I agree with Paul :D

Fantastic effort =D> ^O^
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Jill »

Barbara, I would take Paul and Alan's sound advice. :) Complete the CBC if you wish but safely. :)
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

Just to add further to my earlier email, I know I have a tendency to not always practice what I preach. I've certainly been guilty of overtraining in the past and no doubt will be again at some future date.

I had said that I would try to do a few more HMs after BRIC and, having done one on Sunday, thought about doing another one yesterday.

I didn't want to set the PM to a HM and then HD before it finished, so I set it to 'just row' and decided to see how far I could get before I ran out of steam. I made it to just over 15k in just over 62 minutes before deciding that discretion was the better part of valour. While it was tempting to go on for another 25 minutes or thereabouts in order to complete my 6th HM, I was feeling fatigued and I knew that continuing would be unhelpful to my overall level of fitness so, for once, I acted sensibly. :roll: :lol:
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Jill »

Paul Victory wrote: I know I have a tendency to not always practice what I preach.
I was tempted to say something along those lines but thought I'd be diplomatic instead. :lol: :wink: Still sound advice for Barbara though. :)
Paul Victory wrote:for once, I acted sensibly.
There's hope yet ... :lol: :wink:
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by gregsmith01748 »

Barbara, Only you can decide if it's becoming counter productive, but if you decide to complete the challenge, I would definitely slow them way down, and if you schedule permits, break them up into chunks. I think 2 slow QMs in a day versus 1 slow HM would be easier to recover from.
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Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

gregsmith01748 wrote:I think 2 slow QMs in a day versus 1 slow HM would be easier to recover from.
I think it has to be done as a continuous piece, but I don't think there's any problem with taking drink breaks etc. so that's what I'd recommend if (and it's a big IF) you decide to keep going.

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