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Closing the books on 2016

Belatedly, as I was traveling.

Other year-end wraps: 2015, 2014, 2013

December Totals:

  • 306,676 steps
  • 126.14 miles walked
  • 4.16 miles biked

Q4 Totals:

  • 962,117 steps
  • 395.48 miles
  • 12.39 miles biked

2016 Totals:

  • 4,054,028 steps
  • 1,666.42 miles walked
  • 431.72 miles biked.

I DID IT. 4 million steps!!

Super excited that I identified a goal early and pushed hard toward it even when I knew it was going to be a challenge. I’m also really happy with having hit twelve months in a row of 300K. Wow.

2015 Totals:

  • 3,729,058 steps
  • 1536.53 miles walked
  • 321.03 miles biked

2016 v 2015

  • an increase of 324,970 steps
  • an increase of 129.96 miles walked
  • an increase of 110.68 miles biked.

The former two are almost as if i had a 13th month in the year rather than one Leap Day. The latter I’m especially proud of because getting to the gym is always a struggle. I’ve started strong already this year and am hoping to top that. More TK in goals post.

2016 Goals(more info at the link)

  • 3,600,000 steps
  • 1515 miles

Personal Challenge

  • 3,680,000 steps
  • 1600 miles for 2016

Yep, obliterated the stretch goals too. I’m simultaneously super proud of myself and trying not to worry about not being able to repeat it. 2017 goals to come momentarily

Reading:

I read 84 books that totaled 25,504 pages. 63 of those were for the #2016TBRPile challenge. Happy with that especially without my usual beach binge week. On to 2017 which is off to a good start

 

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2017 in pages

May finish another book or two, but for 2016 I’m at 82/75 and 61 for #2016TBRPile, both of which I’m happy with. I stumbled on an amazing roundup of 2017 reading challenges for which I’m glad because it doesn’t look like the 2016 one will be back in 2017.

I’m definitely going to do another backlist challenge because it’s such good motivation to finally read once I’ve been thinking of but putting off. Simultaneously I have time to read the new Daniel Silva, Linda Fairstein and Michael Connelly releases. It also gives me the flexibility to read what I want, not what I have to because I’m still not good at the PopSugar type challenges with rules.

The Backlist Reader Challenge

After some dithering, I’ve landed on the Backlist Reader Challenge. My TBR pile is structured enough that I think it counts, even if it’s not fully in a formal list. This is my starting point (how on earth did that get to 276!), as well as these shelves. Let’s just say they got added to with the bookswap. I think 60 for this challenge is a good goal.

I’m also going to do Book Dragon Lair’s ebook challenge because that’s the bulk of what I read. Goal there? Terabyte – 75 books. Petabyte is the stretch goal. I know I can get there with a beach vacation, which I had in 2015 and will again in 2017.

 

2017 Library Love Challenge

 

I make good, but not great use of the books available via NYPL so in the interest of keeping Mt. TBR under control, I’m also challenging myself to be an Overdrive Junkie (36). There’s an outside chance I can manage Library Card (50), but sometimes NYPL is lacking and I want to give myself some needed flexibility.

Here’s to some fun in pages next year. Speaking of pages, doubling down with Book Dragon and now that I know Goodreads can track pages, I’m going to try to move from Shrub to Dwarf Peach. Starting 2017 with the Dark Tower Series will help on that front, I think.

Hashtags for my own tracking, links to my Goodreads shelves for updated counts:

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#GoTheDist 2016 home stretch

This blog is late, but going out with a bang.

November:

  • 320,610 steps
  • 131.81 miles walked

Q4 to Date

  • 655,441steps
  • 269.34 miles walked

2016 to Date:

  • 3,747,352 steps
  • 1,540.28 miles walked

Yep, 4 million is happening. I’m less confident about 300K for the 12th month in a row, but it’s possible and I’ll push for it. I’m up almost 300K year on year and almost 100K looking at Q4 last year. It’s making 2017 goal setting a challenge, but I’m thinking on it.

Reading wise 80/75 and 60 for #2016TBRPile so I’ve hit my goal there. Married with Children? Please no, not ever. I wanted 100 books again, but without my beach vacation, that isn’t happening. I’ll get early start on 2017 and am generally happier with my reading mix this year.

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#GoTheDist: October 2016

so what where my October goals?

  • 301,135/302,677 (actually aiming higher, I want a cushion against a bad December)
  • 30 miles biked

And my October totals?

  • 334,831 steps
  • 137.53 miles walked
  • 4.5 miles biked (way too nice out)

That’s insane/amazing with two weekends away and I’m really thrilled. I’m starting November strong with a 15K day and am going for 4m.

Downside of weather being nice enough to walk home almost daily? No reading time. 77/75 books read, 57 for #2016TBRPile. I won’t hit 100 on the year due to work, but hopefully I’ll have a good start on 2017 with a week’s vacation to start the year.

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#GoTheDist 2016: September and Q4

so a 350K month happened. Specifically, a 352,423 step month. Whoa! I know exactly what hat I pulled that rabbit out of – beautiful weather and a lot of museum hopping for work made for two 20K days

September Totals

  • 352,423 steps
  • 144.75 miles walked
  • 3.81 miles biked (it was just too nice out)

Q3 Totals:

  • 1,023,687 steps
  • 420.46 miles walked
  • 107.57 miles biked

Year to Date Totals:

  • 3,091,911 steps
  • 1270.94 miles walked
  • 419.33 miles biked

What does that all mean? I’m going for 4m steps for the year. It is going to be a challenge because Q4 is always hard, but shouldn’t all goal be challenges? My spreadsheet is ready and I think I can do this. I’m also shooting for 500 miles biked which will be my best in a long time, I think.

October I’m once again shooting to top 2014 since 2015 fell short. Coincidentally, it’s nearly what I need to aim for 4m on the year.

October Goals:

  • 301,135/302,677 (actually aiming higher, I want a cushion against a bad December)
  • 30 miles biked

What were my 2016 goals? 3,600,000/3,680,000 steps and 1515/1600 miles. BOOM!

Going to make for some challenging 2017 goals, but I’m not worrying about that yet.

Reading: bad month for that, “too much” walking, but 71/75 read and 53 for #2016TBRPile.

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#GoTheDist August 2016

aka QUIT FREAKING OUT.

Maybe in bold, all caps I’ll actually listen to myself.

So I had a freak out at the end of July about August’s travel and fretting over 280 vs. 300K and shooting for 900K. August’s total? 325,874 steps. Thank you two insane days in Colorado and a couple good here when I came back.

August Totals:

  • 325,874 steps
  • 133.85 miles walked
  • 31.33 miles biked

Q3 Totals:

  • 671,264 steps
  • 275.71 miles walked
  • 103.76 miles biked

I’m very happy with that and definitely going for 950K.

September Goals:

  • 317,000 steps (tops 2014, 2015 fell just short)
  • 125 miles walked
  • 30 miles biked

No obsessing, just numbers.

Book update: 69/75, 52 for #2016TBRPile. Bad reading month, too much time spent staring out train window. 🙂

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#GoTheDist 2016 3.1

I came to an important realization this weekend. Or, to be honest, an acknowledgement of something I realized a long time ago. I cannot enjoy a good step day/week/month because I’m forever fretting about the next. Le sigh.

That said, July was a-MA-zing.

  • 345,390 steps
  • 141.86 miles
  • 72.43 miles biked (11 gym visits)

My July 2016 goal? 325,000. I’m not actually going for 1,000,000 this quarter due to heavy travel in August, but it was nice to hit the soft super stretch goal of 333,333. As I mentioned when plotting Q3, I needed more thought on that goal. 900,000 is almost too doable with the good start so I’m shooting for 950,000. If not, I know I can do 925,000. I’d really like 950,000 though as that would get me to 3m steps at the end of Q3.

My soft goal for August is 280,000 to split the 40K “excess” over two months but I really want to push for 300,000 because that would be the eighth month in a row. Thanks to my spreadsheet with the worst-case days plugged in (great tool), I have my “marching” orders

Steps needed to hit August 2016 goals
Steps needed to hit August 2016 goals

On a non step note, not only was the heat good for gym visits but I topped not only my July 2015 total (7.94 miles) almost ten-fold, but I also topped my Q3 2015 totals (same). That’s insane and pathetic and I’m soldiering on.

To infinity… and beyond!

PS: Books status: 64/75 books, 49/75 for #2016TBRPile challenge

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#GoTheDist 2016, midway point

Woah, we’re half way there, woah, livin’ on a prayer. Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear, woah, livin’ on a prayer

How is it July 1 already?

My step goals for 2016 were 3,600,000 / 3,680,000. I’m currently at 2,068,024. I’m mostly ignoring miles due to the inconsistent step/mile ratio, but I’m at 850.48 miles. InSANE!

June 2016 numbers:

  • 379,717 steps
  • 156.14 miles
  • 23.46 miles biked

Mostly fueled by the 40,000 step day, but that’s still an impressive 12,657 daily average. Still would have been 11,600 even with a normal day that day. And I had a 35 day goal streak from May 20-June 25.

2016 Q2 numbers:

  • 1,059,278 steps
  • 435.51 miles walked
  • 75.8 miles biked

That’s a nice increase over Q1 and Q2/June last year. I didn’t top May, but year on year I’m still ahead and happy with it.  Using the stretch goal of 3,680,000, I’m at 56.19% of my steps goal and 56.13% of mileage. Interesting symmetry. Glad I’m ahead because Q3 is always an issue due to summer travel. That trickery of plotting in worst case step scenario though is a gem.

July 2015 was when I first started the goal of topping that month the previous year’s steps as it was easier, math wise, and more representative than topping the previous quarter.

  • July 2014: 260,908 (a lot of travel)
  • July 2015: 310,076
  • July 2016 goal: 325,000

Yes, I’ve realized that another million steps isn’t going to happen. I’m away nearly half of August and two days of that is on a train. I think my Q3 goal is 900,000, but that needs some more thought.

Oh and book wise, 56/75 with a new-to-me series in process and 46/75 of the #2016TBRPile challenge. Happy with both of those, and have given in to reading crap this summer. Crap reading is still reading.

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2016 Q1 in Books


 

I’ve nailed 2016 steps wise, how about books? Specifically my #2016TBR challenge.

Through the end of March I’ve read 30/75 books which Goodreads designates as 11 books ahead of schedule. Of those, 25 count toward the TBR challenge. I’m pretty happy with both of those numbers and I’ve since finished another that counts toward the challenge.

Of note:

  • I’m firmly converted to Goodreads and find LibraryThing a chore. Like many social channels, I can’t believe it took me so long.
  • Goodreads reviews are much more fine-tuned than Amazon’s, and I love this.
  • My reading habits? Still all over the map. Everything from bingeing on my police procedurals to a fair amount of health & weight loss reading.
  • The most moving is one I’m still working on reviewing, Robert C. Poole’s On Hallowed Ground, which I read while exploring Arlington. Powerful.

Reading will fall off as weather becomes more conducive to walking, but let’s see how I can do pace wise in Q2

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January in steps, miles and pages

So there must be something about an end of month rush. Last year at the end of February I did a mad dash of exploring NYC and yesterday? More of the same.  I needed 14K for my stretch goal and came home with 16K

January, you were amazing.

  • 301,695 steps
  • 124.2 miles walked
  • 85.14 miles biked! / 13 gym visits
  • 12 books read, (all of which hit the 2016TBRPile challenge!)
  • One DietBet won

I’m impressed with all of those but especially biking and DietBet because they mean my head is in the right place. Something that has been missing. I’m basically feeling like this again, with the exception of MFP instead of LoseIt.

After I obliterated my January bike “goal” I set my sites on January 2015 and hit that number. I’m not sure yet what my February will look like so I’m not sure what that number is going to look like either.

Beating that month the previous year has become the new beating the prior quarter. I think the new way is easier mathematically and truer too. Summer will always beat winter.

I’m at 35.49% of my GoTheDist Q1 goal and 301,695 steps is 8% of my 2016 goal so I’m on the right track.

With the leap day there’s no reason not to beat 276,898 steps // 114.9 miles walked. Since I’m easing back in still, setting bike goal at 50 miles. Baby steps.