Adrenaline Hangover

Yesterday, the first day after the 2010 HealthFlex HealthMiles Challenge (a program of Virgin HealthMiles through our health insurance program), I experienced an “adrenaline hangover” (I’ve written before about a pastor’s hangover, which is probably a form of an adrenaline hangover).

I was able to hit the daily limit of 30,000 steps/day for each day of the 29-day challenge, as I did last year. But I think I went into last year’s challenge with a higher daily step average (around 16,000/day last year compared to maybe 13,000 this year) so I’m not sure I was as ready this year, but I was able to endure.

Like last year, I thought it was more of a mental challenge than a physical one due to having to keep constant checking of the pedometer and pacing myself throughout each day to make sure I was staying on track.

I got up just about everyday between 5:00 and 5:45 and walked for about 75 minutes. I usually had to do at least one more walk before the end of the day (sometimes after the kids went to sleep at night). The most challenging days were the four days went spent in Washington D.C. for the General Board of Church and Society seminar. Also, the final week, I could tell I was starting to drag a little as I seemed to cross the daily finish line a little later each night than usual.

As I said at the beginning, I wanted to do it just to see if I could. I also think it was a good (endurance) discipline to “run (or in my case, walk) through the quit!”

There was more of an emphasis on the team competition this year instead of the individual competition. Out of 33 conferences/teams (totaling more than 3,300 people), our conference should finish in sixth place (similar to last year, I believe). Our team looked like one of the larger teams.

Waking up yesterday morning, though — the first day in a month that the adrenaline didn’t help me get up and moving — was tough. I felt pretty rough all day!

It was a good experience, but I’m glad it’s over. I’ll rest for a few days from exercising before getting back to it. I expect my exercise/workouts to be more intense but much shorter! 😉

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