It took me 95 days, but I finished my first Conqueror challenge. This challenge was to get me moving more than I normally do. I’m someone who works all day in front of a computer, and I needed a little motivation to at least get close to 6000 steps per day, and I did that!
I walked about 560,820 steps in 95 days, so I walked an average of 5903 steps per day. The Conqueror challenge helped me get up each day and walk more than I had been. That was the goal. I wanted to get into the habit of moving more every day.
The Romantic Road challenge is 431.4km long. I liked doing a long challenge, but I did find that I didn’t pay attention to where I was so much after a while. In part, that’s because I didn’t have the street view and couldn’t technically see where I was.
I found that the daily check-in with the Romantic Road challenge was more about making sure my steps were counted daily because I was still 40%, 30%, or 20% away from the end and I wanted to make sure everything was adding up.
I think a shorter walking challenge could keep your interest more. Although, I’m not speaking from experience yet. But it feels like you may stay more engaged with where you are and what’s going on around you if the challenge is shorter.
I also found that I lost track of the people around me. In the beginning, I knew that there were a couple of people around me for a while, then they disappeared, then I forgot who they were, and then I stopped checking each day to see who was around me.
What I Wish I Had Done Before I Started My First Conqueror Challenge
I wish I had paid attention to whether or not I was getting the street view. When I started the Romantic Road challenge and found out it had NO street view, I was just looking at a pin on a map.
Today, I signed up for the Ring of Kerry challenge, and the street view gives a whole new vibe to the challenge for me.
Here’s where I’m starting, and I can see people and places! It feels more real and more engaging to me.
Why I Chose The Ring Of Kerry
I actually wanted to do the Great Ocean Road challenge or do the next longest distance challenge after the Romantic Road Challenge, but they didn’t fit into the goal I have laid out for myself. Besides the street view – and the fact that Kerry is included in the name – the Ring of Kerry challenge fits my goal perfectly.
I want to take on a challenge that I can finish by December 31st of this year. Based on how I did in the last challenge, this challenge fits into my goals of ‘walking more’ and ‘consistently improving’.
Without boring you with all the math (which I actually love), I figured out that this challenge would require me to walk an average of 7428 steps per day in order to complete the walk on December 31st. Considering I did 5903 steps per day on average with the Romantic Road challenge, I would say this is a really good challenge because I need to increase my steps by 1525 per day.
I, like many people, want to average more than 10,000 steps per day, and I’ve set that goal for myself many times over the years… and failed many times. It’s never stuck as a habit. So, the Ring of Kerry challenge will help me get closer to that habit.
One Thing I’ve Found During My First Conqueror Challenge
I’m paying much more attention to when I wear my Fitbit. I don’t wear it when I’m doing the dishes, because I get ‘steps’ when I do that, and I don’t want those ‘steps’ to go towards the challenge.
I know I read that a lot of people think a virtual walking challenge isn’t motivating, but I find it motivating. I can’t be there in person, so this is the next best thing. And, it sets out a path and distance for me, complete with other people walking it and a medal at the end.
And now I can see where I am on my ‘walk’, which I love.
That’s why I want to be honest with it. I want to actually challenge myself.
And, I want to feel good about what I’ve done and accomplished when I finish the challenge.
If you are interested, you can get 10% off a Conqueror challenge with my referral link. You will get your own referral link once you sign up for your first Conqueror challenge, and then you can pass on the 10% savings to anyone who wants to sign up.
