We have been at this now for three weeks and three days.  Can you believe it?  My experience is that February has gone really, really quickly.  We may have just discovered a great way to blast through the depths of winter.  But this is not about that.

With less than a week to go in the challenge, the inevitable has happened.  People have started suggesting we do something after this is over.  Deja vu all over – I had two different people (different from each other and different from the last two) say to me yesterday that now we have been rolling with this for a while, we should keep it going.  One suggested doing a “March Challenge”, to which I say, AWESOME!

Like I said in the “Transition Game” post, we really should be thinking of how to continue our fitness activities after February 29.  Personally, I need a break from my beloved kettlebells.  But I have enjoyed the activities and the camaraderie, so I won’t be stopping altogether.  I’m planning to look at a few new targeted exercises that will (I hope) improve my swim, bike and run times for one or two triathlons this summer.  If you have a physically demanding sport or even a recreational activity like extended hiking – or whatever – think of what muscles you need to strengthen and work on them specifically.  A coach, trainer or Google can identify specific training plans.  If you aren’t sure what to target, strengthen your core stability.  Well, even if you are working on something else, don’t neglect core training.

The 2016 10,000 Kettlebells for Parkinson’s challenge has less than a week left.  There have been some spectacular accomplishments.  For one, there is Marilyn, who has lived with Parkinson’s for a decade.  Six months ago, she was slowing down – sitting more, resting and napping during the day.  I bet the farthest thing from her mind was the idea of racking up 20+ kilometers of walking.  She is now able to do five laps of her hallway in a day!  She is re-energized.  So I would like to thank everyone who has encouraged me along the way with this.  We have all played a role in morphing a crazy (sorry, Dave) idea into a challenge which has probably had more impact than any of us could have imagined.

As we approach the finish line, it is time to make your after-February plan. You’ll need it to help you maintain the fitness gains you made in February, and to start developing in some new area. You have made it this far. You have the drive and determination to chart a new plan, with new fitness targets.  You can continue living an active, healthy lifestyle. And after the challenge is technically over next Monday, we’ll still be here online (well, the posts will be less frequent, but we’ll keep floating out our ideas).