I might delete this. I’m writing this very different entry to… I don’t know, make some kind of commitment with myself?

So here goes. This blog is NOT about what I’m going for today, so skip it at will.

the challenge

Long story short, I plan to do 200k in one year. But… Swimming.

200k, that’s 8000 pools. (25m per “pool” or length is what I have available near home)

And I want to get there by next Christmas.

Now I have set the objective.

Given some PTO time, the public swimming pool near home being closed in August, me being under the weather on average maybe 2 weeks a year… And a buffer… That’s not quite 52 weeks.

Let’s call it 40 weeks.

I then need to swim 5kms a week. Given the above considerations.

It’s not good project management practice (or risk management) to put “buffers”, some would say. I don’t disagree. But given the numbers, if I am to make it, I feel like all advantages I can give myself towards the goal are useful.

So 5k a week, expecting 40 good weeks in the year ahead.

That’s basically twice as much as my current regular “week of swimming”.

Which is what makes it a challenge, of course. (It might not seem like a lot to some, but keep in mind I’m no athlete 😅)

the pledge

By Christmas next year, I shall donate 10€/km I will have covered (swam? Swum?!), up to 2000€, to a charity/non-profit organization. (Independent of whatever little else I try to do with my life to help out, this is on top of the rest, hopefully)

I’m thinking something about protecting the oceans, that’s fitting with the whole swimming theme.

Why? Because I can use the self-motivation. Yes: I am lucky enough that I can consider what hopefully can be construed as “doing a good deed for our planet” as a reward, not a cost (well, up to a point! 😅). And so this (selfishly) might make me feel even better about it all.

Consistency & discipline 

They say consistency beats intensity.

This little challenge of mine I also hope will help me with practicing just that, discipline and consistency.

Conclusions

I am here trying to set a system for myself to get somewhere, specifically:

• loose some cms around the waist (two sizes would be great). I.e. Be a bit healthier in general
• But also help out, do my part, while motivating myself, by tying the objective to a donation
• Train my own self-discipline, which I feel is never a bad idea

Now I have no idea whether or not I’ll manage. Maybe I’ll fail miserably, and ridicule myself in the process. 😔

It is a challenge, as I do have other things to worry/care about and priorities in my life (my wife, my work, my studies…), but who doesn’t?(and I am aware I have it easy compared to most)

We will see.