Want to make your next birthday celebration extra special? Then you may want to try this birthday challenge or a variation of it. It will show the world, or at least you and your hamster, that you are giving Father Time a run for his money.
Here's the deal. This involves taking on a triathlon-like challenge based on the numerals contained in your age. Let's say you are turning 57 (for demonstration purposes only). Note: Your actual age may vary (i.e., may be greater or less than this).
You would take the first numeral in your age, the five in this example, and multiply it times 1,000. The resulting number is how many yards/meters you would swim -- 5,000 yards. Not that good a swimmer? You could use feet or inches instead of yards. If you can't swim at all, you could jump rope (5,000 jumps) or row a boat 5,000 yards or pogo-stick bounce 5,000 times or walk on your hands 5,000 centimeters. Anyone for millimeters?
Having achieved (you may be thinking "survived" would be more like it) that beginning warm-up activity, you're on to biking your age. In this case, you cycle 57 miles. Finally you get to run the second numeral in your age, seven or seven miles. You may be wondering, what if you're 50 or 40? Do I get to skip the run? Heck, no! You get to celebrate the BIG __ 0 with a 10-mile run!
Now if you decide to break these components (the swimming, biking and running) into smaller, more doable segments and complete them all in seven days of your birthday week, then you have reached the Bronze level of achievement. If you can complete all three distances in the three days surrounding your birthday, you earn the Silver; and if you can do the swim, the bike ride and the run all on your birthday, you will have attained the very impressive, resume'-embellishing Gold distinction.
For the very good -- very, very good -- swimmers, there is a Platinum level of achievement. Instead of swimming a mere 5,000 yards, you swim five miles along with the other two challenges -- all done during the 24 hours of your birthday!
To increase the fun factor, you can have some friends or family members accompany you on the swim, bike ride or run portions of the challenge. If this seems too challenging for them, encourage them to ride for just a portion of the whole bike ride, or invent other variations.
Celebrate by:
- Having a party to celebrate your accomplishment (and birthday)
- Ordering a plaque or trophy from the local trophy shop
- Having T-shirts made for you and those who accompany you on a portion or all of the challenge
- Making it a fundraiser for a favorite cause
- Getting the local paper to do a story about your accomplishment, motivation, ...
To learn more, visit the RaceAthlete's Swim, Bike, Run Your Age official site: www.bfitbday.com Here you can register, tell what you plan on doing, and then record your achievement with words and photos. You could, of course, come up with a completely unique birthday challenge/adventure of your own. Whatever you choose to do, don't forget to let us know what you plan on doing/did so we can publish your achievement on the www.YouCanGrowYonger.com blog.
Ed Mayhew is a speaker (need one?) and the author of Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life, and Age Blasters: 3 Steps to a Younger You Visit Ed at: www.FitterForLife.com www.YouCanGrowYounger.com AND Ask for your F*R*E*E* Fitter After 50/Fitter for Life newsletter
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