The Last Virtual Challenge

My heart really wasn't into this one.

I've been participating in The Conqueror Virtual Challenges since January, 2021, as a way to get exercise during the height of the pandemic. And in the two years and eight months since my first challenge began, I have completed 15 challenges that have covered nearly 25,000 kilometres.

But no more.

Last Wednesday, two days ahead of schedule, I completed the 3,176.9-km Te Araroa trek, from the northernmost to the southernmost point in New Zealand. I virtually discovered the beauty of this far-away country and hope to someday make it there, to see this beauty with my own eyes.

This year has been a different kind of challenge for me in achieving my virtual goals and my real-life fitness. The weather has not been optimal for me to ride my bike: either it's been smoky, or raining, or windy, or blazingly hot. I've also had some health issues that have kept me from saddling up and hitting the road.

I've limited my exercise to walking, my spin bike, and kayaking. I march on the spot during work meetings, which has added to my daily mileage.

But progress was slow. Even though I finished the Te Araroa virtual challenge two days ahead of schedule, I've always worked in a lot of buffer for my time estimates and usually finish a challenge much sooner than I plan for.

Two days is not a huge lead when you consider the distance was 3,177K.

Because I've missed out on a lot of cycling, I haven't been as enthusiastic of this challenge and I'm losing interest in my spin bike. And I started losing interest in the virtual challenges as my health affected me.

Looking at the challenges that I haven't joined, I don't see any that really interest me. As a result, I've decided to end my virtual challenges. New Zealand was my last trek on this app.

This doesn't mean that I've given up on exercise. I still look to the sky for a good day to get on my bike and I don't hesitate when the opportunity avails itself. I still love paddling my kayak on nearby rivers and lakes and will continue to do so until the winter months approach (I'm currently working on a kayaking video).

And while I'm currently taking a break from my spin bike, it's still set up in my bedroom, where I can watch TV while I pedal. I'm not going to let that equipment gather dust.

Who knows? Maybe a virtual challenge will come along that will make me want to join. Maybe that trans-Canada trek that I submitted to them will be made a reality. But for now, I'm done with The Conqueror.

I have other challenges ahead. Stay tuned.