Polyglot Fitness Challenge 2020

Besides languages, I have a few other hobbies. Dear reader(s) know that I also love reading. But in addition to that, I'm really into swimming. Not in a crazy, thought-I'd-make-the-Olympics kinda way. No, not even close.

I never really was a swimmer, not in the way most people think. When I was younger, around 10-ish, my best friend and I at about the same point each took a different road. He signed up for a swim team. I signed up for Scouting.

My dad used to joke about us, the two Mikes: When we were both in the 10-12 year old range, he couldn't tell which one of us was walking down the street as we were both about the same height and size. Later, it was easy to tell: Other Mike started to get swimmer's shoulders and back while I remained the skinny Mike.

I came to swimming much later. Now don't get me wrong, I could always swim. I lifeguarded for a few years; I earned the Mile Swim badge every year at summer camp; I did a couple triathlons when I was in high school. But I was never a "real" swimmer.

In 2002, I decided to change that. My running had gotten hurtful; my right knee just couldn't take it anymore. So swimming became my cardio. And I heard about open water swimming in 2009 and thought, How great! No flip-turns!

Fast forward to today and I've completed a bunch of open water swims to include a few marathons (10K or longer). Still slow as balls, but I can go longer now.

In Feb 2017, I made a commitment to go to the gym with my wife 3 days a week to lift. I'd lifted before, but never consistently. My wife has been a lifelong lifter. She really is incredible.

I'm glad I made the commitment. I started noticing improvements. For one, my swimming improved. In a few instances (10K in National Harbor, MD; swim attempt around Manhattan), my lower back was my weak link. After lifting for a while, that wasn't a problem anymore.

And it became fun to lift heavy (for me). When I did 325lbs deadlift I was over the moon! Hell, when I did 3 sets of 5 at 225lbs for squat, I was so happy (that is incredibly light for someone of my build/weight). But my gym closed mid-March; so much for consistency.

So, like in my swimming, I had to have goals for lifting, too. Thus my invention of the Polyglot Fitness Challenge (PFC). In this year's PFC, pre-COVID, here were my goals:

Language I: I was so happy to get great scores in Russian in 2019; thank you Peter for the 365 challenge! I'd like to keep those scores, so goal of 2+/2+/2+ on Russian DLPT and OPI. Aim for late April tests. 

Language II: So, the Esperanto world's Universala Kongreso (UK) will be in Montreal this year, and I'm going! It's 1-8 August. At some point during that week+ they will hold the KER exams. I've taken the KER skriba (reading and writing) exam already, in Moscow in 2017, passing the C1 exam. Not sure I can pass the C1 in the parola (listening and speaking), but perhaps the B2? Therefore, I'll set a goal of passing the B2 KER parola exam at the UK in August. I'll use the time after the Russian DLPT/OPI to work on my Esperanto again, maybe attending one of those weekly meetings they have here. 

Language III: At one point (1999?) I was a 3/2+ in the DLPT and a 2 in the OPI in BCS. I'd love to get even some of that back as I simply love the language. Therefore, next goal will be 1/1/1 on BCS DLPT and OPI. I'll start working BCS after the Esperanto UK in August, so I'll aim for late November/early December tests. 

Fitness I: I'd like to hit 200 miles swum in 2020. 

Fitness II: I really want to be able to lift, one time, 135lbs in strict overhead press.

COVID, frankly, has changed everything in my life. Thank God not for the worst as everyone in my family is healthy and hale. But, it has changed my professional life and, for the purposes of this blog, my personal life.

Therefore, here are my adjusted PFC 2020 goals, with comments on why they've changed from the above:

Language I: Russian. No DLPT this year as testing sites are closed and deadline to test has been extended till Feb 2021. I've already L2-R2 Hunger Games this year and I'm currently L2-R1 the first Expanse book. I'm thinking a Russian goal this year will be to L-R another book in Russian before the year is out.
Language II: Esperanto. UK cancelled this year, so no test. No Esperanto goal this year.
(New) Language II: BCS. As discussed in another post, I will diligently L-R (the right way) BCS this summer, starting with Harry Potter I. The goal, specifically, is to increase my Listening and Reading assessment (ODA at DLIFLC) one 'step,' meaning if my pre-LR reading is a 1, then I want the post-LR reading score to be at least a 1+.
Language III: Coptic. I started the Coptic course at Glyphstudy. Two years ago my daughter and I started their Middle Egyptian course and dropped it after a month or so. This time, I'd like to stick to this course at least through the rest of this year. It is a slow course; we're doing one lesson every 3-4 weeks. Hopefully, if I follow it for 6-7 months, it'll become habit. It's already fun, but aren't all new languages fun at first!?

Fitness I: I was on tap to swim 200+ miles this year till all pools closed mid-March. Once pools (and beaches, dammit) open back up, I think the best I can set as a goal is to swim consistently (3+ days a week) for the rest of the year. All of my swims that I had sked for the year are cancelled.
Fitness II: My base gym closed March 16. This goal, 135lbs strict military press, is one I believe I could still hit by 31 Dec. Therefore, this will be the one goal I'll keep.

So that's it, dear reader(s). Thanks if you've read this far. Hope your 2020 is healthy for you and your family.