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I’ve completed my presentation and the school year is almost over. The slideshow in the presentation can be viewed with this link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1algzMtVSZXocCW3zhEf8ZalazSBkqyk3cZoo6QlBUXM/edit?usp=sharing

This Genius Hour was very beneficial to me. I learned a few skills in the beginning, but the biggest help was the running. It’s very good exercise and it’s good to get some fresh air. I wish I’d ran more, but I can still do it after Genius Hour ends. As for my presentation, I think it was alright. I should probably have spent a bit more time recording to get better takes, but it wasn’t too bad.

Overall, my Genius Hour was pretty successful. I made it surprisingly far into my goal considering the amount of times I ran and having slightly less time than I should have.

So far I’ve contacted two experts. Neither have responded yet, so in the meantime I will get started on my presentation. I think I will make a slideshow, as that is the quickest and easiest thing I can do.

I’ve contacted an expert and gone running a few more times. I’m up to 6.5 kilometres and around a 15:1 run-to-walk ratio. The expert has not replied to me yet, so I will be contacting another to hopefully get a response.

I haven’t been running that much lately. It’s not that I don’t want to, but rather that it’s just so hard to get up and out the door. I enjoy running and the benefits, but in order to feel them I need to actually run. To solve my issue, I think I will try to work it into my daily routine. It will be hard, but if I make it a habit, it will become second nature and I will not have to worry about forgetting. I also need to start drinking a lot more water, as I have been neglecting this.

I’m not sure if I can reach my goal, as there isn’t much time left. However, I don’t have to stop running once Genius Hour is over, so I know that I will be able to reach my goal eventually. I do need to contact an expert, though, so I will be trying to do that in the coming days.

I have gone running a few more times, and have learned some valuable lessons. The first lesson I learned was that running a few hours after eating is the best time to run, if you want to avoid cramps. The second one was that drinking a lot of water both the day before and the day of the run will improve the experience greatly. I have also started to warm up more before running, by walking for a couple of minutes and stretching. This reduced joint pain by a large amount.

I would say, personally, that this has been going well. Apart from the change of my goal, there have been no other disruptions. Regarding the progress on my goal, I have not been doing as well. Continued and problematic joint pain has greatly hindered my performance. Over the past month I have run approximately 11 kilometres total, over four outings. I will be trying a few things, such as eating more iron-rich foods and trying to drink more water, to mitigate joint pain in the following weeks.

I have gone running twice so far. The first time, I ran 2 kilometers in 15 minutes, at a run-to-walk ratio of 2:1 (1 minute running, 30 seconds walking.) It was not very difficult, but I forgot to stretch before running so I was sore the day after. The second time, I ran 4 kilometers in 30 minutes, increasing the ratio to 5:1 (2.5 min. running, .5 min. walking.) I remembered to warm up and stretch before and after, which improved my experience substantially.

This appears to be a running theme. I have run out of things to do relating to my previous goal, so I will be changing it. I have decided to take up jogging. My goal now is to a) increase the distance I can run to over 10 kilometres, and b) increase the ratio of running to walking to approximately 20:1.

Over Spring Break, I did not do much. The most eventful thing that happened was me messing up my sleep schedule even more than school did, somehow. However, I did go bouldering, which is rock climbing without a harness, at a climbing gym with my uncle and sibling. I have gone twice with my uncle so far and it has been enjoyable.

I have improved a lot since the first time I went, even completing some more difficult routes. I will admit, though, that it is a lot easier for me than it would typically be for a beginner. This is due to my past experience with parkour and other assorted physical activity.

However, this does not mean I did not learn. I learned that I need to use my legs to push myself up more than my arms. I also learned from my uncle that you can give your arms a break mid-climb, at the cost of tiring out your hands, by straightening out your arms and letting them lock. This lets lactic acid, a chemical that is released from your body breaking down carbohydrates for energy, come out of your arm muscles where it has been building up and travel through your bloodstream where it will be processed by your liver and kidneys.

I will improve at climbing by using the advice I have been given, explained in the previous paragraph, and by going climbing more. More experience will make me better at climbing and will make climbing easier as my body becomes more well-adjusted and stronger.

I have learned a lot about picking locks in the past week. I recognize that some of you, A.K.A. Ms. Englot, may view this as a dangerous and illegal activity. However, locksmiths exist. It may be illegal to own lockpicks in Alberta, but it’s not illegal to pick your own locks with household items.

I will be moving on soon, as luckily the snow is clearing and the weather is becoming warmer. This will enable me to do more of the things I am planning to learn for this project.