Hard Times
I completed the 75 Hard challenge on September 27, 2026. It changed my life, the way I see the world, and the way I see myself.
My Tracker
Google Sheets Day 1 · Jul 15
Day one! Excited. Learned already: start early, plan well. If it gets late, it's hard to clean things up.
Day 5 · Jul 19
Rest day super welcome. Final walk of the day was actually kind of challenging due to big uptick in activity level past 5 days.
Day 26 · Aug 9
First night NYC. Four hour delay getting in. Had planned to do yesterday's 9 mi run but couldn't. Two walks only 2 hr apart.
Day 27 · Aug 10
NYC. Planned to run and lift all week but with the work schedule, no way. 2 long walks instead.
Day 28 · Aug 11
NYC. Two long walks.
Day 29 · Aug 12
NYC. Two long walks. Second in the airport while waiting for the flight.
Day 34 · Aug 17
Tough one. It's 1:10AM as I write this. With packed weekends and coming off of travel last week, I'm not getting Workout 1 and reading done in the morning, which pushes everything back and feels bad. Morning workout and early rise is non-negotiable.
Day 36 · Aug 19
AM run. Feels amazing. Essential to get it done immediately.
Day 40 · Aug 23
11 miles baby! Challenging last couple miles but honestly felt better than last week. Faster too.
Day 46 · Aug 29
Drive from Indy, eating schedule messed up. So I was ravenous right before bedtime. Giant bowl of yogurt helped.
Day 51 · Sep 3
Felt so strong today after deadlifting. It's all compounding.
Day 53 · Sep 5
(Mental) pain and suffering on the long run. Long runs teach you to stare down your weakest parts in solitude and defeat them.
Day 54 · Sep 6
Holy shit - Greek yogurt, chocolate whey, cinnamon, and honey with frozen blueberries!!
Day 57 · Sep 9
Surprised by a flood of negative internal monologue from evening onward. I flipped workout order (walk AM, lift PM); didn't feel like lifting, did it anyway.
Day 61 · Sep 13
Almost missed the long run. Head in a bad spot, weekend got filled up. Finally got out late tonight. 12 miles. Felt strong and fast, my best run yet.
Day 62 · Sep 14
Yoga! A welcome relief.
Day 75 · Sep 27
Emotional. So grateful. What a journey. I'm changed.
Here are the rules of 75 Hard:
Do the following tasks every day for 75 days. If you fail to complete a task on any day, you must restart at Day 1.
- Follow a structured diet. No cheating. No alcohol.
- Two 45-minute workouts. One outside no matter the weather. You choose the workout. Run, lift, cross-training, walk, yoga, etc.
- Drink a gallon of water.
- Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book that can be used to improve any area of your life. Audiobooks do not count.
- Take a progress picture.
The Data
Keeping good records helped me stay motivated. And frankly, they helped me remember what tasks I had completed on any given day. It all began to blur together as the days marched on.
Body weight
Lose It - Starting weight
- 222.0 lb
- Day 75
- 205.4 lb
- Publish date · 10/9/26
- 200.4 lb
| Date | Weight | 7-day average |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 14 · Day before | 222.0 | 222.0 |
| Jul 15 · Day 1 | 220.0 | 221.0 |
| Jul 16 · Day 2 | 220.0 | 220.7 |
| Jul 17 · Day 3 | 223.4 | 221.3 |
| Jul 18 · Day 4 | 219.0 | 220.9 |
| Jul 19 · Day 5 | 219.0 | 220.6 |
| Jul 20 · Day 6 | 218.0 | 220.2 |
| Jul 21 · Day 7 | 217.4 | 219.5 |
| Jul 22 · Day 8 | 218.4 | 219.3 |
| Jul 23 · Day 9 | 218.4 | 219.1 |
| Jul 24 · Day 10 | 219.0 | 218.5 |
| Jul 25 · Day 11 | 219.0 | 218.5 |
| Jul 26 · Day 12 | 219.0 | 218.5 |
| Jul 27 · Day 13 | 216.8 | 218.3 |
| Jul 28 · Day 14 | 216.8 | 218.2 |
| Jul 29 · Day 15 | 217.0 | 218.0 |
| Jul 30 · Day 16 | 216.4 | 217.7 |
| Jul 31 · Day 17 | 217.0 | 217.4 |
| Aug 1 · Day 18 | 216.0 | 217.0 |
| Aug 2 · Day 19 | 216.0 | 216.6 |
| Aug 3 · Day 20 | 218.2 | 216.8 |
| Aug 4 · Day 21 | 217.8 | 216.9 |
| Aug 5 · Day 22 | 216.2 | 216.8 |
| Aug 6 · Day 23 | 216.0 | 216.7 |
| Aug 7 · Day 24 | 215.0 | 216.5 |
| Aug 8 · Day 25 | 215.2 | 216.3 |
| Aug 10 · Day 27 | 215.2 | 215.9 |
| Aug 11 · Day 28 | 215.2 | 215.5 |
| Aug 12 · Day 29 | 215.2 | 215.3 |
| Aug 13 · Day 30 | 215.4 | 215.2 |
| Aug 14 · Day 31 | 214.2 | 215.1 |
| Aug 15 · Day 32 | 214.2 | 214.9 |
| Aug 16 · Day 33 | 212.2 | 214.5 |
| Aug 17 · Day 34 | 213.6 | 214.3 |
| Aug 18 · Day 35 | 213.6 | 214.1 |
| Aug 19 · Day 36 | 213.8 | 213.9 |
| Aug 20 · Day 37 | 213.2 | 213.5 |
| Aug 21 · Day 38 | 213.6 | 213.5 |
| Aug 22 · Day 39 | 212.4 | 213.2 |
| Aug 23 · Day 40 | 211.0 | 213.0 |
| Aug 24 · Day 41 | 212.6 | 212.9 |
| Aug 25 · Day 42 | 212.6 | 212.7 |
| Aug 26 · Day 43 | 211.6 | 212.4 |
| Aug 27 · Day 44 | 210.8 | 212.1 |
| Aug 28 · Day 45 | 210.4 | 211.6 |
| Aug 30 · Day 47 | 208.6 | 211.1 |
| Aug 31 · Day 48 | 208.0 | 210.3 |
| Sep 1 · Day 49 | 210.8 | 210.0 |
| Sep 2 · Day 50 | 209.2 | 209.6 |
| Sep 3 · Day 51 | 208.8 | 209.3 |
| Sep 4 · Day 52 | 208.4 | 209.0 |
| Sep 5 · Day 53 | 207.8 | 208.8 |
| Sep 6 · Day 54 | 207.6 | 208.7 |
| Sep 7 · Day 55 | 206.0 | 208.4 |
| Sep 8 · Day 56 | 206.6 | 207.8 |
| Sep 9 · Day 57 | 207.2 | 207.5 |
| Sep 10 · Day 58 | 206.6 | 207.2 |
| Sep 11 · Day 59 | 206.6 | 206.9 |
| Sep 12 · Day 60 | 207.0 | 206.8 |
| Sep 13 · Day 61 | 207.2 | 206.7 |
| Sep 14 · Day 62 | 205.0 | 206.6 |
| Sep 15 · Day 63 | 205.4 | 206.4 |
| Sep 16 · Day 64 | 204.6 | 206.1 |
| Sep 17 · Day 65 | 206.6 | 206.1 |
| Sep 18 · Day 66 | 206.4 | 206.0 |
| Sep 19 · Day 67 | 205.4 | 205.8 |
| Sep 20 · Day 68 | 204.6 | 205.4 |
| Sep 21 · Day 69 | 205.0 | 205.4 |
| Sep 22 · Day 70 | 205.2 | 205.4 |
| Sep 23 · Day 71 | 205.6 | 205.5 |
| Sep 24 · Day 72 | 205.4 | 205.4 |
| Sep 25 · Day 73 | 206.4 | 205.4 |
| Sep 26 · Day 74 | 205.4 | 205.4 |
| Sep 28 · 1 days after | 205.8 | 205.6 |
| Sep 29 · 2 days after | 207.2 | 206.0 |
| Sep 30 · 3 days after | 202.8 | 205.5 |
| Oct 1 · 4 days after | 204.6 | 205.4 |
| Oct 2 · 5 days after | 203.4 | 204.9 |
| Oct 3 · 6 days after | 204.0 | 204.6 |
| Oct 4 · 7 days after | 204.4 | 204.6 |
| Oct 5 · 8 days after | 205.6 | 204.6 |
| Oct 6 · 9 days after | 204.0 | 204.1 |
| Oct 7 · 10 days after | 204.2 | 204.3 |
| Oct 8 · 11 days after | 204.4 | 204.3 |
| Oct 9 · 12 days after | 200.4 | 203.9 |
Progress pictures
iPhone Camera 
Workouts
Strava - Workouts
- 156
- Hours
- 145
- Miles run
- 188
- Miles walked
- 183
| Day | Date | Workouts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 15 | Run · 3.9 mi · 47 min; Walk · 2 mi · 49 min |
| 2 | Jul 16 | Lift · 1h 02m; Walk · 2.6 mi · 50 min |
| 3 | Jul 17 | Lift · 48 min; Walk · 2 mi · 48 min |
| 4 | Jul 18 | Run · 4.2 mi · 48 min; Walk · 2.7 mi · 53 min |
| 5 | Jul 19 | Walk · 2.4 mi · 48 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 45 min |
| 6 | Jul 20 | Lift · 52 min; Walk · 2.6 mi · 53 min |
| 7 | Jul 21 | Run · 4.5 mi · 52 min; Walk · 2.4 mi · 46 min |
| 8 | Jul 22 | Lift · 1h 02m; Walk · 3.1 mi · 1h 01m |
| 9 | Jul 23 | Walk · 2.2 mi · 48 min; Walk · 2.2 mi · 46 min |
| 10 | Jul 24 | Run · 4.1 mi · 46 min; Walk · 2.3 mi · 49 min |
| 11 | Jul 25 | Run · 7 mi · 1h 31m; Walk · 2.2 mi · 45 min |
| 12 | Jul 26 | Walk · 2.1 mi · 47 min; Walk · 2.3 mi · 46 min |
| 13 | Jul 27 | Lift · 57 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 51 min |
| 14 | Jul 28 | Walk · 2.6 mi · 1h 10m; Walk · 2.1 mi · 47 min |
| 15 | Jul 29 | Run · 4.3 mi · 51 min; Walk · 2.3 mi · 47 min |
| 16 | Jul 30 | Lift · 55 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 57 min |
| 17 | Jul 31 | Run · 5 mi · 55 min; Walk · 2 mi · 47 min |
| 18 | Aug 1 | Lift · 56 min; Walk · 2 mi · 47 min |
| 19 | Aug 2 | Run · 8 mi · 1h 36m; Walk · 2.1 mi · 46 min |
| 20 | Aug 3 | Lift · 1h 06m; Walk · 2.2 mi · 46 min |
| 21 | Aug 4 | Walk · 2.5 mi · 52 min; Walk · 2.2 mi · 59 min |
| 22 | Aug 5 | Run · 5.1 mi · 56 min; Lift · 1h 05m |
| 23 | Aug 6 | Run · 4.4 mi · 50 min; Walk · 2.4 mi · 1h 07m |
| 24 | Aug 7 | Lift · 1h 04m; Walk · 1.9 mi · 46 min |
| 25 | Aug 8 | Walk · 2 mi · 49 min; Walk · 2 mi · 46 min |
| 26 | Aug 9 | Walk · 1 mi · 23 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 46 min; Walk · 2 mi · 48 min |
| 27 | Aug 10 | Walk · 2.2 mi · 54 min; Walk · 1.9 mi · 47 min |
| 28 | Aug 11 | Walk · 2.1 mi · 54 min; Walk · 2 mi · 46 min |
| 29 | Aug 12 | Walk · 1.9 mi · 50 min; Walk · 1.8 mi · 45 min |
| 30 | Aug 13 | Run · 4.2 mi · 49 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 47 min |
| 31 | Aug 14 | Lift · 1h 11m; Walk · 2.1 mi · 46 min |
| 32 | Aug 15 | Run · 10 mi · 1h 57m; Walk · 1.2 mi · 43 min; Walk · 0.3 mi · 16 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 48 min |
| 33 | Aug 16 | Walk · 0.1 mi · 2 min; Walk · 1.9 mi · 48 min; Walk · 1.8 mi · 49 min |
| 34 | Aug 17 | Lift · 57 min; Walk · 2.3 mi · 45 min |
| 35 | Aug 18 | Walk · 2.2 mi · 48 min; Lift · 1h 19m |
| 36 | Aug 19 | Run · 5 mi · 53 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 48 min |
| 37 | Aug 20 | Run · 4.7 mi · 47 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 51 min |
| 38 | Aug 21 | Lift · 54 min; Walk · 2.2 mi · 48 min |
| 39 | Aug 22 | Lift · 1h 17m; Walk · 2.1 mi · 47 min |
| 40 | Aug 23 | Run · 11 mi · 2h 13m; Walk · 2.1 mi · 58 min |
| 41 | Aug 24 | Lift · 51 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 49 min |
| 42 | Aug 25 | Run · 6 mi · 1h 09m; Lift · 1h 08m |
| 43 | Aug 26 | Lift · 49 min; Walk · 2 mi · 55 min |
| 44 | Aug 27 | Run · 4.4 mi · 47 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 48 min |
| 45 | Aug 28 | Lift · 52 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 49 min |
| 46 | Aug 29 | Lift · 1h 01m; Walk · 2.1 mi · 45 min |
| 47 | Aug 30 | Bike · 12.5 mi · 1h 51m; Run · 12 mi · 2h 27m |
| 48 | Aug 31 | Walk · 2 mi · 46 min; Walk · 2 mi · 49 min |
| 49 | Sep 1 | Lift · 59 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 48 min |
| 50 | Sep 2 | Walk · 2 mi · 46 min; Run · 6 mi · 1h 18m |
| 51 | Sep 3 | Lift · 52 min; Walk · 2.2 mi · 46 min |
| 52 | Sep 4 | Run · 4.5 mi · 52 min; Walk · 2.2 mi · 49 min |
| 53 | Sep 5 | Run · 10 mi · 2h 02m; Lift · 1h 13m |
| 54 | Sep 6 | Walk · 2 mi · 46 min; Walk · 1.9 mi · 46 min |
| 55 | Sep 7 | Walk · 2.3 mi · 57 min; Lift · 55 min |
| 56 | Sep 8 | Run · 5 mi · 51 min; Walk · 2.2 mi · 46 min |
| 57 | Sep 9 | Walk · 2.3 mi · 50 min; Lift · 1h 08m |
| 58 | Sep 10 | Run · 4.8 mi · 47 min; Walk · 2 mi · 47 min |
| 59 | Sep 11 | Lift · 1h 00m; Walk · 2.1 mi · 47 min |
| 60 | Sep 12 | Walk · 2.2 mi · 1h 06m; Lift · 52 min; Walk · 2.3 mi · 48 min |
| 61 | Sep 13 | Walk · 2.3 mi · 48 min; Run · 12 mi · 2h 12m |
| 62 | Sep 14 | Walk · 2 mi · 47 min; Yoga · 47 min |
| 63 | Sep 15 | Lift · 1h 08m; Bike · 9 mi · 56 min |
| 64 | Sep 16 | Run · 6 mi · 1h 05m; Walk · 2.1 mi · 49 min |
| 65 | Sep 17 | Lift · 58 min; Walk · 2 mi · 47 min |
| 66 | Sep 18 | Walk · 2.3 mi · 46 min; Run · 4.3 mi · 47 min |
| 67 | Sep 19 | Lift · 1h 25m; Run · 6 mi · 1h 06m |
| 68 | Sep 20 | Bike · 7.5 mi · 50 min; Yoga · 53 min |
| 69 | Sep 21 | Walk · 2.2 mi · 55 min; Lift · 1h 00m |
| 70 | Sep 22 | Run · 4.8 mi · 52 min; Walk · 2.2 mi · 50 min |
| 71 | Sep 23 | Walk · 2.9 mi · 1h 12m; Lift · 52 min |
| 72 | Sep 24 | Walk · 2.2 mi · 52 min; Walk · 2.1 mi · 46 min |
| 73 | Sep 25 | Run · 3 mi · 31 min; Walk · 2.2 mi · 47 min; Walk · 2.3 mi · 48 min |
| 74 | Sep 26 | Walk · 2.2 mi · 47 min; Lift · 46 min |
| 75 | Sep 27 | Chicago Half Marathon · 13.3 mi · 2h 13m; Yoga · 51 min |
Books
Kindle & paper books 
Things I learned, in no particular order:
- I had no time for leisure at all. Evenings just for finishing the work. No time to think or waste. Only what is necessary.
- I had planned to use the challenge to migrate to a very early wakeup time (5am). I didn’t crack that code. That was disappointing.
- Felt like a crucible. It never felt exciting or grandiose in the moment. It felt painstakingly incremental: hammering away at a higher tolerance for monotony and discipline and taming my craving for comfort.
- Progress is slow. It requires faith in a fuzzy future, trust in the process rather than what’s right in front of your eyes.
- Work isn’t everything. It’s possible to have a life outside it.
- Always have a race on the calendar. I signed up for the Chicago Half Marathon that happened to fall on the final day of the challenge. It was motivating to have something to train for.
- Building an identity—even a temporary one—is more powerful than just hoping for discipline. I decided early on I’d be a 75 Hard guy, and I refused to fail in front of the group of friends I had texted to help keep me accountable.
- Counting calories works. Don’t “go on a diet”. Count calories, calculate a modest deficit, and everything else will fall into place. You’ll very quickly learn that to hit the deficit without starving yourself, you have to prioritize protein and healthy high volume foods (fiber). And from there, you just lose the taste for bullshit processed and high sugar foods.
- It’s meant to be a mental toughness challenge. But it’s also habit-forming. The first day after finishing (the day after having run a half marathon) I woke up at 5:30 and lifted. I sensed zero desire to stop any of the habits (except the INSANITY of consuming an entire gallon of water and the mild inconvenience of the daily selfie).
- A few of the rules are nonsensical. But they build the ability and the callouses to be disciplined. Now that it’s done, I have a new infrastructure of discipline and I can make the rules more logical. Maybe the arbitrary and cantankerous rules are necessary to get the infrastructure.
- It washed off a lot of mental clutter. Excuses, tendency to reach for things like La Croix or other drinks, alcohol to cope with boredom or stress, bullshit food