Boot Camp Diary

Well I made it all the way through my first Adventure Boot Camp session.  Josh Allen is a tough boot camp sargeant, but he also knows how much to push each of us individually without yelling and screaming. I highly recommend boot camp for women who have been putting off getting in shape, have been dealing with the winter blahs, and/or have been grieving for a friend, relative, pet, etc.

Week two started off by my getting my summer 'do a bit early.  I decided a nice pixie haircut was in order, so that my hair was not hanging in my face dripping with sweat while I ran, and jumped and squatted, and did crunches until the cows came home.  I am from Wisconsin after all.  Drill instructor Josh keeps us pushing ourselves to do just five reps more or just 10 more seconds, which some evenings seems like hours.  But we keep extending ourselves, so we can better our best performances, and become stronger with every class. 

When I wrote why I wanted to win the Adventure Boot Camp my words came straight from my heart.  The depression from losing two family members in one week in 2008 had put me into a funk that I could not pull myself out from.  Thank you to Her and Josh Allen at Adventure Boot Camp for picking my story. 

It may appear as though I've fallen off the boot camp wagon, but alas. I have not. At least not voluntarily. In fact, I fell victim to the strepidemic that's attacking the city, which exempted me from yesterday's session. However, when I returned to the scene of action this morning, albeit pumped with penicillin (aka THE MOST EFFECTIVE DRUG EVER!), my ankle had other plans in mind. So here we sit, me and my swollen and irritated ankle, having to choose self-preservation over personal improvement. In short, I need my ankles to last me for hopefully another 50 - 60 years.

"You made it," Sarge said as I entered the David Lipsomb gym this mornning. "I knew you would." What a greeting! Dark and wet, the weather definitely made sleeping in the more obvious option, but as I laid in bed, loathing the wretched alarm, it was knowing that Sarge would be expecting me — and all the others — by no later than 5:45 a.m. Accountability. Follow-through. Knowing that someone else is pulling their weight, so you sure as heck better pull yours.

Never underestimate the power of a good night's sleep. I did, and let me just say that boot camp on no sleep? A little daunting. I shouldn't say no sleep. Just a revised version of my usual amount. Revised as in much less than.

As I was holding my squats this morning pondering the lighter side of life, I wondered what it's like to be on the other side of the squat. The person who is tasked with motivating some 15 - 25 women on any given day. No easy feat, I'm sure, but who better to ask than the source. Please join me in welcoming Nashville's Adventure Boot Camp owner, fitness fanatic, and motivator extraordinaire, Josh Allen. (Otherwise affectionately known as "Sarge.")

Growing up, my mom knew how to keep me motivated. She'd dangle a carrot, something to look forward to, something to keep me going. If I had two more exams, I'd keep studying because she promised me dinner and a movie when all was said and done. That sort of thing. It didn't have to be a big prize ... just something to focus on. Something that she knew I would enjoy. Something that would keep me on track to complete the task at hand. And it always worked. She still does it, too. Or at least she reminds me to do it for myself.

Not sure if it was having the weekend off or what, but today's session of ABC just about did me in. But, BUT! I tried to tell myself several times (particularly on the sprints while my poor partner had to do the wall sit until I finished, i.e. I better hurry! it! up!), "You CAN do this. You CAN do this!" Which got me thinking about (hang with me here) The Little Engine That Could.

I was fairly athletic as a child, always consumed with gymnastics, track, basketball, cheerleading ... I had a lot of energy to burn, and my parents always provided me the outlets in which to do so. While I was good at all of these things, I was never great at any of them. It's likely because I never fully exerted myself. At the end of gymnastics practice, we'd do strengthening exercises — handstand pushups, tuck ups for the abs, etc. — and I'd always do them half-heartedly.