Boot camp and other things.....

Boot camp

Rob and I both signed up for a Bootcamp Exercise class at Rice University. The thing I love about this bootcamp, is that the past 3 years it is usually the same 7 people who take the class. Every time I’ve done the class Rob watches the kids, but this time we thought it might be fun to do it together.

It had been months, five to be exact, since I had even worked out, never-the-less attended bootcamp. Come to find out the class had a new instructor (who is also a  trainer for the Houston Dynamos).

This guy knows no limits when it comes to the term “ultimate workout” and demands 90 % each circuit. You can’t even complain, because the guy runs just about every circuit with each group. He is insane. I am pretty sure he works out multiple times a day.

With his workouts, I never thought, nor ever imagined that I would ever try to do some of the things we have. Like sprinting up a ramp carrying 50 lbs in weights, multiple times—but I have. Let’s just say I have never worked out so hard in my life until now.

The first day back I almost died--really.

I shamefully had to skip out the last 10 mins of class because I felt so sick and my head was pounding.

I think the instructor thought I wasn’t going to come back.

I could tell my peers felt bad for me.

Because I couldn’t finish the circuit in time, they had to do extra push-ups in my behalf while I skipped out.

Talk about taking a hit to my pride.

This past year and a half, my body struggled to even be able to do a jumping jack. Bed rest about killed my muscle capacity and strength, and I struggled, I mean struggled to even keep up with my peers in the class. Its like I had lost any atheltic abilities that I might have ever had. It had been like this all last year when I was doing bootcamp.

However, now, after 6weeks of intense training, amazing workouts and an awesome trainer, its like my body has woken up. I finally feel like I am where I was before my pregnancy with vera.

Nostalgic

A couple of weeks ago our work out was to run a timed 3 mile. It sounds so lame, but I was nearvous… Who really cares right? I mean its boot camp --- not for a grade, no glory, not a real race… just a work out class. Still, the runner in me always gets those butterfiles before running.  It had been years, and I mean years, since I had gone out for a real “run”, never-the-less ran 3 miles.  I was determined to not walk, and not end with a pathedic time.  I was determined not to embarrass myself. I honestly believe that half the battle when it comes to running is all mental.  The entire time I was running , I treated it like I was running in an old cross country meet. Picking off runnings, one at a time.  I didn’t have a running buddy to help me keep time or pace. Just myself and the other joggers on the loop.  I kept telling myself, “ You were a runner for 11 years… its like ridding a bike, you don’t forget how to run..”

I am proud to say that I ran the entire loop, and was very happy with my 8-8.5 min miles—not bad considering I hadn’t run 3 miles for a very long time.

Two weeks ago we ran a timed mile, and I was happy about my 7:15 min mile. I felt awesome! Afterward, I felt like I could have run another  mile. I know its not amazingly fast, especially compared to what I ran in higschool, but its improvement… and for me I am happy with that, especially since a year ago, I could barely run a lap around the soccer field for warm-up.

What I love about this bootcamp instructor is that he makes us do some kind of running every workout. Whether its sprinting ramps, running around a field-- our workouts always include running. 

I can’t lie. I love running---even before running became cool. 

There is something so nostalgic about it for me.

For an energetic 8 year old little girl, this was the perfect outlet for me and it stuck. Remembering former days of  track practices, relays, the 800m run (my favoriate race), long Cross Country meets, and passing the time with team mates and good friends.

I think one of the most rewarding parts of running is the knowledge that you have the mental discipline to work through any discomfort or pain. That if you endure just for a little bit longer,  you body will comply and it will soon be finished. 

Running really makes me happy. I mean really, really happy--- like painting. I feel like there are certain things in life that we were meant to do. Its not like I’m amazing at any of these things, but I feel deep down inside it was what I was made to do.  What I truly beileive is that everyone has something like that in there life~