One Tough Workout
This morning was the toughest boot camp for me yet. Funny part about it was I think the tough part came in because it was mostly a mental game with myself.
Here in Halifax downtown we have Citadel Hill. Its a military fort in the middle of downtown over looking the harbour. It is a giant hill about 2kms around the base. This morning we ran around the base of the Hill, each time we’d go around a corner we would have to run up the side of the grassy hill to the railing at the top and then run back down to keep going around the hill. I felt like my feet on the hill were moving through sand. I found myself walking up the side of the hill and watching the other girls run far ahead of me. I was able to run down the hill and to the next uphill, but struggled. The third time up the hill I got the part where the hill turns into a steep incline before the railing at the top and had nothing left to get up the incline. I had to bear crawl my way up it using  my hands – sucking wind the whole way. My trainer had me climb over the railing at that point – the other girls were already on to the last quarter of the hill – and run around the top to meet the other girls coming up. We all ran back down, and then did the stairs and came back up the hill one last time before running back to the gym.
Coming back to the gym I got a second wind (or it was just the slight downhill incline working in my favor) and felt ok. I was talking to myself in my head. Mentally my first instinct was to be angry that I’ve been at this fitness thing for over a year and I still can’t keep up with the other bootcamp girls. Instead I told myself that the run was way more than I’ve ever been able to do, and slow or not I got it done. That’s freakin’ progress.
After the run, back in the gym there was still more workout to come. In the end I don’t know which was worse – the running or the core workout we did that followed:
We did two sets of:
- 15 stability ball rollout-knee tucks
- 15 stability ball crunches (with hips high on the ball)
- 10 side crunches on each side
Followed by two sets of:
- 1 min plank from the toes in push up position (arms extended)
- into 30 sec. plank (on elbows)
- into 30 sec. side plank
- into 30 sec. other side plank
- Crab walk the length of the gym
And to finish it all off in a deadly manner, a max hold plank. I made it 1 min from my toes, had to drop to my knees in plank for the next 1min 30 secs.
Then I lay in a puddle of my own sweat and tried to find the gumption to move again to drink some water and stretch before heading to work.
Yes, it was a challenge. The toughest part was definitely the mental game with myself. The cardio and running is a weak spot for me. But I’m WAY better than I ever have been. I’m teaching myself that eventhough this process to fitness is taking me longer than I ever imagined, I am moving in the right directions. Yes, I’m still slower than the other girls in bootcamp, yes I’m still 70+lbs away from being “my healthy weight”, yes its still not easy – BUT, now I can do what the other girls can do in bootcamp, now I’m more than 60lbs less than I was a year ago, and its EASIER.
Popularity: 50% [?]
July 7, 2010
Posted in: Uncategorized
6 Responses
Wow, sounds like a killer workout. I’m impressed! I know what you mean about the mental game too. That can definitely be the toughest part.
Desert Agave´s last blog ..Weigh In and the Menu Plan
This is the kind of workout I do twice a week with my trainer, it’s tough, but I hope you’ll hang in there. After 9 months of this kind of training, my arms are in the best shape of my life and my core is so strong. This is the kind of workout that will give you the body you deserve.
karen-fitnessjourney´s last blog ..Can Cardio Equipment be Used for Strength Training
Oh that sounds like a killer!! I love those kinds of exercises. My heartrate goes through the roof though and that’s what’s holding me back. Just can’t have it at 180 the whole time..ya know?
Julie Lost and Found´s last blog ..That Simple 3 Letter Word- Simple Truth or Derrogatory
Oh man I want to come to your bootcamp!
Tara´s last blog ..Taking some much needed time…
I wanna come too! You are a FITNESS WARRIOR girl!
Anonymous Fat Girl´s last blog ..A case study of Jif peanut butters – natural peanut butter vs all the rest
redstar5 – Work in Progress » New Goals – New Program - August 5, 2010
[...] July 20th after 16 days of following my new eating plan, and getting in some extra tough workouts I had my weigh in and measurements and found I was 5.5lbs down and many inches [...]
Leave a Reply