I had joined a Boot Camp Class back on May 18, 2015. Dear Lord was I in for a rude awakening at how grueling and taxing this class could be on one's body. My oldest daughter Nicole has been taking this class for over two years and told me I should try it out. I love being physical and use to enjoy going to the gym when I had the time. I had put on a little bit of weight and figured that this would be a great way to get back in to shape. I had signed up and had my first class, as embarrassing as it was, I struggled to do our first set of sit ups. I was thinking to myself, "What has happened to me, I use to be able to do these without an issue." I haven't really exercised hard in four years with the exception of riding my bike 12-miles a few times a week and walking 6-miles also a few times a week. I asked the PT (Personal Trainer) to grab my hand and pull me forward while laying on my back struggling to do the rest of the sit-ups, he laughed. Little did he know I was dead serious. We did some other exercises which weren't so bad, all of which were done outside near a cemetery of all places. At least if I dropped dead I wouldn't have far to go. Admittedly I absolutely hated doing burpees, not my first choice of an exercise, that's for sure. At the end of the class I was winded and sweating like a drowned rat, but felt really good. I had gone home and decided to put on my Zumba video and do an hour because I am a glutton for punishment, as if the hour of Boot Camp weren't enough.
That evening my daughter Nicole called and wanted to take a walk, I didn't even hesitate and said yes. We started our walk and I had told her about doing Zumba after class and she asked if I was insane? I told her of course I am, but what does that have to do with anything? She laughed and told me I would be feeling it in the morning, and by feeling it she meant pain. We got done with the 6-mile walk and I was feeling grand and proud of my cardio accomplishments for the day. At the end of the bike-walk path the tops of my thighs each got this God awful pain, the only way I can explain it is, it was like labor pains on my thighs. I actually buckled over and couldn't walk any farther, thankfully the car was right there. The pain was so bad I couldn't sit, Nicole had to ease me in to the car and the tears came. I couldn't help it, my thighs were on fire and knotted up tightly. I told her I think I have lactic acid built up and of course being my daughter, she had to do the "I told you so" with some other wise ass comments followed by laughing. She is cut from the same cloth as me, I swear this to be true.
I had the evening from hell I really did. Anything that required sitting was painful.
You don't really take in to consideration how often you sit especially when you drink nearly a gallon of water a day. You can use your imagination there. I actually needed help to sit and get back up. I was using a wooden rolling pin on the top of my thighs to try and help alleviate the lactic acid build up, every time I rolled I winced and moaned out loud like a whimpering pup and tears streamed down my face. Of course my family found this very humorous. Thank goodness I didn't have class the next day, there would have been no way for me to even get through. That evening I alternated between ice packs and a heating pad along with using the wooden rolling pin, each time it touched my thighs, I thought I would die a slow and painful death. I started drinking a lot of lemon water and upped my protein because those two things also help with the lactic acid.
Wednesday came along and I had to be to class for 6:00 a.m., I couldn't even sit in the car to drive and when I did finally plant my behind in the seat, the pain was excruciating. Try sitting in a sports car and use your legs for the gas, brake and the clutch. Oh the curse words flowed like wine, thankfully nobody could hear me inside of the car. I got to the class and had told the PT what had happened and he was shocked that I would push myself so much especially on the first day, also because the class itself is extremely challenging. I told him everything I was doing for the lactic acid and he agreed I was doing everything correctly. He did laugh when I compared the thigh pain to being in labor. Sure he can laugh, he hasn't been through either and I have.
Another hard thing we do is the Indian Run, I won't go in to details on what it is, you can Google it. I will post a video of our class doing this when I get permission from our PT to share it, it's grueling that's all I can say. I struggled the first time we had done it and the second time around I did great. Another tough exercise we have done is upper and lower planks to the song "Flower" by Moby. Every time it says "up or down" that's what you do. Here is a video so you get an idea of what I am talking about.
In August, two of my friends from the class asked if I wanted to do a 5-K Obstacle Course Race with them? Without hesitation or asking first what it entails, I said yes. On August 1, 2015, I not only competed with my team mates of 4-other ladies, but we completed the race as well. It was one of the hottest most humid days we have had here in New England. I was thinking what have I gotten myself in to? We had to not only run, but scale walls, crawl on our stomachs under fencing, carry filled buckets, do bear crawls, dreaded burpees, scale a chain link fence, etc.,.. Here I am only 90-days in of serious training, I was so afraid I would lag behind and our team wouldn't cross the finish line. Well lo and behold we did. It was one of the best accomplishments of my life. We ended up on a running track the last leg of the 5-K Obstacle Course and we had to run the track to the finish line and break the yellow ribbon. I actually burst in to tears when I hit that ribbon. I had friends and family along with our PT cheering us on, it was an amazing feeling going from struggling to do sit-ups 90-days prior, to running this event in the humidity and heat no less. I believe our team time was a two hours and 18-minutes, not too bad. I received a t-shirt and a colored rubber band for every completed obstacle station, 20 in total. I was told this was set up military style and it was tough.
Here are my bands, t-shirt, runner's number and the banner from the event. I have other photos I will post when I have more time. I am now done with Boot Camp and started Cross Fit Training, same PT just a little less running outside due to being in a studio and lots of weight lifting done in timed exercise stations. This class is also challenging but I love it and how I look and feel. I am now on session #4. As for those sit ups, I can do 47 with an 8-pound medicine ball under 2-minutes, not too bad.
