For those of you who I haven't told, I have taken on the challenge of a Fitness Boot Camp.  Boot Camp Web Site  I started the five-week program on April 7th.  Here is my account of the experience.  Hope you enjoy! 

Hey all.  I'm determined to keep this brief. 

When we got to class this morning I was told we were doing our PT Test today.  I had planned on it being tomorrow.  I was BANKING on it being tomorrow.  I had already pre-loaded a couple of running lists on my iPod.  I knew that I had to be through a certain point by the middle song.  I had it all planned out - for tomorrow.  Imagine my surprise.

We started with the Push-ups - my enemy.  I was paired up with Fletcher ("Butthead").  He knocked out 63 push-ups, which was pretty good!  If you remember, I did an embarrassing 12 last time.  This time I was determined to do better.  Like Fletcher suggested, I figured I needed to start off really strong and knock out as many as I could before I got really tired.  This strategy worked!  I improved to 37 push-ups in two minutes.  I was feeling pretty good about myself!

The good feeling subsided quickly when we went on to sit-ups.  Last time I did 29 and I thought that was OK.  Like I said before, I should be used to hauling my fat butt out of bed.  This time, I only did 29.  NO IMPROVEMENT!!  ugh.....  This was discouraging.  I guess I'm going to have to work on this more before the final PT Test!

Finally, we ran.  Before I start, let me state (for the record) that the last course we ran was more than 2 miles.  Chuck said he marked it with his car and the lap was over 1 mile.  That made me feel a little better about my lack of speed last time.

Anyway, we ran a different course this time.  I don't know if it was longer or not.  Like I stated before, I am not a runner.  But I survived the course pretty well.  I think this one was flatter - so that helped.  I shaved three minutes off of my time from PT Test #1.  I was pretty happy about it.  Even better, I came in about 10th in the group.  That made me feel a lot better about all of the other times when I've finished last.  I have maintained that they were skipping laps and this pretty much verified it.  I may be out of shape, but I KNOW I can last longer than a majority of the people in that class.

Nothing too amusing to add to this report.  All of my humor left me when I had to run without my motivational iPod.  ha ha.  The only humor to be had from today was only available if you could have seen me run.  I doubt it was pretty.  I don't think I sounded too good either.  A few of the ladies in the group looked at me when they heard me breathing and asked if I was going to make it.  (At least I beat them!)

PT Totals for Week #1:  Push-ups:  11  (ugh)   Sit-ups:  28   2-mile run:  26:34.

PT Totals for Week #3:  Push-ups:  37  (Woo Hoo!)   Sit-ups:  29  (ugh!)   2-mile run:  23:30  (not bad, but still not good)