12 down zero to go!

 Six weeks, twelve hours, 6,000 calories burned.  Muscle gained.  Weight lost.  I went from hating tires to loving them.  I ran/speed walked the entire roof this morning.  I've done countless push ups, dips, medicine ball sit ups, tire pushes, tire flips, tire pulls.  I've ran with tires and medicine balls.  I've ran with weights tied to me.  I've ran while carrying sandbags. I've ran with a rope around me being pulled by someone else.  I've ran more in six weeks than I have in 42 years.  When I say 'ran' I mean run/speed walked.   I have made great strides and great friends. I don't know what possessed me today, but the tire I picked up was heavier than I'm use too.  My first thought was "that's okay, it's the last day of boot camp and I'm in the mood to kick a little tire."  It was a toss up, the tire kicked my butt and I kicked its butt.  I found out I am stronger than even I realized.    I found out that 5:30 is *really* early in the morning.  I found out that I have a love/hate relationship with Coach Steve.

Coach Steve.  The man is a maniac in the best way.  For someone who loves to swim, he sure loves to run a lot!  Coach Steve is amazing.  I don't know if the Coach was anyone else if I would have followed through.  Coach Steve is tough.  He keeps pushing you beyond your limits.  He doesn't tear you down to build you up.  He just starts out building you up and keeps going.  In his eyes, there is nothing we can't do.  And, if he believes it, it must be true.  If he lit the ramp on fire and said to go up with my tire, I would.  As usual, I'd say he was drunk or crazy (note, he's never drunk or crazy) but I would go up nonetheless.  He knows my strength better than I do.  I started boot camp wanting to throw up the first ten minutes.  Then, that threshold moved.  It got further and further into the hour.  Today, I left everything I had on the ramp.  I left so much sweat and energy on that ramp it will short out a car and restart it.  I wanted to throw up at the very end.  I was worried for a while that if I didn't feel like I wanted to throw up, I wasn't pushing myself.  I was, I just had gotten stronger.  And, that's because of Coach Steve.

Then, there's the other participants.  They are equally amazing.  When I'm always the last one up the ramp they never complain.  Not once.  In fact, quite the opposite.  They cheer me on with 'you can do it!  Come on, Gina!"  When I had 10 dips left to do and nothing left in me this morning the cheered me on to finish, and I did.  They are such a great source of support.  We take care of each other.  We started out with 11 people.  Two guys.  We finished with five women.  Zero guys.  We rule!

There are my friends.  My Carol is nothing short of amazing.  Every boot camp day, I get a text either wishing me luck, telling me to work hard, or how proud of me she is.  There's the countless email and texts I get from my friends telling me how proud of me they are.  There's the greatest compliments of 'skinny minnie' and my personal favorite 'skinny bitch' :D  And finally, there is my husband.   He has not complained once when the alarm (which he sets) goes off at 4:45am on boot camp days.  He never complained when I come in afterwards to shower and accidentally wake him up.  He always tells me how proud of me he is.  Sometimes, it hard for him to see changes because he sees me everyday and that's okay.  Because everyday, he loves me.  Everyday, he tells me how proud of me he is.  Every boot camp day he says "go get 'em" or 'how'd your do?"  He is my biggest cheerleader and I love him for it.

Six weeks ago, I signed up for boot camp to help push me through the end of my fit & fierce program.  I figured it would give me an extra kick.  It did more than that.  More than I ever thought possible.  I gained in wisdom and in strength and I could not be happier!

What now?  Well, I started fit & fierce 4 life last night (similar to fit & fierce but the next level).  I also signed up for boxing!  I'm going back to my regularly scheduled routine.  I miss my Zumba with Lori more than I ever thought possible (I have a meeting at church tonight, but I'll be their Friday, Lori!).  I found that I couldn't do both in the same day, that it was just way too much for me to handle.  I will continue with my new ff4l program and I will continue pushing myself.  And, rest assured, I will still have my love/hate relationship with Coach Steve.  He's teaching boxing!!!!  I expect to be pushed beyond my limits and I am looking forward to it!

So, I implore you to try something new.  To push yourself beyond your limits.  You can do anything!

Until next time,
Sign up for fit & fierce for life!  It starts next week and you will thank yourself for it!

Love,
Me