Boot Camp: Day 1

...is over.

I woke up at 4:15 this morning, anxious about the first day. Even before I left, it wasn't a terribly easy morning. I hunted around the garage for the ball pump I needed to blow up my new stability ball (hey, I still couldn't find it after two days of searching!). I found my bicycle pump, you know, the 2-foot vertical one you need two hands to pump the lever up and down while holding it steady with your feet? Try pumping using that, without a needle to insert in the ball. I spent several minutes balancing the pump, pumping with one hand, bending over to the flattened ball on the floor to place the nozzle as best I could over the air hole, while air still gushes out the side of the nozzle...no air actually going in the ball. It was working for a while, but to get it to 55 cm diameter was going to be painstakingly difficult. I'd miss my class if I tried.

I thought I'd text the instructor and find out if I really need the ball for today. I wrote I couldn't find my pump and my computer is broken so I couldn't check my email, and left my telephone number for him to call. I got a quick text back...."No". Okaaaaay.....he probably thinks I'm an idiot. (BTW....I'm at my parent's place, until I can resolve my computer issues....another blog altogether....)

That resolved, I thought I should eat something so to not pass out. Slice of bread and butter and a small apple for the road. Then Gabe wakes up. It's 5 am.

My 2-1/2 year old decides he wants to sleep in our room and I found out he wet his bed as well. Quick diaper change and I settle him in our room...placed pillows around him so that he won't roll over, kissed him and left the room before completely knowing if he's going back to sleep or not. I've got to leave! It's 5:15.

I got to the outside track early. The few cars in the parking lot with their headlights on tell me I've got the right location...who the heck would be out this early if not for us? I sat in the car until more cars arrive and I gathered all my things once I saw everyone do the same.

There were a few of us there, perhaps 20. One girl introduced herself to me as Tammy, looking very fit for a first timer. Then we got briefed about the camp, and went around introducing ourselves, how many boot camps we've been to, and what we're totally commmitted to accomplishing at this camp. By the time they get to me, I mention that I want to reduce my body fat composition. I say 5% would be nice, but 10% would be great (having heard a lady say that she lost 10% at the last camp). This is where I get shot down: the instructor says 1-3% is realistic and goes on with reasons why. So right away, everyone knows that I had unrealistic expectations and will not be achieving the results I had intended to get when I signed up for the program. I hunched down in disgrace while the last couple of bootcampers introduce themselves. How embarassing!

So we headed down to the actual track to warm up. Wanting to bring my water and towel, I followed up the rear of the group, still stunned by my reality check. Good thing it was still dark: my disappointment showed.

We did a couple of laps around the track as a warmup. 1/2 mile. Wasn't difficult, though it warmed me up heavily and tested my breathing. We immediately sprang into jumping jacks for several minutes. Then we did our 1-Mile-Run. 4 laps, sprint through the finish line. I used to break 10 minutes, but I'd be happy at 12 min, utterly disgusted with 15 min. I came in at 11:13. The two older ladies in the group came in last at 13:xx, so I wasn't in terrible shape.

Next up, our Strength Test. Mats out, partnered up. Tammy, the Fit One, who had lapped me at the track, already finished before I started my last lap at 8:29, had found another, more fit, friend to partner up with. I found Eve, an older lady who's never done the camp before either. The strength test is pushups, modified or standard, and have our partner spot our form. I figured I could do quite a bit at a modified position, so I would tackle the standard pushup. I used to do a few sets of 10 when I fit. Those days are gone. I did 4.

Yup, 4. I was on my way down to do 5 but couldn't push myself back up, and hovered down there before falling flat on my face. Being conservative, I earned only 4 pushups. My partner only did 7 modified pushups. While we lay there on our mats, in the freezing cold morning (it's still dark, save for a lamp post nearby), we blankly stared at everyone else still going at it. Boy, did my partner and I suck; we waited for a while.

Then we were to record our number of pushups on the chart, beside our track time. Embarassed about jotting down "4", I reach the chart and find out someone had written "12" on my spot on the chart. So T'ai, the instructor, had to announce to everyone that someone had written by the wrong name, "Cheryl". Of course, that meant that I had to scratch out that "12" and write beside it "4", so that everyone knew that I, Cheryl, was the one who only did 4 pushups. I heard someone counting to 21 pushups, at least that's where I tuned out in disgust. So now, even my shoulders sag in disgrace.

We had a nice stretch afterwards and everyone starts to leave. T'ai mentioned that he needed 3 cell phone numbers from the 5-dayers, in case he has trouble reaching us on the Tuesday or Thursday. I hadn't wanted to let him know who texted him this morning, to save me another case of embarrassment, but I wanted to be on the inside track for information, so I gave him my telephone number, again. No one else offered to give him their phone number, though none of the 5-dayers apparently showed up today (he said there were six; phew, I didn't want to be the only one!).

I was back in the car by 6:37am. 19 more days like this? God save me...