Sometimes, when you hear fitness nuts talking about their exercise programmes, they whitter on about 'hitting a wall' and I suppose I didn't really understand what that meant until today. After yesterday's shocking shuttle runs, I was feeling tired and quite sore this morning, but that in itself is hardly news-as you've probably gathered by now, I'm not naturally enthusiastic about exercise. But usually, once we get moving, and mostly thanks to Damien D, there are little bursts of energy and motivation that keep me going through the tougher parts (ie anything that involves running!). This was not the case today at all-we set off to do the 3.2 mile route (and can it be said for the record that it's chock full of bloody hills) and every step felt like a struggle. It was like I was walking (and sometimes briefly running), through treacle, and I seemed to get out of breath far more quickly than usual. There were several times when I had to slow the already slow jog to a walk.
I knew this week was going to be tougher-I'm pretty much halfway through the training now, and Damien D had warned me that every week would bring new challenges and he would push me more as the time went on. Where in the first weeks, he walked and ran alongside me, today he walked and ran ahead, setting a tougher pace, encouraging me to keep up with him. Like I could be arsed! I wanted to fall into a hedge and stay there until someone taxied me home to a warm bath. Or better still, shove him in the hedge and hitch a lift to a land far far away, or at least to a Starbucks.(which from Glenavy IS pretty far!) But I carried on, sometimes walking, sometimes scuttling and we finished in 39 minutes, which actually is the best time yet, and did I already say it's 3.2 miles of hills??
Now, usually I'd be buzzing, (after I'd been resusitated) , but today I just felt a bit flat (unlike the terrain) and really fatigued. Then, it was 6 rounds of boxercise and lots of armwork with weights and we were done...and I was so glad. Right now I feel very sore-my thighs, my shins, even my ankles, and tired tired tired. And I'm such a moan moan moan! So I've been thinking, what was different today? Why was it so hard? Over the course of my extensive 3 week experience, I can begin to appreciate that you WILL have good workout days and not so good days-I suppose it's like anything else really, and so much comes into play-your moods, your sleep, your physical state, that it's hardly surprising . I CAN say with absolute certainty that Damien D was the catalyst for me getting out there and staying out there today. Some days you need a little encouragement, sometimes a lot, and other times, like today, you need your sorry ass driven out of the house and up and down those hills because you can't do it on your own. So thank you Damien for doing that today-it couldn't have been a pleasant job for you but rest assured that I got no enjoyment from it whatsoever... but I'm still glad I did it, I think. So I've a day off tomorrow , then we're hitting the gym on thursday and friday so here's hoping I'll be a duracell bunny by then! Emmaxx
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