THE RESULTS SHOW!

Ok, I'm tired, and happy, and oh so excited to sleep in until 8 tomorrow (my son happens to have a 9 am soccer game this week of all weeks). I'll probably blog again after the party tonight or tomorrow and I'll post a picture of me in my boot camp shirt (which looks like it will be extra sexy since I didn't realize there were male and female versions of it).

Anyway, everyone rocked it out this morning, and there were many really touching moments as we took some time at the end to talk about the experience and how it impacted us.

I was suprised at how much easier everything other than the run was. The run was still very challenging for me, I couldn't seem to find that stride that I had hit last week on the long run. I may have started off a bit gung ho though . . . Also, it was unbelievably hot and HUMID this morning, even at 6 am. Heavy wet air always makes me struggle, my lungs just don't process it well at all and I really really felt at times towards the end of the run that I just wasn't going to be able to do it. I felt so frustrated and sad that it was still so difficult.

And then it was over. And although I felt whipped, I didn't feel like throwing up, and I recovered a lot faster, and felt totally fine through the rest of the PT test so that was something.

I've stalled long enough, here are the results (first PT test was September 10, second was October 5):

Push ups (number completed in 1 minute):
First PT - 15 straight and 13 facilitated (on the knees)
Second PT - 20 straight and 20 facilitated.

Sit ups (number completed in 1 minute):
First PT - 24
Second PT - 36

Tricep Dips (number completed in 1 minute):
First PT - 0 straight leg and 23 facilitated (bent knees)
Second PT - 22 straight leg and 16 facilitated.

Time for 1 mile run (actually the course is 1.08 miles):
First PT - 17:45
Second PT - 12:14

YES, as much as I wasn't feeling it during, I improved my 1 mile run by 5 MINUTES AND 31 SECONDS!!!!

Yeah, there was certainly a LOT of room for improvement there but I really had an honest fear that I wouldn't do much better time wise. I was just hoping to beat 15 minutes (which again, I know is walking speed for many people but I apparently have a TINY stride length when I jog).

So I'm super psyched about the party tonight, very sad that Jojo and some of the campers won't be able to make it but we'll somehow manage to rock on without them.

I can't thank my instructors or fellow campers ENOUGH! This has been such a tough thing for me to do and it really wouldn't have been possible without their believing in me regardless of my doubts. They have all inspired me with their own stories and let me know, above all, that I'm not alone. For an only child who is accustomed to being self-reliant above all else, being able to really acknowledge and rely upon that camraderie is a huge step.

And big thanks also go to my husband and my buddy Shane who have REALLY stepped up to support me in so many concrete ways (not to mention the other family and friends who have emailed and called with encouragement throughout).

Just because I've graduated from my first bootcamp (I'm a "veteran" now . . . hee!) doesn't mean this blog is ending. It will continue as I focus on a bit of recovery, finding some new shoes that work for me, and maintaining for the next two weeks before my next bootcamp starts in mid October! And I'm still planning on the Candler Park 5K so STAY TUNED!