Friday Workout

Previous to yesterday, I had not worked out with my personal trainer since last Wednesday. He was off on the Friday, Monday was a holiday, and Wednesday I had a meeting to attend for work and was unable to make it to the gym. So considering the last few weeks (3 weeks to be exact) have been quite lean on the personal training front, I assumed BJ would take it easy on me on Friday morning, you know, kinda ease me back into the training. Ummmmmmm Noooooooo he didn't.

I did my 5 min walking warmup on the treadmill and came out to meet him. He took me directly to the treadmill and I began to walk at a pace of about 3 mph. Then he said, very nonchalantly I might add, "today you are going to run". Arrrrrrrrgh panic took over me only because i have never run on the treadmill. I've done a few short bursts in our training room, but not on the treadmill. So this is what the cycles consisted of:

- 45 sec running at 5 mph. Wow this was hard, I didn't think I could make the 45 sec, but I did,

- 2 mins of walking at 3mph. Trying to catch my breath during this time. I was starting to sweat.

- 45 sec running at 5.2mph. After about 5 sec I managed to gasp out"I an NEVER gonna make it" to which BJ yelled out yes you can GO-GO-GO. I made it to 45 seconds- but just barely.

- 2 mins of walking at 3mph. This time I was leaning into the front bar on the treadmill and gasping for air. I could feel the sweat running down my body.

- 45 sec of running at 5.4 mph. This time I did not look at the console which indicates the time. I looked at the treadmill belt below me and listened to sound of my feet hitting the belt in a constant rhythem, reminding me that I am running, and I concentrated on breathing deeply. I was shocked at how much easier this set was.

- 2 mins of walking at 3 mph. I had to hang on to the side rails on the treadmill to slow myself down a bit. I could see sweat dripping off of me. My hair was soaked. I felt like I was going to keel over.

- 45 of running at 5.5 mph. last set, thank God, run, run, run, run,run, my lungs felt as though they were going to explode. BJ was yelling in my ear, GO-GO-GO-GO. And then I GAVE UP! I jumped off onto the sides of the treadmill. He told me I only had 5 sec left and I was sooooooo mad at myself. i could have pushed for that last 5 sec.

Now keep in mind, this was only my warm up cardio part. After that i did weight training (upper body) with jumping jacks in between, plus another running session where I had to run back in forth in the gym for a period of 50 sec. When I was done my workout and went back into the change room, I couldn't believe how RED my face was from this workout.

The good new is that I have now graduated from PHASE 1 of my personal training. We are now moving into phase two which involves body sculpting. Higher amounts of weights at lower reps. PLUS more intense running, I am now doing real jumping jacks, where I actually jump.

When I joined the gym, I told BJ that my expectation was only that I left each day being amazed at what I was able to do. So far I have felt that way after every session.

When I completed the running phase BJ joking told me I looked like Donovan Bailey (the Canadian sprinter, once the fastest man in the world). Well when I finished that run I FELT like Donovan Bailey - and I was on TOP of the world.