Raising the Roof

First of all, to all of you who put in a prayer or two for us to have favorable weather... it WORKED! Last night the wind howled and the rain poured and then we woke up to sunshine and no wind! Don't ever under estimate the power of prayer! THANK YOU!!!

Julie did join us for stretch class this morning but she still is not feeling well so she chose rest over going on a hike.

Janette's hike was STOP SIGN and she was just dreading it. Even though she completed it with great times last week, to her it felt like her nemesis. It was long, boring and the van took way to long to pick her up at the bottom and she was freezing! But today she KILLED it! She ran 3/4 of the way and made it to the top in 43mins!!! This is traveling 4.3miles up a 1000ft raise in elevation!!! INCREDIBLE!!!

My hike was White Rock and overall it was a great hike... EXCEPT for the last 3/4 of a mile that was up hill in SAND!! We traveled 4.25 miles and climbed up about 900ft in elevation.

So here is the summary of today:

6:00 - Stretch
7:00 - Breakfast: Fruit and Egg, Bacon, Cheese sandwich

8:00 - Hikes
11:15 - Open Gym (Janette and I both did some cardio work)
12:35 - Lunch: Artichoke Soup and Turkey Pita with Salad
1:00 - Lecture: Planning Strategies
2:30 - Ball Works (keep it clean people)
3:30 - Treading (Cardio Suicide)
4:30 - Janette did Ball Works and I did more Cardio
5:45 - Dinner: Stuffed Chicken Breast with Rice and Carrots and Dessert Peach cobbler (Yummy)

Today was all about RAISIN the ROOF and taking ourselves to that next level. Janette did it on Stop Sign and I too had a moment today. For the first time I did 10mph on the Treadmill, granted it was only for 30sec. I hadn't really set out to achieve this goal, I think I just got caught up in the moment. During open gym (at 11:15 class) I was on the treadmill doing 1min speed bursts with 2mins recovery and I got up to 9mph and just stopped. Why? Because I have never gone faster than that. There was also a little fear that I wouldn't be able to do it and may end up go flyin off the back of the machine. At lunch one of the trainers (Tiffany) asked how fast I got that treadmill goin and I told her 9mph but I would like to try 10mph just once before I leave. As she walked away, I thought to myself... You big ol' dummy, why did you voice that to a TRAINER.  You know she is gonna come and ask how it's goin? Did you do 10mph yet???

So guess what trainer we had for Treading today??? Yep, it was Tiffany. As class starts (this is where we go all out for 5mins, then 4, then 3, 2, and 1 min) I was feeling pretty good on the elliptical, so I decided for the 1min I was going to get on a Treadmill and try for the 10mph. Figured I might as well get it over with and if I fall I can always just use the excuse that it was the end of class and I didn't have fresh legs!! wink wink   Well, the 1min finally rolled around and I walked my sorry butt down to the treadmill and then came the command to hit for 1min. I as the speed increased I just prayed that I could at least get to 10 before I flew off the back and then  once I got there I was like... wow, I am still on the machine. At 30 seconds my feet were getting to shaky so I grab the side rails and hopped of the belt, slowed it down to 6mph to finish the minute and hopped back on.  And then the Tiffany did what trainers will do... asked us to give our all for one more minute. This I did at 8mph and I was able to finish, couldn't hardly stand up after but I was done!!

Here is something for us all to think about, where have we placed limits on ourselves and how many of those limits are simply out of fear. Fear that we have built up on our own, not necessarily because someone has told us we can't do it. The next time we face one of those fears I want us all to ask ourselves three questions... What is the worst thing that can happen? Is that really the worst thing or is that just what we tell ourselves to feel better about not taking the chance? And what would it feel like if we did over come that fear and take the chance?

My fear was I didn't want to look like an idiot flying off the treadmill, and deep down I knew that wouldn't happen because I could just grab the rails like have done before. My real fear was failure! But not anymore. I did it. It wasn't pretty... I didn't go for the full minute but I did it. And nobody can take that away from me. Next time (and there will be a next time) I will try for 35sec and the next 40.

So what's your goal?

Good Night All! ;-)