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| Wednesday, 29 February 2012, 5.20am |
So last week, I started boot camp at the park up the road from me. At least, I thought it was boot camp....until I got chatting to one of the ladies in the group as we did our casual warm up run - that pic by the way, is what I could see outside my car when I got to the park at 5.20am!! Anyway, to make the appropriate fitness convo I asked her how hectic this boot camp was etc etc...she then proceeded to tell me about how she's decided to not do Comrades this year but is still going 2 Oceans etc etc.
Gulp.
I then told her I'm just doing this for general fitness and I tend to do 10km races and have done one 21km once (and never again C and I vowed!)
I suppose I should go back to how I joined this 'boot camp' in the first place.
I often (who am I kidding, very occasionally) go for a morning run before work - just a casual 5km (or so I thought until I measured and found out it was not even 4!) and have often seen this gathering of people at the park....and I thought it looked like fun. Fun, really?
So near the end of February I decided I needed some motivation to get back into shape (other than my skinny jeans not fitting me again, of course!) and decided to find out about this whole 'boot camp'.
I went for my casual '5 km' run and then stopped off at the park to do some exercises...you know, some lunges against the rocks, hop ups and a push up or two...as you do...knowing full well that there were still a few people lingering after this 'boot camp' so maybe I would work up the courage to actually ask about what's going on etc etc. I then very coyly walked past this rasta-looking chap (who I had kind of figured was waiting for me) who then asked me to take out my earphones and got chatting (success!!). He seemed impressed by my attempts at exercise (although said I need to hop forward on my hop ups) and started telling me about the 'boot camp'.
Anyway, Fariah then introduced me to the head honcho - Tshepo - who told me some more detail (R450 pm, operates 6 days a week, different programme each day, must come at least 3 days) and offered me a trial of 2 weeks. Success!
Now the reason for the inverted commas around boot camp is thus:
I seem to have joined more of an elite running programme than any kind of army general telling me to 'get down and give me 20'. The Art of Running is in fact, according to the website, "your source for improving your running, whether you are a recreational runner, a developing young athlete or a world class performer in the professional ranks."
I definitely fall in the 'recreational runner' category - and to my relief, there are a few others too! In fact, I'm not even the slowest in the group (yes, even recreational runners can be competitive).
So now it has officially been a week of my trial and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! There is definitely quite a focus on running (Tshepo has already got me to improve my arm movements - so I'm no longer quacking like a duck apparently) but it's good motivation to keep going.
To prove to them that I'm worthy of being in the group - and more importantly, to prove to myself that I can do it!
I might just tackle another half marathon after all...
But for now, I am going to try and hobble downstairs for a cup of tea - willing my arms, stomach, thighs, bum to actually function normally.
Tomorrow morning is going to be interesting when I do all of this again!
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