The Final Fight I'll Win, but I Will Go On Until the End

So, before we get started, I have to let you know that I'm going to be doing my bootcamp results in 2 posts.  Today, I'm going to talk about how the fitness tests went last night.  I did get my measurements last night, but not my body fat percentage lost - that I won't get until Friday.  So, because of that, I decided that on Saturday morning I will do a post with all of my measurements and body fat percentage changes as a part of a special post that will explain my plans once bootcamp is officially over.  OK, time to get down to business.

Last night was full of startling results for everyone involved at bootcamp.  Every single person that came last night saw some major changes in their fitness levels - and I was no exception.  We started out getting measured, and then it was time to move outside into the 92 degree weather to perform our final fitness tests.

We started out by doing some easy cals.  I never thought I would use the words "easy" and "cals" in the same sentence, but Jillian made sure that we couldn't use the excuse that the cals worked us too hard to perform our best on the tests.  We did a few push-ups, some side straddle hops, and ski jumpers - I was able to do all of them, but we only did about 10 of each so that was easy.  Now, even though the cals weren't part of the test, I will say that on my first night I couldn't even do the "easy cals".  After a few exercises, I would have to stop and take a second to catch my breath.  Last night, I knocked them out like I was walking around a park - showing that there's improvement in just about everything you do at bootcamp.

We then broke into partners, and started with the push-up test.  Now, I mentioned last week that I have been able to knock out modified push-ups so much better than in the beginning.  Over the six weeks, I was finally able to knock out 1 "real" push-up, and that was last week.  Well, I was all ready to go with some modified push-ups last night when Bob informed us that modified push-ups were not going to be allowed for the final test....WHAT???  Immediately, I began to get nervous.  I have spent 6 weeks improving my modified push-ups.  I started out the first night doing 4, even though they shouldn't of been counted - cause my butt was in the air.  I had worked myself up to do about 20 of them each session in burn-outs...and it looked as though I was going to be ending my fitness test with one measly push-up.  As these crazy thoughts were rushing through my mind, I heard a voice "you've got this, Joanna, you're going to do great".  Nope, it wasn't Jillian - it was my awesome partner, Jenny.  I told you about Jenny a few days ago.  After hearing those words, a new set of thoughts flashed into my head: I COULD do this - I was going to do this....time to show myself how much I've improved.  I got into plank position and I heard "GO!" One, two...wow, three, four...WHAT?? 4?? I wasn't done....five, six... "come on Joanna, you're doing AMAZING - you can do some more" (Jenny), SEVEN, EIGHT....that was it, my arms were turning into jell-o, 10 seconds left on the timer.  "One more Joanna, you can do one more....I know you can do it" (Jenny)...NIIIINNNNEE!!!!!  As the last second ticked off the timer, I completed my 9th real push-up!!!!  I couldn't believe it: 9 push-ups!!!  I yelled, I screamed, I jumped for joy.  Then I found Jillian.  Jillian had challenged me last week to do 2 real push-ups by the time the fitness test came...she looked at me, I looked at her.  When I told her that not only had I met her challenge, but I had done it almost 5 times over her face was priceless.  She was so happy for me, and I was so happy for myself.  I wouldn't of done it without Jenny being my partner - she is such an inspiration to what I want to achieve, it's hard not to push myself harder than I thought possible when she's giving me such great words of confidence.  When it was Jenny's turn, she knocked out 40 push-ups...doubling her beginning number.  She is AMAZING!!

So, we went straight into the sit-up test.  My beginning number on my first day was 10.  I was determined to double that number.  Timer started, and so did I.  Got to 10 in about 30 seconds...I had 30 seconds left to double my original number.... got to 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20!! Still had 15 seconds on the timer left!!  Jenny looked at me and said.."you can do more".  I'll admit, getting to 20 was tough.  I pushed through.. 21, 22, oh I was hurting - 5 seconds left....23!!!  I got 23 sit-ups in.  I had doubled my original amount, and added three on..WHOOP, WHOOP!! 

I have to remind everyone reading this, or tell anyone that's new to my blog - 9 push-ups and 23 sit-ups may not sound like much...however, 6 short weeks ago I had really no athletic abilities.  I had been working out, kind of, since January - but nothing to this degree.  To go from not being able to do a single push-up to do 9, and barely, and I mean barely able to do 10 sit-ups to knocking out 23 of them is a HUGE improvement.  It goes to show what can be achieved during bootcamp.  Even the people with higher levels of athletic ability doubled their numbers last night - including Jenny, who knocked out 40 push-ups and 46 sit-ups...doubling her numbers from the first fitness test. 

After basking in our victories for a few seconds, we moved over to the pull-up bars.  Now, this was the one exercise I knew was not going to show any improvement.  It takes a long time for a girl, especially of my weight, to gain the strength to do a pull-up.  I had improved in the fact that 6 weeks ago, I was able to do 1 pull-up having someone help me...and over the weeks I had improved that number to 5.  Of course, there was no assistance allowed for the test, so I took my zero - and just told myself that one day, I WILL do a pull-up.

We finally came to the test that I had worried about the most: the 1 mile run.  On the first fitness test, I finished my mile run in 14 minutes 55 seconds.  I didn't run at all, though...well, I did for the first 15 seconds - maybe.  My first test consisted of me walking the mile.  It took a few weeks before I was able to run more than that...but finally 2 weeks ago, I was at the stage where I could jog for 30 minutes without walking AT ALL.  I was determined to run, or at least jog, the entire mile.  I knew going into it that my jog is pretty slow, and that the chances of knocking my time down significantly wasn't going to happen.  I decided that rather focusing on time, I would just focus on finishing the mile without walking - once.  Being that the temperature was 92 degrees didn't really help - but no excuses, I would do what I could do.   We started, and off I went.  It didn't take very long for everyone to leave me in their dust...but I didn't let it dishearten me.  I am the slowest runner in my team, and I'm OK with that.  I jogged my big butt off up to the 1/2 mile marker.  Jillian was there, and she yelled "come on, Joanna...you've past the seven minute mark".  Damn!!! I really wanted to knock some time off - but it looked as though, I'd be finishing either with no change -or possibly in a slower time than I started.  I knew I had to pick up the pace - but I figured the second part was going to be much slower than the first.  I kept my pace, and just focused on finishing without walking - that, in itself would be an improvement.  I would live with having the same (or slower) time.  Just as I was coming up to the last 1/4 mile, I had a surprise waiting.  There was Larry, Jenny, Josh, and Andres - they had come to finish the run with me. (See pic: I'm the one in the purple)  Seeing them set a spark in my heart, and I knew it was time to pick up the pace.  I started running....I wasn't going to stop.....I ran as hard and as fast as I could to the finish line.  My final time:  14 minutes, 1 second.  I had shaved 54 seconds off of my time!!  That I KNOW I would not of done without my awesome team-mates coming to my motivational rescue.  54 seconds isn't much...and to be honest, I was really disappointed with myself.  I wanted to really improve that time.

Overall, it was a great night.  Driving home last night, while still feeling a little downhearted by the run, a song came on that changed my perspective. I'm a HUGE Breaking Benjamin fan - and the song "Until the End" came on.  If you're not familiar with the song, I'm going to write the lyrics that really hit home to me:

Why give up? why give in?
It's not enough, it never is
So I will go on until the end

The final fight I'll win
The final fight I'll win
The final fight I'll win
But I will go on until the end

Hearing these lyrics made me realize that sometimes I'm too hard on myself.  I really don't think it's a bad thing, either.  Rather than celebrating my small victory from my run, all I could think about was improving that time, pushing myself harder....I will run that mile in 10 minutes!  Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely happy with the changes I've made at bootcamp - but it's not the end.  "It's not enough, it never is" was the line that I kept telling myself.  I will keep going with my journey, I will conquer my goals....the final fight I'll win!!  Bootcamp helped me achieve so much - but it's far from over. 

So, there you have it....some great improvements can definitely be expected while at bootcamp.  I'm so excited to share my measurements with you - and that will come Saturday. 

Till next time.  ;)