Motivational Monday - They Finished With Me

This morning I took a class at the gym.  I haven't been to the gym in months and it felt like going home for a visit when I walked in.  ahh... home.  LOL  Okay, maybe not quite the same, but as I went to use the restroom I was like, "Now, why did I quit coming here??"  

My life has been busy I know, but I've decided I need to do some cross training that will help strengthen my core and get me stronger for running.  So, I will be taking at least two classes at the gym each week that consist of lots of core and strength intervals.  

Today was one of the classes.  It's called "Total Athletic Conditioning" and the workout went like this: 

Warm up on spin bike

Side squats with barbell - 15 each side

"Curtsey" squats with barbell - 15 each side

Kettlebell swing, alternating hands - 15 total

Kettlebell "wood chop" with both hands - 15 

1 mile sprint ride on bike (fast speed, less than 2 mins)

15 pushups, any style

30 crunches

90 seconds on bike at high intensity a.k.a. "hill climb" 

Repeat the above for like 20 minutes and see how many sets you can do.  

Then...

1 mile sprint on bike 

bicep curl with barbell - 12

overhead press with barbell - 12

back row with barbell - 12 

burpees, with pushup when down - 5

30 crunches

30 count plank, any style

90 second hill climb on bike

Repeat THAT until she says stop, about 20 minutes

IT'S TOUGH.

I wanted tough, but I didn't realize how hard it would be.  I didn't realize how not-in-shape I am.  Lordy. 

It wasn't long before I realized I was slower than most, and by the end of the first half of the workout I knew I was in last place.  The only lady that was near me was someone I've seen around for a long time and come to find out she is recovering from a back injury.  Um, yea...great. 

The trainer is great, but she is one tough cookie.  The girl is beast (as my kids would say) and she said a couple of times, "Push yourself, it's not good enough to think 'well, at least I showed up', you need to PUSH."  I was like, "um, actually...it is good enough for me."  LOL  But I did my best, as embarrassed as I was that I was falling farther and farther behind.  But I did decide I was going to do MY best and not worry about what others were doing.  It was obvious many of them take this class regularly and were very fit.  So, I just kept trying to ignore when I was the only one doing a certain move, and just kept going.

Then this happened and I was so humbled and grateful and ... well..I cried for a second. 

As we're finishing up the second half of the workout I hear the trainer say that in a couple minutes she's  wants everyone to finish up with a one mile sprint and then she's going to start some 10 second sprints on the bike for everyone to do while people are finishing up that mile.  She says she knows classtime is about up, but she wants us to finish the last set and "the pregnant class can wait a couple minutes".  

Soon, I hear her starting the 10 second sprints and I begin to realize everyone IS done, or close to it, and I'm the slow poke.  The first half I only got 2 1/2 sets in when she called time, so I figured I'd do about the same.  

Oh no.  I suddenly hear her say, "Who still has to finish their mile?" 

I knew I was the only one as I inched my hand up until she noticed it.  I was in the middle of the room, directly in front of her.  She asked how far I had to go and I held up 5 fingers for 0.5 mile.  

So, she tells everyone, "We're going to finish with her.  Only half a mile... SPRINT!"

I am busting my butt trying to finish up and about to die because now everyone has to wait on me and we've already run over the 45-minute class period.  She counts down with me and I'm keeping pace with her for that 0.5 mile finish (for those that know spin I was doing 120 rpm's).  

I. WAS. DYING. 

When I finished the entire room clapped and one veteran gym lady, who helps at a lot of the races, came over and high-fived me and told me "GOOD JOB!!!".  I had pulled my towel up to cover my face, both to wipe sweat and because I was in tears.  Well, I wanted to cry, but I was trying to catch my breath.  

I thanked the high-fiving lady and we all rushed to put everything away so the next class could come in.  A handful of people congratulated me and I was so embarrassed, but also so touched that they would finish with me.  I hear the trainer say over the mic that she couldn't have lived with herself the rest of today knowing she made someone leave their workout undone.   

Wow.  *sniff*

My legs were so like Jell-O that I could barely walk normal out of the class room to stretch.  As I was stretching one lady chatted with me for a minute and I told her I was embarrassed they all waited for me.  She reassured me that they enjoyed the ride on the bike and no big deal.  

Amazing.  These people don't know me.  I've been going to this gym off and on for almost two years, but this was my first time in the class and they helped me finish strong.  As I walked in the pouring rain to my car (I couldn't even run, because I still had Jell-O legs) I thought, "Well, this is a good start and someday hopefully we'll talk about the day I held everyone up and compare to how much better I've gotten."  

Oh, and for the record.... I didn't mind being last (well, until I realized she wasn't letting the class stop til I was done.) because I know there were two ladies in the back of the class that weren't doing the leg exercises with full range of motion.  Their squats and burpees were very almost non-existent, whereas I was trying to still complete the full range of motion even if it meant I was slower.  So there. 

Oh...And ... burpees. are. hard.  Really hard.  And I always wonder if they are really necessary.  LOL 

I hope you enjoyed my story.  This was one of those moments I wanted written down to look back on later.  And maybe some of those ladies were vexed to have to wait, but I know I'll always be grateful for it.  They not only helped me finish strong, but they helped motivate me to want to get stronger so I'm not holding up the class all the time.  :)

Have a good week everyone!