SOF Last Day - This is Sad

I've started to feel like Dr. House, I've been popping my pain killers like Tic, Tacs. This is Grad Day and I'm really trying to get better so I can work out today. It would be really sad to not be able to do anything on our last day, this day will require our best performance from us all, I physically and mentally… My back was still hurting quite a bit from my accident at Erin’s, I was feeling pain when I was trying to stand-up or even trying to sit down, but I really wanted to go to SOF, I guess that I’ve really learned to feel the love for this workout, I think this is the only time I’ve been looking forward to actually work out, I really don’t want to quit, this is the last day of the month, and I want to be all I can be (as corny as that sounds).

We where warming up, and my back was hurting while running, I had to slow down. The Instructors said that if I couldn’t stand the pain that I was allowed to stop, I just fell down the stairs and it was understandable that I was in pain, I had to look after my self, working out was one way of doing it, but taking care of my injuries was more important.

Stretching was painful; my back pain was getting worst… We started our mission of the day, we had to guess numbers to unlock a security lock… and we could guess from 1 – 99… we could go over or hit bang on the actual first number of the combination, if we where short we had to try again, if we where over we could move on, but wait, its not that easy, just guessing is not fun, the number we said was paired to a workout, lets say for the fin of it we guessed as a team 35, we had to do 35 Burpies and if we got it wrong we guessed again, 45, then we did that many Burpies and we actually guessed pass the real number, that means, we could guess the 2 number of 3 of the combination… confusing?! It was for us… The instructors noticed that I couldn’t do the workouts, they allowed me to do something else to compensate for my back pain, the asked me to do crunches, as I was laying down on the grass to start, I was struggling to get into position with my back pain, that’s when they decided not to let me do the last day of SOF. I was disappointed at my self; I’m not as tough as I thought I was. I turned by back to the instructors and stopped to think about all the effort I’ve put in to this, and all went down the drain on the last week, I really wanted to work out. My eyes started to tear up, I felt like I was letting my self down, and even worst, I felt like I was letting my team down.

I insisted on working out, they instructed to me to walk away, my health was more important that the last day, I didn’t had to prove anything to any one, that didn’t made me a quitter, just proved how stubborn I am… I went to my car and waited listening to the radio station while I saw in the distance how my team was working their tail off… and I couldn’t do anything about it… I wanted to help, but I wasn’t allowed to… the end of the 90 minute session arrived. Everyone started to line up for the diploma ceremony. I got my program completion diploma… and then, Instructor Quian said he had one more special diploma to give, to someone whom he and the one of our other instructors and the corporal thought they made the most improvement during this month, it didn’t matter if they where the last in all the events, the one that didn’t manage to lift the most weight, the dedication, and the ability and willingness to help the team and the teammates, to cheer on for everyone and still manage to make people laugh, find the funness to everyting, and everyone that knew Instructor Quian knew that that was a Diploma that he didn’t easily granted… He said my name… I was in shock… I never thought I was going to be the one being called for that… It took me like 2 seconds for me to realize that it was me… I was happy but still didn’t think I deserved it… I really wanted to help out during this last day…

I guess that the willingness to help others over your own pain, overcoming your own limits, and being able to push your self harder and harder every day and being able to push your friends harder and harder is one of the biggest things I learned at SOF. Would I come back?! In a heart beat… but now I know that I need to recover from my back first before I do, because I want to be able to look up high and say with pride. I am a Soldier of Fitness. Oorah!

SOF Week 4, Day 4 - Am I getting to Old???

I've been house sitting for Erin Wilde as she is gone for holidays and I needed some time off from my own place... O needed a change of scenary, a change of air... Its 5.30 am, I'm just waking up to go upstairs to let the dog out for a quick pee... As I was walking down the stairs to shower and change before I went to work, I miss calculated the distance to take the first step down and fell down the stairs all the way down to the basement, didn't miss one single step... As I was laying down on the floor in the basement, the dog came down and started licking my face, "Nooo, I don't wanna play right now" First thing I did was email the office and told them I was going to be a little late as I had to go and get checked up because I was in a lot of pain... Right after I went to the clinic, and got the all mighty pain killers (YEAH!!!) I went to get a couple of x-rays... And then I got sad, and bad news from the doctor... I'm not 18 any more, I need to get some rest, and take care of my self, I had to miss one more day of SOF... But I'll try my best to come back tomorrow and give it my best, it would be the last day of the monthly program, so our best performance and attitude was required for GRAD DAY!... Oorah!!!

SOF Week 4, Day 3 - Dude, where's the Pool?!

No really, where is the Pool?! Broken?! What do you mean is Broken?! Man!!! I was really looking forward to the pool!!! I even had my new swimming trunks on!!! Man... I really wanted to show off my nice brozely tan legs!!! Ok. They are pasty white, I guess I've been in Canada way to long...

So, now what?!, we can't run in our swimming gear... That's when instructor Quian said, all of those that have work out clothes with us, change cus we'll work out, all of those who don't have any work out gear can go home and we won't get penalized... Its a good think I was planning on doing loundry today. I mean, yeah its dirty, its only going to get dirtier... Yeah it smells... But I aint going to a beauty contest... WAIT a Minute... I had an easy way out... I could've just gone home and sleep, and I actually want to work out?! Something is wrong in this picture... I guess I'm finally becoming a Soldier of Fitness... Oorah!

SOF Day 17 - I think I'm going to sit this one out...

I promise I'm not being a wimp, but yeah I have to sit this one out guys...

Yesterday I injured my self while doing some push-ups, and today when I woke up I couldn't stand the pain... It was just to much for me to handle... I feel really bad because I know everyone in my platoon is going to pay for the consecuences of me not being able to show up or given a 24 hrs notice... I do feel bad, I'll make it up to my self and to the rest of my team tomorrow... And yeah... I'm going to bed and its only 6 O'Clock in the afternoon... My body is way to tired... I'll make it up, plus tomorrow is Pool Day!!! How can I pass on that!!! Oorah!

SOF Week 4, Day 1 - I can't belive its almost over...

Its kind of sad realizing that I only have 4 days left doing my SOF monthly session... I mean, it seems like it was yesterday I was complaining and gasping for air as I was running 800 mts... It insane how far we've all come in only 15 days... We are all runing at least 5 K's and carrying Misery, Pain, Poles, Tires or Actually doing push-ups, sit-ups... Man, its impressive how fast your body adapts to anything that you really set your mind to do... Very wisely Instructor Quian said once "your only enemy to your acomplishments and your goals is your self". Now I see how true that is.

Back to reallity, I was doing pushups since we had some people not showing up because of injuries. One of the rules of SOF is that you need to give 24 hrs notice if you are not coming to meet with the rest of your platoon... 24 hrs, not 24 minutes before the class starts... So, we had to do 10 push-ups, I went to the ground and went to knee push-up possition, and I heard one of our instructors said "this is week 4! I can't belive you are doing knee push-ups... At least try doing a full push-up..." So I did... One... "Ok this is fine"... Two... "Huuu that feels good baby!!!" Three... "Burn... Deep burn..." Four... "OMG this hurts a bit... Come on one more baby...." Five.... Pusssh... Pussssssh... Come on... I can do it... "Ouch!!! That's that pain!!!" I felt something pulled in a weird part of my body, where my leg and waist meet... I somehow managed to finished the day... But it hurt a lot at the end of the day... Intructor Quian (who's got a Masters in BioMechanics) said I should rest... I got home and passed out as soon as I got out of the shower... I was feeling the effects of pushing your self to far to fast. But its worth ever second of it... Oorah!!!

SOF Day 14 – I think you just fixed my Toe… THANK YOU!!!

I couldn't believe how much my toe was hurting. It was really uncomfortable to walk need less to say run! yesterday I hurt my Toe by not paying attention to what I was doing, being care less has a price, and I pay the price yesterday by dropping "Pain" on my toe... trust me I learned my mistake.

We had to do our warm-up run and do our stretching right after our 2 laps, I was in pain, but didn't want to tell any of the Instructors what happen the day before because I thought I was going to get in trouble... decided to work my way around the pain, and see where the day was going to take me... I mean... what’s the worst that could happen!!! My toe was already hurting...

We got our instructions; it didn’t seem to hard… I thought I could work my way around it… I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty, but I still had to give it my best…
Side abdominals on the top of the park bench (10 on each side 4 times) one of your team mates hold your legs down…
Ok… I can do that…
Legs lifting over a bar while you hang from the monkey bars (10 times to each side) you can rest as many times as you need, but you must complete the session…
Ok… It gonna take me a while, but I can do it…
And the work out day kept going… and then we got the last instruction… the whole team was to be divided in groups of 3 and we have to do 100 reps of crunches holding “Misery” 3 others will hold the “point of flight” position until failing and 3 others will kneel down on the guy’s feet doing crunches to help them stay down… “EXCUSE ME… ummm… I don’t think so… My toe is killing me…” but still, not being smart I decided not to say anything and see if I can do the drill…
I lay down on the grass, put my self in position, Thompson goes for my feet and cracked my toe… I was in so much pain… I said “no, no, get off my toes!” she asked what was wrong… and I had to come clean… I still had to do my part, I held my own foot down with my other leg and she kneeled down on my other foot… confusing but trust me not easy at all… I could only do 6… I was tired and I was in pain…

We finished the day… and as I was walking back to my car I noticed my foot wasn’t hurting any more while I walk… I think I had a dislocated toe and actually got fixed by mistake… I guess that if I would’ve talked to Instructor Quian right after I first hurt my self I could’ve avoided a lot of pain and actually work out as intended… Again, we don’t decided weather its good for us or not, we must let the professionals decided for us, after all, this isn’t a democracy, this is a dictatorship, this is SOF and we follow instructions. Oorah!