Testing my limits

“Pain is just weakness leaving the body” – (unknown author, drill sergeant maybe??)

We interrupt our regularly scheduled running program this week, to recover from a super intense workout over the weekend.

So Thursday I did a walk instead of run to help work on my form due to the headaches I was causing from my running sessions.

Friday I took the day off, in preparation for a super workout on Saturday.

Saturday, I learned what a three hour workout run by a super fitness guru is like. I would compare it to some sort of boot camp, not basic training, more like Seal training (or at least that is what I would like to think it was). Although I did not have a drill instructor screaming in my ear, and I was free to quit or slack if I wanted, for some reason being surrounded by dozens of people that are all pushing each other keeps you going all the same.

I joined a group called Red Rocks Fitness, that works out about three times a week. They are led by a super in-shape gentleman, who runs you through the full gammit for 2.5 to 3 hours. Red Rocks is a natural rock formation park west of Denver in the foothills (similar to Garden of Gods which I am assuming is part of the same geological formation , but about 75 miles to the south). Within the park, is a natural amphitheater that is used for concerts and such. They have built in stairs and stadium seating, which is open to the public to use at their leisure. Many folks gather at the amphitheater for exercise, such as jogging, running the stairs, and so forth. The elevation is a notch up from Denver by about a 1000 feet, so it adds to the difficulty a bit.

This group takes the workout to a WHOLE new level. Warm-ups were going up the stadium seats (69 of them), doing two push ups on each, and then a lunge up to the next step. We did squats of every variety, so many push ups I lost track, sprints with leaps and jumps and cartwheels, bunny hops up flights of stairs, resistance sprints with workout bands, lunges on flat ground, up steep hills, bear crawls on feet and hands backwards up flights of stairs, and so on. I cannot say I did everything at 100% for the whole 3 hours. My sprints quickly became jogs, my push ups faded into weak planks with a one inch bob, and finally near the end it was all I could do to just keep moving. They ended the session with several laps of stairs, and I did one or two, and then proceeded to hide while they finished up.

After that long workout, I buzzed around for about 2-3 hours on the best workout high I have ever had. While my muscles were complete jello, I still felt like I could do anything, accomplish anything, go anywhere. Of course during that time, I resolved to come back as soon as I could for another crazy workout.

Overall, I have never done anything like that….ever. I have been super sore before, but never on this thorough of a level. My calves right now…..well, lets just say there is no graceful way for me to go down the stairs at this point. Running, right now, is out of the question. Even if it was healthy for me to run, there is just no way. But while my muscles recover, I am going to hydrate, eat well, sleep well, and stretch several times a day. This is going to be a 4-5 day recovery at best (in day two right now), so unlikely I will be running until later this week.

While I am in serious pain at the moment, I am super glad I took the challenge. It was great to know that I could really push myself far beyond any level I had ever thought possible. Every time I wanted to give up, I would look at everyone around me, take a deep breath, and just put another foot forward once again. I might not have looked very graceful or super charged out there, but just the act of moving forward each time was a huge accomplishment. I look forward to my next round, which might not be for two weeks as I am out of town this weekend, but I am definitely going back. I will likely hurt pretty good these first few times, but I am excited to see what level of fitness I might achieve with these intense sessions. I will still need to work on my cardio outside of these workouts, so my running will tie in well over time.

Off I go to waddle to the next task…..