I missed my update from last weekend - but there was a good reason - I WAS STUFFED! Yes last weekend I had my 2 day bootcamp up in Palm Beach and The Basin. I did the boot camp with 16 others, and it was a challenge - I had my ups and downs, but i'm very happy I did it. Here's a little run-down of what I did on that weekend.
Day One - Palm Beach
Flags - like the surf lifesavers do - lie on belly facing away from the flags by the waters edge and when the whistle goes - you race to the other end of the beach and grab one. Result - LAST!
Sprints - a 100m sprint along the beach. Result - 14th
Ins & Outs - Tread water 50 metres off shore, then get to shore asap & be the first to sit by a pole. Result - 4th!
Kayak - Paddle from Palm Beach to The Basin - a 3k tandem paddle - not a comp.
The Basin.
Short Course Iron Man - 3 short events in a row - Kayak for 500 metres, Swim 200 metres, Run 200 metres. Result - 8th.
Hill Run - a 5.6k course, starting with a almost 1 k VERY steep hill - it's so steep I could only run about 100m of it! Prob around 45 degrees. Result - I did it in 36 mins - 11th.
That was day one - and we ended the day with a BBQ and some great stories around a camp fire.
Day Two.
Kayak - a much longer route - 800 metres. Result - 10th
Cricket - Just a social game which was prob the first time I ever enjoyed cricket!
Mental Challenge - Answering a series of questions. Result - 3rd.
Long Course Iron Man - Swim / Hill Run / Kayak - This is where I dissappointed myself. The day was cold & rainy and I could not face the swim - despite it being my best event - so unfortunately I pulled out of the swim leg. I did do the Hill Run & Kayak though. Result - tied 13th (with the others that pulled out)
The day ended with a kayak back to the basin - 3k's and this time I did it by myself - I really enjoyed it too!
I had a great time on the boot camp, met some amazingly competitive and encouraging people, and pushed myself hard - but not as hard as I would have liked - I wish I had done the swim in the last leg - it also meant I would have completed the boot camp as well. Anyway I know what's involved now, and the final result was that I came 10th out of the 16 - not bad for a first timer. The next boot camp is in December - and I want to fully smash that one!
Here are a couple of photos from the days.
The Boot camp gang
At the end of my Kayak race
Needless to say when I was back at work on Monday I was pretty sore - walking like a robot etc! I did go to the gym on Monday arvo - just to do some walking to walk it off!
Tuesday I went to the gym after work - I bumped into Craig who ran (and won) the Bootcamp as he runs classes in the gym. Craig is training for a rowing contest in Melbourne - doing 4 mins on the rower as fast as he can. Craig did 1200m in 4 minutes - and after I spent 20 mins on the treadmill, I thought i'd jump on and show him how it's done!! Haha! How did I do - 1156 metres!! Craig said my form sucked, but that it was a very good row - and thinks that I have some potential there - he is going to help me with my form and maybe I could go to the comp next year!
Wednesday was a massive fitness day for me. I had a massage at 3pm, at 4pm I had the class that Ben has been running for us for months, then a new group has started to train for the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge that I have entered. It's a 5.6k course in Centennial Park in November. Participants in the race can enter this group (which I did) and we went up to observatory hill where Ben proceeded to KILL US! Even Jase (who's one of the fittest guys I know - he did the boot camp - and the hill run in 25 mins - the new record) almost threw up after the final run! Thursday was a another day in the gym after work.
A few weeks ago Jeremy told me about a boxing group that was being held in Waverley Park - Bondi - and asked if I wanted in - and I don't think i've ever said no to a group yet!! So I headed in to the gym beforehand and did some weights & 15 mins on the treadmill, then borrowed some gloves and headed out for 60 mins of boxing in the sun. It was a good class and I learned a lot. Looking forward to the next group. I then went back to the gym & did another 20 mins on the cross trainer & treadmill! So pretty much from 8am to 1pm (with a 1 hour travelling break) I was exercising!
Today I set myself a challenge. I went to the gym with the intention of finding out how long it will take me to do the JP Morgan challenge. I had estimated that I would do it in 40 mins when I filled out the entry form. So after doing some weights, I set myself the challenge of doing the distance in 30 mins. I set the treadmill at a goal of 5.6kms, and started off at a 10 km/h pace. I soon realied that would not get me to my goal so I upped the speed to 11km/h, then 11.5 at the half way mark. That would have me finishing it at 30.5 mins - so I upped it even more, with the last few mins at 12.5, and then 13 km/h! My end time... 29.57!! I did it! Just!!
I caught up with some friends during the day, and by the time I got home at around 6pm, I couldn't face sitting on the couch watching TV!! What a change for me! Previously I wouldn't have been able to face doing exercise!! So I jumped on my bike and rode to my Brothers place in Balgowlah Heights! It was just over an hour & over 20 k's and I really enoyed it!
So that was my week, but this coming week I have some big things happening as well...
I'm starting up and organising a running group at Monday lunch time - I have about 7-8 people to join me in a 5k run around the shore line from work, and then in the evening i'm going to do a 'High Energy' class at work with Georgie who's a gym instructor at work who was also at the boot camp. I'm also going to have a go at doing Pilates on Tuesday lunch time, again with Georgie. So i'll let you know how that goes!
So this was a big one - and if you got this far, thanks for reading!
