Benchmark: It's a love/hate relationship

Okay, it’s time to start psyching myself up. Tomorrow is Bootcamp’s first session of the month, and that means it’s Benchmark Day. I’m heading in for the 6 am session, which means the alarm will go off at 4:40 am, I’ll spritely jump out of bed, shower, put on my comfy pants and my oh so grey Bootcamp shirt, scoff a slice of toast, and head in to North Adelaide, nervously shitting myself the entire drive.

Everyone will do two tests, the first one involving running two laps (200 m each), meeting their partner for them to witness and scruitinise the form of a set of push-ups, grunts and sit-ups, and repeating the whole thing again two more times. Benchmark 1 kills me – I suck just at doing the grunts and sit-ups quickly! Benchmark 2 is less stressful, but still hard work, 8 laps of the 200 m circuit.

The goal is to make an improvement on the last Benchmark results, even if it’s just a few seconds! I’ve just got to remind myself to breath and don’t hold back, there’s no point saving yourself for the last lap, when you probably could have sprinted the last three!!!

2011 was a pretty awesome year

Well 2011 ended yesterday, and I have to admit to being a bit sad to see it go. It was certainly a great year, and I feel that I accomplished a lot and learnt a tonne about myself along the way.

Here's some highlights:

• got rid of 12 kg's
• built some great friendships with an amazing bunch of girls from 12wbt
• committed to 6 am Bootcamp 3 times a week (getting up at 4:40 am was the hard part)
• got fitter
• learnt to run, and was blown away with myself for actually finishing some fun runs (City to Bay, Glenelg Classic)
• regained my self confidence - I can actually do shit if I set my mind to it
• quit my job - and lined up a new one ready to start in January
• relaxed in Fiji with Nath for a week
• partied in Sydney with those above mentioned girls for the 12wbt finale.

Proud achievements:

• ran my first ever fun runs - starting with a run leg of a group triathlon, City to Bay, Glenelg Classic
• not only completed, but smashed the Westpac stair climb - great sense of achievement because my friends could relate to what it involved ('holy shit that's a lot of stairs in that time' kinda talk)
• progressed through Bootcamp ranks: Ranger, Seal, Delta ... one more to go in 2012!
• didn't let work get in the way of a good work out (well most of the time, but a darn lot better than 2010)
• stopped drinking soft drink
• significantly cut back on the crap food (sweet biscuits deserve a special mention!)

And some downfalls:

• yet again let eating issues over rule my common sense.

Original Bootcamp North Adelaide 6 am Platoon (with our 'showbag' from BSc)

My Westpac Stairclimb results - ready to beat it in 2012!

Celebrating with a workout.



Me ... running, coming into the finish line of the 10 km Glenelg Classic (SA Road Runners event).