Training with T

Yesterday, I made a mistake. I did a little run/walk before I worked out with my personal trainer. As a result, I was covered in sweat and my muscles were protesting before we even started her challenging workout.

So at one point, when we were lunging and playing catch with an 8 lb. medicine ball, I cried uncle. I felt as though I were going to hurl my breakfast onto the gym floor and make a disguisting mess. My breathing was heavy while my head was light.

I hated to say I couldn't do it. I cursed the damn cancer. I hate how out of shape I feel. Although, it occurred to me this morning, T's regime probably would have challenged me at the height of my fitness level. She's awesome at devising ways to challenge the body and target different muscles.

I also have to give myself credit for the activities I accomplished before we progressed to the medicine-ball-lunge catch. I'd done a few rounds of boxing sit ups (do a sit up while wearing boxing gloves and punch the blocker in her hand) and the dreaded squats across the gym floor while lifting the medicine ball up and down.

I was proud of my strength when I fairly easily managed to push T across the floor. We positioned ourselves on either side of a giant exercise ball. My goal: push her across the gym. I did this four times, alternating between left and right shoulders. Each time, I'd pushed T to her side of the gym in about 30 seconds or less. At one time, I could hear her shoes slide across the floor as they attempted to gain a grip. She seemed astounded at my strength and how much effort she needed to exert. I think my low centre of gravity and heavily muscled legs gave me the advantage.

Luckily, when I bailed on the one exercise, T took it all in stride and we transitioned to different ones.

I learned some lessons from yesterday's experience, eat a heartier breakfast and save the cardio for after the personal training. On a positive note, I managed to run 12 minutes and walk 11, for a distance of more than 2.5 k. Now I know that's not much for those of you who actually run, but from where I stand, it's a good start.

As always, there will be good days when I feel I strong and coordinated, and bad days when even a fairly simple exercise class will be a struggle. But I will keep trying because I can only improve from here.

Tina