Marshall Ramsey

Normally we do four stations in an hour. Today we did eight.

The Pro: If you don’t like a particular station, it doesn’t last long.

The Con: You never really catch your breath. You go, go, go, go the whole time.

I was in Line 1 again today and we started with towels.  We made seven trips down the basketball court bent over pushing a folded towel. Yup, three down and back trips and and one  to half court and back.  There were pauses but we were on the ground most of the time.  (we sprinkled in a few full-court sprints in to keep thing sinteresting.) It was a hellish way to start the day. My legs were rubbery by the end of it.

But I did it.  And did it well.

I’ve come a long way from the fat guy who nearly croaked while pushing a towel a year ago.   And I am no longer the dude who nearly puked while running 5.5 mph on a treadmill last year. Today I ran seven minutes at 8 and 9 mph.

It’s proof you can do great things once you get your mind out of the way.

While running the gauntlet (long run) today, I cheered on a group of beginners doing the towels. They were me a few short months ago.  I’ve gone from the last group to the first in 12 months. I went from 248 lbs. to 205. My waist was 41 inches. It’s now 34.

I’m 45-years-old and in better shape than I was when I was 25. I look nearly the same. And I have more energy.

Today a tough workout.  But its further proof to me that we are designed to be pushed beyond our comfort zone.

P.S. A little birdie told me that tomorrow will different. Here are two clues:

1. First clue : Click this.

2. Second clue: Dress warm.

Paul sometimes yells until he is blue in the face.

Someone broke wind while on the treadmill today. Don’t know who did it — don’t really care. But it was bad. In fact, if you are reading this, you might want to go immediately to the doctor and have a colonoscopy. You might find Jimmy Hoffa rotting up there. Or worse.

It gave me brown lung.

OK, well, that was the big news for the day. Oh, and that I got moved up to Line 1 again.  Hooray, right?  I have gunk in my chest right now, so I didn’t feel particularly well.  But I managed to stay up with the rest of my linemates.  And they are darn fine athletes — I had to push myself.

Which is the point.

You are supposed to push yourself.  Honestly, what’s the point of getting up before the crack of the crack of dawn if you’re going to go through the motions?

Was speaking to one guy after the workout and he has lost 31 lbs. That is AMAZING.  But I felt his joy because he was me last year.  You do feel better. And you feel pride. There is nothing quite like setting a big fat hairy goal and reaching it.

Oh, heard Paul call suicides “line drills.” Glad to know they have a happier name.  I’ve been doing “suicides” since middle school.  “Line drills,” has a much more sophisticated sound to it.  It makes you feel better as you stuff your lung back in your mouth.

Speaking of Paul, it was good to have him there. He brings a wonderfully crazy intensity to our workouts. Intensity at 5 a.m. is a rare thing.  Paul has it and it is appreciated.

To all my Fit4Change brothers and sisters, we’re in the homestretch. Proud of your progress. Your hard work is paying off and it shows.  I can see several of you melting away. That’s pretty cool.

Awright. We’ll do this again tomorrow. If you excuse me, I have to take a couple of ibuprofen for my knee and a breathing treatment for my brown lung.