Fall has arrived and with it, cooler temperatures. Lying on the dew-covered fake grass was almost a shock this morning. But thankfully Clark found a way to warm us up. Speaking of warm-ups, I now run 1/2 mile before we even start to loosen up my legs. As it gets cooler, my legs are getting tighter. Stretching is becoming more of a priority. The pre-workout run is actually a zen-like experience where I get to focus on getting my mind ready for the next hour.
Clark’s core exercises were tough this morning. But then again, rain is wet and the sun comes up in the East. You kind of expect it. I screwed one of them up to the point where I know he was frustrated with me. Honestly, I was trying to make the exercise harder than it was — I guess I don’t expect anything to be easy with Clark. Also, I’m as dumb as a sack of hammers at 5 a.m. That said, my core is as strong as it has ever been. I can tell by looking at it, but my back has noticed it, too. Back pain after long trips has gone the way of the passenger pigeon (which are extinct if you didn’t know.)
Morgan had a nice tricep burnout lined up for us. I got through it pretty well — once again, I can see my progress. Half burp
ees, dips on a chair, bear crawls, plank raises, and jumping jacks for a bit of a rest.
The weight room was good. Mike pushed me again. He’s very strong and usually chooses weight I’d probably avoid. Probably my best exercise today was incline bench press.
We then went and ran the W-drill and with a new twist: With 25-lb. bags. I told my friend Beth (who is one of the best athletes out there), “We used to weigh this much.” I’ve lost 50 lbs. She has lost over 100. It’s little psychological tricks like that that help you through the tough times.
We then finished out with an Indian run. I could have run all day — which was good because we knocked out a mile and then had to run two 100-yard sprints to finish today out.
It was a good workout today. Partly because of the cooler weather. But honestly, I heard a speech from a Marine who served in the South Pacific. His name was (he has passed away) Eugene Sledge and wrote an amazing book about his combat experiences. On the island of Peleliu, he was on the island for several weeks. It was grueling duty, with 24-a-day combat and temperatures over 115 degrees. He said he once heard a football player talking about “how tired he was.” He said, “I then cried a room full of tears.”
It’s about perspective.