Marshall Ramsey

This is the fourth time I’ve done a Paul Lacoste bootcamp. And the one thing I have learned for certain is that it is more fun if you are in good cardiovascular shape. So I run on the weekend.  I try to keep my heart and lungs up to snuff so during the week I can focus on doing the exercises the best that I can.

Today, I ran nine miles.  My total distance is down a little from my normal long run (I’ve battled leg muscle tightness lately), but I still get in a good run.  Also, the heat and humidity of late summer have beat me down.  I can’t drink enough water on the course. And I sweat enough to fill the Reservoir.

Today I ran the Natchez Trace and the accompanying Ridgeland Multipurpose Trails. I ended up doing nine miles and honestly, the last two miles were a challenge.  Not because I am in terrible shape — but because my shoes get so full of sweat that it is like running with concrete blocks on my feet.  Add to it fatigue from the first week of PLS — well, it was just a tough run.

But I did it. I burned about 1,300 calories and I saw several friends out running.

As I passed by “the Oak” (the one I always photograph), I thought about all the challenges this year has brought.   I chugged on past it and smiled. I knew that no challenge can stop me as long as I do my homework.

I like motivational quotes, find them slightly inspiring and occasionally will give one a passing glance. But I saw one on Twitter yesterday that jumped out at me and smacked me up the side of the head because of its simple but brilliant truth:

Life rewards action.

It’s 5 a.m. It’s dark. You can’t see three feet in front of you and you’re kind of glad you can’t. ( Because no one in your line looks particularly great at 5 a.m. when they are working out.) You have rubber pellets in your shoes and in your ear. You’re sore. The first week of training is almost in the books and your muscles are completely pissed off at you. But you’re there. You’re making a change in your life.  You are taking action. And you will be rewarded.

Life rewards action.

It may be as simple as your clothes fitting better. Or it may be more energy at work or at home.  Those are short-term rewards. Long term, you will be “that guy or woman” at the nursing home, who is healthy and fit.  You will live while others are sitting in a corner drooling on their bingo card.  You’re making life changes for the better.

Life rewards action.

I’ve read numerous studies that suggest that we only use 10% of our brain power.  Wow!   And I know there are times when we don’t use 100% of the physical power we have either. I thought about that while I was running the A-frame of the stadium today.  I felt like I was maybe saving a little for the next drill. I started pushing harder.  I thought about it when I didn’t think I could keep up during the second wall stand with Clark. But I pushed on.

Life rewards action.

Today we did half burpees, gassers, shoulder exercises and more.  Today a miracle happened in the dark.  We got stronger, faster and better.  We took action this week. And you know what happens when we do.

Life rewards action.

I’ll be running tomorrow and Saturday.  Sunday is my day of rest.  Because sometimes life rewards rest, too.

Have a great weekend!

Signs you know it’s the first week of PLS Training:

1. You’re so sore that you can’t raise your arms to wash your hair.
2. The black rubber dots reinvade your home, car and body crevices.
3. You drop acid. Lactic acid.
4. You remember how much you really don’t like burpees.
5. Touching your toes becomes work.
6. If someone pokes you in the chest, you cry. (if you are a woman, you slap the #$%# out of them).
7. You try not to think how crazy you look bear crawling.
8. You say to yourself, “Thank God it’s Thursday*” — *PLS Friday
9. You walk off the field with the satisfaction of knowing that while others slept, you made a positive change in your life.

Today was the first true day of training — a fact that my body would agree with. It was “blow the rust out” day.  I’ve lost a step since Summer Training. But I still held my own.

One thing that was notable was that I nearly hit a coyote on the way to the workout. Someone needs to tell Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler that her city has coyotes. I’m sure she wouldn’t be pleased with that.

To start off, we broke into six lines.  I’m in Line 3 with many of my friends from Line 4 over the summer. The best part about Paul Lacoste is the friendships you make.  It’s like a family reunion where you nearly barf a lung everyday.

First station was Morgan. Morgan is one of the tougher coaches. I like her and really enjoy the challenge she brings to the program.

She had us do:

10 burpees (except we hit the ground)

20 squats. 

A 30-yard sprint.

30-yards running backwards. 

And then repeat.  

I did that three or four times — I lost count.

We then moved to Clark. Clark has a bionic stomach and likes to kill you doing core. His workout was:

Fast Footwork

20 pushups

40 sit-ups

Fast Footwork

15 wide pushups

Bicycle/Six inches

Fast Footwork

15 narrow pushups

Planks

Fast Footwork (sideways)

Or something like that.

We then went into the weight room where we matched up with a partner. I bench pressed free weights for the first time since I was about 20.  Needless to say, I am not as strong as I was when I was 20.  We did several different machines/free-weight stations.

After time in the weight room, we went out to the track for a mile-run. I was up toward the front of the pack, but Beth, who has lost over 100 lbs., led the it.  I think I got three laps in before we moved onto the last station where we ran ladder drills.

So that was my first day back.  My body will probably feel it tomorrow when we line up and do it all over again. But as I walked out of the stadium, I felt like I had earned my sweat.

I didn’t see the coyote on the way home. He probably ought to train with us. He’d catch the roadrunner once and for all.