Second Day

We ran a mile again this morning and we both did better than yesterday! Woo! Next week we will start going farther, and I think I may run an extra half a block tomorrow.

I also did more push ups and sit ups today. I downloaded this neato little app on my phone, and it's like a training guide to eventually be able to do 100 consecutive sit ups (you can adjust your goal, how many you want to do, I chose 100 for sit ups because it's closest to my goal of 82), and I got the same one for push ups, which I set for 50. It tells you how many to do, then counts down a rest period, then makes a whistle noise when you have to do the next rep. It's super awesome! I did them both today; I had the thought that I maybe should do them on alternating days, but I figured to just go for it. So then I get to rest completely every other day.

I think it will work out.

New Old Goals

Alright. Now that I'm back from annual training, and Caelyn's birthday party went off without a hitch (woohoo!), it's back to the daily grind. During AT I decided (not for the first time, I'm sure I've decided this before, hence the new old goals), that since I am not going to get promoted before my ETS date, I may as well set a [lofty] military goal for myself. I'm going to work my butt off and earn myself a PT patch.

Yes you read that right! I want to be a PT stud before I ETS (March 16, 2013), which, if I actually stick to a work out and actually DO the work outs, shouldn't be too much of a problem. I have to drop my run time by at least 3 minutes to get 90 points on the run, ultimately working for a 15:48 for 100 points. I gotta up my sit-ups by about 30 (82 for 100 points), and 30 more push-ups (50 for 100 points). I'm guesstimating on those numbers (wow, 'guesstimating' is an actual word? Blogger didn't underline it in a red squiggly line!), but they are pretty close.

I've got some work ahead of me, but not impossible work! I've unwittingly recruited a run partner, though admittedly he has much more work to do than I do, but that's ok! We went one mile around the block today, and I left him in the dust :( Oohhh, I also got new running shoes and wow you don't realize how bad your old sneakers are until you run in a new pair. N-I-C-E! My feet definitely love me for that one!

So now hopefully I will be able to update more often on my progress (and other things in between). I feel like my head is clear for the first time in a while. Being in Queens for 12 days made me appreciate where I live. I couldn't wait to drive out of the city and back into the mountains. I'm sure this feeling won't last, but gosh it sure was nice to get home last week!

Just a Little Note

Here I am, back at home after a long drill weekend. I left 4:30am on Friday and made it to Totten around 11:30, which was pretty decent time considering all the stops I made, and the length of said stops. Drilled a half day, then retired to the hotel room with Sgt F, who made a bangin' salad to share with me. I did pick out the mushrooms (yick), but everything else was SO GOOD, and I am definitely not a big salad eater. If someone asks at dinner if I want salad, generally the answer is "No. Thanks. No thanks.." And if at a restaurant they ask if I want soup or salad, I'll have soup, unless it's a gross soup (like Manhattan clam chowder or French Onion), then I'll opt for the least healthy salad, a Caesar, rife with croutons and cheese and dressing.

This salad was different, though, for two major reasons: One, I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything all day so I was happy for the offer of food, even if it was green and full of vegetables. Two, it was free and I didn't have to leave the hotel room for it. I'm cheap and did not feel like getting up off my ass to walk down the block to Wendy's, or worse yet, directly across the street to Burger King. That cheap. That lazy. I must say, though, that I enjoyed the salad and all the things in it: chunks of chicken, bits of boiled egg, shredded carrot, cucumbers, and all manner of green leafy things. Plus, she had a really awesome honey mustard dressing (the recipe I was lucky to have her divulge to me!). I ate two giant platefuls while we watched Whip It, and then What Women Want. All in all a good night.

Next morning was the APFT. I PASSED THE SIT UPS!! I was SO surprised that I actually did enough sit ups, I was like, Oh shit now I HAVE to push myself on the run cuz I can't use the old "well I already failed so why try" excuse like I usually do when I fail the sit ups. Shit.

So I tried. I really did! But it just wasn't good enough. I missed my time by 37 seconds. THIRTY SEVEN SECONDS. I'm honestly impressed with myself. For all the half-assed work outs I did, and the half-assed runs I pretended to do on my treadmill, I am thoroughly impressed that I performed that well! So, for the next APFT next month, I'm sure I'll be able to pass no problem now. If I keep up the working out thing. I've been lazy the last 3 days, mostly because I was burned out after my trip home Sunday night. I felt like I slept for two days straight, that's how tired I was. Today is a bit better, but still didn't exercise. Maybe I'll do some sit ups later; I'd like to do MORE than 45 sit ups, which is the minimum requirement and the number which I managed to do for this past APFT.

And that was my weekend. And I am now addicted to Tap Fish which I downloaded on my phone two days ago. Also been playing Neopets more recently. ALSO, I finished the purse for my BBFL and she loved it! I'm so happy <3 and another sgt asked me to make her one in green, and even offered to pay for it! I probably won't let her, but whatever. I love making things for people.

I'm 14 blocks away from finishing a blanket I'm making for a good friend of mine, and I have 2 more projects lined up for after: A baby blanket for a guy in my unit whose girlfriend is having a baby, and then a lavender bunny blanket for Caelyn. I may do the bunny blanket first, since Easter is coming up first, and then the baby blanket since she is due I guess in June or July. I really really love making things for people :)

High and Low

I'm pretty sure I hit a personal low this morning. I wish I could quit the Army. I really do. It is the most negative thing in my life right now and I really wish I didn't have 2 years left of it. We have a PT test this weekend and I have been doing half assed work outs to "get ready" for it. Last week I realized I had less than 2 weeks left to "get ready" for it, and "decided" to step up my game. (insert laugh track). In truth, I have done nothing of the sort. I ran on the treadmill this morning (temps are still below freezing here) and I QUIT. I literally quit at about a mile and a half. I stopped the machine, stepped off, and that was it. I don't know how to fix my brain, I don't know how to make myself stop doubting myself. I can't even say exactly WHY I did what I did. All I know is that this is BAD, and it needs to STOP.

I've also hit a personal high this morning, but also not good: I have gained a pound a day over the last 3 days, putting my weight at an all time high (excluding pregnancy). I won't mention what it actually is, I'm a lady after all. I admit that I have been kinda pigging out, but I've pigged out before and have never seen this type of weighty reaction to it. I am dismayed and disappointed. I am hoping that with the [hopeful] onset of warmer weather soon that I'll be able to push myself easier to be more active (running outside is so much more satisfying than on a treadmill in the basement) more regularly (I really do feel good, physically, after I work out, it's just the starting thing I have so much trouble with, and now apparently the middle part of it).

I will also, in the next week or so, find a doctor and get myself a check up, because my PCOS may have some responsibility in the moodiness and weight gain. Hormones can be a real bitch, especially if they are not 'balanced.' In which case I may be able to come up with a more effective way in dealing with my issues than just wanting to sleep and without turning to semi-anorexic behavior. I'm no good at "dieting." In lieu of a diet, I generally just eat less. A LOT less. No motivation, no will power. Things need to change.

This Title Sucks

How can I keep coming up with different titles for my blog posts, when really the only one that fits 90% of the time is "Gosh I haven't updated in a while. Here's some news." That's basically what it all boils down to. Which means I'm not a very good blogger.

Tomorrow starts the newest round of Get Sparked! My partner and I have chosen to be partners again since we've found so much inspiration in each others' works and will be collaborating on hopefully many future projects. I'm excited! Though I've left writing a new poem for her to the very last minute as usual. I'm sure I'll be able to come up with something fantastic late tonight (if I can manage to stay up later than 9:00!).

On another strand, I'm a little more than half way through "Journey to the Centre of the Earth." I'm enjoying it immensely! It makes me sad to think that I nearly forgot how much I love reading. I used to be a voracious reader, but over the past few years that has definitely changed. So many other things to do that I feel like when I'm reading I should really be up doing other things. Having Caelyn to take care of doesn't help the cause for reading either. Reading has become a leisurely luxury that almost makes me feel guilty for doing it. How horrible! I must put time aside for reading, just as I've been putting aside time to crochet. Though crocheting is a little easier since I will have something tangible to show for it when I'm done. Reading? Not so much.

On yet another strand, I've paused my Insanity work outs to focus on what I specifically need to work on in order to pass the APFT that I have to take on the 25th. Push ups, sit ups, and a 2-mile run. I'm on course right now; I ran on the treadmill this morning and I'm feeling pretty confident about it. If I can keep it up I'll have no trouble passing.

And, last thing I figure I should mention... My diploma is en route! I checked the status and it was mailed yesterday, woohoo! I was an official college graduate as of January 31st, but it will be even more official once I have that all-important piece of paper in my hands. And my parents ordered a diploma frame for it (as a birthday present). It's on back order, but I'll get it eventually, and like I told my mom, my diploma won't go bad waiting for its frame.

In the Last 2 Weeks...

I have had a few adventures! Well, not really as exciting as all that. Last week I was going to write a nice post about waking up and seeing my hamster run across the kitchen, and the ensuing rescue. But I didn't for whatever reason. Now I'm just not up to relating the story again (especially since when I told Caelyn the story no less than 6 times, the last few with her acting the part of the hamster).

I've also been working on special Valentine's Day goodies for Caelyn's class. I got a little ambitious and am crocheting book worm bookmarks, then I went a step further and decided to do personalized felt hearts to attach to the bookmarks and so I had to get the felt, puff pain, glitter writer, and of course the googly eyes and tiny pompoms and tacky glue for the little book worms. I've got 7 days to make 21 bookworms. That's an even 3 a day. At least they're not hard and they don't take very long to make!

I skipped Insanity today. And for the past 3 days. Today was supposed to be the 3rd Fit Test and the first day of the "Max" workouts. I was looking forward to it last week, but today my fight with myself resulted in just getting dressed and coming down to the 'office' and checking email, perusing Facebook, and downloading a ringtones app on my phone. So far not too impressed.

I did get my default bank checks for my new bank account last week which means now I can order some fancy new designer checks. I'm thinking either Sushi or Ice Cream. I'm leaning toward ice cream, since it's a bit more universal than sushi. Though I do really love sushi.

That's it for now. I really need to do better at blogging more often. I find myself thinking about writing for this blog, then NOT doing it. Then when I DO blog, I forget half the stuff I wanted to write about, and not wanting to write about the other half I wanted to write about. This must change.

It's Snowing. Again!

It seems snowing is the "norm" here in the North Country. I am now convinced that when the weather report says 70% chance of snow, it REALLY means that it will snow at least 70% of the day. The last two days have been sunny (weird!). So sunny, in fact, that some of the snow cover started to melt enough to be able to make a snowman! Me and Caelyn went out after school yesterday and rolled together a boy snowman and a girl snowman (snowoman?).

At any rate, it was almost a relief to see it starting to snow this morning as I was working out to the Plyometrics and Cardio Circuit DVD. It went well. I made it through the warm-up and the first circuit set better than the first time, but really pooped out on the second circuit set. I also definitely sweated a lot more than when I did the same one last week. I think it's because we turned up the heat a little in the living room in the mornings, so instead of jumping around in 58 degrees, it was a balmy 65. I had to crack the door open a bit for a breeze to cool myself off! I also had to pause the video in the middle to get myself some more water.

I did skip Sunday's and Monday's workouts, mostly because Caelyn was home on Monday, and I wanted to move my rest day back to Sunday so I could follow the Insanity calendar how it was written. So, yes, I did skip two workouts. But I jumped back on yesterday and did the prescribed video and hopefully will keep it up. I also got my uncle's old treadmill in the basement now. I need to hook it up and see if I can get it running; it's an old clunker from like, 15 years ago. So when I get it running I'll be doing that as well as Insanity in the AM.

On the craft side, I am almost finished the second set of blocks for the Crochet-a-long blanket I've resolved myself to finish. Two more double crochet blocks, and then it's on to treble crochet in the next color! Woo! I'm excited about this blanket. The first block set took so long; I think because it takes more rows of single crochet to make 9 inches than double crochets. More rows=more time. So I expect the next block set to take even shorter. I will have to find my camera and take some pictures. Can't wait to have all the blocks done and get it sewed together!

Exercising and Crocheting

It's been a while since my last post. I apologize! Today I started the Beach Body Insanity work out dvd's again today. It kicked my butt! I made it through the "warm-up" and skipped the following stretches because the bottoms of my feet were sore. Time to get some gel inserts or something! But I picked it up again and pushed through to the end. I won't get into the details. I don't want to make this an exercise blog or anything.

What I did do after the work-out was crochet! Yes. I am very happy to be crocheting again. Finally dug out my yarn for the crochet-along I started WAY back when and decided to finish it. So I sat and relaxed while watching this Australian cartoon on HUB (Dennis and Gnasher. Pretty much like an Australian version of Dennis the Menace) and crocheted for about 20 minutes. It's an easy enough pattern (uhhh, straight double crochet. Easy peasy) that I can put down and pick up very quickly without having to worry about losing my place or finding where I left off.

And speaking of crocheting, I finally finished the damn scarf I've been working on! It's so pretty, but I wish I had another skein to make it longer. I don't like scarves that are too short to wrap around my neck twice. Any shorter and they just seem to unwind and fall off. It's also a bit scratchy. The yarn felt so soft when it was all balled up, but once I worked it up it still feels kinda soft on my hands, but around my neck is much more sensitive and it made me all itchy. Maybe I'll try to sell it. I do have an Etsy account that I haven't yet utilized. I did buy another skein of the same yarn but in black and white instead of the gray and pink I had. I'll make another one and sell both of them. Whee!

But I'm determined to finish this darn blanket, and then my mom has another blanket that she started that I want to finish. It's kinda springy, blues and purples and greens, with dragonflies worked on some blocks. Very pretty! I've seen the yarn in a bag sitting in the hall every time I go up or down the stairs and it makes me want to just take it out and do it! But I'm going to finish the crochet-along first.

And that's about it. Peace out.

Lethargy

This is the main reason I haven't blogged in a while. I've been feeling really lethargic. Not just physically, but more mentally than anything. I'm having a hard time remembering things, staying focused, and just plain thinking straight. I feel like my brain is burnt out. I've been thinking about so many things that I think I finally just stopped thinking altogether.

I have to do well this semester to graduate. I've been preoccupied with Caelyn going to school as well. It's double homework for me with all the notices and fund raisers she's brought home so far just in the first 2 weeks. I am infinitely glad that she gets free school lunches because if she didn't I would probably forget to feed her. Work has been slow. I am so distracted by anything and everything in the house right now. Too many people and too much mess and I'm the only one home most days to clean up. Which I shouldn't really be spending all my time on since I'm supposed to be working.

Then there's the moving thing. Trying to pack boxes here and boxes there, deciding what I don't really need for the next 3 months and can send up to the house. And all that takes time, too. I guess all the problems stem from there being a deficient amount of time to work with. I need the days to be at least 3 hours longer each. Then maybe I'll be able to feel productive.

I'm feeling pretty unproductive right now writing this blog because there are at least three other things I should be doing instead. Getting Caelyn ready for bed (I've told her to brush her teeth 5 times already, but of course I need to be right on top of her to do anything these days. At least she's in her pajamas), the dishes need to get washed, even though I think my mom is going to do them, she's on the phone so now the dishes are sitting getting all crusty. The carpet hasn't been vacuumed in at least 4 days, and I meant to do it today but never got around to it. Mostly because Caelyn had her friend over for most of the day, and the other reason was because I was futzing around online. And then I was cooking dinner.

I've gotten to the point where I need to put alerts in my phone to remind myself to do really stupid easy things so I won't forget. And I'm not talking about like when something is on your mind and you're still thinking about it and just procrastinate. I'm talking about like, at around 8:30am I'll tell myself "Ok I have to call her pediatrician after 10 because that's when they open," and I won't remember that I had to make the phone call until we're going to bed and the office is closed and everything. And then I say "I have to remember tomorrow to call..." It's a vicious cycle of reminding and honestly forgetting. My mom will say "can you open the window to get a breeze in here?" and I will literally say, "Ok, sure thing," and then NOT do it because I forgot that quickly. I think I have to start setting an alarm to eat, because I've lost 4 pounds (not that I'm complaining about the weight loss), but I'm pretty sure it's because I've become accidentally anorexic. I just forget to eat.

I'm really not sure how to fix this problem. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.  As for now, I am going to try my best to start drinking a LOT more water and to start running every day. I've fallen into a really bad slump and I need to get out of it. I think hydrating (I really don't drink anything during the day: cup of coffee in the morning, maybe a glass of juice at dinner. Usually nothing in between. I know, it's so bad) and getting more active may help with my brain functions. If I'm still as addled in two weeks as I am right now, well, then I have no idea what I'll do. But I haven't gotten there yet, so for now I have to go and get ready for bed and make sure my sleep-deprived daughter is sleeping as well.

Insanity - Day 2

Yesterday I did the second Insanity workout, Cardio Power and Resistance. It wasn't nearly as bad as the first day's workout. There wasn't nearly as much jumping, although I did wind up dead tired by the end of it. Of course, it not being as bad could also be because I didn't do anything on Saturday. Did I ever mention how lazy I am? I'm pretty damn lazy. I have trouble sticking with something that I'm not totally crazy about. This crazy workout thing almost feels like too much to do every day. I guess that's the point, though. What I really need to do is straight up situps, and go running. It comes down to that. Insanity or not, I need to run. The best way (at least for me) to improve my 2-mile is to go out and run 2 miles.

I still want to try Insanity in it's entirety, I won't throw it to the wayside yet. Maybe I'll do the next one tomorrow. I was also thinking that I want my "rest day" to be Sunday. If I continue and do every other day this week, then rest on Sunday, then next week I can go every day like I'm supposed to. Maybe that will work?

Insanity - Day One

So I made it through the first real workout of Insanity. And let me tell you (as I've said probably too many times already) it's not called Insanity for nothing! Number one, the warm-up was ok until we got to the second run through of it. I almost thought it was a broken record. Wait, a THIRD time?? And this is just the WARM UP? Thankfully, Shaun T. is generous with the water breaks, although he could have given me a teensy bit longer. I can't even remember what the workout was, let me look on the DVD... Plyometrics Cardio Circuit. Whew. I remember possibly 2 different circuits, and we did each no less than 3 times each.

Let me pause here and define plyometrics. I didn't know what it exactly meant (only that it sounded official and intimidating), but thanks to Dictionary.com, I am happy to know (or maybe not happy?) that Plyometrics is "a type of exercise using explosive movements to develop muscular power, esp. bounding, hopping, and jumping." Yes. There was A LOT of jumping. I thought the whole house would fall down around me. And I'm not a big person, but all 4'10" of me was enough to shake the shelves and cabinets enough for my mom to ask if I really had to do all that jumping.

YES, Mom, I do. Otherwise I may as well just not do it. I really tried to push it out at the end, but I'm afraid I was doing more resting than working, and when the blessed stretching came around, my thighs would not let me assume the stretching positions Mr. Shaun T. prescribed. I sat and did some stretching of my own (ie. laying flat on my back and wondering if I would be able to walk at all today).


I'm not sure I'll be able to do the next workout tomorrow, possibly later in the afternoon, but I'll be so worn out from a trip to Governor's Island (no, not for pleasure unfortunately, but for some 319th mayhem), I may just want to nap.

Insanity: Fit Test

Wow. Sweat is pouring off of me and my legs are already sore. It started off OK, but by the fourth exercise I was running out of steam. Two exercises later when he said "suicide jumps" I was starting to think he really meant it. By the last exercise of the session, I was flat on my face for most of it. Despite all this, I'm ready for the first real workout tomorrow!

What I like so far: He is motivating! He doesn't yell, but it's a subtle push, encouraging, like he really wants me to succeed! And that makes ME want to succeed as well! I love the workout, I like working until I'm drenched and heaving for breath. I hate getting started, but once I reach the end, I know I've accomplished something worthwhile.

What I don't like: Nothing about the videos. What I don't like is how out of shape I feel!

Now I shall shower, eat some lunch, refill my water bottle, and get some $work$ done!

Insanity. Or Not.

So I really was going to start today. For real!... What happened is that Windows DVD Maker did not like the file type I downloaded. So I downloaded a file converter with a free 30-day trial period. I open it and it says my trial period is expired. WTF. So I download another file converter (very hard to find one that was completely free without a time max for conversions), and convert ALL the files from MP4 to .AVI. Windows DVD Maker STILL didn't like it. Ugh! So, since the converter only converts to and from MP4, MPG, and AVI, I had to pray that WDM would be ok with the MPG's... And it was! Hooray!

By this time, it was late, almost 10:00pm, and after I had told myself all day long that me and Caelyn needed to get to bed much much earlier. This going to bed late and then waking up cranky has got to stop. Easier said than done. Ok. So I said to myself, "I'll just burn it quick in the morning." I had it converting files overnight so I could do just that.

We get up late. Of course. I'm rushing, Caelyn is whining because she wants to paint her pets (a paint-your-own-pets set she got for her birthday), so I tell her she can start one IF she eats breakfast and gets dressed really quick. This has always been a problem for her, to focus and do things quickly. She spent most of the morning rolling on the floor complaining that I won't let her do fun things. Great. I convince her that it would be better if she painted after school, and that way she could paint ALL of them, and not just a little bit. She was eventually OK with that, but between getting her dressed, shoving Honey Nut Cheerios into her face, and starting the Windows DVD Maker, I forgot to make her a lunch.

We get to daycare and while I'm parking is when I remember that I didn't make lunch for her. WTF. So I tell the teacher I'll be back to drop it off before lunch time. I go back home and the stupid DVD Maker is at like, .5% encoding. I'm thinking "this is gonna take forever!" So I let it do its thing, make Caelyn's lunch (chicken salad sandwich, I hope she likes it!), change into some shorts, tie my sneakers on (praying that they won't give me blisters), and head out. I drop off the lunch, then head over to the park to get a run in. I knocked out a mile and figured that was good for a start.

So here I am back at home, still no real work done so I'll have to make some coffee (I didn't even have coffee this morning, boo), and knock out some billable hours. I will definitely be reporting on Insanity after I actually do it.

Ocean Dreams

This is my initial Spark piece, sent to the woman they paired me with. She must now make visual art inspired from it! I call it "Ocean Dreams."

There is a long, luxurious hiss

as the sun sinks into the ocean.

The shimmering light

of the extinguishing beast

casts blood-red diamonds across the surface

and the waves lavish them on the shore.

My eyes half-lidded

from the hazy crimson dusk,

I descend to the beach

to collect the sparkling treasure.

I tie them together

on a bit of fishing line,

crimped and knotted.

But soon, as twilight descends

and the moonlight clears my vision,

I see that my diamonds are nothing

more than sea glass,

and my work is nothing

more than a tangle of garbage and broken shells.

I throw it to the ground

and watch it crawl away.

The fishing line is threaded

through the tip of a hermit crab’s shell.

My tangled dream drags along

behind its home, only to snag

on a wayward stone.

I watch it struggle a moment,

then turn away.

It's a GO!

Well, I passed!  That is the absolute best thing that has happened to me in a really long time. Here's how it went down:

Push ups - I had no fear of failing this part. I said I was going to do 25 and then stop, to save energy for the sit ups. Well, I did 25 no problem, but still had a minute left. I couldn't stop with a minute to go! So I did a few more. Then a few more... and wound up pushing out a total of 40 in the 2 minutes. I ALWAYS do that. Say I'm going to do x amount, then stop. Then I wind up pushing the whole 2 minutes. Oh well.

Sit ups - This one was a bit harder. I had been practicing, so I stuck to my routine. 3 sets of 10, alternating between middle, left, and right sides. Slower than I had planned, but the first 30 were no problem. Then I started on the 3 sets of 5, middle, left, right.  These went much slower than I had hoped, but I still had time left when I was done, and by then I had already passed. I did 3 more for a total of 48. Wahoo!

Run - After realizing that I had passed the sit up portion, I knew I really had to push on the run. When I had failed sit ups in the past, I felt no need to really try my hardest on the run due to the fact that one must pass all 3 portions for a "GO." Fail sit ups, the whole test is a fail, so why kill yourself, right? Anyway, after passing sit ups, I did my best to psych  myself up for the 2 miles ahead of me.

Like always, most everyone else pulled out ahead of me after they said "ready, GO!"  I was not surprised, but I wasn't worried like I usually am. I felt confident. I kept up my pace and didn't do any significant stretch of walking. The end of the first mile even came quicker than anticipated. I guess all my practicing did do some good! When he yelled out the time, 9:46, I was elated! Under 10 minutes was a milestone for me and I knew I could do it.

After passing the grouping of spray-painted markers on the ground saying 1/4 miles, I saw Sgt. Oglio running out I guessed to offer support to those just coming in to finish. When she reached me she said "18:34!" Holy shit, I thought, I'm almost there and I have 2 minutes left! At that moment I knew I had nothing to worry about. I did slow down and walk a bit, I said, "When I reach that lamp post where the road makes that last bend, I'm gonna go for it." And I did. The lamp post came up, and I hauled ass. As I came up over the crest for the last stretch, I heard Sgt. Gonzalez (and probably everyone else standing there) yelling at me. I sprinted over the line at 20:14! My PT test, for the first time in 11 years, was a legitimate "GO!"

Yay me!!

PT Test

For those who don't know (you know, those imaginary people that I imagine read this blog, or even know about it), I have been in the Army Reserves for almost 11 years now (actually, one month from Sunday will be 11 years), and have passed the physical training test a total of... 2 times. Ok, maybe 3.

The first time was at the end of Basic Training where you HAVE to pass to graduate. I may have passed about 3 years after that (again, it was so long ago, I'm not really sure if I ever did). And the third (possibly only second) time I passed was a few years ago (2007? Maybe?) and even then, I didn't REALLY pass... I missed the run time by about 20-30 seconds, so they gave me the extra seconds so I'd have a "GO" on my record.

Now, the nice thing about getting older in the Army is that one's standards gets less rigorous. Not by much, I'll grant you that, but it is awfully exciting to be able to say that you're in the next age bracket when it comes to how much you have to do. When I started, being in the age group 17-21, I had to run 2 miles in 18:54, do 19 push ups in 2 minutes, and 53 sit ups in 2 minutes. Now that I'm in the 27-31 age bracket, I get a whopping 20:30 to run 2 miles, have to do 17 push ups and only 45 sit ups.

That may not seem like it makes a huge difference, but trust me, it does. At least mentally.

Now that my unit is under a new command, they have been buckling down on our paperwork (hah), and our personnel files. Which means they have uploaded all the important stuff to the "system." Which means they (the people in charge) actually SEE who has been passing or failing PT tests. If you fail, your record gets "flagged." That's bad. Once you are flagged, you have a certain amount of time in which to retake the PT test, and pass. Or else.

Or else what, you ask? Well, for one, you can be kicked out of the army for not upholding the physical standards. That doesn't seem so bad for me, seeing as how this isn't really a career choice. BUT, they can also take back any awarded bonuses. By signing the contract, one is 'promising' to abide by all USAR standards, PT being one of them. Fail PT, and you may have to pay back that awesome re-enlistment bonus you got 3 years ago (and by "you" I really mean "me").  I have been working hard. I do NOT want to have to pay back $15,000 to the military, of which I only saw about $11K after it got taxed. That money is gone, as are my old student loans that it paid off.

For the past 2 days (today included) I have run the 2-mile within a passing time. Today just barely, but it was still passing! I have also been regularly knocking out 45 sit ups in a 2 minute time frame with no problems. Push ups I've never had a problem with, though I did practice those as well.

This is getting a little long, so I'll try to wrap this up.  The PT test is tomorrow, Saturday the 24th. I consider myself "on track" for passing. The only problem is having to get up at the ass-crack of dawn to go take it. I've been running about 4 hours after I wake up, after I've had breakfast, finished my coffee, worked a bit, etc. and THEN gone out. This cannot happen tomorrow morning unless I wake up at midnight and pretend that 5AM is really noon. SO, we shall see what happens.

I am confident, for once, about the sit up portion. I really do think I can pass that. The run, though I did run it under 20:30 the past 2 days, is another story. I am really going to have to push myself and ignore the fact that my legs will be tired. And the fact that I have a legion of blisters on my left heel.

Blogging, and Exercise

I have just entered a Sprint Premier contest. I had to write, in at least 150 words, what I'm really fast at. It is judged off originality, creativity, and humor. My entry was pretty lame, I won't even mention it here. BUT, it's always nice to think about actually being chose as a semi-finalist, which there will be 10 of. Each semi-finalist wins an HTC EVO and a year of free service. I can't remember if ALL semi-finalists have to do it (should have read the official rules better?) but then they have to blog about using the HTC Evo, and 4 semi-finalists will be chosen as Finalists, each will get to spend a long weekend vacation in a nice place (Vegas, Maui, can't remember the other two places), and blog about their vacation. People/readers vote on the "best" blog, and that finalist wins an extra $4,000. Sounds pretty sweet to me.

Not that I'm going to win, but hey, I definitely WON'T win if I don't enter. So I entered.

On a happy note, I have been "training" for the upcoming PT (physical training) test that is happening this Saturday the 24th. Today, for the first time in [years], I have managed to run a passing time on the 2-mile! I have ALSO been able to do a passing amount of sit ups (under 2 minutes) for the past week now.

Dare I say that I will finish with a GO this weekend? Oh yes, I dare!  I will run once more tomorrow. Every successive run I have done, I have been able to shave time off, so I'm looking at tomorrow being no different.  Even if I do only as good as I did today, I should still be golden for Saturday. What MAY trip me up is taking the test at a god-awful early hour, but I don't see that being too big of a problem if I can get a good night's sleep beforehand.

So here is what I will be doing for the next few days: Drink water. Eat dinner. Wake up, eat breakfast, drink water, take Caelyn to daycare, RUN. Drink more water. Eat lunch. Eat dinner. Go to sleep early[er]. Wake up, drink water. Eat breakfast. Drive to Ft. Totten. Take PT test. PASS PT test. Celebrate!