Some of you may remember my good ol' friend "little voice" who came and visited me on the treadmill the first time I ever walked a 5k. Well, little voice bought a ticket back into town and teamed up with motivation and will-power to drive me CRAZY this week. Actually, my sweet friend Shauna and her dear husband Bill assisted in their safe arrival, so I would have someone to keep me company while they were actually on a family vacation. :)
Before I further confuse you, let me elaborate.
The stair master, which I've been respectfully referring to as the "death machine," has been the most difficult cardio for me - yet I keep being drawn to it as I figure the intensity must serve as a sign of a highly effective workout. Well, the first day I experimented with these rotating stairs, I thought I was dying after 2 minutes and was proud to have actually endured 5 minutes. This machine that must have been created by a fitness enthusiast is no respector of persons. I say that for the fact that no matter how slow and sluggish I begin moving, it always presents an ultimatum:
FALL or KEEP STEPPING
Ay!
Well, recently I was challenged by Shauna to push myself and go for 10 minutes. Me being the stubborn competitor that I am, called myself "teaching her" (haha - how this torture teaches her, I've yet to figure out, sounds good when I'm working out though) and I pushed myself to exceed her requirement and go 15 minutes. Walking away with a sense of accomplishment, I proudly relayed the picture message via phone that displayed my 15:01 time on this hateful machine. Of course, any good challenger never lets up that easily and she replied with, "Well, why not 20 minutes?" As can be assumed, I painfully accepted the challenge and completed 20 minutes at the gym with my friend Audrey the next day. That's when Bill decides to escort himself into our conversation by playfully asking, "Why can't you do 25 minutes?" Ugh! That's when "little voice" joined in the efforts and talked me through 26 LONG, HARD minutes on the stair stepper, BEFORE one hour of water aerobics might I add.
As much as I wish I would have just completed 4 more minutes to make 30 - I was able to smile at yet another exercise *milestone* and realize that we truly can do the things we set our minds to.
NO MORE CHALLENGES BILL & SHAUNA...
Verse of the Day:
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NKJV)
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.
3 comments:
How bout a challenge from me? I dare you to....hahahaha...just kidding! No...I dare you to do another 25 minutes sometime this week. Wow!! That's awesome, Demesha! That thing'll kick your tail for sure! Keep up the good work! You're a rock!
Oh Valerie....she will do another 25 minutes this week! The challenge was also that she had to do the death machine 6 days a week until the 22nd of July. In fact I think she owes me a day from yesterday because unless she forgot I didn't get a text picture of the time on my phone yesterday....granted i was tired but I don't think I got one:)
Mesha, I am so proud of you. I remember when you told me how you tried that machine at the gym and could not even last a couple minutes! now look at you 30 minutes!!! That is absolutely amazing and I am so proud of you. Your an inspiration to many, and I love you dearly...it is an honor to call you my friend. Now Keep it up!! Just look at what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it!
leave it up to an aerobics instructor and football coach to go all "hard core" on you! WOW! What great inspiration you are!
My 3rd appointment with the Russian trainer who is both beautiful and sweet (which makes me want to hate her but I don't) is tomorrow morning. :-)
Love,
L
Post a Comment