10am: Am like an 80-year-old whose only form of conversation is about the various aches and pains in their body. Insides of my knees extraordinarily painful.
As is the bit where my leg joins on to the rest of my body.
Sitting fine. Walking not so flash. Running? Sucky.
Have decided this week I will TRY to be more positive.
So, this morning was actually not terrible.
Almost conquered hills.
May have something to do with Julia Challenor surprising us with hills (didn't have time to mentally prepare to hate them).
"Ran" up one hill (actually two and the running was more of a shuffle) five times.
Only stopped for about 15 seconds on the last bit of the last bit. Definitely progress.
Am told by Julia Challenor this week will be the turning point and body shape will start to change. Told her I hoped so.
She promised me.
There it is in black and white . . . the gauntlet has been laid Julia Challenor.
3.42pm: Left side slightly tender (that's me being positive. If I were honest, would say something which would be bleeped out in anything screened on the telly before 10.30pm).
For example, my left ankle.
The inside of my left knee.
And the outside of my left thigh.
And also my left wrist.
Walking now almost as sucky as running.
Crossing left leg over my right actually requires some aid from arms (which is how I worked out my left wrist also hurt).
Am trying to find a positive . . .
3.46pm: Still trying to find a positive.
3.47pm: Found the positive. At least my right side is not as tender . . . barely passes as a "positive", but it's the best I can do right now.
4.42pm: Have received much encouragement from friends tracking Boot Camp experience online.
One friend drove past a fast-food outlet in Auckland - because I'm not allowed this form of cuisine, friend decided not to have it either.
I write this as I eat a Ryvita, trying to pretend it's a bad-for-me burger.
Ryvita still tastes like cardboard.
My Auckland mum also just emailed and said she was proud of me.
Bless.
Tuesday, March 3
8.55am: Apparently, the pain on the inside of both knees, inside of left ankle and the outside of left hip is actually not good.
Bad words said on the drive to work, because of excruciating sharp pain in leg join every time I used the clutch.
According to my flatmate, my biomechanics are all up the wop.
Which basically means I have a gammy run, causing problems in my knees and ankles.
Positive Troxy says at least I'm aware of the problem and can hopefully do something about it.
1pm: Noticed my jeans were loose, so pulled belt in another notch.
Inherently uncomfortable.
Let the belt out again. Not sure if this is because jeans have "given" a bit, or because I may have lost a millimetre.
Contemplate attempting freshly washed jeans test again but decide positive attitude may disappear if the outcome is not better.
7pm: Arrive home to find flatmate has baked muffins.
Muffins ask me if I would like to demo one of them. Continue to stare at me, begging me to put them out of their misery while I cook my dinner, which includes eggs and vegetables.
Am proud I resisted the temptation.
Realise I have not actually really cheated on this healthy eating deal yet.
However, if a bad-for-me-burger was waved in my face it may be a different story.
Wednesday, March 4
7.15am: 300 squats, 150 sit-ups, 50 push-ups and nine laps of a rugby field.
Three weeks ago, would have well and truly chucked toys out of the cot, laid face down on that rugby field kicked feet and pounded arms into wet, freshly mown grass, yelling "DON'T WANNA" at the top of my lungs.
Instead, I got on with it.
Managed to run (shuffle) and talk simultaneously.
Managed to complete squats and sit-ups without a break.
This morning I did say a bad word. At least twice. Out loud.
Pain in knees and ankles not subsiding.
Consensus: caused by my downhill shuffling style. Apparently, I lean back too far.
Worried leaning forward will cause face plant. This would not be cool.
Pain preventing my Usain Boult impersonation.
Well and truly have the pip.
This week is actually better.
The pip stemming from a mind willing and a body unable.
Despite internal conversations with knees, ankles and hip flexors (the technical name for the bit where your leg joins the rest of your body), they are being disobedient.
If body parts were a child, Super Nanny would sit them in the naughty chair, make them think about what they've done and then apologise.
7.45am: Sitting on the couch trying the Super Nanny talking to - at this point, anything is worth a shot.
Told legs their behaviour was "unacceptable" and they should sort themselves out.
Legs seem to be unapologetic.
11.19am: Left knee stupidly painful. Right knee has had time to think about what it's done and seems to be pulling itself back into line.
11.20am: Have found another positive for the day.
Am halfway through Boot Camp.
Mark Wilson has mentioned Memorial Hill.
Positivity in danger of vanishing.
Noon: Discovered wallet was left in car. Required me to walk to car.
Held up traffic while trying to cross the street.
Walking down a hill was hideous.
Made a select group of grimaces.
Passed a woman with a bandaged foot and on crutches. Contemplated asking medical centre for a pair of crutches.
Or perhaps a wheelchair.
1.19pm: Have just gone for a small shuffle (walk, not run) and am feeling bolstered by nice comments.
Suspect most of them were people just being polite, but at this point, any compliment is a good one - even if it is a lie.
Was told my biceps are definitely more defined (twice) and I look "trimmer".
People also liked my trousers.
4.20pm: Watching colleague eat chocolate bar.
I am eating Ryvita cracker.
Really, REALLY want a bad-for-me burger.
Mouth is watering thinking about burger.
Also want hot chips.
Instead, am drinking water.
7pm: Flatmate decides it's time to have a look at my knee and gives me a massage. Managed not to say bad words but much grinding of teeth and clenching of jaw.
7.30pm: Icing my knee.
8.30pm: Icing my knee again.
Thursday, March 5
5.20am: Dream my alarm has gone off and I hit snooze.
5.58am: Realised it was not a dream.
Instead of hitting snooze, re-set my alarm for 5.20am tomorrow.
Lie in bed for three minutes contemplating not going to Boot Camp.
6.01am: Boot Camp gets the better of me, fly out of bed and madly try to find exercise clothes.
6.03am: Find exercise clothes.
In the washing machine.
Soaking wet.
Deduce the powers that be are trying to tell me something . . . maybe my knee needs a day off.
7am: Spent 57 minutes trying to work out a way to make up for the Boot Camp I have just missed. Have the guilts.
9.57am: Do not like guilty feeling.
Conclude the only way to gain redemption is to do Tobins Track.
Slogging it out uphill for at least 45 minutes before crawling back down (the pain will likely prevent shuffling) should sufficiently ease guilty feeling.
Mental preparation has begun.
4.08pm: Email received from Mark Wilson. Mentions Monday as "strength and cardio relay".
Last time I did any form of relay was high school.
Wasn't very good at it.
Tuesday worse.
"Longer hill loop". Deduce this means Memorial Hill.
Am guessing the requirement will see me crawling up and rolling down Memorial Hill more than once.
Positivity gone.
4.12pm: Email from Mark Wilson.
Politely inquires why I was absent from Boot Camp.
Provided him with foot notes.
He suggests a running analysis with running guru Sam Thompson who will do some kind of video taping of my shuffling style and try to work out what's going wrong. Mark Wilson says this will ensure in the "long-run" I become a "graceful" and "pain-free" runner.
Doubt I will ever be a "graceful runner".
As for the "long-run", he assumes I will continue to make my feet move faster than they want to.
Interesting assumption. However, it's the "pain-free" that prompts me to say "OK".
Although actually having to analyse my gammy shuffling style doesn't thrill me.
4.19pm: Email from Mark Wilson.
Fellow Arrowtown Boot Camper Chris Hall has won a free Body Sanctum massage and float.
Sounds quite divine.
Feeling slightly overwhelmed.
Mark Wilson says the last week will comprise "hill thrashings".
Also says we need to be 100% for the last two weeks and the fitness testing.
Am functioning on about 52% (based on a very technical calculation).
Friday, March 6
"Frustrated" would accurately sum up my feelings this week.
Will freely admit I have done nothing but whinge and moan about Boot Camp for the past three weeks and, in all honesty, had it not been for the pain in the lower half of my body, this week I think I would have been able to finally say I was getting it.
Unfortunately, the pain has not subsided even a little bit which has resulted in me wearing my angry pants.
Am also stressing because just two weeks are left of Boot Camp and if the pain does not stop, the end results may not be favourable (and I will never live that down).
The eating side of things has also not been going well due to a very busy week at work. Please note, I have not been stuffing my face with naughty food, rather have not had time to eat properly.
However, am determined I will make Mark Wilson take back his comment about me being "lazy".
Next week MUST be better.
This is not me being positive. It's based on the theory there is little else that could possibly go wrong.
