“JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT BIG BOOBS DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T HAVE TO RUN!!”

 

“JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT BIG BOOBS DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T HAVE TO RUN!!”

 

 

We finished last…..and I mean dead last.

 

July 15, 2011, at 7:15pm. I sat with my clients outside the gym post-training; we were sitting on a bench, leaning over with forearms resting on our thighs and as a team, we decided to register for the September 24, San Diego Marine Bootcamp Challenge. It would be the first race for a few, and the feelings were both adrenaline-filled excitement and apprehensive with fear. We had 2.5 solid months to train, they already did the Camp Pendleton Mud Run, what’s the problem?

 

The problem was fear. If one remembers what fear is:

 

F alse

E vidence

A ppearing

R eal

 

…then we have full control of how to handle the false evidence….as it doesn’t exist.

 

Making the calls to action to confirm attendance came 2 days before the event and one day before. The 1 day before went like this: “Okay pumpkins, this is the call for tomorrow’s event! As your fearless leader it’s important for me to know who is going so TELL ME WHO IS GOING already! :)This is not a competitive race kittens, it’s a gathering for fun, yes with a buncha pushups (which you guys are great at if you do them as your body CAN do them!), and a calling to the inner diva warriors you ALL are. Time to undo the thoughts of “I can’t hang because I haven’t trained for it,” and just bring yourselves, and let’s do it……and then we’ll eat after.” They were feeling ill-prepared—and duly so, as attendance to training in the past 2.5 months had dwindled in its customary, summer-fun fashion. One of the emails I received in response to the event, and in perfect avoidance-behavior said: “I have my bag packed and have my energy drink prepared trying not to think about it. I keep telling my running mate we are going to have fun. She went elsewhere tonight so she won’t be thinking about it. My trust is in you.”

 

OMG I stood up after I read the response for reasons I will not write here, but let’s just say that like a porcupine, the quills on my back were within a hair-trigger of firing!! My response,

 

“HAHAHAHAH—well THAT’S what I’m here for sistah! Everything IS going to be fun! Why?

 

 

1. Its something we have not done.

2. We will NOT look back in life with regret for not doing something that scares us!

3. We are all in it together

4. It’s ONLY a 5K (3.2 miles!!)

5. And we’re gonna go to Olamendis after!!

 

 

We’re as warm as kittens, all you need is more belief in you. Don’t you DARE start giving your power away now…..quit it!”

 

 

The race started and the elite groups went first, as is customary for most races. And we were off! Walking as fast as we could we got over the first obstacle of hay bales and almost immediately we were engaged by the D.I. (drill instructor) at the station, “YOU PEOPLE NEED TO BE RUNNING I SAID GET YOUR LEGS MOVING THIS IS NOT A PICNIC!!” Not 1 minute later a group of D.I.’s came up on us, “OH YEAH THIS IS GONNA BE A LOVVVELY WALK ISN’T IT? I SAID GET YOUR BUTTS MOVIN’ WE DID NOT COME HERE TO TAKE A NAP, AND YOU SAY YES DRILL SERGEANT!!” By this time some of our team was feeling the pressure of the D.I.’s screamin’ at us, so they pressed on ahead of us in a light trot.

 

Sore ankles, bottom of feet hurting, 20-month-ago hip replacement talkin, we pressed on.

 

“YOU SHOULD BE HOME COOKING FOR YOUR HUSBANDS YOU’RE WALKIN THIS THING! YOU OUGHT TO BE BAREFOOT IN THE KITCHEN WITH THAT KIND OF EFFORT OR SHOULD I SAY LACK OF EFFORT PICKUP YOUR LEGS THIS ISN’T PILATES CLASS!!!!” Climbing the stacked hay bales, jumping over the logs, crawling under and running through the tubes we go, complete with “YOU CALL THOSE PUSHUPS WE’RE NOT COUNTING A SINGLE ONE UNTIL YOU DO THEM RIGHT, THIS IS NOT FUNNY WIPE THAT SMILE OFF YOUR FACE!” 

 

A few on our team started talking back to the D.I.’s saying they were mean and shouldn’t be talking to us like that, as they were relentlessly screaming at us…..bad idea!! Oh my I knew what was coming next….”WE DON’T CARE YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS BUT YOU DID YOU CALL THAT GETTING OVER THE HUMP YOU CALL THAT RUNNING FOR YOUR LIFE OHHH YEAH THIS AIN’T NO NATURE WALK HERE TODAY YOU QUIT EYE-BALLIN ME YOU THINK YOU CAN EYE-BALL ME AND GET AWAY WITH IT RUN, RUN, RUNNNN!!”

 

And my personal favorite, one of the team who decided to trot ahead ended up alone, and as I watched in the distance I was like, “Ohhhh noooo, this one’s gonna GET it!!” And they did, surrounded by 5 D.I.’s, “JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT BIG BOOBS DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T HAVE TO RUN!!”

 

When you sign up as a team, you must cross the finish line as a team to be counted. Those that ran ahead stopped close to the finish line and waited for me and our team member to finish, nobody gets left behind.

 

Most people finish this race a little under or a little over 30 minutes, but not us. We finished in 1 hour and 29 minutes. Why?

 

• Because we completed it how we had to
• Because we made a decision that this was going to be accomplished.
• Because it didn’t matter what outside judgments would be made, we did it because we wanted to.
• Because we are strong of mind, body and spirit.
• Because we will not live in fear or regret.
• Because we had heart
• Because we had a hip-replacement that didn’t need to get broken by jumping, landing, rolling.
• Because we had plantar fasciitis.
• Because….we could.

 

All we needed were 2 arms, 2 legs and a heartbeat. And we brought them.

 

What was the payoff?

 

Well we finished, and we finished well. The fear was gone, hearts felt better. We got exercise and had a great time. And I must say, these marine D.I.’s were the hottest eye candy on the PLANET! The Camp Pendleton boys were jail-bait, but these guys were M-E-N!! Can I say “you can scream at me A-N-Y-T-I-M-E…….pleaaaaase?” I mean seriously, they’re fit, they’re organized, they’re leaders, they’re protectors, they have a code ……and they put up with the politics?? There’s a place to take your shopping list ladies. 😉 Oh- -back to earth, Annette…..

 

We also got called up on stage after the race! We each got a coin with a handshake for “not giving up.” They saw miss Joy, the healthiest 72-year old I know, as we were getting through the race. The finally realized it was she who was participating. (Oh and it did feel good to, at one of the stations, point and yell back at the D.I.’s on that station, to “YOU BRING HER DOWN OFF THAT WALL OR I’M NOT MOVIN!” Hee!). No, they couldn’t back off in their verbal beatings, it’s their job, especially on that day, and as soon as she was over, they in perfect form, came back at us again.

 

Everything, everything can be viewed as an event. No matter what it is, a dream you have to one day be this or do this or have this, you can, and they, our team, began their belief here: Annette’s Training Options 

Affordability is a belief.

Responsibility is a belief.

Accountability is a belief.

Ownership is a belief.

Wellness is a belief.

Wealth of health is a belief

 

Now turn that on yourselves

 

Personal affordability is a belief.

Personal responsibility is a belief.

Personal accountability is a belief.

Personal ownership is a belief.

Personal wellness is a belief

Personal wealth of health is a belief

 

If you believe you do deserve all of the above, making a way for it, although may be an adjustment and change in behavior, you’ll do it. If you do not believe you deserve it, watch how many excuses will be readily available. I just made a recent change in my lifestyle, and it is costing me a little more, but I care too much about myself to excuse and/or rationalize my way out of it. It can be done- -with personal belief.

 

See how the deserving find results here: Easy-to-commit Training Punch Cards! 

 

It’s all in the belief,

 

Annette

 

P.S. You too can ignite the belief that works for you here: Annette’s Training Options