O-Course Simulation Day - Take 2
Well, after resting my pulled quad for two weeks, somewhat, I finally got back out there at Asphalt Green at 730 AM today to try to run through the course one more time.
This time i went by myself.
Just me, the field, the cones and the hurdles. No one to coach me, no one to encourage, no one to say a word. I just needed to do this alone and pace myself and take my time. No pressure or expectations from anyone but myself.
The funny thing is, I keep finding mental obstacles (no pun intended) that I need to overcome if I am going to do this challenge in November.
I need to overcome these thoughts of, "oh but I'm not an athlete. I've never done this before. I suck at this. I have such a long way to go. I'm such an impostor. Who the hell do I think I am trying to do this? My body isn't built to jump hurdles. My body isn't built to climb ropes."
Enough already. I need to check those shitty thoughts at the gate and step onto that field OWNING that course. So I psyched myself up all morning as I made my breakfast, packed my bag and got dressed. Took a cab down there. Got there. Set up the cones, the hurdles. Warmed up.
Run #1: 1:27 seconds, including all three hurdles on my FIRST TRY! YAY! I'm owning! I'm owning! Right? Wrong?
Run #2:(no time recorded), made it through the first half of the course, finished my mountain climbers, forward roll, baton shuttle run, sprinted toward that first hurdle and.... came crashing down on it. What the fuck? I got all shook up. I almost started crying (yeah, again), and got really mad at myself. WHY did that happen? What the hell is my problem? I just did those hurdles not even four minutes before, perfectly (well ugly form, I'm sure, but i jumped all three that first time).
Here I took a break from the course and focused on trying to just jump the hurdles. I sprinted toward that first one, got ready to jump and then right as I got to it, I would decelerate and stop right in front of it becauase I felt I wouldn't make it over if I tried to jump it. This happened a few times. I got SO PISSED OFF AT MYSELF.
Then I just decided to run NEXT to them, simulating the jump, try to see what my timing was like? Jump 1, Jump 2, Jump 3, no problem, right next to them but not over them. Nice height, decent speed. I ran through this little hurdle-jumping practice like 10 times, I shit not.
After regaining some confidence, I decided to go for another try of the whole thing.
Run#3:(no time recorded), SAME DAMN THING. Got through first half ok. Sprinted toward first hurdle. Stopped like a retard right in front of it.
At this point I decided to just run the course without the hurdles, just jump on the side like when i was practicing. I did this a few times. Only timed the first one.
Run #1b: 1:27 exactly like the first try in which I'd cleared all three hurdles.
It started to get really hot (heat advisory today), so I decided to pack it up, feeling a little defeated and half-assed. As I was wrapping up my PVC hurdles, my favorite client showed up! I had invited her to the park today because she said she wanted to try what I'm doing (the WTF). So I gladly put everything back out, but only one hurdle (which I didn't push her to jump because I am no hurdle-jumping coach and wouldn't know the first thing about showing someone else how to do soemthign I can't even do right myself).
I did have her run through the course a few times with me (no hurdle, just jumping next to where each one would be). She did alright! 1:35!
I did two more runs through it, #2b: 1:17, and #3b: 1:14. OK so my time got dramatically better all of a sudden, maybe cause there WAS someone encouraging me, or just sharing in this wiht me. Maybe cause I wanted to do better because she was watching me. Maybe because I rested my legs a little bit and my hamstrings weren't so tired so my sprinting was faster. WHo knows WHY, but the time improved (still no REAL hurdles, just jumping).
Anyway... (if anyone is still reading this far)... I am going to take ONE hurdle to the gym and put it in the studio and just practice jumping that motherfucker until it starts wearing red lipstick and mini-skirts, crying for attention.
Overall, despite my wussedness, it was a good, honest try. I poured my heart out all over that workout.
