That bear crawl and what it taught me.

Let me start by saying I hate bear crawls.  Oh I don't mind one or two, but to bear crawl the entire length of the football field is something else all together. A week ago I did one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life.  I bear crawled the length of a football field dragging a 50 pound weight behind me and I learned somethings while doing it.

1. I am stronger than I ever thought I was.  I am not just talking physically, but also mentally.  I really had to get out of my head and push through.  It was not easy and I hated every minute of it, but I did it.  My arms, legs, hips and shoulders were hurting pretty bad.  I could not breathe, sweat was dripping down into my eyes making it hard to see, but I did it.  They may not have been the prettiest bear crawls but I did them.

2.  I have a great support system around me. My trainer, Carrie Monroe, was the person timing me.  Did I forget to mention that we were being timed?  I am not sure that I could have done it for any other trainer but her.  She knows exactly how to push me to my limits.  She had me go for 15 seconds then rest for 5 seconds.  When I felt like giving up, she told me to keep going.  I had many friends who surrounded me and gave me encouragement to keep on crawling.  I could hear them telling me I could do it and I did it.  Truly without my support system, I would not be where I am now.  I was sure though that Rick was standing on the weight at the end.

3. I have come a long way baby.  If a year ago you had told me that I would be willingly doing this, I would have laughed in your face.  You see I hated how I was before and I wanted to be better, but I did not have the strength to do it.  I found the right people to help me and guide me to the place I need to be.  I am not there yet, but I am farther than I was before.  Next year when I do this again, I will murder that bear crawl.

4. I used to carry that weight all the time.  When you start dragging that weight, you can feel it pulling you down.  I have lost 50 pounds, so I used to carry that weight with me all the time.  The way that I felt while doing the bear crawl was how I used to feel all the time.  I hurt, couldn't breathe and struggled just to move.  I hated that I would walk from my classroom to the office and be so out of breath that I couldn't talk.  I could not climb stairs without having to stop. If I dropped anything on the floor, it was a struggle to pick it up and sometimes I just left it where it was.  As I crossed that finish line, dragging my past behind me, I decided to leave that 50 pounds on the field.  I am not picking it back up.  I have another 50 to go and I will get there.  Who knows next year maybe I will try to drag 100 pounds behind me.

Peace out peeps, I have some great things "weighting" for me.