PPBC 2007 - Back To Basics, memorable moments

Three weeks had passed since my last session of boot camp - the last time I had attended was December 23, after which point they had closed for the holidays, and I was derailed by a terrible cold, which prevented me from going back for another week. Admittedly, I was a bit worried about what would await me when I got back.

I walked in on Monday very excited to get back to my routine; the weekend before had been spent taking down my tree, putting away all the holiday decorations, packing away old clothes to give to the Salvation Army. To me, this represented the true beginning of my 2007; I was reasonably recuperated, and everything in my apartment had been cleared of the holidays, so I was ready to go. Linda was a welcome sight, jumping up and hugging me after I signed the sheet. I dropped down and energetically did my 5 push-ups, and went off to change.

All in all, I was happy with the way things went. Managed to get through the laps, stretches and warm-ups (including the dreaded squat-thrusts) with less difficulty than I imagined. So, that meant I wasn't placed with the 'cardio/core strength squad' - and was directed over to behind the Perseverance wall, where Titus ordered us through a regiment of tire squats, sit ups and the obstacle course.

Of course, I found that I had to take slightly longer pauses between tasks, which did not go unnoticed by any of the DIs (three were in attendance that day, due to the size of the class - Wong, Ruben, and Titus), which earned me a few moments of being shouted at. First time, during warm ups - we were partnered up, and assembled into two lines; one line would hold in plank position while the other would run 2, 3, then 4 laps, switching places with their partner. Having not heard that we had to do 4 laps on the last go-around, I slowed down after my third, happily thinking that I was done, but then my partner told me I had one more, and I pulled a face - bringing on bellowing from both Ruben and Titus.

Next time was when I was staring up at the Perseverance wall, hesitant, given the long period of time since I had last climbed over it. Titus, hovering, hollered, "Vincent, quit bullsh*tting and get up that wall!" It was difficult; which was to be expected. I flexed my knees, leapt up, and scrambled up. But annoyingly, I failed to clear it and was gripping the top, in danger of falling back, but with a loud yell, got over. I wasn't going to try it again; my wrists were not in the mood to be banged and bruised any more than necessary. Not without scraping my knee in the same spot that I had done so when I had started boot camp back in August. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will forever bear that mark.....

But, there were a couple of redeeming moments to balance everything out. After the log belly roll, DI Wong, who had been showing a couple of new recruits the obstacles, asked me to go over the second wall again, to demonstrate. Probably trying to show them, if this short thing can do it, so can you! I did so, quite enthusiastically. And then went over to the Intensity wall, where I looked like I was struggling, so Titus helped me over. Okay, so I will accept help because it was the first time back, but I promised myself that I would not need that sort of help after that day. And perhaps it was that energy that made me muscle my way across the rope net, and as I got to the top, I gripped the rope, flipped over, and landed safely on the ground. And as I did, I heard Titus shout, "Way to go ninja!" Was pretty surprised; I didn't expect that anything I did that day would warrant that sort of reaction.

I came out of Monday's class completely energized and happy; and the soreness that set in was like when I first started boot camp in August and lasted me two days.