PPBC Week 2, Day 3 - The Comeback

Like every year, we get the Friday before Labor Day off. My usual routine is a mix of checking work emails periodically, doing work around my apartment, and chilling out. This one was different. Sunil and I had opted in for the 5:00 PM class. It was definitely a challenge to get myself out of my apartment and over to Chelsea, but I was determined to make it a better experience than Wednesday.

Saw Sunil as I walked in, and as I made my way to the ladies pup tent, I was greeted by a delightful sight - DI Alex walked out of the bathroom, straight out of the shower it seemed, because there was only a towel keeping him decent. REOW. Resisting the urge to drool, I played it very cool as I gave him the 'chin up and hey how're ya doing' move. The workout hadn't even begun, and I was fighting against breaking a sweat. Later on, Sunil would tell me how he was looking on in both admiration (of DI) and amusement at the thought of me trying to keep it together.

6 laps around, and then 50 jumping jacks. Lauren, the founder of PPBC, happened to be present, so both Titus and Alex were extra vocal in keeping us in form. We were given 12 seconds to sprint around the course, and then another 25 jumping jacks. Down on the ground, facing each other, in pushup position; then a series of 25 'mountain climbers' (one foot forward, one foot back), and then holding ourselves in the pushup position for 30 seconds. As usual, I was ordered to get my butt down. When will these guys get it - I am rather callipygian! Then another sprint around the course - and then another set of exercises (which, due to the few days passing, I have forgotten). Then, lunges around the course, I think it was two times around. And squat thrusts; 15 to begin with, then another two laps around, and then the DI asked me how many I had done, and I told him 15 on the first, so he assigned me 20. Got through them; it only started to get tough around 15 the second time around. Albeit, a bit modified - I used the sandbags on the edge of the course. Regardless, rounded a corner on that one.

What stuck out for me most about this time was, in addition to be-towelled DI Alex, I was partnered up with a woman who told me I was inspiring her. She didn't let me quit. When I first saw her, she was trotting around the course, not with the frontrunners, wearing a bit too much jewelry (ghetto bling to be exact), but it wasn't as bad as the princess with the Flashdance-cut camo tee and a satin camo headband (who was she trying to impress?). When it came time to do the ab exercises, the DI, realizing that this is still one of my weak points, paired me up with her. I could barely make it through the 50 initial sit-ups, whereas she just motored through them; I was very surprised. And there was a moment when we had to do another 50, she thought we had to do 40, but then when I finished my 40, and she was going through her sit-ups, we were told that we had to do 50. What did I do? Went back and finished up another 10 - I didn't want to wimp out and cheat - who was I cheating? Took the opportunity for a suck-up moment, and told DI Alex. He gave me a nod and said, "I like it. That's integrity." SIGH.

Then a round of lunges, and then we were instructed to grab a tire and come back. This was the final task - first, a series of 50 jumping jacks, and my partner convinced me to do a 1 count as opposed to a 4 count (fine), and then lunges around the perimeter, then 40 reps with the tire, and we were to repeat this 2 times. I was a bit ahead on the lunges, and when I got back, was made to run in place ('knees up') until she made it back. She asked me if she had to join me, and I told her no, they were just making me do it until she caught up. Talk about a guilt motivator! And then, it was time for the final set of tire reps. And she started to wind down, but I didn't let her - I just counted all the louder as we were at the end, shouting at her - 10 more!! You can do it!!!
And then we were done. This was definitely the comeback I needed to feel great about this again. And party it up with Sunil in Chelsea later on until about 2AM.

Now, let's see how I do after the long Labor Day weekend of partying and debauchery. Onward to Wednesday.....