“No Pain, No Gain” What Does That Even Mean?

I was in J.O.’s getting dinner yesterday when I ran into a friend.

Kate: Come do Bootcamp with me.

(Bootcamp is a class at the gym)

Creole Belle: Ummm, no. I just worked out. Plus, I am about to eat. Plus, did you totally miss the title of the class which is BOOTCAMP?! No thank you.

K: C’mon. It’ll be fun. It’s in an hour so you’ll have time to digest, and it makes you eat a smaller portion because you know you’re about to work out.

CB: But it’s called Bootcamp.

K: C’mon.

CB: It’s BOOTCAMP. I do not do crazy intense military-style killer exercise. I will die.

I could just picture it. Some crazed instructor yelling in my face and blowing a whistle while people all around me are panting and dropping like flies. Also, I would be crying. And burning from all the pain. And wanting my mommy.

But somehow, Kate convinced me to do it. If she could do it, I could do it. Then she informed me that it would be her first time. Thus, when she told me it would be fun, that was not a guarantee.

CB: I’m gonna die.

I figured that if I ate a light meal I would be less likely heave. Something light, I decided, like the tofu-veggie stir-fry.

Please don’t ask me why, after this sensible conclusion, I proceeded to get a small portion of beef brisket with a side of roasted potatoes and corn. Nothing says light like meat and potatoes.

I had obviously lost my mind twice in the span of a couple of minutes. Not only did I willingly submit myself to an hour of torture, but I ensured that the experience would be even more agonizing by consuming a small but hearty meal.

CB: I’m gonna die.

This was my mantra throughout the dinner.

Duh-da-da-duh…

Two hours later, I was not dead. The class was actually not that bad. Don’t get me wrong, it was challenging, but I found that I could keep up. Except for the push-ups. Those were just sad.

I expected to be sore this morning, but the only thing I experienced this morning was the overwhelming urge to crawl back into my bed and sleep for another 5 hours.

But up I got. And away I went to Intro to I.D. where, despite the lack of total consciousness, I was able to discern that I pretty much got the best Intro to I.D. professor of the bunch.

Midmorning, I could feel a little tightness in my shoulders and some in my legs. Not so bad, I thought. Ohh but this was only beginning. As the day progressed, my upbeat stride slowly transformed into a waddle. I was sore. I am sore, even as I sit and type this post.

I must go now and dope myself up on some motrin.

And chocolate.

Only those two can alleviate the pain.

Arielle