Hitting the wall (literally)....

Today – just like on every other Friday- I went to the 6 am Basic Training class. It is hard this time of the year because it is pitch-black at 6 am in the morning and working out outdoors is definitely more fun (and less dangerous) when you actually see what you are doing. I should buy a head-lamp or something. Anyway, we ran to the Marina-pull-up bars and did a little circuit with jump ropes, tricep dips, pull ups, push ups and resistance bands (for a chest press). After doing each exercise twice, we ran to the Fort Mason Center to run up the stairs (or, to be more accurate: to run up the dirt path next to the stairs…). There is a wall at the bottom of the stairs and our task was to climb up the wall…Mission: impossible. I think the wall is approximately 2.2 m high (but I might be totally wrong with this estimation), I cannot even touch the top of the wall without jumping. So we ran towards the wall to get some momentum and some people actually managed to get over the wall…I felt more like a fly smashing against a window or something, it was hard to get a grip…but I will practice to get up this wall, it would be a great skill to have, I can’t believe that I had such a hard time. I wasn’t even close to get up there….But hey, the challenge is on! We kept on running and did some exercises for the abs and many more push ups, it was a really great and challenging workout. I stayed to assist for the 7 am class but there were only 4 people today and another assistant trainer, so instead of assisting, I took the class as well…we ran to the Crissy Field center to do some pull ups and plyometric push ups and then headed to the Lucas lagoon for many more tricep extensions, rows, hammer curls, crunches (including decline crunches…) and laps around the pond. It was fun but by 8 am, I was REALLY exhausted and incredibly thirsty. From tomorrow on, I will try to work out twice a week with Alhaji who is a personal trainer. He sent me a text message yesterday telling me to hydrate – I am scared…! I have only worked out with him once but my upper body was sore for 3 days…If I am still alive after tomorrow’s workout, I’ll let you know how it went. Happy Friday!