Reality Check
"I've got to mentally prepare" was my response.
Dana had asked me if I would be joining her in taking a class at the gym the next morning and I knew that I had to get myself ready - mentally - to take this thing on.
A couple of months ago, and reluctantly I might add, I accepted an invitation from Dana to join her in taking one of her favorite cardio strength conditioning classes. Because of what she had been sharing with me, I knew that it would be challenging, but I didn't really get the full impact of what I would be getting myself into until it was too late --
that class took every bit of mental and physical energy to complete.
I pride myself in maintaining a certain level of physical fitness; in other words, I consider myself to be in shape. However, the demands of this one hour work out session, consisting of non stop sprinting and squatting and lunging and jumping and bending and lifting and twisting and pushing up, at a pace that would make a Navy Seal feel like he had spent his time well, turned out to be a lot more grueling than what I had expected.
I have incorporated this class into my regular work out routine and I have to admit, I'm getting a little bit better. I'm always standing in a pool of sweat at the end, amazed that I survived another session. What I am even more amazed by is that Dana always appears to be unfazed by the rigor. She always looks as if she could do it all over again - immediately.
Where does that come from?
A couple of days ago, I read a story about Sir Ranulph Fiennes who, at 62 years of age, is recognized as one of the world's greatest adventurers.
Among other things, Fiennes is an accomplished marathon runner. The thing is, he not only runs marathons, he has run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days to raise money for a heart foundation following his own recovery from heart bypass surgery.
Where does that come from?
The mind and body are capable of doing much more than most of us will allow. If you assume that you can and you are willing to try, you will most likely be able to push yourself mentally past the physical limits that you have imposed on yourself.
That's my two cents (for whatever it's worth),
Auguste Roc
auguste@danaroc.com
