February 14, 2011 (This is re-post from a Facebook Note.)

The turning over of a new leaf continues! I was so determined to make it to Bulldog this morning that it wasn't a problem at all. I woke up before the alarm and the dogs and was ready to go. I'm not sure where this determination came from --maybe a combination of events: having to buy bigger clothes for work when I swore I wouldn't do that; knowing that Bulldog is a way into a better body; having a gross and sad day on Saturday (watching 27 Dresses and then What Happens in Vegas on the couch while eating cheetohs and chocolate chips until I was sick [from the snacks AND the movies -- so bad!!!]); but then having a spectacular day yesterday at the stair climb and really for the rest of the day.

Physical activity makes for a better day.

It really does. Even if it kicks your ass until you don't want to move and even if it gives you a migraine (which the stair climb did), you will still have a better day, just with a sore ass or a really bad headache.

So Bulldog today was awesome and totally hard. I almost said impossible, but I did it! After a 500m row and the rest of warm-up, we worked on lifting with 5, 3, 1 reps of row, clean, front squat, press, back squat, and good morning. I did 35 lbs. Then on to the workout: 4 reps of 15 lateral burpees (if you thought burpees couldn't get worse, jump over a weight bar while your doing your clap), 15 power cleans, and 15 thrusters (squat until you butt touches the medicine ball on the floor behind you and then push your weight bar up overhead while you are standing up). It's the burpees that kill me the worst. And they feel so demeaning. I try to control my motion to the floor, but basically that's only for the first 3, after that, I'm just flopping down and then struggling to my feet, but then: the humiliating jump and clap. It feels ridiculous as I'm bobbling and shaking, to then jump and clap. This should be a gleeful move, but instead I feel like a sarcastic ton of bricks.

But friends I did it. All 4 rounds. It took me 37:07, but it is done. Several times I thought 2 rounds max, then 3, but I just kept on. Thanks to everyone for your Go Tami's or Almost there's!

I'll be going back to Bulldog again on Wednesday. Here's to a better day!