I entered into this as part of the team from my gym, wasn’t sure if I could do it, but what the hell. Nothing ventured nothing gained!

The guys at the gym held weekly training sessions for it, but unfortunately due to holidays and then the house settling I just didn’t have time to get to them, so the nervousness was going up. Got even higher as while i was still getting in three training sessions a week during the house move i had stopped running as just not enough time.

Had to be up by 5:30am to get in there in time to register, pick up my kit and be in the chute. Got really nervous on the train and almost bailed as my confidence dropped, then I started to think that I’ve been faced with some really big and serious challenges in the last 5 years and gotten through them all successfully so “what the feck” was I getting worried about with this. If I come in last, but finish then I’ve still won. That pushed all the doubt out the window.

After that it was just turn up and get processed, bib, timer, drop bag and wait my waves turn. I was in the third batch of my wave and just started at my own pace. Was at the back and fairly much stayed there in that batch, then had the next wave who left a minute behind us start passing. Just pushed on, and after everything warmed up the pace picked up to probably my normal beach pace of about 1Km in 6 mins.

The first obstacle challenge was the stairs. Now after months of doing the stairs outside the gym these were actually a doddle and I was really happy at the top when people were suffering abit already! Next was 10kg sandbag carry for 500 metres around the observatory. Again after doing the training bag which is 15kgs at the gym up the stairs, running around a relatively flat circuit with it was also good. Oh sorry the first challenge was actually the tire run, which was so simple (possible my photo might appear on this one as I was almost walzing it to get into the tyres!). The 4th challenge was tarzan swing and the one I was dreading.

Think most people has issues with this one as the bars were so slippery. They appeared to let you get as far as you could then move on. Jog on. The cargo next climb over a container was probably the only one they didn’t plan well. It was great, but I suspect next year they will have two of them to allow people to move over it quickly without have to stop and wait in batches. A nice thing at this point was that I had about 5 mins wait and recovered completely when it was my time to go up. Used the brain here and went for an edge position so had better tension!!

Jog on up via Darling harbour, then the up and under challenge. This was really interesting as all the guys were doing macho jump swings over (very impressive to watch), i was going for minimizing effort so was doing more of a sit and swing over. The interesting bit was being normal hight but with good flexibility i was able to do the unders in a smooth easy motion while the jump guys couldn’t so a the end of it we all ended up equal!!

Jog on, at it was 7km mark, knew then i could complete this as was feeling good. The crawl under netting was really fun and jog on. More stairs, but was still good. The 100 metre sprint i left to the really fit people, i had my pace going so no drama there.

Next it was all over barriers, again used my sit and swing technique. a guy who had great technique came from behind me, but oddly i passed him latter as he was buggered from it. I then thought that was the last challenge so i was set. The last one stumped me.

It was a like a skateboard curved ram that you had to run up and then grap the top and pull yourself over. I almost baulked as alot of people were having issues. (the guys at the top were helping the girls). but i gave it a go, just hit it high speed then grabbed. What surprised and thrilled me was that all the work the boys have been doing on my upper body strength just swung into action and I was easily able to pull myself up and over. No one really noticed my yelp of surprise that i had done it first time!!!

The steep ramp down was easy, then it was just jog on to the finish line, could possibly have picked up the pace, but just jogged on and crossed the finish line!!!

One very happy chappy for doing it! I not only started it but finished it and the only rest breaks were one stop for traffic and a wait for the rope climb, that personally to me is also a great result. After grabby some gaterade to re-hydrate it was wait for bag pickup. Another little surprise was that my recover was so quick! I had also noticed along the way that there were alot of people passing me, but were gasping for air, while my pace was just keep going. I felt like i could do it again if needed (with dry socks).

It was a awesome feeling to have done it. I’ve run 10km before on the beach, but not in shoes or mixed terrain so this was a great change and result.

I really thank my main personal trainer Trent for all the work he has done in getting me to this shape, (my other trainer is Greg who picks up sessions when Trent is away), both these guys are awesome and have really changed my life and body. They both said I would have no problem doing this challenge. As this is my first they definately had the inside edge on what is required to complete something like this and so glad the faith they had in me to do it has been well placed.

Feel on top of the world at the moment!

 Thanks so much for all the great inspiration.  It's really working.  Into month four now of the lifestyle update and it's becoming ingrained abit now.

Habits are improving all over the place.  I love going to the gym now as its just so enjoyable.  It does not hurt now that the results are becoming more and more obvious.

The news today on my blood pressure has made me really happy as its now down to the level where no medication is required.  When I first started it was at such a level that immediate medication would be normally called for.  Next test is my cholesterol, if that has come down it will be even better.

Overall it's just going so well.  Today we did a full cardio workout with heart monitor to work on keep my heart rate above 130.  First goal was to get it up to 155 on the treadmill.  Bloody Trent has gotten me fit enough that it was just sitting on 132 and not moving up.  The machine kept pushing the incline and speed up, but 132 it stayed.  Had to get to 12 on the incline before we even got near the target.

Next rowing machine again with heart monitor.  Row 250 meter hard, then rest until heartbeat is back to 130, or a minute.  Do five sets.  First set heartbeat won 1 sec before the minute!

It was great feedback to see just how fast my recovery time is now.  Trent is really happy with the progress I have made!

And did I mention I now fit and L size shirt.  My work clothes are now super baggy and really looking bad.  Will keep them for a while yet as its hiding the work in progress.  My old work shirts feel like tents now.  So stunning!

Have been trying the last 10 days to squeeze in abit of running between the gym sessions!  The esplanade in Cronulla has got to be one of the most pleasant of runs, (verified even when raining).  The plan was good, the achilles tendon not so good!

Seems somewhere in the last few years I've changed shape (wow, rocket scientist needed here to figure that out) and pronate when running.  opps.  

Trent had me stretching it a few different ways, and with a weekend away in wine country (again opps on the diet) I thought we had it cracked.  Alas not, next run on Tuesday (5.3km – wohoo) it was not happy.  So next session we did some really deep stretching with the roller.  Well one of them has you all folded up origami style and roll onto your hip!

I nearly hit the roof it was so painful, and the switch of the left side did have me yelping.  The really interesting bit is that I hadn't felt anything there before, no pain, no twinge.  But trust me it was damn sore.

Just done the stretches for Thursday and still sore, but amazingly afterwards everything feels abit looser and relaxed.  squeaky freaky!

First day back at the gym was great (was a birthday after all), but found that the next day I sore muscles that felt well and truly abused.  Sitting down at my desk became a whole new concept of careful!   

Was hoping a full day and good nights sleep would put it all right (since that normally does the trick.).  Not to be.  Woke up this morning still feeling the abused muscles.  Not to be deterred was off for another session.  Now this is where it go interesting.  Trents cure was to just make a whole new (and I am sure some entirely new) set of muscles hurt.  Theory being that the new ones would hurt enough that the old ones would be ignored.

Small flaw in his otherwise brillant plan!  Half the session today was using the same old tired out, let me rest muscles.  So no rest for the wicked either way!   Hardest cardio session by far!  He seems to think the training wheels have come off now and we have to do abit more than warm ups!  

Also has a funny idea about running machines where you run with the motor turned off!  I know energy prices in Oz are going up, but really that was abit rediculous, and it certainly made the legs work even harder!!

Well after a missed session on Monday I was looking forward to today's session.  As usual it did not disappoint.  Trent is brilliant at switching up and changing the sessions around.

Today's involved a whole new muscle set that I am sure will be felt upon the morning (update from the future – definitely feeling it when sitting down)   The last bit of cardio row 20sec full bore, rest 10sec sounds easy, it is not!  Had to go looking for my breath afterwards as it had gone on an independent search for oxygen.   The piece de resistanc of Trent's routines and the only constant is the stairs back up to your car!  Good five stories worth.  The day I can do a session and go back up those stairs and not look like a physical wreck I will be happy,     http://activ8fitness.com.au/ 

Have now just started week three of project 'whittle'. Earlier time as well so Sue can join me. By there being two of us we get a good concession. I get extra sessions at the end of it so I am going to be doing this quite a while. Things have leveled a little and a couple of social things over the weekend didn't help. A big two our walk down the beach did help offset thou. Overall tho no big blowouts. Am on a diet of approx 900 cals less than needed and have been under that regularly. The fun days were over, and near normal cals. Still loving it even if feeling a little flat this week.

Four sessions down and really loving it. Having a personal trainer to keep you on track is fantastic. It fits with my limited attention span, or rather my boredom factor.

I think a problem in the past has been that I hate routine, or rather routine training. I get so freaking bored with it that I stop, cheat or just don't make the effort. Well Trent is well ahead of me there! Every session is different. Sure there are repeats of stuff, but I never know what or when, and that works great for me.

The other thing I have already noticed is that my energy levels are up, way up. The sore muscles afterwards are good as well. Rather have a few worked muscle pains than days of damn arthritis

On my trip to Boston I had time to catch up with an old friend. She looked amazing. When she said she had worked her butt off over the last year, it was inadvertently a literal statement. Her butt was gone!! What was also so inspiring was that her health was the best it had been for a long time and her life outlook was top notch.

So with this inspiration and muse to hand I looked me up a personal trainer back in Sydney. Naturally I did it via the internet as thats what mr google is for! I had the assessment session all lined up before I even landed back in the country. While it was good to do the assessment 'twas not fun to get the results. When I wasn't looking I went up to 106 kg. Actually there was bait of good news here. The last weight check at the doctors was 108. So finished today my first session and feel so much better for it.