The Few, The Proud, The Exhausted |
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| Recruit Amanda Van Horn, 29, a high school teacher nicknamed Pretzel because of her unusual exercise postures, can't believe how much she loves boot camp. "I'd never exercise if it wasn't for this class," she says. "I love the camaraderie, the team-building. I've already taken 40 seconds off my running time. I'm definitely seeing results."
Jenny "Flash" Gossow, 33, an architect, first began the program in January, in conjunction with Weight Watchers, to help lose pregnancy weight. She has shed 18 pounds. "When I started I couldn't do one military push-up," she says. "Now I can do 39." And so it goes. Everyone has a story. We get to show off a little on the last day of the fifth week. Sir has deemed this "buddy day," which means we each get to bring a pal to class. Mine is a friend, colleague and neighbor who's a few years older than me, but in stellar shape. Sir makes sure to work everyone extra hard -- he lays on the wall sits and push-ups, and has us run caterpillars. My friend can't believe how hard the program is; ditto, some of the other buddies. We "veterans" try not to gloat. Week Six I can't believe only one week left. I no longer feel like a recruit. I really look forward to seeing everyone in the class, even if it is at 6 a.m. This includes Sir, who it turns out is a pussycat, despite his jones for wall sits. And I'm thinking he might be right, that I will run my last mile in under 10 minutes. My endurance is a lot better, and I'm doing a better job of pacing myself. We'll see. Then the unthinkable happens. While I'm watering my garden, the bottoms of my feet get wet, I slip out of my sandals and trip down two concrete patio steps. I don't break anything, but the top of my left foot seriously swells and turns a bluish-green. I ice it. I ice it some more. But there's no way I can apply pressure to it, let alone run. I can't believe I made it this far in boot camp, only to sustain a gardening accident. Is there no justice in exercise? But I limp into boot camp anyhow. I want to be there to support my brethren, cheer them on, as well as to get the official T-shirt promised at completion. I can't run, but a sprained foot isn't going to stop me from being tested on the final day for sit-ups and push-ups. Sure, it's painful, but as Trooper reminds us, pain is weakness leaving the body. We all see improvement, some more than others. I up my sit-ups to 54 -- 13 more than I could do six weeks ago. The bump in push-ups is more staggering: 30 military, which is three times as many as I did during the first week in class. |
That evening, we congregate for an end-of-boot-camp get-together at Llywelyn's Pub in Webster. As we sit around discussing our experiences, it hits me how much I will miss the group. We saw one another at our worst (bad hair, no makeup, baggy jogging shorts) and gave one another our best.
Sir, whose "day job" is as a network technician at Savvis Communications, stands up to say a few words. Although it was his first time as drill sergeant, he's proven to be a tremendous leader -- encouraging and good-humored, yet laid-back enough not to get on anyone's nerves (except when he insisted on more wall sits). He ticks off the group's highlights, including Easel's (Natalie Pinson) increase of 28 sit-ups and Diana "Bluebird" Weir's 50 military push-ups. Beaker, he notes, took 1 minute, 27 seconds off her mile, and I'm thrilled for her. Of course I'll never know if I could have run the mile under 10 minutes, unless I take the program again. Where do I enlist? RECRUITS IN A "BOOT CAMP" FITNESS CLASS TEST THEIR LIMITS, AND IN MEANING OF "MILITARY FATIGUES." THE EXHAUSTEDSemper fitnessBasic-training programs, such as the one in Webster Groves, are available throughout the metropolitan area. To find one near you, consult your gym, local YMCA or city recreation center. These classes usually are intense, but designed to accommodate people of all fitness levels (honest). The blurb announcing basic training at the Webster Groves Recreation Complex, 33 East Glendale Road, described the program as "modeled on the military's boot camp where the instructors encourage -- not humiliate." This was certainly true during the six-week program; our instructor, Neal "Sir" Krenski, was always encouraging and extremely positive, even when he worked us as hard as farm animals. The next boot camp session through the Webster Groves Department of Parks and Recreation runs from 6 to 7 a.m. Monday through Thursday, Sept. 13 to Oct. 21. The cost of the six-week program for Webster residents is $129 and $149 for nonresidents. For more information, call 314-963-5600. -- Ellen Futterman |
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