I realize that I should have been blogging my progress when I started working out a month ago. I have made some decent leaps and bounds with my health, mostly based on my ability to run and do push ups (considering that's what I get to do a lot of in BCT). Overall, I feel better, and I've lost a bit of flab. Really, right now, my goal is to get in to a good position to survive basic, and maybe push myself to get the APFT badge (which is going to be a big push from here).
68 push ups in 2 minutes, 73 sit ups in 2 minutes, and a 2 mile run in 14:12 are the minimums to get the badge. I'm on a good track to hit the push up goal, I'm almost at the sit up number now so that should be fine, but the run... ugh. It took me a couple weeks of running before I could get under 20 minutes on the 2 mile, which is really bad. Today I ran a 1 mile, to see where I was, and I got 9:18 but I know I can do better. I thought I was supposed to be at 17:00 for 2 miles to graduate basic, but I just saw 17:54 and I think I saw a different number when I looked at a chart based on age, so I have no idea where I need to be. I just know I need to do better. If I can hit a 7 minute mile before I ship, I will be happy.
I have been up in the air on my weight. I am about 10+ pounds below the max after a month of working out. I haven't changed my diet much, I am eating fairly healthy but since my activity level increased, my food intake increased. So, I haven't lost much overall weight during this whole process, but I know I have lost fat and put on muscle. Recently I have been trying to decide weather I should try to set myself a weight goal, to loose a bit more, or not worry about it and just focus on muscle building.
Oh well, I have a few months. I think I have a good routine going, I'll just keep going and see what happens.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
The Calm
I am in the calm before the storm. I had a mini storm this week, and it felt like I had a ton to get done. But it was really only about 48 hours worth of foreshadowing.
Since I have been on facebook, I have not done any blogging. I think that facebook satisfies my temporary need to announce my momentary feelings. Good and bad I guess. I think I really need to write something full length though, to clear my head, to more clearly see what I am thinking, to more truly identify what I am feeling.
I am joining the Army National Guard. It's something I really need to do. My life situation, combined with the current economy, puts me in a position where I can really justify that I am not doing it for selfish reasons. But as an underlying reason, I really need to do this for me. Yes, I am getting job training in a position that will help me with a civillian career in the long run. Yes, I am getting my tuition paid for, and will be getting paid to go to school (on top of monthly drill pay). Yes, I am getting enough bonus money that will allow us to put down a sizable downpayment to buy a house next year. Yes, this is also part of some greater, self serving, "man quest" thing (a term I recently came up with).
Wednesday I took the ASVAB in the evening, stayed at a hotel that night, got up at 4am to get on a bus with other applicants to process at MEPS. After taking longer that it was supposed to, I didn't get to finish processing and had to head home. The next day I had to register my car, then head to a health clinic so I could get screened for a seasonal county job. Yeah, it was a busy couple of days.
Now I have two days off before I start a seasonal county job (I also have to finish processing next week at MEPS). After two months of working, maybe a little more, I will ship to boot camp. Fortunately I will have the hollidays off before going to my training school for my ARNG job. So, yeah, this two days is the calm. The next 6+ months is the storm. Maybe longer, as I am hoping to roll right in to the seasonal job after I get back from training next year.
So, now I sit here thinking about my "man quest" that has lasted for some years. I don't know if what I originally saw as the quest is actually the quest (hunting, YOSE bear team, SCA fighting, fire academy, fighting forest fires etc.), or if that is just on the surface of the real quest (being a husband, father, son, brother, friend, homeowner etc.).
The first few hours of MEPS made me nervous, but then, I was surrounded by nervous 18-19 year olds. I really became comfortable with the structure of it all, and I was really able to relax. Once I got though medical (which took a lot longer than it was supposed to), the rest of the day was simple. I know, its not a good sample of what I will see in boot camp, but I am really looking forward to it. It will be a challenge on many levels. Will I be able to rise to the challenge as a man, physically? Will I be able to make my wife and son proud by making it to the finish line with honor? Will I be able to stand tall when I come home for Christmas?
Yes, I believe I will. I will succeed in my journey of self discovery.
Since I have been on facebook, I have not done any blogging. I think that facebook satisfies my temporary need to announce my momentary feelings. Good and bad I guess. I think I really need to write something full length though, to clear my head, to more clearly see what I am thinking, to more truly identify what I am feeling.
I am joining the Army National Guard. It's something I really need to do. My life situation, combined with the current economy, puts me in a position where I can really justify that I am not doing it for selfish reasons. But as an underlying reason, I really need to do this for me. Yes, I am getting job training in a position that will help me with a civillian career in the long run. Yes, I am getting my tuition paid for, and will be getting paid to go to school (on top of monthly drill pay). Yes, I am getting enough bonus money that will allow us to put down a sizable downpayment to buy a house next year. Yes, this is also part of some greater, self serving, "man quest" thing (a term I recently came up with).
Wednesday I took the ASVAB in the evening, stayed at a hotel that night, got up at 4am to get on a bus with other applicants to process at MEPS. After taking longer that it was supposed to, I didn't get to finish processing and had to head home. The next day I had to register my car, then head to a health clinic so I could get screened for a seasonal county job. Yeah, it was a busy couple of days.
Now I have two days off before I start a seasonal county job (I also have to finish processing next week at MEPS). After two months of working, maybe a little more, I will ship to boot camp. Fortunately I will have the hollidays off before going to my training school for my ARNG job. So, yeah, this two days is the calm. The next 6+ months is the storm. Maybe longer, as I am hoping to roll right in to the seasonal job after I get back from training next year.
So, now I sit here thinking about my "man quest" that has lasted for some years. I don't know if what I originally saw as the quest is actually the quest (hunting, YOSE bear team, SCA fighting, fire academy, fighting forest fires etc.), or if that is just on the surface of the real quest (being a husband, father, son, brother, friend, homeowner etc.).
The first few hours of MEPS made me nervous, but then, I was surrounded by nervous 18-19 year olds. I really became comfortable with the structure of it all, and I was really able to relax. Once I got though medical (which took a lot longer than it was supposed to), the rest of the day was simple. I know, its not a good sample of what I will see in boot camp, but I am really looking forward to it. It will be a challenge on many levels. Will I be able to rise to the challenge as a man, physically? Will I be able to make my wife and son proud by making it to the finish line with honor? Will I be able to stand tall when I come home for Christmas?
Yes, I believe I will. I will succeed in my journey of self discovery.
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