17 days (to Provincials): the LONELY ROAD

COURAGE... sometimes is a quiet voice that tells you it is OK to be alone and to be afraid...

Its 6am in the morning, I hear an annoying buzz of the recently turned on TV's, which eventually fades away. I look around and sometimes I see a group of about 7 - 8 warrior ladies walking into the gym for a 6am spinning class. Other times I look around and I see 1 or 2 warrior ladies jumping on a cardio machine... But must often, I look around and I see empty machines and empty equipment.

6am and I got some HIIT cardio interval to get through. Just like Pavlov's conditioned dog, the mere mention or thought of the word CARDIO has conditioned my heart rate to go instantly up. I can even feel my heart beating faster as I write this.

At 3 weeks out, this interval training is starting to feel like I am about to fall apart into little pieces, starting at the knee joints. This makes me angry, this makes me push even harder.

I set my ipod to a playlist titled: ANGRY WORKOUT SONGS, which consists of artistic heavy metal-ish strong beats.

I jump on my machine of choice which typically is an elliptical since I can get a great intensity on both upper and lower body at the same time. I start pushing and I know it will get tough getting through this and to reassure my body, I tell myself this won't go beyond 7am...

COURAGE sometimes is a very tiny voice behind my ear telling me that its OK to be afraid and alone ... because I am going where no one else has gone before...