Garden Hills

Boot Camp has been a wonderful blessing for me. I get to rise every morning with the hope that a group of people will come together for the common purpose of fitness. There is joy in watching the group come together. The common goal of thriving and or surviving through another beating creates and bond and great fellowship.

Hill workouts are the type of experience that bind the group. Garden Hills is the perfect proving ground for strength and stamina.

Lisa, Harriott, Irene, Holly, Sally and Kaffe were the rabbits. Kerry, Carolyn, and Jennifer were the foxes. Matty, Dave, Oneill, Gary, Amy and Slawek were the horses. If you were not hunting, you were being hunted.

4 miles, four peaks and a few exercises. Exercise this morning was nothing more than recovery before the next hill.

Lenox Rd Backwards

No, we don't run backwards.We set out like yesterday. From PRUMC, we ran to Frankie Allen tennis courts for suicides. At 6:10am, it is more like an extended warm up. While we were exercising, we saw another boot camp vigorously walking. Well, they were walking. At least they were moving. At least they got out of bed, put their shoes on and walked out the front door. Anyway, we RAN north on E Paces Ferry and across Piedmont past Buckhead Diner. We stopped at the Peachtree Park Playground for swing set crunches with push ups. Then we headed to the foot bridge and through the back of Lenox Mall to the Lenox Marta station. We hit 150 push ups on the Lenox Rd sidewalk. We continued up the hill to Peachtree Rd and then south back to PRUMC. We did 50 sit ups with our feet hooked under the guard rail in front of the Mall, dips a little further down the way and 50 back rows hanging from the hand rail in the Marta station tunnel under Peachtree Rd.

Lisa, Kaffee, Harriott and Holly hammered it home from the train station. Lisa is getting faster with the help of group training. Irene is looking fit. We will get to see more of her when we move back to E Rivers. Jennifer is having a good week of basic training. Carolyn is feeling better but remaining cautiously optimistic. Gary, Jimmy and Michael kept the testosterone up for the group. Amy pushed the pace from the front the entire hour. In fact, the instructor had to let her go and pick on the slower girls.

450 repitions of which 150 were push ups (welcome back Gary) - 3.75 miles.

Parking deck

Interesting morning. Harriott informed us that Lisa survived an attempted car jacking around Chastain park. Lisa confirmed this and also gave us a run down of her collection of hand guns. She had to split from the workout when the cops called. They apprehended the perpetrator and needed her positive identification. We went on. We ran from PRUMC to Frankie Allen, then to Pharr rd where we star gazed (Oneill saw a shooting star). Then we hung out on the rocking chairs at the Big Fish before we crossed the street and went to the library. Finally, we rode an elevator for the rest of the morning.

3 miles, 40 flights of stairs (I am including the Frankie Allen stairs where 1=2) and legs exercises.

The regulators will be packing so you better watch out.

BRIX + 800s

The Brick Burglar equipped PRUMC this morning. We walked up the stairs early and did pull ups in the gym. Then we ran a half mile warm up. With our arms and legs warmed up, we picked up a 5 pound brick with each hand and began running. We lapped the Church campus twice, stopping every 150 to 200 yards for arm and shoulder exercises. The total running distance with bricks in hand was one mile. When our arms were thoroughly worn out, we lined up and ran 800 meters(880 yards, half mile). The leaders came in 3.07. Recovery was 40 crunches and 40 back bends then we lined it up again and ran another. The crowd, fairly large, went negative (that means the second run was faster than the first). Finally, we jogged back to the church and stretched for 7 minutes.

2.5 miles, shoulders, arms and cardio.

We are 35 days away from March. Thats a blink. Another 35 days after that is Easter. If you have any aspirations of reaching a particular fitness goal by the spring, you need to be doing something every weekend. 3 miles is the minimum. 3 miles at 9 minute pace is 27 minutes. If you can not find a half hour each day over the weekend, you are either taking yourself too serious, or not taking yourself serious enough. Either way, the solution is to put your shoes on and walk out the front door.

Friday Fun Day

The workout this morning started really Chicky. We walked out the door sugar and spice and everything nice and finished at a suasage fest. We ran a true Church Run this morning. The goal today was to rip our legs. We started with a 9 story climb up the parking lot stairs followed with traditional squats. We did a crazy crab looking thing across the One Buckhead Plaza plaza. We kept moving south down Peachtree, stopping along the way for leg exercises. We kept this new pose where our legs are wider than our shoulders with our toes pointed out and in squat position. We did this thing where we rocked back and forth like we were dancing. It killed butt and thighs. We spent some time at Catholic and Baptist before we ran home. We did "bar" exercises today too. We figured that we might like to have the legs of a dancer. Its a little odd for our more old school workout studs but, what the hell, maybe it will work. The four horse men hammered the up hill mile back to the church in 6.40. J Mears deserves an easy weekend for his gutsy finish to a tough week. The rest of us kept the pace honest on our return trip home to PRUMC. We are half way through the first session of 2010. How many days do you have?

We meet every day

J Mears, Matthew and Amy ran 7 1/2. They did not have a drop of rain hit them. Kaffee and Harriott did a 35 minute loop. Anne, Kerry and Carolyn took a beating in the sweat shop. The outside runners got a once over in the little shop of horrors when they returned to us.

No matter if you do or do not show up, I will be there. I will be waiting for you.

Church Run

A solid crew set out this morning. We warmed up running south on Peachtree street. We stopped about every 200 meters for core work. V crunches, stair step aerobics, flutter kicks, push ups, back bends, more push ups, bicycles, then the Fitness Holy Trinity* at Christ the King court yard. We crossed the street and ran two sets of stairs at Baptist on our way to the Garden hills playground followed by the Garden Hills Elementary where we finished with swing set crunches. Then we back tracked to St Phillips Cathedral. You can find the 2 mile peach there. We finished with a medium tempo mile back to the one mile peach just before PRUMC.

4.25 miles, 555 repetitions of various core exercises (100 of which were push ups). * = Fitness Holy Trinity = push ups, back bends, sit ups.

Stairs

Late post: We enjoyed a warm quiet morning. We ran to Frankie Allen and did laps in the dark, then hit the stairs for a few turns, We ran out the trail and made our way to the Big Fish on Pharr, stopping for legs and hip exercises along the way. We did rocking chair leg curls* at The Big Fish before heading in the One Buckhead Plaza parking deck. Then we did parking deck stairs* X 2 with additional leg, hip and calf exercises. Then we ran back the long way.

3.5 miles, Legs hard, *= PRUMC exclusive.

Dream Workout

This was the day, when a few of Gods children, Men and Women, tall and short, young and old, joined together in physical harmony, synchronized by the numbers, in a fluid expression of fitness. From sidewalks to street corners, from children's playgrounds to ball fields, and with the absence of traffic we were able to run in the streets singing "free at last, free at last. Thank God almighty were free at last."

Lenox Road. 3.5 miles. 750 repetitions of various exercises.

Lenox Road

Friday Boot Camp is usually a little harder. There is something about seeing the finish line that energizes us and gives us a second wind that enables us to kick it in. Friday being the last PRUMC Boot Camp workout of the week, we make sure to get our moneys worth.

Started North on Peachtree. 20 V Crunches at Piedmont. 300 meters north we did push ups against the retaining wall, mixed in with side plank crunches. Then Bent Knee leg raises before Marta. Back rows and Chin ups in Marta then planks and push ups in the dog crap (bet you don't get that in the gym). Just before Lenox Rd we hop the rail and do sit ups with our feet hooked under the rail. Our second Marta experience is in the pine straw Just outside the Lenox station on E Paces. We did 100 bicycles and 50 push ups there. Try that on your own some time. It is group training that gets us through the hard parts of the workout. Then our Paces took us West on East Paces (did you get that) over the foot bridge and up the hill. We stopped at the Peachtree Park Playground to slide on the slides and swing on the swing sets. It was fun. Then we did a set of push ups, crossed Piedmont and continued to Good grass. We did a few side crunches. Then we took the long way home. Kerry and the dudes did Pull Ups on the Pharr Rd Pull Up Bar. Did you know their was a pull up bar there? There is always a pull up bar. I know you fellas love to pull up at the bar but, that's not what we are talking about here.

3.5 miles, 650 repetitions before pull ups. I had a dream... that I was leading a large group Monday at 555AM. Make it happen.

Parking Deck stairs/Church run

Jenna and Jennifer joined us this morning with smiles and hugs. Amy, Gary, Matty and Mears kept us company at the front. Kaffe, Kerry and Jen helped Irene Holly, Lisa and The Queen Mother keep pace. It was pretty tight today. We started with V Crunches and dips in the Roswell/Peachtree Triangle (I think its the Charlie Loudermilk Park but I have never seen him there, and I am there all the time). Then we did a set of stair step aerobics, 9 stories of stairs in the Chops parking deck and bent knee lying leg raises on the waterless fountain. Now that the warm up was over (most boot camps would call it a day right here), we got on with the church run (Jenna's choice today). We stopped at Brio for flutter kicks, Just past Publix for push ups, and to St Phil for a reverse plank (a.k.a. star gazing, remember to make a wish next time Holly) and more dips. Thinking ahead toward Lent, we stopped at Christ the King on the kind grass in front of the Cathedral and did 2 X 20 of the Fitness Holy Trinity (push ups, back bends, sit ups... it really all you need). Then we ran to the Baptist stairs on our way to Garden hills playground for side plank crunches and then Garden hills Elementary for face down swing set crunches (also exclusive to PRUMC Boot Camp). "Running" out of time, we hustled up to the Deka Athletics (clothes that will turn any 8 into a 10) parking lot for lying side crunches. Then we ran back.

4 miles, 600 reps. Medium day.

Long Run/Sweat shop

The Sharks ran from PRUMC to Chastain, around the park and back. Long, cold, dark run. When they got back, they were treated to quick upper body once over in little shop of horrors. Sally, Kaffee, Holly and Irene ran the shorter loop prior to their beating. Lisa and Maggie stayed with me for a complete beating in the sweat shop. Lisa learned how to run fast on her first ever use of the treadmill.

Gary is doing pull ups like an elementary boy in the Presidential Physical Fitness test. John M. re-joined the group today. Amy and Matty were like peas and carrots again. Reba made sure Jimmy did not get lost.

Church Run

Rebecca, Jimmy, Matty, Kaffee, Gary, Dave, Holly, Kerry, Michael, And the Queen Mother. 6 dudes 5 ladies. Medium day. 3 1/2 miles, 615 repetitions of various exercises, one hundred of which were push ups and the rest core.

Carolyn sent this to us:

myfitnessdepot.com/fitness/building-mental-toughness-simple-but-not-easy/

Gym/Legs

It was not to cold to go out. But, we could not risk sliding and busting on ice. So we worked on our running form in the gym.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPMzxU5bos0&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkUqkdPQHis&NR=1

If you have not seen these yet, here is the basis of the drills we do. If you stick around, you will become a stronger, faster, more efficient runner. We figured if you add all the running and speed drills, you covered 2 miles in the gym.

We added another "bar" exercise to the usual squats, lunges, stair step aerobics, leg presses, leg lifts/kicks.

We had 19 folks in the gym. We are going to try to get out the rest of the week.

Snow show

Amy and Traci won a private personal training session with a world renowned trainer/instructor. Yes, a legend in his own mind.

Sweat shop beating. The lovely ladies hit it hard.

Lenox out and back/ neighborhood 800s

Heat wave. Love the warmth. A decent crowd was lively and chatty as we made our way up Peachtree. We have to stop at the light at Piedmont. Out, we did push ups and V crunches. Back, we did bicycles. We like to go into the Buckhead marta station and do hanging back rows from the hand rail in the tunnel under Peachtree Rd. No other boot camp does this. We got to do it twice today. We also did the up hill sit ups with our feet pinned under the guard rail. This is in front of Lenox mall on Peachree just before Lenox Rd. There are nice little earth depressions there where your buttocks fits nicely. There must have been shrubbery there before. It ain't easy finding bare earth to lay on in the thick of the urban jungle. You cant get anything past this urban assault group. I imagine they like to show all of their out of town guest the best places to do sit ups, push ups and dips. The world is our playground...

We did 2X800 meters when we got back to the church. It was pretty solid. Traci went negative(4:01,3:55). That is solid for her first week of boot camp.Matty did too(3.19, 3.11). I would like to comment on everyone else but I was laying in the street gasping for air. Let it be known, if anyone ever wanted a shot at the title, now is the time. I was beaten like a red headed step child. I was as worn out as Tigers cell phone.

3 miles, 525 reps (100 push ups, the rest abs and dips).

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,To the last syllable of recorded time;And all our yesterdays have lighted foolsThe way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,And then is heard no more. It is a taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing

Stairs

Made every day this week: Gary, Amy, David, Kaffee, Holly, Irene, and Lisa. Many others share their mornings with spouses or have work commitments. Otherwise, they would be here too.

We scouted Frankie Allen right off the bat. We enjoy running on grass. Unfortunately, all we could hear on the fields was crunch, crunch, crunch. Might as well stay on the concrete and asphalt. So we split. We took the trail out and into Garden Hills. We stopped for a set of stair step aerobics, standing leg raises and kicks and for more stair step aerobics on our way to the One Buckhead Plaza parking deck. There are 9 stories, 2 sets of stairs per story. We started at one and ran to nine. Then we took the elevator down, in a preacher seat with stops at every floor. Then we ran up the stairs again; took the elevator down to 4, then ran out to the courtyard in front of Chops for more leg exercises. We worked legs and hips then got up and got moving again. We started at one and went to nine again. At the top we walked out and did a set of plies in the sub freezing wind. Oops. The indoor/outdoor workout was going great until then. So, we hustled back to PRUMC and finished our exercises there. At the end we stretched.

3 miles, 3 sets of stairs (27 stories), legs and hips. I heard from Jess (Marine special forces, Force Recon) this week. I asked him if the marine recruits are working out in the gym this week. The answer is no. As it turns out, real boot camps work out out doors. And they run.

Church Run

Boot Camp is now assembling in Sports and Recreation at PRUMC. The winter version of the church run starts at the top of the hill and heads south on Peachtree. We stopped at the triangle at Roswell Rd, the waterless fountain at Nava, and the fluffy grass at Brio on our way to Church Turn (Jesus Junction if you prefer). We knocked out 50 dips at St. Phillips Cathedral, 100 oblique crunches at Catholic Cathedral, Crab walked down and ran up stairs at Baptist then ran to Garden Hills. We did our second set of stair step aerobics at Garden Hills playground, then ran to G. H. Elem. where we did crunches on the new grass. After side plank crunches at A.I.S. we cut up Peachtree Ave to the back boor and trail into Frankie Allen. We did one set of stairs and 50 push ups before heading back to the warmth of PRUMC.

Yes it was cold but if we had stayed in the gym, we would have nothing to brag about all day. "Oh my, you worked out outside this morning?! You are crazy." No, actually our physical, mental, and spiritual fitness is fine. No one in the gym quietly gazed at the stars this morning while hugging mother earth. They were likely hearing Lady Gaga belting out hits at volume 10 while striking a pose in the wall to wall mirrors. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

3 1/2 miles, 600 reps. Medium day for this group.

Let 10 begin with..........................Lenox Mall

What a crowd. I must be the luckiest boot camp instructor in the world. I was dead set on staying in. If you would have asked me last night, I would have told you we definitely are staying in. I even showed up early and set up the Gym.

No one wanted to stay in. Everyone was begging me to go out. Then, when we got out, people were everywhere. We must have passed 4 different groups on our way to Lenox Mall. Even Lollie was running with a friend on Peachtree. Folks, when they came up with the "sugar and spice and everything nice" saying, they were thinking of Lollie. If Lollie can handle running in 19 degrees, I guess I can too.

So Lenox Mall is a big loop that comes back over the foot bridge. Chris and Traci joined us this morning. A Family that plays together stays together.

Speaking of family, Fred joined his brother David this morning. It is great seeing old friends. Thanks to The Preacher for connecting the group who missed the gun. The Peachtree Battle crowd has not completely adjusted to the big move.

Look at it this way... if we can handle this weather, 34 degrees will seem like a day at the beach.