Thinking of Others

March 17, 2014 by joanneanddamiandoraleigh 6 Comments

I woke up aching this morning due to a ‘mini’ fitness challenge yesterday and was listening to Nick Grimshaw talk about being overseas as part of Sport Relief. This was another example of timing for me, in a good way, that has put me back on track.

If I explain a little further, yesterday I went to take part in a fitness challenge that the team of Be Fitter had organised for their classes. They are designed to push everyone further than usual, in a fabulous, community atmosphere and last anything from 1 1/2 to over 3 hours depending on what level you choose to take.

On the way to the sports hall, I broke down in tears and this sums up how I feel when I take on something new. I am in fact a great big wuss, who over thinks too much and worries beyond what I should at everything in life. The trouble was, that I was seeing this challenge as a lead up to our Burpee Mile and I let fear take over my head. I knew I wanted to do my absolute best on whatever the Be Fitter challenge was going to be, but in taking on the top level, I would be the last to finish and this is horrible for me as I don’t like the attention. I’m not a competitive person and so finishing last doesn’t worry me at all, but to have everyone waiting for me feels awful.

I chose to take on the immediate level as my head wasn’t in the right place yesterday and it was the right decision at the time. Although I am in admiration of everyone who took on the challenge at every level. Even minutes before we started the challenge, I turned to Damian and said that I needed to pull out of the Burpee Mile challenge because I was feeling so sick. Simply because being so far behind everyone else, fills me with dread. I will always finish what I take on, but I just need to take it in my own time.

I have to say, that the fear is just in my head and I couldn’t ask for a better team to train, or do challenges with than Be Fitter. It is absolute credit to them, that I felt a commitment to take on their day, because they give so much to their classes. The atmosphere in the room was amazingly encouraging and they look out for each and every person training with them. They leave nobody behind and even stuck with Damian for every last burpee he needed to do at the advanced level. I’m so proud of my husband for sticking with the top level after everyone had finished. I need to take a lesson out of his book.

I’m not a person who thrives on fitness and if it wasn’t for wanting to stay healthy, I probably wouldn’t show half as much commitment. I’m totally envious of active people who love the challenge and thrive on the buzz of exercise and feeling great afterwards. Everybody is motivated by different things and I will keep going in pursuit of that feeling that fit people achieve. This leads me back to Nick Grimshaw. He is not know for being an athlete, or for taking on crazy challenges like Davina McCall, but he is cycling for 12 hours to raise money for those that aren’t as fortunate as ourselves. Listening to the stories of children in the slums, made me realise why I am taking on a Burpee Mile. It is not about me, but about raising money for the communities that Raleigh work with to develop their futures. A day of hell for me is nothing compared to what many other people take on for charity and certainly nothing compared to what many people live with day in, day out. I can go back to a nice bath and a cosy house and I have to remember to just take it one burpee at a time.

(Yesterday’s Be Fitter challenge is in the phone pics below.

Advance level equated to 2500 reps, 500 burpees & 3 mile run.

Intermediate consisted of 1980 reps, 260 burpees & 1.5 mile run.)

Jo x