Welcome Boot Camp 2011

I couldn’t be any more thrilled with the crew that has committed to summer boot camp.  I’m happy to welcome the handful of new participants as well as the  many loyal veterans of the program.   You come to work hard but you have senses of humor and like to have fun.  It is a perfect combination.
 
I said on Monday before we did our assessment tests that I can never sleep the night before the first day of camp.  I have butterflies in my stomach because I’m so excited for the possibilities of what’s in store for you all.  It’s a blank slate and I can’t wait to start painting! 

I’ve been facilitating boot camps for 11 years now and I’ve seen first-hand the opportunity this experience presents to people, and I’ve witnessed the tears of joy it brings when someone grabs hold with both hands.  These accomplishments come in various forms; some knock-your-socks-off big, some seemingly mundane, but all are significant because they taught people something about themselves.   I’ve seen already-fit athletes elevate their game to a level they’ve never been.   I’m amazed when I think of the amount of women who tell me they have never even tried a push up, for no other reason than they never thought they could do one.  I’m equally amazed at how many of them now act like they’ve been doing them their entire lives.  It made my summer a few years ago when someone decided to give up cigarette smoking when on the first day she wasn’t able to walk a mile without stopping.  By the end of the summer she wasn’t quite jogging the entire mile, but as far as I know, she hasn’t picked up a cigarette since.   I get chills when I think of a stay-at-home mom of two with an infant at home, who was overwhelmed with emotion after she completed her assessments on the last day.   She said (I’m paraphrasing) “I know it seems silly to most – I ran a mile, it’s not a big deal.  But I’m a mom 24/7 and that’s what I’ve been doing since the baby was born.  Now, to be able to achieve this goal that is mine and only mine – it’s something I did and it feels good.” 

I’m telling you these stories because I invite you to think about why you’re here and what you hope to get out of this experience.   Boot Camp lasts 8-1/2 weeks, and then it doesn’t come around again until next summer.  If you signed up for camp because you enjoy exercising outdoors and need a break from your normal routine, there is definitely a place for you here and I will happily deliver that to you.  However, I invite you to set your sights on something you may think just slightly out of reach….something that you think “only other people can do.”  Take advantage of the structure, support, education, intensity, and camaraderie that boot camp offers.  Set a goal that scares you a bit.  Go for something that, on the night before last day of camp, gives you butterflies.