How was that Orientation?

Holy sea of people! I stepped into the door at Farrell's and all I saw were masses of people sitting on the mat in small groups. Some were standing while coaches took measurements and others were sitting on the floor filling out paperwork. How many people were there? I have no flipping clue because my brain is a bit fried after testing and I'm not thinking clearly at all!

"Tricia, what did you have to do?" you ask. Let me try to put it all down for you!


1) Each group had the same forms to fill out, but each was color coded by group oh so nicely! One form was "About Me" and the other was to write down our measurements and results for push-ups, sit-ups, sit & reach and that one mile run/walk. Am I going to share this information with all of you? I'm still not sure yet. I'm still thinking!

2) After having the measurements done, my group was the second group to do the four minute step test. Boring. Listening to a CD of someone saying "up" "down" "up" "down" over and over again is oh so fun! Not. After a while you feel like tiny little soldiers marching in the Nutcracker. I was doing fine until about two minutes in when my thighs started to feel like jelly. Then my right ankle (the one I broke last summer) decided that it didn't want to cooperate with the rest of my body. Due to my ailments I walked in place on a few of those 'steps' and then went right back into it. I knew I had to pass this part of the test just to be able to do the program. Yeah for me for making it through!

3) One mile run/walk. This is for the endurance part of the test. It started off great...for the first block and a half. After that I said screw this and went into my fast paced walking mode. Thank goodness I was smart enough to bring the iPod along. I do have to say this was the most humbling part. I had lots of support along the way as the neighborhood we were testing in was having a neighborhood garage sale! On several occasions I wanted to stop and shop, but those lovely folks would wave and say nice things like "Come on fatty! Get moving!" Oh I'm just kidding! They were all very nice people cheering me on to keep with it. I was waiting for some of those moms to get down on their knees and start bowing to me with arms over their heads and chanting "You go girl! We worship you for commitment!" Hell, that didn't happen.

Okay, by now you must know that I HATE running! I went out for track for like 2 weeks in junior high and that was the end of that! I swore I'd never do running again. Hello! You're looking at the little girl in elementary school who couldn't place in the 50 yard dash the last day of school. Now I've been told by some other women who went through the Farrell's program that they too hated to run. However they even admitted to me that running now days is for fun for them! Are you kidding me? If I start running on a day to day basis after this program then you all need to join this program without question because it will be a MIRICALE and hell is probably going to freeze over!

4)Weight...yeah, not my favorite either! And no we aren't going there!

5) After a little talk by the fabulous Leah, manager of the Ankeny South location, we paired up within our group to our push-ups and sit-ups. Thank you team Farrell's for NOT making us do that right after that run! I managed to team up with a young lady who, in recent weeks, had graduated from college. I was trying to figure out why she was doing the program because she looked pretty good. Then I remembered that I was once her age and thought to myself about the time when I said "I hope I don't get fat like that old 35 year old mom!" Yes I seriously thought 35 years old was 'old' at one time in my life!

Am I going back on Monday for class or saying to heck with it? I don't have a choice. If I want to get healthy I have to go back. Plus, Rob won't let me quit since he's forked out all that dough for me to get started! For now I'm going to try and enjoy the evening and my free day on Sunday. It's called the couch, a cold beverage and the TV turner. My kid might have to fend for herself at dinner time!