Date: 2014-09-24
To: ÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂYou want me to Cross what?ÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ
Miles today: 0.0

191 Days left to work out¢¦Today is the end of my second week of train-up for my AT Thru-hike commencing March 2015. Two weeks ago after realizing how out of shape I really was, I went to our community recreation center (Ehrnfelt Recreation & Senior Center) to survey what type of classes or personal trainers were available to assist in physically preparing me for my AT adventure. There was Yoga, Spinning, Aquatic Exercises, P-5 Body Boot Camp, Boxercise, Kettlebell Express and many, many more choices. So many more choices that it began to make what little hair I have hurt. Then, suddenly, there it was an intriguing poster that invited the observer in¢¦printed in large letters FORTY-TWO EIGHTY-TWO and then in numbers: 42 82 with a big ¢X¢ in the background..Yes! This is it! The one for me! I fall well within 42 and 82, this can¢t be that hard. Who would want to beat-up an 82 year-old? I went down to the ground floor to inquire about the class. Upon further inspection of the poster while the program was being explained to me I saw the words CROSSFIT under the 42 82. Now at this point I have to tell you that I don¢t know a whole lot about crossfit training but I had a feeling that in the days to come I was about to learn a whole lot more about it¢¦Yep, my wife convinced me to sign-up and she did not hesitate to point out that after all the early morning class started at 0515 and I would have plenty of time to shower and get to work by 0900 (no matter what kind of shape I would be in). I decided that I would start slow Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (open crossfit). Wednesday arrived and I sprang out of bed at O-DARK-30! (4:30am). Off to the Rec I went arriving in plenty of time to get settled in with a locker, towels and other things. I met the instructor for the class - Tami, who was a very kind, no nonsense, extremely physically fit woman. There we were the two of us, face to face, her, the PT Goddess (as we would say in the army) and me with the body and shape from hell. ¢So, let¢s get started¢ she exclaimed. ¢Yes, let¢s¢ I replied. ¢Do you know how to do an Air-Squat?¢ ¢Nope!¢ ¢Well let me show you.¢ ¢Arms out straight, shoulders back, back straight, eyes front, feet shoulder width apart, now squat down resting your weight on your heels, then back up.¢ Now I am thinking: ¢How hard can this be?¢ ¢Okay, give me ten!¢ (I am very familiar with the term: ¢give me ten¢ or ¢give me twenty.¢ But it was always in relation to push-ups and coming from the mouth of a Drill Sergeant!) I assumed the position and down I went and then back up I came. Words of encouragement were forthcoming but little did I know how painful this ¢How hard can this be?¢ was about to become! After about three I was ready for the shower¢¦Oh no! There was the Overhead Squat, the Front Squat, and then came the Shoulder Press, the Push Press, the Jerk Push, and finally the Split Jerk. Lesson completed¢¦Now time for the shower? Nooo¢¦I now had to do a circuit for 30 minutes! Although completely modified for my age and physical condition, never the less, it was a good work-out and very rewarding. Then came the follow-up sessions: Friday, Saturday, Monday and again Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Monday again each of these sessions getting more and more intense and yet a bit easier from a range of motion perspective. Where am I at this point? I have been to 8 sessions, I have lost 10 pounds, hopefully never to be seen again, and I have far better range of motion. Heck, my belt-buckle is no longer facing downward looking at the ground! I have filled my pack with some of my stuff weighing about 20 pounds and I am walking around the neighborhood going further and further each time. I am also receiving an odd benefit from this crossfit training: It is having a profound effect on my Parkinson¢s tremors. During the workouts as I approach total muscle failure, my tremors are really accentuated. I continue to press on making sure I am a bit more cautious. Upon completion of the full session and after about an hour, the tremors go away, my gait is smoother and I don¢t unconsciously plant my right foot down when I walk. My range of motion on my right side is a lot freer and smoother. As part of a research study I am in I was recently tested for range of motion and cognitive skills as well as balance. Regrettably, the proctors are not allowed to provide me with feedback as to my progress or lack thereof. In my opinion I completed the tasks more efficiently than I had in the past. This type of feedback is extremely important to me and others with Parkinson¢s for it gives us a fighting chance of delaying the effects and even potentially reversing them a bit. So, please consider sponsoring me by clicking on the Sponsor Parkinson¢s Research tab on the left side of this page. With your help we can beat this crippling disease. Thank you!