I _love_ this class! I first participated in this about four years ago, did it for two years and then had to miss last year due to my f'd up back. But after six + months of solid core exercises I'm back and loving it.

We run, do some calisthenics, run some more, do push-ups, run some more, jump around in the sand, run a little race, do more calisthenics, keep on running... you get the idea. :) The group that shows up is HUGELY different in terms of skills and fitness and we have been breaking up into two groups so it's all good. Discovery Park is such a fantastic terrain garden and it's so beautiful that it's hard not to have fun.

Today we did our timed run (something the 'fast' group usually does each week) up this trail/flight of stairs. Two weeks ago my friend Jim set the record at 5:30 and I was told I ran it in 4:50. :) I have to take that time with a grain of salt though as the guy timing me was quite a ways beck behind me on the trail. And although he said he could see me clearly when I finished I'm not sure this time will be repeatable soon. I felt like I stepped into quick sand half way up this torture test (of _course_ I started too fast...) and even fell on some stairs as I passed some slower folks. Good god, you know that feeling when your breathing turns to rasping? I was there with at least two minutes to go.

Then I got to stand around and gasp for air as I tried to cheer everyone else on as they crested the trail.

It's interesting, I'm not a fast runner but if the run is sorta uphill and longer than a sprint I seem to do okay. Too long of course and I would fade next to the real deal.

There is this woman in the class with a slight Slavic accent and she is a machine. When it comes to all the circuits we do on the beach and push-ups, etc. she comes in first ALL the time. The only thing I can beat her at is this longer run.