Cheers

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Well, it has arrived...my final day here at Fitness Ridge. With no 6:00 a.m. class this morning, the first item on my agenda is my Test Out (weight, measurements, and body fat percentage). In order to put into perspective the sweat and tears (no blood, thankfully) I've spent these past two weeks, I feel compelled to share my final results:

Weight Lost.......7 pounds
Inches Lost........8 inches total (6 measurements)
Body Fat............4.3% decrease
BMI.....................1.1 decrease

My original goal was to lose ten pounds, but I couldn't be happier knowing I feel more fit than ever and am capable of pushing myself far beyond my own expectations.

While I thought the Stop Sign Hike (I set my final record today at 1:14:09) was the most difficult part of the Fitness Ridge experience, saying good-bye to so many new friends was harder than I expected.

Fitness Ridge - Micheline, John, Sharon, Tiffany and Robin are amazing! They all have a great spirit for teaching and the compassion we need to push us along. Your personalized service means so much to those of us who are susceptible to being homesick. As the song says,

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.

Jane - one of my shuttle buddies, I wish you the best during your four week stay, as well as once you leave and begin the next exciting chapter in your life. You are about to embark on an adventure many people only dream of. Godspeed in your journey.

Dana - another one of my shuttle buddies, when Sharon asked you for more, you didn't hesitate to tell her you had no more to give, thank you for your honesty. There were times when I had no more to give halfway through the Stop Sign hike. I'll also enjoy the memory of when you told me your heart rate monitor told you to lie down and rest.

Beth - It was a pleasure to meet you and somehow I know we'll cross paths again in Houston. It really is a small world.

Pam - I wish you the very best for the remainder of your stay and beyond. Keep up the good fight and continue to set those records.

Susan and Brad - Susan, thank you for being a constant meal companion. I wish you the best in your new job. Brad, thank you for waiting on me during the final ascent of Stop Sign. You are a very kind young man and your parents should be very proud of you.

Jill, Karen and Loretta - Thank you for allowing me to join you for Aida, you were all great theater companions. It was the most amazing performance I've ever seen and will always be one of my favorite memories of my time at Fitness Ridge. Karen, look for an email from me when we visit Maui.

Jim and James - Thank you both for setting the pace and giving me the goal to catch up with you. The end always seems closer when you see someone else cross the finish line.

Doug - Thank you for giving me a reason to smile so many times. You are an absolute pleasure to be around and I look forward to seeing you again next year when we visit the D.C. area.

Daniella - Thank you for the push in Circuit Training...a bit of friendly competition can go a long way in pushing you beyond your known limits. I wish you the best in your move to California and the adventures that await you. You have a bright future ahead of you.

Karen - My Vegas roomie. Thank for making the hikes more tolerable with conversation, it took my mind off the pain. Your narrative during the Vegas skank walk will be one of my favorite memories. I would have paid the $30.00 I lost in slots just to sit there and watch the parade go by. Do those girls even have mothers?

Marcus and Sandie - I only wish I had met you during the first week and spent more time with both of you. You are amazing! I hope that my son and I are able to enjoy vacations together in future years like you do. Thank you again for allowing me to join you in Vegas...I had a great time.

Marcus, once I get over the fact that you're my brother's twin, I will never forget the monumental sacrifice I made of giving you my chocolate-covered strawberries. In turn, I will be expecting a list of wineries for my son's 21st birthday trip we're planning to California in 2011. Keep up the good fight, I know you'll have amazing results.

Sandie, thank you for sharing mother talk on our hikes. You are an absolute pleasure to spend time with and I look forward to seeing you when we visit California next summer. Let me know when you reach your goal, it's not that far away (unless you've already met it).

Until we all meet again, hopefully not at Fitness Ridge (unless we are back to break the 37 minute record on Stop Sign), I wish you all the very best in your journeys and may God bless you beyond your wildest dreams. Know your own strength and refuse to be broken.

We set off on our road trip to Vegas, calculating the daily caloric intake and expenditure it would take to lose another ten pounds. What happened to playing "I Spy"? I emailed a grocery list to Greg to stock us up for the week (Vegenaise is not so easy to find), most of which he was able to locate at HEB.

We make it to Sin City, settle in at the Hilton and after losing $30.00 at slots and watching the skank parade at the MGM Grand before the big fight, I turned in for the night at 9:30 and set my alarm for 6:15 a.m., knowing home was just around the corner.