I walked away twice. And then I went in.

I did it.  Kickboxing.  After 6 months of weak excuses, tonight WAS the night! :)

I put on my shoes.  That's always the first step.  I picked up my gloves and I was ready.

The drive there wasn't too painful ;)  I arrived and sat in my car for a few minutes.  That's when the nerves kicked in.  Cars were driving past me to park - they looked like boys cars.  Tough, strong boys.  This was supposed to be a beginners class - I wanted to see girls like me!  

I was strong and hopped out of the car.  It was dark and the academy was in a huge industrial shed.  I walked towards the shed and could hear the advanced group before my class, smashing it out.  Pow! Pow! Pow!  They were full on.  I stood outside and waited.

People from my class walked past me and walked inside.  I waited more. 

Then I decided I couldn't do it.  I was out of my depth!  These people were good!  (I just decided that).  They were advanced people in a beginners class and I was kidding myself that I could join them.  I'll come again another night with a friend.  That's a good idea!

So I turned and walked away.  I paused.  I had come all this way.  I had put my shoes on (and my One Active Mish purple jumper) :) and had my pink boxing gloves with me.  Just go in!

So I turned and walked back to the entrance.  I waited some more.  I stared at the strong boys inside as I stood with my pink gloves and purple shoes outside the door.  I then seriously lost my cool.  I couldn't do this!  Who was I kidding to think that I could!  I'll come back when I'm more fit.  With a friend.  Drunk!  (I'm kidding).  Just in any state, on another night, would be easier than right now!

I turned again and walked back halfway to my car.

Again, I stopped.  JFDI!  I don't know how, but I turned.  I SMS'd a friend and asked her to tell me to go inside.  I threw my phone in my bag and walked inside.  There was no turning back now.  I don't know how I managed to walk in there!  But I did!  I paid my $ and we started.  I heard 2 other people say that they were new and this helped a lot.

But I actually almost walked out again.  The warm up was skipping.  I haven't skipped since I was 7 in a field of daisies.  Seriously - skip?  That's for fit people, hello??  I tried but I looked like I was 7 in a field of daisies.  Everyone else were doing this quick 2 step skip thing.  I was so embarrassed and almost walked out the door.

But the skipping ended and I managed.  The boxing itself was great and it was like riding a bike.  I did a few classes about 10 years ago and it all came back to me. :)  The lady I was paired up with was encouraging.  I was ok!  My heart rate was higher than usual - ouch!  432 calories in 53 min.  Should have been higher I think - my average heart rate was 138 but most of the time I noticed it was up around 180.  But it was a great work out and the best thing was, that I kept up.  I surprise myself sometimes!  It was fun and it all came rushing back to me why I love kickboxing.

I was glad the class finished though - I was a total beginner and I felt it.  The others were a lot more advanced than me.

But I'm just proud that I did it - it was a 2012 goal, and it was a huge one to overcome.  I thought it would be easy to turn up and just do it.

6 months of excuses wasn't easy.  But tonight, I turned up.  I walked away twice, but then I went in.  And I kicked it's butt. :)