Day 38 Pics: Man Vs. Machine

Day 38 of 84

Status - Round 4: Phase 2: Day 1

G'day,

Today was a titanic struggle, it was literally man versus machine. No, I wasn't squaring off against the Terminator, the machine I am talking about is far more lethal. Can you guess what it is? One word...Treadmill. Yes I know, it may look harmless to the unitiated but once you start a high intensity workout on it there's no going back baby!

It all started at 9.30 am this morning. When I woke up I felt queasy just thinking about it. I was going for my personal best - 4 cycles of 6, 12, 14, and 16 km/h at 1 minute intervals BUT the last cycle had to be 2 minutes and 5 seconds.

I hit 2 minutes at 16 km/h on Tuesday this week, now it was time to up the ante to 2 minutes and 5 seconds. Five extra seconds may not sound like much but let me tell you...it was pure torture. As I entered the final minute I was already feeling nauseous, my stomach was churning, my calves were aching.

The final 15 seconds felt like 15 minutes. This is living life in the moment, right here right now. Will you fulfill the most important promise you can make? You know...the ones you make to yourself. Of course I did, do you know why?

Because, no matter how hard it is I always know in the back of my mind that these are the moments that define success or failure. The only way you can dramatically tranform your physique in a short period of time is to continually raise your standards.

You have to break through new barriers every single workout. If you stay stagnant even for one workout you will not progress, simple as that. The great thing is that you can apply these intense experiences to other areas of your life. Are you living in the moment? Do you cherish what you already have? Do you respect yourself and others enough to keep the promises you make?

I have discovered over the course of the last 38 days that changing your body shape is a great metaphor for life changes. I already feel more confident and secure in myself. I also notice that the people around me are reacting to me differently, in a positive way. The changes in me are now becoming obvious, almost daily I am stopped by someone I know. They tell me how great I am looking, they also notice my new-found confidence.

So yes, I can safely say that those extra 5 seconds don't just make a little bit of difference...they make ALL the difference. Until next time that is, when it will be those extra 10 seconds. I can already feel it now...

Here are Day 38 pics for December 16, 2006.

Peace, AJ