Really awesome story- so today at Platoon was cardio day, and I've never attended this session before. But staying in the level 1 group seemed okay during arm and leg day so I figured I'd be alright. Well I'm not a runner (but I wanna be) and I have a permenatnly sprained ankle and like NO stamina.
So we start out running and all of the sudden we are out of the field we always workout in and start crossing streets and going into neighborhoods and stuff, and I was losing stamina quick! I started to panick because I couldn't keep up with the group and just thought "well, guess I'll have to turn back once they're out of sight..." But then out of nowhere this other trainer (who wasn't leading the group) ran up beside me and said, "you ok?" I gave a very huffed "yea... I just have never ran this far before." He realized I was in no shape to talk so he just ran next to me the whole way in silence. I was so slow- about 6 whole minutes behind the group, and he ran beside me the whole time.
There were many moments during that whole run when I thought my lungs or my ankle would give out, but with him running beside me I just couldn't give up... and we made it all the way back to the field! When I could talk I thanked him so much for staying with me, and he said "that's why we're here. Platoon leaves no one behind." And I was like... wow. I wanted to cry b/c I know these people actually care whether I succeed or not!
Then I asked him how long that run was and he said about 2 miles and I almost fainted. I NEVER thought I'd be able to run 2 miles ever! That's almost a 5k!!! Now I know I can do this! I don't know if the trainer knows how much of an impact his actions had on me. And he didn't tell me to go faster or 'pick it up.' He knew I was doing my best and he just made sure I got back to the field safely and not alone, or feeling defeated!
Because he helped me accomplish this I'm going to arrive at the track before our normal 6am workout and do maybe 20 minutes of running, 1) to get my stamina up and 2) because I know I am capable of actually doing it! So if I feel like I can't go on anymore I can just think about this morning and how I actually DID do it!
2 miles!!!!
