Hurting, but moving

Five minutes after I finished my first cross-fit extreme class I could feel the pain set in. Well, it was numbness, but I could tell it was masking the pain. I walked down the stairs to the locker room to change into my street clothes on wobbly legs, hanging onto the railing. A half hour later I felt slight burning in my quads as I walked down the stairs to the basement to do some laundry. That night, I was rolling a massager up and down my quads to relieve the tightness. The next day? That was not fun. The rest of me was sore, sure, but the squats, lunges, lunges, squats, and more squats? I could feel those with every step I took. When I got to work I had to use both arms to lower myself into my chair. That minute I knew I was in the right class.

I had been pushed to my "extreme." My body was adjusting, but it would get over it. That night I walked/jogged lightly while I watched the last hour of the biggest loser. Yesterday I got on the treadmill and switched between walking at a 10 percent incline and running at a 2 percent incline for an hour. Tonight I'll play volleyball. Friday? I'll be back at the class that makes me hurt. I feel better at this moment, sitting at my desk with still slightly sore quads than I have in over a month.

Only by pushing myself will my body get stronger. Only by going to the edge of my limits will I know what those limits are. If I never try, I will never grow and I if never try, I will never know. I've carried this around in me for years. I knew if I didn't push myself at schooling I would never succeed the way I wanted to. I knew if I didn't push myself in any of my activities they would not come to fruition the way I had planned. Why would exercise be any different?

I probably will not push myself to the extreme every day of my life in all the areas of my life, but I needed this call, this wake-up moment. I needed to grow. I needed to learn and I needed to hurt. Through this pain I have learned. I am better because of it today. I will be better tomorrow. Pain is not always bad.