Today's post is brought to us by the number 123

Today we did a fitness assesment in boot camp. The test is on a three hundred point scale with 100 points alloted to your number of push ups in two minutes, number of sit ups in two minutes and time on a two mile run.
To obtain the maximum number of points from each test, as a female age 22-26, I needed to complete 46 push ups, 80 sit ups, and run two miles in 15:36.
Now I have to say that I am a fairly athletic person. I have played sports all of my life and I work out regularly. However, my score was a 123. Less than half!

I did 33 push ups, which gave me the majority of my points - 82. From that score simple subtraction can tell you that I didn't score too well in the other two catergories.

Sit ups were next. I guess I am used to crunches, because I suck hard core at full sit ups with your hands behind your head.
To set the scene, my partner had just completed 46 sit ups, and it was her turn to hold my ankles keeping my feet in place and count my sit ups. I do three right away and need a break.
"Come on, you can do it. You still have a minute and a half"
I come up to a 45 degree angle and fall back down.
"Okay take a break, lets get a full sit up. We only want to do the one's that count!"
She was so enthusiastic. So I rested and got another.
"Good, you've got thrity seconds left. Lets get a few more good one's in."
I give some whole hearted tries, but can't seem to get past 45 degrees. I hear the 5 seconds left call and muster out one more.
So 5. That's how many sit ups I did. But as our instructor says, "I don't care if you can only do three, you own it." So I am owning it. I did 5 sit ups in two minutes. Its not even on the grid to count my points (it stops at 21), but for my age group its practically one point per sit up, so I gave myself 5 points.

Finally we get to the two mile run. I can run, that's not a problem. I get my ipod in and just plod away. The thing is you don't get points for not walking, you get points for pace, and my pace is slow. So I finish my two miles with Shoulders, Nouns started ahead and finished way ahead. My time was 22:00. 11 minute miles, way to go... Anyway, that pace gets me 36 points.

When I came home after our workout and figured out my points from the grid I was annoyed. I am not that person. I am definitely not the 300 person, but I feel I should be over 150 at least. Then I remembered something my Mom had said to me earlier in the week when I told her about the testing and the point scale system.
"Don't kill yourself over the first test. That way when you push yourself at the end of boot camp you'll be able to show improvement."
Thanks Mom. She always knows how to make me feel better about myself. So I'm actually okay with my 123. I know I can improve on that. Especially because this afternoon I decided to try the sit ups again and did 10. I doubled it. I rule.