365 Days That Count - Day 18 - When discipline pays off

I started boxing a few weeks ago. I had NO idea what I was getting myself in to.

On New Year’s Eve I was introduced to Mat who coaches my friends kids, the champagne flowed and we started chatting about health and fitness and he suggested I join a group that trains 4 times a week at the old military grounds. Cool I said. Waking up the next morning I vaguely remembered our discussion and when he messaged me the following day to remind me I decided to bite the bullet and go. How bad could it be?

I casually rocked up that first night expecting him to be in charge only to find he was one of a group of about 8 men and a few super women who were all being coached by an ex heavy weight champion who also happened to have coached in the military.

It was boot camp like I’ve never experienced bootcamp before and I’ve done my fair share.

I am incredibly competitive and as much as I promise myself I’ll take it easy, pace myself and skip a round here and there, it never pans out that way. I can’t quit and I hate being over
taken. On this occasion I had no choice but to be over taken but I refused to quit.

We gathered on the field at the bottom of a flight of huge old stone stairs, and so it began; up and down the stairs, run around the field, stairs, run around the building, stairs, sit ups, run around the field and on and on.

I was wondering if there’d be any boxing when coach told us to get in the gym. We spent the next half an hour sparring and punching a bag in 3 minute intervals - let me tell you when you are so tired you don’t know whether to cry or be sick 3 minutes is a VERY long time - by the end of it I was finished. My clothes and hair were sopping wet, my legs and hands were shaking uncontrollably and I was smiling from ear to ear.

I woke up the next morning aching. I’m pretty strong but every tiny little muscle in my body was on fire. I went again the next night and 3 times the following week and then last week I didn’t go once. I went out for dinner nearly every night and the 1 or 2 nights I didn’t I was so overwhelmed by all the boy drama I ended up with a glass of red wine on the sofa.

I was determined to go this week. My cousin agreed to join me on Monday but pulled out at the last second and convinced me to stay and spend time with them. I couldn’t go yesterday so she promised we’d go today. Again at the last second she pulled out, it would’ve been so easy not to go, to tell myself I hardly ever see them and I can always go boxing but I missed the burn and wanted to go so I ran out the house before I could change my mind.

I’ve just got home, I’m sopping wet, shaking and completely exhausted but I’m smiling from the inside out. Not only did we have an amazing class and I totally kicked ass in the ring but I led a mini yoga class afterwards which really was the cherry on top.

Exercise is the best mood enhancer in the entire world. I was so irritated when I left, annoyed that my cousin wasn’t coming, frustrated that a part of me wanted to chicken out and just
generally cranky. And now….well now I really couldn’t feel much more content than I do.

Those of you who have really pushed yourself in any form of exercise will know the kind of endorphins I’m referring to. Nothing beats it.

And I’m proud of myself for being disciplined, for going when I didn’t have to, for pushing myself every time I’ve been. Today was hard, probably the hardest one so far but I loved every minute of it.

That's it for tonight, I need to shower, eat and pass out.

Sweet dreams,
Daisy xx

( @daisyd )