A wolf in sheep's clothing.

One week down and I’m still standing, sort of.

I woke up this morning feeling fairly energetic for a Monday morning. This was going to be a great day, I was sure of it. Work was busy, so it was easy to keep my mind occupied with other things besides diets and workouts.

I had a scheduled lunch date with a dear friend and fellow Trim to Winner, so that really gave me something to look forward to. We met and both ate salads and just enjoyed catching up with each other. It had been far too long since we talked and she is one of the most positive, encouraging people I know. Talking with her was just what I needed today. Thanks, S.P.!

The rest of the afternoon flew by and it was soon time for my date with trainer Bill. This would be our second workout together and even though he made me feel every muscle I forgot I had after the first workout, I had worked out the soreness and somehow pushed that memory out of my mind.

Big mistake.

We spent a few minutes catching up as I outlined to trainer Bill my workouts over the weekend without him. He told me that sounded good, and said it so nicely. We then headed out to the track area and he started me with some marching toward him and jogging back to the start line. Then we took a nice stroll around the track. At the end of the second lap, I looked over at trainer Bill as he said, “Okay, now jog around the track once.” Trainer Bill’s face started to contort and twist as the words came slowly out of his mouth. I swear I saw little horns start to work their way out of the top of his head! The sweet trainer Bill I had come to know had morphed into the evil Brutal Bill!

I huffed and puffed my way around the track. Yes! Victory! I made it! Brutal Bill herded me into the cardio room and off to the treadmill. Yes! The treadmill is safe. I spent 20 minutes on it Saturday and another 15 on it Sunday. I can do this.

“So, tell me,” Brutal Bill cackled, “How long you stayed on the treadmill and at what settings.” I proudly told him that I had worked my way up to 3.5 mph with an incline of 2.5. “Good”, he said and smiled evilly.

He started me out nice and slow, even slower than I started myself out over the weekend, and slowly building up speed at one minute intervals. Just as I started to let my guard down, I saw that impish, evil smile spread across Brutal Bill’s face as he told me he was going to start increasing the speed every 30 seconds and would also start increasing the incline. Then the speed and incline started going up at 20 second intervals. Then the incline kept going up and up and up, all the way to the top level! Finally, after what seemed like an eternity with my calf muscles feeling like they were going to explode, Brutal Bill started dropping the incline and the speed. A full 20 minute workout and I survived.

Sweet trainer Bill resurfaced as he helped me step off the treadmill and led me to the weight room. Yes! The Nautilus circuit! Just the break I needed! As we entered the weight room, I looked over at trainer Bill and saw Brutal Bill re-emerge and knew right away this was not going to be as easy as I thought.

No Nautilus circuit today, we went straight for the free weights. What seemed like hours later, Brutal Bill finally took the weights from my hands. Actually, I think he must have read my mind when I was thinking how much it would hurt if I whacked him up along the side of his head with the weights and took them so I wouldn’t hurt him.

As stepped back out to the track area for some cool down exercises, trainer Bill returned. Once finished with a few stretching routines, evil Brutal Bill just couldn’t stay contained. “Okay,” he said, “Now go jog around the track twice.” Twice?! Twice?! I think I even said this out loud. I just made it around the track once earlier today, and now he wants me to do it twice? I set out and as I enter the final stretch of lap one, trainer Bill emerges and starts shouting words of encouragement, continuing as I pass him. About half way through the second lap, I want to stop. My lungs are burning, as are my legs, at least the portions I can still feel.

I toughed it out and as I headed into the home stretch, nice trainer Bill was there at the end cheering me on. Yes! I did it. Now, trainer Bill says, let’s walk the track together once. Evil Brutal Bill seems to have disappeared. Trainer Bill tells me he can see the cuss words spewing out the back of my head, just like in the cartoon strips. He’s not far off.

We complete our lap and Bill releases me for the day. Yes! As I walk by the front desk on my way out, I find myself asking Bill if the same time tomorrow would be good for him. We confirm our date and I head for home with muscles shaking and burning. Yes, it was a good workout.