It really is insane

The tv seems riddled with these new infomercials about something called Insanity. With the new fitness craze, I tend to judge each program as a temporary solution to a mid life crisis. This may sound incredibly judgemental, but try marching in place for an hour and listening to a Lulu Lemon-clad woman tell you to feel the burn and you might get a bit cynical too. Why have I even had this experience? During my recovery from a stress fracture I did a couple to get back in the swing of things, but then decided I'd be better off spending my time elsewhere. However, with all the hype I've seen concerning the Insanity workouts, I was curious. I love infomercials, as nerdy as that sounds. They're actually pretty entertaining, especially the Magic Bullet. I came across the Insanity program while flipping through channels and heard a claim that it was the hardest workout a man had completed. He looked pretty fit, six pack abs popping out of a forty-year old stomach. A little grody to see, but it backed up his statements about the workout. My family was discussing the new craze at dinner, and my mom knew a man who'd really succeeded using the program. I was curious purely because I wondered if it really was that hard. My mom started trash talking the whole craze and implying it would be no problem for someone seasoned in pilates and running. Naturally, we decided to try it when we got the chance. I got the opportunity this morning and couldn't pass it up, despite the fact it was a rest day. I excused it as a light effort to loosen up my body post-race and work on some strength to prevent injury. It couldn't be that difficult... Psych. Twenty minutes in I was sweating and had pitied my heart rate through the roof. As I hopped around gritting my teeth and listening to Shaun T growl at me to move faster, I realized that this workout truly is insane. Reconsidering even participating in it, I knew that I should probably stop both to notnupset my track training and to maintain any semblance of dignity, but at that point, it was too late. Completing the dang thing was a pride issue, and I would not be defeated. When the circuits finally came to an end, I was both relieved and oddly proud. I could see how this program would catch on with a group of people really seeking to get fit. And what's more, it was really fun. Yes, I felt goofy flailing around, but it was really entertaining. If I weren't running track, I would definitely try to complete the program just to say that I did. As it is, I think I'm going to incorperate some insanity into my pre-Nordic season training. If you're not in a sport or on a team at the moment, I would definitely suggest giving Insanity a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how difficult it is, and love the sense of accomplishment afterwards. And, like running, it really is insane.