Presidential Fitness Challenge

I remember when I attended Art City Elementary in Springville, I Dreaded, with a capital D, the Presidential Fitness Challenge every year. I must have blocked it out of my memory because really the only thing I remember is them trying to get me up to do the flexed arm hang. Trying being the key word here. It all just seemed so impossible that why even try? Why ask me to run a mile? It might as well have been 10 miles!  The only thing I ever got from that was the "participation" paper that was the consolation "you are so not up to par". Whew! I thought those days were over for good. 

Enter our Homeschool Co-Op. I was a PE assistant this "semester" and when they said it was time to start training for the PFC they asked how many adults were going to participate this year. I guess there is an adult challenge that you can do and get the Blue, Red, or White patch for. I didn't even really think about doing it because of my elementary years, but most of the other moms had done it before and wore their shirts proudly. I was intrigued. I looked at the requirements and thought that I could probably handle the sit-ups (54, but they're "modified" for us old fogies), the push-ups (women get to do them on their knees, so 27 isn't bad) and the mile walk in 13 min. I was starting to feel even excited. This might be do-able!! Until I saw that we have to do the sit-and-reach. 19 in. I have NO flexibility whatsoever, so this was daunting. When we first did it I don't even remember what I got (15 in.?) but was far enough away from 19 to think "it might as well be 30 in.!!" (I also might have said it too!) After much soul searching I decided that this would be a good challenge. If I can learn to Scuba dive with my fear of water, I can do this after all, so I started "training" and stretching.

Yesterday was the big day. We did our push-ups, our sit-ups and then, the sit-and-reach. I got 18.5. Half an inch away from Blue. Collin and I ran the mile together - the highlight of the day because he WANTED to run with me and told me while doing it that he loved running with me. Now that my legs were warmed up, I tried that darn sit-and-reach again and TA DA!! Got 19 cm. What a great day!

I should start my training for next year tomorrow!! Next year I am shooting for 20 in. OR even 21!