A small taste...

Tuesday: Did not start out the way that I had planned. I got to the gym on time for my usual personal training session only to wait and find out that my trainer was a no-show. Turned out she did not have her alarm clock set to go off. I was the first of three clients that she did not make it in time for that morning. I was not too bothered by this in the least though. If you remember from my previous post, I was enjoying myself with some friends of mine that I have not hung out with in quite a while. Monday night was no different. I got home at inconvenient hour that night (or morning) before. I ended up coming home and catching up on sleep. I decided to go to FS PT that day. Come to find out, SSG Capcom ended up running the day's activities. Because a majority of the FSs at the station are not in a good place in terms of running ability, he decided to have the group run 8 laps of 1/4 mile sprints. There were breaks in between the laps, but it was still physically taxing. I did most of my laps in about 1:45. I did push it out for the last lap and did it in 1:35. I think he will plan on doing this with us more.

Wednesday: Was a busy day. I stopped by my old office and turned in the keys I had because my relationship (as well as my employment) has disintegrated due to my choice to join the military. I am just happy to close that chapter in my book.

I then made it to the recruiting station to find out that we were not going to be doing combative work with SSG Capcom, but some calisthenics and more running with SSG Lime. GREAT! I had no problems with the running, it was the fact that we ran after doing the sprints the previous day. SSG Lime had us meet at a new location in Orlando. This place is call Lake Underhill Park:

What is beneficial about this park is that there are stations throughout the trail around this lake for various exercises. SSG Lime had us run to each station and perform each exercise. I found it to be somewhat fun. It worked different muscle groups while at the same time, worked our running ability. What was unfortunate was that I had to leave early and do only one lap around the trail with the group.

After PT I had to rush down to the Naval Exchange to do some grocery shopping for my wife and I. As I mentioned previously, because I am a future soldier, I get the privilege of shopping at this store and take advantage of the discounts as well as pay no sales tax. Here are some pics of the building:

Here is a panoramic pic I made out of 3 pics.

Cheap!

I then had to rush home to unload the groceries, eat, change, and leave to head out to Orlando Speed World. This is an Orlando landmark that allows people to race down a supervised and sanctioned 1/4 mile track, as well as there is a 3/8 mile race track. I was working with a networking friend of mine to do some filming of a driver that he is supporting and promoting. Due to the fact that I have a decent camera, I am being invited to film. At the track that night, our driver, Skip, was doing some practice and tuning to his high-performance, gas guzzling, ear splitting speed machine. Here are some pics and a video of the evening:

Thursday: Had me busy as well. In the morning I met with Jon (from the previous video) to finish filming and edit this weeks video. After that, I went to FS PT. Luckily, a different recruiter, which I will call SSG Fidget, took charge of PT. What I like about SSG Fidget's sessions is that he takes it very serious and keeps it structured. The only reason I call him SSG Fidget is that when he stands in front of the group and speaks to us, he is constantly pacing back and forth. What SSG Fidget did was printed out about 12 sheets of paper with names of various exercises that we used to do circuit training. It was it was not too intense, but not easy.

After PT, I took my wife to Houlihans to eat and had some drinks with WJRR (the radio station I listen to) and the Fiasco (The show I have bee listening to since the 6th grade) for St. Patrick's Day. After dinner, we went to go and see Battle Los Angeles. It was not a bad movie. It had some pretty good military accuracy and great CGI. Only problem was that it had so many elements of so many other movies.

Friday: Started with my usual 0700 personal training session. She had me do various chest and arm exercises, as well as core. She also did some measurements; overall better! I have lost about 9 pounds in a month, most measurements have reduced except the chest. Only good news!

After the workout, I attended my weekly networking group, Laid Back Business Buillders. It is an enjoyable group that allows me to promote my non-profit volunteer organization, One Brick, before I leave for the Army. Later in the day I went back out to the Orlando Speed World to watch Skip race in the Super Late races that night. I will have video footage of this event up next week.

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Yes I am sporting the Dale hat, don't hate!

Before...

...After. This is what happens when a rich Dad buys a 14 year old a race car, and let him race!

Saturday: What a day!!! The day started out early with the Orlando Wounded Warrior and Lone Sailor Project 5K Run in Baldwin Park. I shaved 3 minutes off of my overall time from the previous run in February! What was even better was that at the 1 mile marker, I looked at my time and saw that I was at 8:25. This is so much better than I expected. What made the event even more fun was that SSG Lime and his brother-in-law came out to run as well. This event was held at the park where I do PT with the FSs and recruiters. Here is the route.

Representing the Army!

Immediately after I finished the race, I made my way down the reserve center for a FS Training Event

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This was a very beneficial event! They actually had drill sergeants from the reserves on hand to provide hands-on training that I will be experiencing at BCT! We mostly worked with the M-16A2. Even though there were times they were yelling at me and the other FSs, I enjoyed it! I guess maybe this was a place that I could be serious with what I was doing and no one could wouls call me a brown-noser or blow-hard. I could see some people who I really would not want to be alongside at BCT, much less battle. There was one woman who could not understand the concept that you are not to let your muzzle touch or go into the ground... at ALL!

Me eating MREs, not bad actually!

Tearing apart the M16. Let it be known: You have two hands, and thus you have two hand guards!

The event was very beneficial! I now have a very big headstart on the M16 training and maintainence by the time I get to BCT. I have an idea as how to tear apart the rifle, how to hold it, how to fire it, and cuddle with with it, as the DS would say. What was really fun was that we got see an EST system. This is the simulator that the Army uses to train soldiers on rifles. I will use the same system prior to firing a real shot at BCT. 

Overall, I know it was a small taste but it was great exposure to the life I will experience at BCT. I look forward to the next day of training on April 9th!