Birth of a Fitness Instructor

Boy, if there was one thing I thought I'd never do, it is become a fitness instructor. (That, along with living in Texas.) Firstly, because I was always skinny-fat, meaning I didn't really have to do anything to stay thin. Squishy, but small. Secondly, because those people are cuh-ray-ZEE! However, babies, years and the desire to be healthy turned me first into a runner and then into a gym rat.

About 10 months ago, I started taking a class called BodyPump. I'd taken many classes over the years, but something was different about it. The energy, the challenge, the people. It became an obsession. I was scheduling everything around it, including family members' airport departures (sorry about that, Erin and Trav!).

A couple months ago, I caught wind that they'd just done a training for BodyPump instructors at my gym, and I had a friend who went through it. She told me all about it, and while it sounded mildly insane, with her encouragement, I started looking into it further. She told me to talk to our instructor about it after class. That instructor said she herself was a master trainer and was running a training session starting Friday. She also said I needed to be sponsored (she'd work it out), that I'd need a ride to the location 3.5 hours away (she'd give me one) and that I probably needed a place to stay (I could stay in her hotel room). See what I mean about fitness people and their crazy? (Crazy awesome.)

Off I went with my instructor and a perfect stranger (the perfect part would stick, the stranger part lasted about 5 whole minutes) who would also be driving with us, sleeping with us, and attending the training.

I won't bother you with all the fascinating details Dave so graciously listened to me spill for about three hours straight. But I will say the following...

There was a bit of off-roading (literally). There was fear and anxiety (loads). There was vomit (thankfully, not my own). There were tears (of frustration, of gratitude, of relief). There was laughter (driven primarily by sleep deprivation). And there were lots and lots of unexpected triumphs.

Oh, and did I mention the acupuncture? Yes, there was that too.

It was one of the most physically, mentally and emotionally challenging things I've ever done. And if it wasn't for the following three people, it would have never happened...

• My BodyPump trainer who, for no good reason, had all the faith in the world that I could do it.

• My perfect stranger, who is now a perfect friend. (I heart you, Ingalls.)

• And my sweet husband, who despite nearly 19 years of experience with me, still thinks I can do anything and will do absolutely anything to make it happen. (When will he ever learn?!)

Of course, it's not over. I still have to submit a video to be fully certified. In the meanwhile, and again thanks to my trainer, I have already picked up class to teach.

Sure, I always thought I'd end up being a teacher. I just thought I'd be teaching a forensics class in an anthropology department somewhere.

Maybe next year.