It's been one week since the Ottawa Bootcamp and time to share my thoughts about it. Most are pretty much the same as every other bootcamp I've done for/with Paul. It was an awesome experience as always. This one was a bit more special because I had and some friends join me. A few were from out of town and a few were friends on facebook who I was excited to finally meet in person. I think we all had a great time! :)
The seminar portion of the bootcamp was awesome!! The event was held at the Chateau Laurier and although it was a bit more than we needed (ok..way over the top) it was a beautiful location and one that will be hard to match at any other bootcamps. We had 44 people there and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Hopefully they put into practice everything they learned.
I was asked to do a talk and although I didn't say everything I wanted to I think I got my point across that everyone can achieve their goals through hard work, determination, some sweat and maybe even a few tears. Mainly I wanted everyone to know that the very bootcamp they were at that morning was the same type of bootcamp that changed my life. I think by the time I was done they understood. :) I intended to speak about Paul's meal plan and fitness plan and the success I had with them but if I remember correctly I caught a glimpse of Paul doing something beside me which made me want to laugh and I kind of lost my train of thought. I can't say for sure but I think he was doing squats and lunges beside his chair while he was listening to me talk. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure that's what he was doing. :) All in all I'm happy with the way it went though.
The bootcamp workout portion was held on Parliament Hill and it couldn't have been a more beautiful spot to hold the event. We were trying to break a record for the Guiness Book of World Records of having the largest bootcamp. Unfortuantly that didn't happen (we needed 314-318 people and we had between 150-200) but eveyone who was there had a BLAST!!! I remember a few kids who were really kicking butt and I remember as we were doing our stretches at the end there were two seniors who were watchig from closer to the Parliament building and doing the stretches with us. I'm not sure why they stick out in my mind but they do.
After the bootcamp was over Paul had lunch with the Prime Minister's wife and a group of 8 of us went to The Black Tomato to have lunch. It was nice to kick back and talk with the girls about the bootcamp and to get to know people I've only chatted with through Facebook or on the phone, and some I've haven't seen in almost a year and a few ladies I met for the first time. Meeting some cool new people is quite often a hightlight of these events for me with this one being no different. :)
It seems that when one door closes another one opens for me. This bootcamp was no different. Graham and I are heading out to Alberta for Paul's Canmore Fitness Weekend in a few weeks and Paul asked if I (we) wanted to help out by being mountain guides and just generally helping with anything else he may need. The big surprise for me was also being invited out to the bootcamp in August to help. I'm really hoping we can go as I want to hike "MY" mountains again, meeting 15 new people would be awesome and having the opportunity to help would be a pretty cool experience!! Being invited to do this doesn't sound like a big deal to most but for anyone who knows me knows differently.
What a difference a year can make! :)
