Physical Fitness Test

So when you enter the military, any branch, you must meet a certain physical fitness criteria. The army is tough, not as much as the Marines but tough. The Army measures your physical fitness level with a test known as PT Test. To pass this test, you must meet minimum criteria in 3 categories: situps, pushups, 2 mile run. Situp and pushup section is how many of each can you do in 2 mintues each and the 2mile run is how fast can you do 2 miles in. Well of course the Army has PT minimums that you must meet in order to pass. These minimums are based on your age and gender. So for me, 27 and female, I must do at minimum: 45 situps, 17 pushups and run 2 miles in 20 minutes and 30 seconds (20:30). The test also has maximums that if you meet means you max that category. The maxes are: 82 situps, 50 pushups, 15:48 2 mile run. This all seems rather easy but let me tell you it is not. Trying to do 45 situps in 2 minutes without having your abs and legs cramp is challenging. You are given a score based on the number of repetitions or time of each event you do. The lowest score you couldget is 180 points: 60 for each event. The maximum for each is 100 or 300 for all three combines.

So on Oct. 22, my vet track group for OBLC had to take a PT test for our 6 weeks down here. We could take the test as either diagnostic, no score taken, or for record meaning the results will go into your file. I knew I could pass it so I took it for record. Then I wouldn't have to take it when I first got back to Oklahoma. So on that Oct. 22 wednesday morning, we met on the PT field to take the test. I had previsouly taken two tests and scored a 245 and 254. My goal was to try to max the test or get close to doing so. We took the test and boy was I excited with my results. I ended up doing: 51 pushups in two minutes, 74 situps in two minutes and running 2 miles in 15:37. The end result was a score of 291 points. I miss maxing by 8 situps. I was estatic. I had been working out my normal routine until that point and it paid off. I had just scored probably the best score of my unit back in Oklahoma. I just set the bar/standard very high. The only way to go. HOOAH!!!!

Bar Run

So today I did something I had never done before. I had heard of a similar version of this activity but never partaked. This activity is called a bar run. Now I have heard of bar golf where there are so many "holes" and you have to take a drink at each bar. I have also heard of type of bar run where you go from bar to bar just hopping around, typically walking where you went. Well tonights Bar run was exactlly what that says. We started at bar #1 where you had a drink of your choice and literally ran, at times a sprint, to the next bar where you consumed any number and types of drinks until the time frame was up. In the end, we went to 8 different bars and ran a total of 4 miles. Thus the attire for this activity was work out clothes, tank top, shorts and tennis shoes. Now imagine a group of 30 people running down the downtown streets of San Antonio and running into a bar, drinking and running to the next bar. That is what we did. The best part was when we went into a somewhat fancy bar looking like a gathering of college kids craving beer. No real pictures were taken to document this as trying to run with a camera was difficult but you can believe me, it was very fun. I am now very tired and I only had a drink at every other bar.

OBLC part 2

OBLC
Well it is now the 3rd of October. For most of the OBLC students of the 08-805 that means they are on their way homes or enroute to their first duty stations. For some of us, the vets, we are here for another 3 weeks. I am very sad at this point in this OBLC schooling. For the last 9 weeks I have gotten to know an amazing group of individuals, who we called ourselves "Freaken 5th!!" This group clicked from the start and made me feel included and part of a team. We got to enjoy some awesome experiences together. Some of us became very close good friends. This makes this weekend hard as there is no definiate end when people leave. Some have already left a few days prior which not knowing this made for no good byes. We know that we all won't keep up the emails and phone calls but I know we all left with some great memories and some well that we hope were not documented via pictures. For me though, this was a life changing experience that helped me in more ways than I would ever have expected and I leave with no regrets. Other than that, I would not have changed or traded these past 9 weeks for anything.
Go FREAKEN 5th!!!By the way, who has the OCONUS list?