25 Days

Here we go. The last few days have been crazy hectic. I went to PT twice today. It was too much fun. I've been bugging Sgt Shaw all week to do the IST. We finally did today. For those that don't know, the IST is the Initial Strength Test. Females have to run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes, do 44+ crunches in 2 minutes and 12+ seconds flexed arm hang. So far I've knocked out the crunches and the flexed arm hang. Last time we did the run [about a month ago] my time was 18 minutes. I'm not a runner. I hate running. I like sitting on my butt. I have to pass the run though. So, today, I was out running the IST. Sgt Shaw was yelling at me. I was slowing down, but I was 3/4 of the way there. I couldn't stop. He told me if I passed that he would buy me ice cream. I walked for maybe 10 seconds and then started running again. Then I walked for a little more. By then I had maybe 100 yards to go so I just sprinted the rest of the way. I finished and looked up at Sgt Shaw. He looked happy...but not. He showed me the stop watch and I couldn't believe it. I was thrilled, but pissed. 15:27. 15:27!!! I shaved 2:30 off my run time...but I still failed. Sgt Shaw kept telling me how much I had improved and all I could think was "I failed". He told me he didn't expect me to pass. He was proud of me for my improvement. He told me that if I hadn't walked I would have passed. I was PISSED, but PROUD!!! I failed, but I improved. When we got back to the office he told me there was something he wanted to give me. We went out to the car and he dug around in the trunk. He pulled out a Marines t-shirt and told me I earned it. I'm so proud of myself.