705

18 Minutes.  

That's how long it takes.

Breathing in, breathing out.

Focus inward.  Hush the voices around me.  Breathe.  Remember this is a mind game.  A mental challenge more than a physical one.

Keep the breathing under control.

I begin to feel the burn around 250.  I got this.  Piece of cake.

I am going to beat my own personal record.  400.

More than 400 squats.

I am nervous.  Randall told everyone just before we began the squat challenge that I did 400 last time.  I am glad it gets dark early so I don't have to watch them watching me.  Breathe.

They finish with their sit up challenge.  I am still going.  350.  "You're psycho" one of the newbies yells at me.  Keep going.

400. 425.  "Gilbert, what's your personal record?"  "500", he says.  I got that.

500.  "I'll bet you can get 600", Randall says.

There is no pain, no burn.  Only a slight jelly twinge to my quads and the breathing.  In and out.  Push up challenge comes and goes, and still, I squat.

600.

Count to 100 one more time.

I can do this.  615.  625.  Ignore the jelly legs.  They can hold me up.

645.  Almost half way there.  I am resolved to do this.

689.  Can I push past 700?  Let me see.

699.  700.  701.  Just four more.  BREATHE.

705.  Legs of jelly and the beginnings of a burn that is going to stiffen my legs and make me remember these squats every single time I have to go pee tomorrow.  Since I drink about 2 liters a day, that's a whole lotta pain tomorrow.  Walk it off.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOLY SHIT 705 FREAKING SQUATS IN A ROW WITHOUT STOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!