Its Official

So tonight was the first real test for me to go to school. Yes, I know I passed the board, and got selected, and have a ship date. However, tonight I had to pass an official PT test done by my recruiters so that they would allow me to go. Picture this, I show up at the recruiter station at 1630 ( I have to start getting used to military time again). Here I am surrounded by high school students. Only 3 of the 15-20 of us are out of high school. I'm thinking my butt is about to get kicked and I'll be stuck wheezing around the track with all these young bucks cheering me on telling me I can do it. Fortunately for me that's not how it happened.
We pulled into Hillcrest High about quarter after five just as the sun is going down. This cold air sucks to run in. Everyone but me is pre basic so they have to pass some 1 min push up, 1 min sit up, and run 1 mile in just under 9 minutes. Most of them are dropping like flies at like 40 push ups and can barely stay in the push up position for the full minute. Yours truly pops out 66. Huge improvement for me. I'm feeling pretty good about myself at this point. Next comes the sit ups. Again most are passing their minimum but still only getting like 30 sit ups. I end up with 61. Again not the greatest but better than anyone else in the group. Then comes the run. We line up immediately after I finish doing my sit ups. I'm still breathing hard, my heart is beating out of my chest and I have cotton mouth with no water. I need a rest. Nope, not going to get it. Off we go with all the young bucks breaking great strides in the distance. Here I come at a nice jog to warm my legs up. Keep in mind I'm still reeling from the sit ups. One kid decides to pace me. Smart kid. Maybe not real smart cause my pace wont pass his one minute time limit but I assume he will speed up after a lap or two. Eight laps around is my goal. I settle into my long distance pace of 8 min 30 second mile for the first 2 laps then I'll pick it up. Only there is one big problem. The cold air is sucking my will to live. Finally on the fourth lap I tell the kid pacing me he has to pick it up or he won't pass. This I think was morally defeating to him and he dropped back. I yelled at him and he picked it up and made it in time. On to 4 more laps for me. Still keeping at the 8:30 pace but feeling like my lungs are getting ripped out. Midway into lap 6 I feel like I've got to puke. Ended up that I just needed to cough and it went away. My last lap and I was still in line to pass but not with much of a grace period so SSG Young got up and pushed me my last lap. Final time: 16:19. A full minute and 11 seconds slower than my self administered test 2 weeks ago. At least now I know I can pass under crappy circumstances. Final PT score: 233. I want it higher but I'm happy going in with what I have. Just got to keep working on it.