53 - aerobic meltdown

I guess I have seriously overestimated my aerobic ability, as proved today during the "Starter Fitness" class at the Y. Look at the title - it has the word "starter" in it - and it kicked my rear. This is coming from someone who used to own (and do) every Kathy Smith video workout! I felt like I was friends with all of the people in the Billy Blanks tae bo workout gym! I knew which Firm instructors were annoying and which ones were too perky! I could SKIP over the step bench. Ok, so all of this was like - dare I admit it? - 10 years ago? 15? In recent years, I have been walking for workouts, or doing the elliptical trainer at the gym, sometimes weights, occassional classes. Since having the baby, I have mainly walked for exercise, done the elliptical, and participated in stroller fit (which is quite the workout, despite the title making you think you might just be strolling along, gabbing with other mothers). Last Friday, I ran into a friend from church in the lobby of the Y. Turns out, she and another gal I know come up there every Mon, Wed, and Fri. I'm pretty sure God made sure I ran into her - I have been looking for a way to be more accountable for exercise, and then look what happens. It's so cool to see answered prayer. That's a whole other topic....so back to today. I decide to meet her up there today for the 9:00 "Starter Fitness" class. Wow. It was hard. My hips ached. I had to leave the step bench and do the steps on the floor, and totally modify majority of the workout. Like on my old VCR tapes, when they would show the older woman you were supposed to follow for the "modified" or "low impact" version. That would have been me today. "Just follow Cheryl if all of your muscles, or what is left of them after having a baby, are about to burst out of your body along with your heart because you are not in the condition to do all of these steps...she's over there in the corner. You'll recognize her with the super red face." Believe it or not, my baby came to my rescue. Apparently he was crying a lot in the nursery, so after about 30 minutes of the class, the child care worker came in with the white board with my name on it. Oh, darn, you mean I have to leave now? At least I could save some dignity and leave for a reason! The whole time I felt like I needed to be wearing a sign around my neck that said, "had a baby 5 months ago, not quite up to full steam yet for an aerobics class!" I do plan on going back though. You just have to get back up on that horse, right?!