Monday
The week starts off slowly, exercise-wise. I cycle to work and back, but otherwise take it easy.
Tuesday
I've got a day off work today, and I've decided to have a day off army fitness, too.
Wednesday
OK, I've got to knuckle down today. But I'm rushed off my feet at work after spending the previous day swanning around Kew Gardens, and I'm going out straight from the office ...
Thursday
Argh! It's Thursday and I haven't even started yet! I really must crack on. I cycle to korfball practice after work, train for two hours, then cycle home. I think this can reasonably take the place of the prescribed 20-minute run. Once home, I start on the strength exercises. I struggle with the press-ups - perhaps my arms are tired from passing and shooting the ball. I manage 34, 30 and 31 repetitions.
However, I'm making good progress with the sit-ups. I achieve my highest max score so far, and all three sets are better than my score in the original fitness test. I notch up 80, 72 and 63 reps. The pain of performing 215 sit-ups is considerable, but the feeling of euphoria I experience when I stop more than makes up for it.
Friday
Again, I have a busy day at work, and in the evening manage nothing more energetic than watching a DVD and eating half a tub of ice cream.
Saturday
I have no choice but to head to the gym, something I try to avoid at weekends. The interval training shifts up a gear this week. I seem to have been doing five lots of 'one minute fast, one minute slow' forever, but now an extra minute at each speed is required. To add to the challenge, I decide to move up a level on the treadmill for all six 'hard running' minutes.
The running itself is bearable, but I feel a bit shaky when I dismount, and incredibly hot. Even after a shower, my face is still crimson, and I'm due at the hairdressers in five minutes. I have to ask for my hair to be washed in cold water. I can only imagine how reader Sam Gibson feels at the end of his interval sessions, as he cranks the treadmill up as high as it will go ...
Sunday
A game of korfball at lunchtime comfortably covers the aerobic demands of day seven. I still haven't done day five's circuit training, though, so it's back home and out with the camping roll mat. This week I have to do three sets of 12 reps for each exercise. I rattle through them as quickly as I can, as they're getting quite time-consuming. On the other hand, they're not particularly difficult, and I enjoy the variety of circuits more than the monotony of running.
Despite not starting until Thursday, I've somehow managed to squeeze everything in. It certainly hasn't been ideal, though. I'll try to be more organised next week.
· Are you following the official army fitness programme? Email rachel.dixon@theguardian.com to share your experiences in next week's training diary
