Getting into shape is difficult. However, getting whipped into shape for a specific sport is terrifying. As fall sports wrap up, winter sports are just beginning. A start to many seasons requires the dreaded conditioning week. If you are walking down the hallway by the gyms and see kids running out holding their mouths, do not be alarmed. Some sounds you may hear from the gyms include coaches whistling, teammates yelling at their peers trying to pump motivation into them, and possible vomiting. Kids are getting in shape after possibly one of the longest off seasons thanks to COVID. This year’s conditioning could be argued to be the worst out of every year prior because of the requirement of masks. Masks can either be used properly and cause breathing in hot air, or they are used improperly and are simply there to catch sweat. Either way, you are left feeling more disgusting than ever. Speaking of disgusting, when the coach says get on the line, it is time to start praying. I have left the baseline after running either holding back vomit or saying, “That wasn’t that bad”. There is rarely any in between. I strongly believe that the coaches enjoy watching us push ourselves to the limit. I know they do it all out of the drive to be the best, but man do those extra runs kill. The first day is often the worst, and then you wake up the next morning. Your legs forget all the stretching you did right after the workout and every step is a mixture of your legs feeling like noodles or the size of the hulk’s. The days get longer and longer as the week goes on. Everyone looks forward to the last day of the week because they know they can finally start to let their legs recover. The hardest part about the workouts is the mental aspect for sure. Your body is telling you to stop running or else you will regret it, but your mind is telling you quitting is for losers. All in all, conditioning week pushes athletes to their physical and mental limits.