29.3.10
25.3.10
20100324 Training: Pizza and Ropes
ok now that the Paleo diet challenge is done (I placed 3rd, by the way -
hooray!) - but alas, some cheat days are not meant to be. What I should
probably try to do is find a balance that allows me to "enjoy food" and yet
still get the performance that I need. Having said that,
Pre-WOD: boston cremes, vanilla ice cream, and entire thin-crust pizza.
Totally regretted it during the WOD.
Strength: Pull ups & Rope climbing
Climbed part of the rope with Ross, we then mixed in ring and bar pullups.
There is a difference between 22-yr old male shoulders and 40-yr old female
ones. Ha! :)
Metabolic conditioning @ 6:00
30-20-10 reps
Hang power clean (65 lbs)
Wall ball (12 lbs)
... I'm taking a :03 penalty for jumping the gun. Rather funny given that
I'm not known for speed... at all... ever. Seriously,
Post-WOD: ran 2.75m home, then proceeded to finish off donuts and ice cream.
Yummy, but painful. I am afraid to know how poorly I will recover from all
this. Time to revisit the diet (or at least a more "normal" version of it)
Sleep: 6.5 hrs
Stress: 3 (I admit that I got some online retail therapy in)
Mental Energy: 8
Physical Energy: 7
Diet: 2 (see above)
23.3.10
20100323 Training: Looking for Redemption
left... man, it's going by really fast.
Strength: Deadlift 5-5-5 (find 5RM)
Came in late but got to work with the nuclear-power twins, Mr January &
Billy, at CFWL so I warmed up with 135 right into 185 and 200 ... then ran
out of time. Goal was 5x200 so I'm happy. DL weren't pretty, but not awful
either. I'm not fearing DL's like I used to now that I understand what my
body is supposed to do and how to work on improving.
Metcon 5 rounds @ 11:10
- 10 pull ups
- 100 single unders
- 10 burpees
Rudy and Bryce's voices kept playing in my head, "Are you going unbroken?!".
Anjali and Adam were right - just get over the mental crutch of the band and
get to work! First round unbroken (yay!), then 5's, then 3's. I love you
guys. Slow, but steady all the way.
Post WOD: 3x5 GH raises
Painful, but will be very helpful with squats, DL, rowing, and full
clean/snatch movements down the road
Sleep: 6.5 (doggy kept getting us up)
Stress: 5 (chemistry exam and need new home!)
Mental energy: 7
Physical energy: 7
Diet: 6 (not enough protein today, need to fix that)
20100322 Training: Not today either
this weekend left me tired/weak today.
20100320 Training: Karabell is a tough chick!
I live to fight another 46 days.
Tery's doggy logic
Tery loves Berners > Matt doesn't want a Berner, but a lab > Tery brings
home Berner to babysit > Matt experiences lovely Berner > Matt likes Berner
> Matt now wants a Berner > Tery Wins
I'm watching Nick & Jen's Bernese Mountain Dog, Penelope (aka Penny), this
week while I'm on spring break and they on are on their post-engagement
vacation (hooray! Congrats!)
I would love to get a dog. I haven't had the heart to get another dog since
Emma passed (or until otherwise as of late!). But having another Berner
grace our home right before we sell it/move away was a nice little blessing.
Of course, Berners require a lot of attention and work (they shed a LOT, are
shy, get funny infections, and they are v-v-mellow), but having had them
(and even rescued a couple), I was happy that they were willing to trust me
with her. Unfortunately, I spoiled this dog rotten. She learned to whine (I
come running and then pet her/give her treats), she learned to chase the cat
(Matt laughs and praises her when this happens. Bad, bad Matt), and she
won't eat her food because I keep spoiling her meals with too many treats
throughout the day. I also went to the pet store and spent $60 on treats and
toys.
I've become a softy and it's not good for her (or any dog).
Having said that, I hope Nick and Jen will let us watch her again and not
get too angry with us. Oops ;)
19.3.10
My Paleo Game Plan
did and what my results were during the Paleo Challenge. Between some great
suggestions and support from coaches and friends, I pieced together a weight
gain and recovery plan that looked like this:
Supplements:
1. probiotics (acidophilous). took daily with breakfast (meal #1). This
helped digestion, food absorption, and efficient use of food fuel.
2. magnesium, calcium, and vitamin d @ lunch (meal #3)
3. fish oil @ evening (meal #5)
4. tried to not eat past 8:00pm
Here are some links to blogs and resources that helped me:
http://zackottecfc.blogspot.com/2010/01/supplements-what-im-taking-and-littl
e.html
http://www.robbwolf.com
http://www.marksdailyapple.com
http://journal.crossfit.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probiotic
My meal plan:
- total 150g protein per day (1g per lb � was trying to get to 140lbs for
recovery, eventually 145-150lbs for the expedition)
- minimum of 25g protein per meal with veg/carb
- 6 meals a day (not including pre/post WOD) � a total of 8
- sm fruit 4-5x a day (1 with pre & post wod); all before meal #5
- pre-WOD: 1 piece of fruit and 3:2 carb/protein shake (whey protein has
helped with quick digestion, more absorption, and no "kickback" during the
WOD). usu 60-90 min prior
- post-WOD: 4:1 carb/protein recovery shake (endurox) within 30 min after
calling "time!"
For the most part, I was strict Paleo (whole food) except for pre/post WOD
shakes and 2 cheats (during the crossfit sectionals). In the beginning, the
diet sucked because I felt "full" all the time and didn't want to eat my
last 2 meals of the day (at one point, I even cried at how awful it was to
eat like this) - but once the supplements kicked in and I was
absorbing/digesting better, my appetite returned. I was honestly ecstatic
when I woke up �wanted� breakfast. This was HUGE. If you've been reading my
blog, you know how much I grew to dislike eating.
How I gamed it:
- prepped a lot of meals 2-3 times a week. I did a lot of raw or slightly
saut�ed food to keep in line with the Paleo premises- so not a lot of
cooking but a lot of bagging for pre-packed, mobile meals ("paleo kits") and
snacks
- bought organic food in bulk... costco, whole foods, and restaurant meat
markets rule
- bought jerkys, pemmican bars, supplements, and whey protein online (great
deals on amazon.com)
- when I wanted to cheat, I listened to my body for what it really wanted
and gave it that (Wanted sweets, ate a piece of fruit and meat. Felt empty,
ate nuts and either a whey shake or a bag of veggies)
- drank loads of water. Sometimes you think you're hungry for something -
when in reality, you're just dehydrated.
Results:
- I gained back 19lbs by the end of the challenge (19lbs of pretty lean
muscle weight ) almost all of the weight I lost when I was sick. I'm
actually "leaner, tighter, and smaller" than when I was "sick skinny".
- My strength returned 100%... I may even be a little stronger � I matched
or exceeded all of my performance records being almost 5lbs lighter than
when I started.
- Recovery. I�ve been tired from lack of sleep because of school, but
physically I�d recover within the day (sometimes even a few hours) and could
handle more in a shorter period of time. Prior to that, I�d have to scale
down and it�d take 2-3 days for acute muscle soreness, arthritic pain, or
joint swelling to subside. This is HUGE for me at the age of 40 and how
relentless mountaineering is. Arguably my biggest gain.
16.3.10
20100316 Training: Room to Improve
Deadlift 3x5
Snatch 8x2 I love snatches, but I struggle with deadlifts ... and coach knows it ... so
deadlifts they were: 3x5 @ 185/155/155 ... gluts will be a little sore
learning controlled lowering to load next rep. Gotta be committed when you
deadlift, I overthought it and prevented myself from pulling my 3x5 goal of
200lbs. Shoulda, coulda, didn't. Metcon: Clean and Jerk ladder (55-65% of 1RM Clean and Jerk): With a
continuously running clock do one clean and jerk the first minute, two clean
and jerks the second minute, three clean and jerks the third minute...
continuing as long as you are able. Use as many sets each minute as needed. 8rds + 5 @ 85lbs
Reps were steady but too slow to keep pace with the ladder - had enough in
me to go another round or two but was just too slow. need to pick up the
pace or lower weight a tad. It felt good, but got a little sloppy finishing
round 5. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get more aggressive under
the bar to string them more efficiently... and effectively faster. It was
good fun and would like to do this again :) Post WOD Skill - 3 x max pull ups (2 min rest) @ 3-2-1
yeah. arms/lats tired from pull-ups yesterday. Not that many considering I
was pooped from strength and WOD... but it's time to work and work I must do Sleep: 6hrs
Mental Energy: 7
Physical Energy: 7
Stress: 7 (I have tests and am stressing inorganic chemistry)
Diet: better with paleo kits made (turkey breasts, peas/broccoli, nuts,
dried cranberries), whey packets, boiled eggs ready to go, and my nalgene
20100315 Training: I'm trying! 50+ days left
for) and this article on the CrossFit Journal... totally put things into
perspective going into my last 52 days before the expedition. http://journal.crossfit.com/2008/05/the-hard-routine-by-jason-doug.tpl Oh yeah, Alex's blog (http://theunbrokenone.blogspot.com) is a great one to
read too. He is, as Tucker would say, poetry in motion when he trains...
although he was the first one to tell me that there's a lot going on in the
head even though the outside says different. He's a great athlete and a
great guy. Back to business. Strength: Overhead Squat 5x1
OHS 93# felt good. Wanted to go heavier, but I'd like to correct
inconsistent depth and balance issues first. Knee hurts. Metcon: 12 min AMRAP
5 burpees
10 pull ups
15 sit ups yeah so a 30# weighted belt seemed like a good idea at first, but I realised
it was poo after rudy wanted to see my pullups unbroken... the light turned
on and the belt came off ... burpees and situps were steady. Strung pullups
in 4/5's throughout. Ended with 6 rounds, 7 situps if I don't count the one
buggered while taking the belt off. Post WOD skill - 3 x max handstand push ups with 1 controlled negative at
conclusion of each set (90 sec rest) Didn't have it in me today to do post WOD - not getting enough sleep,
calories, or mental downtime. We'll try again tomorrow. Good news is that
Coach took a few minutes to help me understand how metcon and body weight
specific movements don't need to integrate with strength. Why put on the
weight belt for pull-ups when I can't do 10 at a time unbroken? I might be
able to do the burpees and situps unbroken, but it seems I need to get
unbroken overall ... not 2/3 of the way. He also showed me some interesting
endurance drills to do that were movement-specific for my sport (aka pulling
lots of weight up for 8 hrs, digging/building snow shelters,
crevasse/rescue, storm work, and vertical climbing). It was a productive,
but tiring day. Sleep: 7hrs
Mental Energy: 7
Physical Energy: 7
Stress: 4 (significantly lower now that my condo is closing!!!)
Diet: not enough protein, need to remember to pack more food for the day.
It's so hard to prep so much food every day.
15.3.10
13.3.10
20100312 Training: Chipper
Metcon @ 22min something
100 Box Jumps (20")
80 KBS 1 pood)
60 Wall Balls
40 pull-ups
20 cals on the rower
chip, chip, chip away. adam, ali, and tim were awesome pushing me through tonight... i was slow, but steady until the pullups ... then broken all over the place (literally and figuratively) ... finished right around 22 something. this might have been interesting scaled with my weight belt and no mini-band helping my sleep-deprived rear get through.
Knee pretty sore from my weighted run. I landed funny I think and it showed in my box jumps. Also not enough good calories. Dragging ass all week
I really need to sleep
20100310 Training: No rest for the weary
Jerk 5-5-5+ reps at 60%/70%/80%
85-98-113(8)
I loved doing the jerks. Even big Eric was there to coach me through. But my body wasn’t cooperating. I’d been running on fumes for the past few days trying to study for exams and prepping for papers. I had been averaging 3-4 hours of sleep per night for the last 3 nights and finally crashed.
I think I had another 3-5 reps in me … but the body can’t do much when it NEEDS to sleep and eat more.
Metcon 5 rounds: DNF
8 Overhead squats (60)
30 Double-unders
Optional post WOD: DNF
3x Max push ups (90 seconds rest)
Oh yes, big DNF’s. after the jerks, I could barely walk or set up. I was dragging and waddling around I was so tired. When Coach asks you twice if you’re ok and gives you a funny look, it’s time to get over the ego, go home, and get some frickin rest.
I may have been able to get away with this when I was 25, but I can’t do that anymore at 40. The pneumonia debacle was a big, humbling wakeup call … better to play it safe and I won’t lose much missing a day. We just make it up on the next and fight another day.
Speaking of the fight. There are many reasons why I scream, curse, and get myself into a rage when I work out … its how pissed I am that my 40 year old body won’t perform the way I want it to or recover as well as it used to. The frustration level manifests itself into a kind of “workout rage”… that and the fact that I have raging hormones, it’s a nice release to get it out, and it’s a little hard to control when I get to a certain intensity level.
20100309 Training: Finishing up with a 2k row
Today was the last day of the paleo diet challenge. I rowed my heart out, went home, and pigged out so much I stayed up all night wired from the sugar and felt sick the next morning. It was beautiful and I plan to do a bit more cheating this week.
Today’s workout: 2k row for time
I shot for sub 9:00, ended with 8:43 (2:10 pace). Definitely improved thanks to Woods Bros most excellent coaching and a few friends barking at me to consistently pull hard. I don’t HATE rowing, but I’m not that crazy about it either. I’m still learning how to be more efficient and how to built up that gas tank so I can stay strong in the last 750m. it was good.
So what does this have to do with my training for Denali? A little in that my body is adjusting to the demands of sustaining work output over longer periods of time and strength comes in different forms. The thing that strikes me the most was that I’m starting to recover well – I wasn’t completely floored or wasted 30-40min afterwards. I was ready to go again … this is huge since we climb, cache, or carry 8 hours each day with very heavy packs during the expedition (which is about 21 days).
I think what I enjoy the most about crossfit is that it’s constantly varied … so that everyone has the opportunity to showcase their strengths and expose their weaknesses. No one seems to be immune to the different parts of the workout – so everyone there collectively suffers and strives in their respective areas. I may have the strength to get a heck of a lot of weight off the ground and move it around but I don’t necessarily have the gas tank to do the body weight stuff that the smaller girls can. One girl’s 135lb power clean is another’s 24” box jump or muscle up.
I think because of this, I’m improving. With all this varied work, I’m glad to know that my 60lb backpack and 80lb sled won’t prevent me from “pulling my own weight” after 8 hours of climbing with it and helping to set up a bomber-proof camp, build the snow/ice shelter, pull someone out of a crevasse, or gear up for a technical pitch.
Coach will be incorporating my weight belts into workouts now that I have to start more “pack mule” training… lots of dragging heavy weight, carrying heavy weight, pulling heavy weight, pushing heavy weight, and lifting heavy weight … all the stuff a mountain girl needs…
Well, maybe another 15lbs of lean muscle and a bigger gas tank would be nice… I’ll never turn down more strength and endurance ;)
10.3.10
8.3.10
20100308 Training: CrossFit Total
Back squat, 1 RM @ 150 (160 PR)
Press, 1 RM @ 95 (same as PR)
Deadlift, 1RM @ 245 (same as PR) Total: 490 Still struggling with squat depth so I it makes it difficult to improve.
Wasted a lot of energy "overthinking" and setting Press and DL. Felt really
weak today.
20100307 Training: Monday Makeup
(Adam, Ali G, and Skins here lookin strong before we go into the workout)
Power snatches 5-3-1+ (70%/80%/90%) @ 73-83-93(4)
Metcon 3 rounds @ 6:11
- 10 thrusters (80lbs)
- 10 burpees
Brutal.
Thrusters slow but unbroken 1st rnd, then 4's and 3's the last 2. Didn't too feel "too" heavy at first but it snuck up on me and burpees took the rest. Stared at bar a lot but the burpees were steady. I need a bigger gas tank :)
Today also took paleo challenge photos. My before and after are more significant than I thought. TBA!
7.3.10
6.3.10
20100305 Training: OHS and 5k
I enjoyed working on depth and control with Jos and Coach Alex "The
Assassin" Nenney: 35-45-55-65 I went a little off the program today because OHS is something I do not do
well ... at all. So I did the weight as RX'd (yes, I'm that weak on the
OHS!) but did more reps at the lighter stages to get depth and foot/hand
placement right. A lot of this seems to be a balance and extension strength
thing for me, so it felt good to work on rep after rep. Everyone seems to
have movements that are very natural for them and some that don't. I've decided not to get too hung up on what I can't do and focus on
improving on whatever I can do. Today, I worked on improving my depth and
control towards the bottom of my squat... tomorrow (or the next time), I'll
throw more weight on. I just have a feeling that if I try to blast off a lot
of weight without getting the right movement in, I'll defeat the whole
purpose of it. Snatches, power cleans, thrusters, front squats, or jerks feel more natural
to me because the movements are similar to how I might lift ice blocks,
backpacks, or anything we'd be managing on a climb. I can also leverage core
strength the same way as I do for yoga ... so once I got more familiar with
these lifts, it felt more comfortable throwing more weight on... I suppose
the goal is to do the same with these new movements. Metabolic conditioning: 5K run A steady 27:52 if I remember correctly. An improvement given that my time
was about the same prior to getting sick, my knees weren't sore at all
(THANK YOU, Coach Bryce!), and I had enough juice to hit the climber for 15
min when I got home.
4.3.10
20100304 Training: 5k interval
No access to rower and matt worked late. So today's makeup WOD from Tuesday... I ran 5 1k intervals with :90 in between instead of the 5k partner row ... 27:19 with a declining pace that started with 5:20 and incrementally declined to a painful 6:08. Tough but definitely an improvement. Those :90 rest breaks really make a difference in recovery
20100304 Training: 5k interval
No access to rower and matt worked late. So today's makeup WOD from Tuesday... I ran 5 1k intervals with :90 in between instead of the 5k partner row ... 27:19 with a declining pace that started with 5:20 and incrementally declined to a painful 6:08. Tough but definitely an improvement. Those :90 rest breaks really make a difference in recovery
3.3.10
1.3.10
20100228 Meal: Mid-Meal + Dinner
- 1/2c mixed nuts
- 2 turkey jerky sticks (3oz)
- cherry lara bar
- 1/4c mixed seeds Dinner
- 1 chicken breast (8oz)
- sautéed peppers, mushrooms, and basil
- kale garnished with flax seeds
20100228 Meal: Mid-Meal + Dinner
- 1/2c mixed nuts
- 2 turkey jerky sticks (3oz)
- cherry lara bar
- 1/4c mixed seeds Dinner
- 1 chicken breast (8oz)
- sautéed peppers, mushrooms, and basil
- kale garnished with flax seeds
20100228 Meal: Breakfast
- 4 egg omelet (3 yolks) with 6oz of turkey breast
- 1c cooked spinach and kale
- 1c blackberries
and veg. great way to start the day
20100228 Meal: Breakfast
- 4 egg omelet (3 yolks) with 6oz of turkey breast
- 1c cooked spinach and kale
- 1c blackberries
20100227 Meal: Dinner
Dinner
- mixed seeds and nuts
- 6oz turkey
- 1c cooked spinach
foods or feeling hungry as often. Good fuel keeps the engine happy and
running, I suppose :)
20100227 Meal: Dinner
Dinner
- mixed seeds and nuts
- 6oz turkey
- 1c cooked spinach
foods or feeling hungry as often. Good fuel keeps the engine happy and
running, I suppose :)
