slow, but steady

I am not the fastest. I am not the strongest. But I am steady and strong enough to get the job done … too bad I’m not faster, though … I was pretty darned close to getting that 3rd round …

I’ll chalk it up to not wanting it enough… and discovering that there were 9 TTB as I finished up my KBS … surprise!

on the bright side, I got 63 pushups towards my 126 today! yay!

 

health = 8
recovery = 7
mental energy = 6
physical energy = 7
diet = 8 (not enough good calories)
sleep = 7 hrs (broken … new dog, lots of new training)

subtle and steady goes it…

2:1 schedule still going ...

5 rounds @ 10:48
• 10 Box Jumps @ 20"
• 10 pullups
• 10 pushups
• 10 situps
• 10 squats

kept box, situps, and squats unbroken, pullups in 3-4's, pushups in 4-5's, and breaks at no more than :05 ... goal was to do sub 2:00 rounds, so i still have work to do

Post:
• 3x10 TTB
• 2x250m row @ sub 2:05
• 5x7 GHD

... i'm sure DOMs from yesterday's masochist-fest will set in tomorrow ... get some!

keeping with the paleo diet, I’m finally getting into the swing. I let myself become such a junkfood junkie that getting myself to cheat only 1 day a week was a struggle

for me, it’s helping me recover more efficiently and lets me work harder (ie, less suffering during workout). got a routine finally and now matt is on board… more on that laer

mental chipper delights

1K Row
1 Mile Run
50 CTB Pull-ups
100 Games Standard Push-ups
200 Air Squats
1 Mile Run

Ok, I gotta say this. While today’s wod was AWESOME and I’ve come a long way on rowing and pullup skills, I am once again the DORKNESS MONSTER … I took a wrong turn somewhere, then down the block and saw THAT THE BOX WASN’T THERE! So I ran back around… 48:15?

Pushups were v-slow, but steady in broken in sets of 10 doing 5 on the knees and 5 strict... breaks no longer than 5-7 seconds ... it’s the little things. Pullups are getting better and I managed to keep each attempt at multiples until the last 10 reps ... when my arms stated to give out, I had to chip it out with singles... yeah, I had to work up a good angry for those.

The real trouble were with the squats ... all squat movements tend to give me a hard time. I broke those up in 15’s and 20’s and got pretty woozy around 150 ... mentally, I was all over it. Physically? Ooh... sometimes the body refuses to do what you want it to. But I had my sights on the end and got that last mile done ... well ... after going around the wrong block and then going back to finally find the finish :)

a lil sumin’ sumin’

ok, maybe working out while still recovering from my cold isn’t the smartest thing to do, but I am addicted to the adrenaline rush and the post-wod endorphin release ... so I drank lots of fluids (with my delicious watermelon BCAAs), ate a big breakfast, and walked into our CF garage out back with Cody and Matt ... now that Big Bunny agreed to take the “CF-Nazism” down a few notches, I’m beginning to really enjoy our “family workouts” more.

Also kinda torn because I really like CFC programming

3 rounds @12:48

• 10 box jumps (21”)
• 10 HPSU (thin band, no wall)
• 10 pullups
• 10 squats
• 10 pushups
• 10 TTB

ouch... didn’t look tough, but it was (180 reps?!). What a way to brush away the cobwebs by getting the blood moving.

.. so if there’s 1 thing I could improve overall, it would be speed and staying tough in ROM.

I went pretty unbroken on everything, I was just slow ... box jumps and TTB are perfect examples of things that I could improve. This WOD capitalised on many of my weakest movements, so this was good.

no time, no gym, no excuse...

in-room WOD...

• 60 pushups
• 60 situps
• 60 squats with filled suitcase (maybe 20lbs?)
• 1:00 handstand holds

... doh ... frickin stopwatch reset at 5:30-something so I’m not sure what my time was... the squats burned good with that heavy suitcase! Not nearly as intense as the CFC-Wod posted today ... but no access to oly bars or pullup bar :(

... also wanted to add a run to it, but not familiar with area and not too safe at 9pm...

Time to Grow a Pair

Busted up my toe after cleaning up the KBs on Tuesday. Putting weight on it causes awful pain.
Strength: Bench Press @ 3x 85-90-95-100-105 (3x PR = 120 ... a LOT of work to do)
WOD @ CFC: 15 + 1 pullup

• 15 min AMRAP
• 3 CTB Pull-ups
• 6 Push-ups
• 9 Squat Jumps

Unbroken except for pushups in 3's/4's after round 10. I wimped out and did pullups instead of CTB. Bad toe prevented full jump squats or pushups.

This was really fun ... but I have to be honest about something ... I worked hard, but my mental game was off throughout and I just didn't find myself pushing to failure.
Post-WOD:

10 deadhangs @ 3-2-2-1-1-1 ugh!

5 min on versa-I-hate-you-climber

---

Notes: After numerous surgeries and frostbite incidents, you'd think I'd be more careful about taking care of my feet... Glenn's article on the CFC blog today hit close to home and I really appreciated reading that. I only have a few years left to climb the big peaks and made some huge sacrifices to do so ... so without my feet, I'm in real trouble.

In 11 months, we leave for our solo Denali climb and it's time to get my head together. Climbing may not be my career, but it's been my life since I was 14. This will be my 6th season on this mountain and its time to make what few years I have left to count. Something to think long and hard about.

I remember this Army Cpt on Denali last year who lost his legs in Afghanistan ... there he was, dragging his body and his 125+lb sled up and down each cache/carry and working hard during each push ... he climbed 1/3 as fast, but that SOB was hard as nails and always smiled/waved when we passed along the route or saw him at camps. When we finally saw him come into high camp, Matt said that even though he endangers the lives of his climbing team with the handicap, he had a lot of guts for attempting this, we have absolutely no excuse for complaining, and it was time for us to grow a pair. Too true. This guy not only stood in harm's way for us, but set an example for us to aspire to.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/denali/climb/

http://www.summitpost.org/mount-mckinley-denali/150199

Sunday 5/15: Paleo Challenge Day 0 ... Planning & Mentally Preparing

Ok, I gotta come clean. I kept oscillating between starting the Paleo challenge Saturday, Sunday, or Monday and messed myself up. Gotta come clean - I had feta cheese in my omelet, hashbrowns, and a bagel during brunch with the gang today. So I guess I have to start the challenge on Monday after all.

Ugh. I let peer pressure get to me and realise how impressionable I can be ... where once I was a leader now a follower be...

Also, one of the coaches busted me on FB ... sheesh. I deserved that too.

I was going to post a photo of said brunch, but I also promised Elisabeth that I wouldn’t post naughty foods until the end of regionals. BTW, not that it makes it ok, but she was at brunch too!

Anyway, I made up a workout from last week.

Pre-WOD:
3×10 GHD + little ab wheel thingy of pain
50 double-unders

WOD: Made up Wednesday’s @ 8:46

2 Rounds @ 8:46
15 Deadlift (75)
15 Push-ups
10 Power Clean (75)
10 Burpees
5 Power Snatch (75)
5 Handstand Push-ups

Post-WOD:
10 deadhangs (3-3-3-1)
(#?) double-unders and yappy hallow ring fun ... I just love the CFC gang because they tolerate my silliness

I really scaled down weight (75#) and HSPUs were reduced to 2-sec handstands, but I’m glad my snatches went unbroken, I maintained ROM integrity, and that I kept breaks really short when I took one. I can’t say how much I appreciate other CF’ers pushing me to stay consistent. I wonder if they’ll ever know what kind of pathetic slob I’d be if left to my own devices... seriously, if it weren’t for climbing and my love for the outdoors, I’d be well on my way to becoming morbidly obese with all kinds of health issues like the rest of my family.

... keep calm and carry on ...

---

ranking from 1-10 today...

sleep: 9  (a full 8+ hours!)
diet: 4 (I blew it with brunch)
health: 6 (allergies?!?!)
recovery: 7 (stiff, but not sore)
physical energy: 8 (really felt great after WOD and hanging with the CFC gang)
mental energy: 8 (see above)
stress: 6

BEST. CHIPPER. EVER.

As I get my head back into it, I reflect on the why’s and the how’s. Rudy, AKA “Jedi Mind Trick Coach”, asked me what my general analysis was of my time management. Without going into detail, I sent a few bullet points. Now, there is a reason why I call him “Jedi Mind Trick Coach”... instead of replying with a few suggestions as I expected, he asked me what my next steps were.

Best way to mess with someone who likes to analyse and study things is to ask them an open question... ‘nuff said.

I guess I’m talking about all this because the training plan process that I’m going through with Rudy coaching me along is like a chipper. It’s not like I’m doing anything really new, but more about how I can do things better. I’m learning to do things for myself... I’m learning to keep things simple... and I’m learning to plan more efficient training so that I can keep climbing while I’m in school and after menopause.

I guess my next steps will be to (1) deal with the bullet points, then (2) define the 2 measurements he suggested: Heavy and Long (more about this later)

What I like about Rudy and Bryce’s coaching is that that they force me to keep things simple, disciplined, and focused. Truth be told, I won’t struggle with movement integrity as much as I’ll struggle with the former ... and that is why I love crossfit and the coaches at CFC. Matt says I’m a bunny because I just hop-hop-hop along in life without a care in the world. He may be right, but perhaps not for long.

---

So yesterday ...

Skill: Front Squat 3×3

Jessica, AKA “The Blond Fury”, and I agreed to take it easier (1) because we wanted to save something for the chipper and (2) because we didn’t have time to change shoes.

Having blathered that, we checked our egos and focused on quality over quantity. I don’t remember how heavy we worked up to (65-75-85#?), but it was all nice and solid. Worked the elbows, good knee tracking, and stable heels.

Unlike the skill work, the WOD was a little ... messier ...

Chipper for time @ 32:48?
100 Air Squats
90 Box Jumps (16”)
80 Sit-ups
70 Wall Balls (10#)
60 Kettlebell Swings (1 pood)
50 Push-ups (on knees)
40 Pull-ups
30 Burpees
20 Toes-to-Bar
10 Handstand Push-ups (2 mats) 

I suffered a bit but this was GREAT because this is my kind of workout. Set a pace, stay on it, and chip away at it until it’s done. Broke the air squats into 30’s and was pleased I could keep hitting depth. Box jumps started out bad as my quads rebelled, but then I got into a groove and strung 5-10 at a time. My ego wanted me to go unbroken, but my brain said to leave something for the wall balls. Had to fight for unbroken situps and got annoyed when my body rebelled against the WBs on the last 10-15 reps. Checked my ego again and did steady pushups on knees (10’s and 5’s), but I got frustrated during the pullups because my grip and lats just fell apart. Burpees and TTB were slow, but steady. Good news is that I only fell on my head only once during the HSPUs. Overall, it was very fun, but it’s frustrating when your body just won’t do what you tell it to!

Observation. I can remember play-by-play during chippers like this, but I suddenly have alzheimers during those short, sprinty WODs! Oh well. It’s all good and I was happy to get my “GRRR!” on.

BEST. CHIPPER. EVER.

Seriously, it was inspired. Bryce is sadistic, but he’s a genius. This torture session MUST have been of his doing because it seemed rather tall-people oriented (just sayin’). But no name? Personally, I thought it was epic and deserves one. So here are a few that might come to mind:

"Bryce" ... obviously
"Ultimate Failure" ... does this really need explanation?! ... really?!
"Lava Ladder" ... steady flow that burns the heck out of everything in it’s path.
"Anxiety Attack" ... because this is how you feel until you call time.

---

yesterday ...

Sleep: 7-9hrs?! wow!

Strength: 80%-ish

Mental energy: 8

Physical energy: 8

Diet: 6 ... this is annoying. I'm going to start logging today.

Health: a bit of cloggy lung... poo

Stress: 8 ... my professor is sadistic ... more like bastard sadistic instead of make-you-better Bryce kinda sadistic.

Kitty Yoga & Calendars

Actually, he’s not practising yoga, but his flexibility and strength is definitely being challenged by Matt! I might call this “Felinasana”!

I dreamt of pullups last night and woke up with rather sore biceps. Perhaps it’s a sign to practise them more... so I’m going to do

- 25 pullups,

- 25 pushups,

- 50 situps, and

- 50 air squats

every day no matter what.

The numbers are low enough where I can bang them out without messing up my whole day if I plan to CF or do yoga later but enough reps where I can develop some level of proficiency. The goal here is that when I have to do high reps in a WOD, I can work towards going unbroken and start challenging myself.

Having blathered all that, I don’t have a rower and am still pretty sore, so today I did the above and the primary series instead of CFC’s RX WOD.

For now, 2-3x a week is OK, but not ideal (roughly CF’ing every 2 days). I’m working towards 3-4 a week (every other day). Eventually I’d like to be able to train 3on-1off ... which is where I need to be for the expedition.

So Coach had me log my activities from wake to bed because it appears that I need to get my schedule in order before laying out a training plan. I love and hate the fact that he can spot my weaknesses with such ease.

Here it is (click the screenshot):

I looked at it ...  and yes, I lack structure. I do a lot of stuff. My days don’t seem to be very organized. Given how I have a mobile device that allows me to muck about with facebook, TXTs, IMs, and the internet, it also looks like I have too many distractions.

I am Tery and I am addicted to my computer, my android, and all the stuff that comes with them... kinda like ice cream, bacon, cupcakes, and cheese ... in that order.

When I’m supposed to be working on wedding stuff, I get a little facebook ping ... and then 2 hours whisk by. When I’m supposed to be studying or doing lab work ... I’ve got my blog, some other blog, or facebook up too.

Productivity is a problem that could become my limiting factor in whatever fitness/training goal I try to set if I don’t deal with it now.

Right. So I know I tend to analyse a lot, but I also have this niggling feeling that Rudy is giving me a Jedi-Mind-Trick hint ... in fact, I can almost hear his voice ... “get yo shit in order first, T!”.

So the $200k question is: how the F*** do I do that? A little context...

1. I no longer have a housekeeper ... and we’ve discovered that I am a LOUSY housekeeper. I really try and am committed to the lifestyle adjustment, but there’s a serious learning curve here, doing a good job isn’t easy, and boy it takes a LOT of time! Sometimes it’s a little embarassing to admit that I lived like this for many years, but I am grateful for a chance to improve my life in different ways. Work in progress.

2. I no longer have assistants ... learning to manage my time efficiently without relying on someone else is REALLY HARD because you have to be self-disciplined (which I never really had to be). It’s not that I’m lazy, it’s just that I need to develop new habits and skills ... like #1.

3. I get distracted easily ... with external things that pop up (like a phone call that turns into an hour, a facebook message that MUST be answered now, or the cat taking a crap on the laundry basket) ... or internal things that my INTJ head can’t let go of (like pontificating on my blog as I’m doing right now) ... other than getting an RX for Adderall or Concerta, I’m not sure what to do or how to deal with what could be some form of ADHD.

4. Prioritising ... in business, I was great. I was decisive. I was the boss. I had a plan and could excute the crap outta anything. But now, it’s personal. Everything is important. I am now half of a whole. I’m 40+ years old and it’s like I’m starting all over again. I can’t do things the way I used to if I want to keep this marriage. I certainly need to figure out how to prioritse in such a way that everyone wins. This is going to be tough and I realise that some things will have to give.

I heart chippers and getting back into it!

For Time @ 15:46 (20 min cap)

40 Hang Power Cleans (75#)

40 Box Jumps (16")

40 Burpees

40 Calories on C2

20 Hang Power Cleans (75#)

20 Box Jumps (16")

20 Burpees

20 Calories on C2

doh! AWESOME WOD that beat me down and called me susan!

i was chugging away until the 2nd round of burpees ... then BAM! dry heaves and started staring at the floor!

then my ego got slapped when i saw jessica blast through and had 5 calories on me by the time my sorry butt finally hit the rower - wow! baby has not slowed THE FURY down! what a tough chase!

I finally finished 2 calories behind and hit the deck!

woo! this was a great lung burner - level 2 fun indeed!!!

Broke 1x on 1st round of HPC’s, then twice on 2nd round ... god, I love HPC and they felt good. just wish my body would keep up with my head!

Broke 2x on each round of the box jumps. we only have 24”er have at home, so 16” was a blessing!

Burpees felt ok in first round, but dry heaves hit on the 2nd round and I really found myself falling behind there

My rowing has improved, but fatigue and inconsistent movement prevented me from pulling more efficiently - I found myself pulling 2x per calorie instead of 1-1.5 pulls per calorie. ANY rowing ability I have I owe to coaches Bryce, Ben, and Rudy, I was a TOTAL mess before they taught me what to do... trust me, anyone knows how embarrassing it was... in fact, almost as bad as how I used to run! (oh yeah, THAT bad! ha!)

I’ve always enjoyed the mental challenge of chippers and I have to admit that bodyweight WODs are helping me build a little confidence because my strength definitely isn’t back yet. Partnering with Ali G has been great and it feels so good to get back into the box more and more.

---

Overall, I’m starting to feel my head get there - little by little, bit by bit... just chipping away. Sometimes ya gotta let yourself hit rock bottom before you get your “GRR!” back on. I’ve still got 14 months until Denali and 6 months before the wedding, so I’m not kicking myself toooo hard just yet.

Monday, 11 April

Alison and I agreed to make this WOD up on Sunday so we can do it together. Unbroken pullups look really intimidating so we agreed to hold off. I worked on 10 deadhangs, did 50 situps, 50 TTB (the bar at home is easier to string, go figure!), ran 800m with the dog, and did 30 pushups. It’s not much and I didn’t time it, but I managed to do something given how sore I’ve been.

Sunday, 10 April

Really needed a day off, still sore and needed more calories. I’m clearly not eating enough.

Saturday, 09 April

Kinda sore from yoga! My hamstrings and arms are sore from all the inversions and bound bends. I went really deep on friday and managed to get into full posture expressions - balance and strength slowly coming back. yay!

Friday, 08 April

Ashtanga Yoga, Primary Series, 90min ... get ‘er done.

Post yoga
worked on Pullups, TTB, pushups, and situps. I think I'm going to do at least those since I can sneak off for a bit each day.

---

so this week...

Sleep: better, averaged 5-7hrs
Strength: 80%-ish
Mental energy: 8.5
Physical energy: 8
Stress: 7 ... I hate my professor and lab partners
Diet: 5, not too naughty, but also not enough quality calories
Health: cloggy lungs and see above

3/28 - 4/2

Mon 3/28

21-15-9 reps @ 5:45 (yikes! v-close to time limit!!)
Hang Power Cleans (65#)
Wall Balls (14#)
Box Jumps (20″)

Would've liked to go a little lighter/lower to get speed up, but we don't have 5# bumpers or a lower box @ home. Need to work on metcon REGARDLESS - this was a struggle and I was really slow!!

Post – 3 x 10 Glute Ham Raises

oh, i'm gonna feel these in a couple of days...

http://beyondthewhiteboard.com/workout_sessions/1154041

Tue 3/29

Ashtanga yoga (full primary series) ... yeah. v-sore glutes... i wanna chalk it up to having an asian ass... but that'd be wimping out. my glut/hams are flexible because of yoga, but underdeveloped in terms of strength. i think my squat movements will really improve if i can improve that... work in progress

Wed 3/30

15 min AMRAP @ 7 rounds, 2 DL
9 Deadlifts (75#)
12 Push-ups
15 Box jumps (20")

coach said i wasn't working hard enough because i wasn't cursing... that's kinda sad ... and maybe true because i think there was 1 more round in me. my goal was to do 7 rounds, so i was trying too hard to time each round at 2:30 ... which felt way too slow. i also scaled down weight instead of just doing it RX'd... it was too light (even though my form went to crap in the last round when i finally decided to go faster)

oh well. when in doubt, challenge yourself. lesson learned..

http://beyondthewhiteboard.com/workout_sessions/1159112

Fri 4/1

Lack of access to equipment prevented me from hitting regular CFC WOD, but I managed to do ashtanga yoga (full primary series). Better than bananas for diminishing soreness and working out the kinks (really sore from glute/ham raises!)

Sat 4/2 (CFC Fri 4/1 Makeup)

WOD: 7 Rounds @ 13:42
3 Hang Power Snatch (75#)
5 Handstand Push-ups
7 Pull-ups

Yay! Was able to get a WOD in! V-slow, but HPS unbroken (maybe light?). Still working on full depth for HPU. CTB unbroken in first round, then 2-3's. Still working on getting my "GRRR!" back on.

Post-WOD
me laying on the floor ... and then 5 x :05 l-sits

http://beyondthewhiteboard.com/workout_sessions/1166777

Still need to do power cleans, though.

---

So out of 10 this week ...

stress: 2-3

health: 85%

mental energy: 8

physical energy: 8

sleep: 7 (kitties are insane)

diet: 7 (i ate a whole pack of maria cookies, 2 orders of fried shrimp, a whole box of orange milanos, and a cadbury's on thursday ... oooh, so naughty on cheat day and probably not enough calories spread out each day, but diet is improving. boy did i feel the junk food hangover later, though.)

slow going

thursday

3k row @ 14:00 something really bad? yah. i stopped twice, that should account for the extra 2:00 i added to my average time

friday

deadhang pullups. 5 attempts AMRAP @ 4-4-3-2-2 ... eesh. a little embarrassing... i miss you, guns. please come back.

today

5 rounds @ 8:28

• 10 pushup
• 10 pullup
• 10 airsquat
• 10 situps

not bad, but not great. kept pace steady throughout, but wasn't really "hustling" it. movement was good even though my knees tracked in a bit and slowed me down a lot. i wonder if there's something i can work on for that - not sure, but i'll chip away.

---

trying to work on training plan for denali 2012. i'm struggling. using coachs' template, but i'm having a tough time because climbing has pretty specific skills.

so far, i brainstormed the functional requirements for the climb. then i listed the skills for each requirement. then i tried to figure out a plan to get me to where i want to be from a performance perspective for each skill. i guess the next step is to put it into a format that works for the coaches so they can help me put the 12 month plan together. i want to make sure i hit goals for rescue skills, glacial travel-specific skills, climbing skills, acclimitisation, diet, muscle mass (weight gain), recovery, endurance, and strength.

if i start march 1st, then that gives me 2 months to baseline and get the plan right. then it'll leave me about 12-13 months (may/june 2012).

i think my biggest challenge will be mental and all the other priorities i have between now and october. non-profit side work, house renovations, and wedding planning are keeping me extraordinarily busy. something is going to have to give and i'm not sure how we're going to do it... i wonder if i can put a wedding planner or paid contractor on our registry ;)

oh, cindy… you sadistic witch!

well, they weren’t the exact words i used... let’s just say tat towards the end of the carry, i had to work up a real “grrr!” to keep moving. but i’m glad i can serve to entertain ... but i was so done and there was no way i could keep going without tapping into my inner rage.

generally speaking, i’m a cheerful space cadet, so trust me when i tell you that working up a good mad takes mental creativity...

cindy @ (yeah, i forgot my time ... my air squats were inconsistent, my pullups were broken by round 10, and my pushups were on my knees ... oh yeah, it was ugly and i have a lot of work to do. don’t judge...)

so ... 15 rounds of

- 5 pullups
- 10 pushups
- 15 air squats
then 50 rounds of 14# med ball carries

ali g is great. we worked hard and she kept me honest. i was soooo done around the last rounds of the carries so her double counting was good.

so as i work on my denali 2012 training plan, i struggle with what kinds of goals i need to plot out. traditionally, i just carried a lot of weight, dragged sleds, ran a lot, climbed a lot, and did a lot of yoga. this is my 2nd year doing crossfit ... so ... in spite of the fact that it’s been great, i need to really make it work for me and invest in my performance more now that we’ve decided to climb unguided (which means more work, more weight, and more risks)

... as we stuff our mouths with today’s brunch cheat feast ... oh yeah, march 1st and it’s on ...

* diet: 2 (oh yeah, it's THAT bad)
* stress: 8 (way too much going on)
* health: 85% (i had a bit of a cold this week, ugh)
* physical energy: 8 (slowly but surely)
* mental energy: 6 (seriously, after all the reading i've been doing lately, this is a great improvement)

CF-Mode and Feeling It

Strength

Hang Clean 1rm @ 83(2)-103-123-143(4)-133(f)-133

Stopped at 133# because movement was beginning to degrade and my elbows weren’t getting under the bar fast enough anymore. Even though I tend to over-think what I’m supposed to do, I know there’s still some work to be done to match or better my 155#PR. Years of climbing and yoga gave me a propensity towards strength work (“It’s just a big backpack, T!”), so I’ve decided to work on quality of movement over the next few months rather than quantity of weight. The big PRs will be there. There’s a 180#PR waiting there in me ... I guess I’m just not feeling it yet.

Metcon
7 rounds Light and fast @ 18:08

5 Handstand Push-ups (abmats, abmats, abmats ... ugh)

10 Deadlifts (85# ... I know, weak sauce, but I have bad movement habits I want to break first)

10 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups (V-weak sauce! Purple band on a few rounds, barely pull-ups at that!)

20 Double-unders (This felt good. Only broke once for all rounds and it deserved a good “HA!” at the end.)

I admit that got angry with how weak I’ve become in the metcon department ... but tomorrow is another day and I know there’s plenty more where that came from :)

Notes:
Interesting thing today. Coach noted that I don’t seem to be in CF-mode yet ... Bryce jokes with me a lot so this one didn’t strike me right away. But I think he’s right (he usually is and I love/hate that).

I guess I’m just not feeling that intensity yet. S’ok, though. I’ll get there and I’ll work to gain the weight that will help me along. The coaches tease me a lot and get on my case, but I can’t argue with people who really know how to call me out my lazy BS in order to get me to improve. These guys are total gems to put up with some of our adolescent behavior ... and my god-awful eating habits lately (for another post).

So even though I’m mixing in the yoga and home CF’ing, I’ve been coming into the box only 2x a week. I paid for 3x and am only wasting my own money and time. The intensity needs to be worked all around, I suppose. Truth be told, I’m a little burned out. This year has been REALLY frickin busy.

I’m not trying to make excuses ... I’m just REALLY tired! This year, I got in 2 semesters of full-time, labs with every class, pre-med coursework ... then climbed Denali (Mt McKinley) ... then climbed the Tetons ... then did my WEMT ... then did 6 weeks of NPS and IHS rotations ... then moved twice, bought a new house, renovated it, and moved again ... built 3 websites for friends’ businesses ... then got engaged and am now planning a wedding and trying to get a job. All the while still training, getting sick once in a while, having accidents, doing some volunteering, running a few races, getting injuries, and trying to nurture a relationship. Dude, seriously?! I’m a bit pooped!

Stress: 6
Strength: 75%
Mental energy: 7
Physical energy: 6
Health: still cloggy lungs, but improving
Diet: pretty bad. i eat clean (i.e., paleo) all week, then i pull out the chocolate, cheese, and popeyes around 8pm because i’m feeling too lazy to cook ... then i tell myself that i need to gain weight anyways (yeah, i know, it’s the wrong kind of weight. seriously?! this is shameful. i was one of the paleo challenge winners earlier this year and look at me now! i didn’t just fall off the wagon, i jumped off with eyes wide open. man, i can see bryce showing me his tatoo and rolling his eyes at me. it’s the worst!)
Sleep: 7-8ish ... i’ve been so lazy lately, who knows!?

20100215 Training: 80 days left

Press 5-5-5+ of 1rm+5lbs @ 58.5%, 67.5%, 76.5%
58-68-78(4)

Ugh! So weak! It's just taking me so long to recover. I want to be 30 again so that I can bounce
back right away after being sick. Sheeesh.

... by the way, Weight Math IS different than Normal Math. For some reason, I thought my first round
would be 84#, so I loaded it and wondered why it seemed so heavy for a first round ... I could FEEL
the coaches rolling their eyes as they laughed and shook their heads. Time to readjust and get to
business.

The 1st round felt smooth, 2nd round was a little tougher, but the 3rd gave me trouble. I was pretty
frustrated that 78# would do that after 3 reps given that I can usually power through weight like
this less awkwardly. Keep working...

Metcon 5 Rounds @ 6:10 (plus or minus 1 round of push presses)
15 Push press (55#)
15 Box jumps (21")

Right. So this is embarrassing. Not only did it take me too long to get set up and psyched, but I
managed to drop my IQ along the way as well. I had it in my head that we started with box jumps so I
did my 5 rounds ... believing my last round was push presses ... only to realize that I did a 6th
extra round when I called time and Coach got a puzzled look on her face...

As punishment, I got teased relentlessly ... again ... nothing worse than being ganged up on by
Paws, BeeDub, and Mango all at once.

3x max push ups (90s rest) @ 15-10-8

Improving. Wish I could do more. I want to be able to bang out 25 each round

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20100117 Gymnastics Training w/ Jeff Tucker!

wow!

So this weekend, I got to work on parallelette handstands, free standing handstands, straddled inversions, every pullup variation ever, anything on a set of rings, L-body shaped stuff, and tumbling (oh yeah, I tumbled!) ... My upper body and core got one helluva workout but I got to to and learn things I never thought I could. It was awesome

I'm thankful for all yogic practice because it helped me work through stuff that a CrossFit/gymnastics newbie like me wouldn't normally be able to. There were only 3 non-CF trainer/affiliate owners there so you can imagine the coaching I got with 30 in the room. Everyone got called names in the silliest, endearing ways - from madman, doodle-bug, lil' shit, kiss-ass, and bendy yogi (me).

The class used words I've grown to love and become accustomed to: functional, efficient, full movement, purpose, and service to your community

What a service to the community Jeff Tucker is indeed.

I learned later that day from Coach @ home that Tucker's "service speech" isn't unique but sincere - totally ok since there wasn't a dry eye in the house as he spoke of his experience as firefighter, service to others, and his father sitting across the room

.... Now if that doesn't inspire you into a muscleup, I don't know what will!

(cue room full of raised lighters)

2010 01 13: Still Work - Mini Barbara Workout of the Day

This was one of those WODs where it sneaks up on you. Truth be told, I wasn't able to get as aggressive as I'd have liked, but I think that level of intensity and energy will come back soon.

Metcon 3 rounds w/ 3:00 rest between each round
- 20 Pull ups (5-3-2)
- 30 Push ups (5-3-3)
- 40 Sit ups (slow, but only broke once)
- 50 Squats (slow, but unbroken)

Rd 1 – 3:55 (3:55)
Rd 2 – 12:00 (5:05)
Rd 3 – 21:01 (6:01)

Skills: cleans
Worked on form more than weight-training/strength-building. Wouldn't make sense given that my performance isn't back yet. I still struggle with squat-related movements anyway.

Overall, it's been pretty humbling to see my body function at a fraction of where it was 4 weeks ago. According to my beyondthewhiteboard.com graphs, bodyfat has increased and lean body mass has decreased - pretty normal given how inactive I've been. Today's metcon broke me down to tears. Eileen pushed me as I struggled to finish - she and I are very much on the same boat. Age plays a big part in recovery for us and she seems to really understand; incremental progress is also a struggle since our bodies don't respond to
training as dramatically as they did when we were in our 20's and 30's.

The good news is that my return is right at the beginning of the Paleo Challenge. Hopefully, I'll have dramatic improvements over the next 2 months.

The pressure is on. I have 115 days until we leave for Denali. There's so much at stake - the level of commitment goes to team safety and my ability to do my share of the work on the expedition. If I don't have the strength or conditioning to pull one of my male teammates out of a crevasse, build snow/ice shelters during a white out, or keep pace with the rest of the team as we climb, I become a liability, not an asset. It goes beyond humping a 50lb pack and 70lb sled up the route - after 6-8 hours of climbing in altitude every day, I have to help build snow shelters made out of ice/snow blocks every time we set up camp, dig out group latrines and kitchens, set up storm-proof tents, dig gear storage holes, set up ropes, and dig out caches. It's going to be a lot of pack mule work... I'm not afraid of what lies ahead, but concerned about being a solid member of the team and doing my part.

2009 12 19 Makeup WODs: slowly getting back!

I am not back @ 100% still, so I found myself working on skills and doing some of the strength work. I really wanted to do more metcon, but after blacking out a little on Wed's WOD and getting a reality check, I'm kicking my ego aside and trying to do something.

So...
* HSPU 7-7-8 (banded)
* Ring DH Pull-ups 2-1-2
* 75 Double-unders (strung 5-5-12-4-6-8-4-5-3-6-6, singles throughout)
* Pushups 10-8-10

Friday 18 Dec:
Jerk 3-3-3+ @ (135/1rm) 70%(94.5), 80%(108), 90%(121.5)
Felt weak after doing skills and moving earlier today, so I failed 1st rep @ 120. Need to really get more aggressive getting under the bar too.

Saturday 19 Dec:
Squat 3-3-3+ @ (165/1rm) 70%(115), 80%(130), 90%(150)
It felt much heavier than I thought it would and I need to work on my knee tracking. Its amazing what you can catch/learn when you video.

Overall, it wasn't easy, but I didn't feel woozy or like I'll be wiped out for tomorrow. I'll be back for another day. Hooray!

20090 11 29 Turtle Workout after a great holiday weekend

Nothing more humbling after a 3-day thanksgiving binge than a 7-round workout with 4 navy seals, 2 endurance athletes, & a gal half my age ... well, of course, there is the whole thanksgiving event in and of itself.

We drove to Chardon, Ohio where I met matt's family for the first time. Good people, good eggs - I now know where Moosey-Matt gets the prankster spirit. His mom is a big kid and enables his antics (not that I can judge by any means).

They, like my family, are great - they are perfectly imperfect. They know how to laugh, accept each others' differences, respect each others' opinions, and value each other as individuals and members of a family. I got to see where he went to school, buried his dog, explored in the woods, and spent his days terrorizing his mom and sister.

I smiled a lot to myself thinking about how matt and I grew up in such different, yet similar ways. We came from different cultures and upbringing only to find ourselves in the same place with v-similar interests, values, and goals.

During a pitstop on our way back to Chicago, I bought a lottery ticket last night feeling like I already won. I'm glad he's my woobie and I think we're good for each other even though he smells.

---

today's workout (makeup from yesterday)

Strength: Back Squats 1-1-1 @ a v-v-mediocre 135-155-165#

MetCon 7 Rounds: I forgot to look @ my time, but it was poo ... trust me ... I think it was around 7-8 minutes. Oh yeah, it was bad.

* Power cleans, (100% of power snatch) 3 reps
* Pull ups, 6 reps
* Push ups, 9 reps

slow slow slow pushups... on my knees for chunks of it

pullups (CTB/pink) were bleh... broke a few times on the last 2 rnds. v-inefficient and v-slow

power cleans were v-v-light @ 55# ... i honestly feel like i cheated @ this weight

so yeah, I really need to learn how to be more efficient overall. Totally felt the cheese, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cookies from this week ... felt like i was working in mud in slow motion today!!

20091027 WOD "TABATA Something else"

Complete 32 intervals of :20 work then :10 rest

• first 8 intervals are pull ups
• second 8 are push ups
• third 8 intervals are sit-ups
• last 8 intervals are squats

There is no rest between exercises.

 

The total score is determined by adding up the total number of reps in any set of each exercise.

---

Pendlay Row: 63-83-93 (worked on form, work on weight next time)

 

Total Score @ 261

• Pullups: 41 (8/7/7/5/4/4/2/4 blue band)
• Pushups: 50 (9/8/7/5/5/6/5/5 knees)
• Situps: 64 (10/9/9/8/7/6/7/8)
• Squat: 106 (14/13/13/13/12/13/13/15 too slow)

 Instead of pushing hard, I paced myself out of fear of losing steam ... such a mental game!