Read this article. Download the whole thing.
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/05/fallen-but-never-forgotten.tpl#featureArticleTitle
I wish I could have done a hero WOD today, but just not happening. Hopefully I can plan several this month.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Catching Up
I cannot believe how inconsistent I've been with my workouts the past week. The motivation has been lacking!
Thursday was a rest day, Friday was a brutal trail run. I did an hour with my friend Mindi's tri-club. They were smokin' fast and I only was able to hang with them for about half the run, but, that said, I still had a fantastic run. It was HARD.
The weekend was a wash, literally. It rained, and rained. Not conducive to biking or being outside which is what I'm craving.
So, a new week, a time to revamp and get back to it, right? Nope. Parents arrive from Chicago today. I was supposed to be off early to pick them up, so I rolled out of bed early and hit the trails for a quick run, throw in some "box jumps" on the benches out there and finished with 3 rounds of 10 ring dips, and 15 KB swings. Then, I come in and check email...flight delayed until the afternoon! Grr...I could've gone to the gym for a lift...
The next four weeks include tons of travel so posts and workouts are going to be sporadic. I'm going to try to work on the diet....not sure how well that will go in italy. It will be like gelatto for lunch and dinner? Or just dinner? One scoop or two. One glass of wine or three?? Haha. Regardless, I'm going to try to control the pasta, bread, and ice cream intake for the week we're in Italy. All chains come off for Belgium though, french fries and waffles here I come! :)
On the flipside, the good news is that July brings exciting times. We'll be moving Chip to Landstuhl Army Medical Center for more therapy, with a potential PCS for us coming later. Why is this so good? CROSSFIT RAMSTEIN!!! I cannot wait to hit their box and meet the crew there. I think I'll be spending some serious time there this summer/fall and maybe make it my next home.
Thursday was a rest day, Friday was a brutal trail run. I did an hour with my friend Mindi's tri-club. They were smokin' fast and I only was able to hang with them for about half the run, but, that said, I still had a fantastic run. It was HARD.
The weekend was a wash, literally. It rained, and rained. Not conducive to biking or being outside which is what I'm craving.
So, a new week, a time to revamp and get back to it, right? Nope. Parents arrive from Chicago today. I was supposed to be off early to pick them up, so I rolled out of bed early and hit the trails for a quick run, throw in some "box jumps" on the benches out there and finished with 3 rounds of 10 ring dips, and 15 KB swings. Then, I come in and check email...flight delayed until the afternoon! Grr...I could've gone to the gym for a lift...
The next four weeks include tons of travel so posts and workouts are going to be sporadic. I'm going to try to work on the diet....not sure how well that will go in italy. It will be like gelatto for lunch and dinner? Or just dinner? One scoop or two. One glass of wine or three?? Haha. Regardless, I'm going to try to control the pasta, bread, and ice cream intake for the week we're in Italy. All chains come off for Belgium though, french fries and waffles here I come! :)
On the flipside, the good news is that July brings exciting times. We'll be moving Chip to Landstuhl Army Medical Center for more therapy, with a potential PCS for us coming later. Why is this so good? CROSSFIT RAMSTEIN!!! I cannot wait to hit their box and meet the crew there. I think I'll be spending some serious time there this summer/fall and maybe make it my next home.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Core Work!
Wednesday WOD:
3RFT
L-sit, 60 seconds
Good mornings, 45#, 30 reps
ABMATS, 60 reps
Back Extensions w/10# plate, 30 reps
Core killer! Took about 25 minutes. L-sits were hard. broke it up into 20 secs, with 5/10sec rest. ABMATS were hard by round 2. And back extensions just aren't something to do fast so I just pushed it on form for each rep--the last 5 of each round were the worst!
Tuesday WOD:
Modified Fran
subbed pullups with pushups due to lack of pullup bar anywhere near our weights. Time was 10min and some change. The 65# thrusters were miserably heavy...i am convinced that bumper plates are easier!
Monday WOD:
30 min trail run with my friend Megan who was in town from Singapore. It was an absolutely georgous morning for a run. I wish we had more of these. Then I did 3 rounds of 10 pushups 20 sits as extra! :)
Overall an easy am but most enjoyable with a good friend!
3RFT
L-sit, 60 seconds
Good mornings, 45#, 30 reps
ABMATS, 60 reps
Back Extensions w/10# plate, 30 reps
Core killer! Took about 25 minutes. L-sits were hard. broke it up into 20 secs, with 5/10sec rest. ABMATS were hard by round 2. And back extensions just aren't something to do fast so I just pushed it on form for each rep--the last 5 of each round were the worst!
Tuesday WOD:
Modified Fran
subbed pullups with pushups due to lack of pullup bar anywhere near our weights. Time was 10min and some change. The 65# thrusters were miserably heavy...i am convinced that bumper plates are easier!
Monday WOD:
30 min trail run with my friend Megan who was in town from Singapore. It was an absolutely georgous morning for a run. I wish we had more of these. Then I did 3 rounds of 10 pushups 20 sits as extra! :)
Overall an easy am but most enjoyable with a good friend!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Trying..
to kick a sinus thing this week. Not really sick, but not toally well. I've been doing lots of thinking rather than blogging.
Well, Wednesday ended up as a rest day since I felt like crap. Thursday morning I spent an hour or so at the gym, but no true WOD. My planned WOD was the one on the mainsite--20 shoulder to overheads and burpess. The warmup was awful and my wrist hurt really bad--tingling nerves is never a good a thing. I had a good warmup of row, boxjumps, DB shoulder presses, so I worked on some l-sits and handstands. Then I shot some hoops for fun. I was more of a "practice day" I guess. Shooting hoops is just somehow relaxing for me. SWOOSH!
Friday WOD
4 RFT
50 airsquats
400m run
Time: 15:18
I last did this WOD in early December and finished in 15: 38. Progress! Oh and my 400m here is all uphill for the first 200m! Legs are a little sore this morning. I was going to get up and go for a long bike ride since the weather is beautiful, but I have a splitting sinus headache...looks like another rest day. I'll rest for the weekend and try to hit it hard next week.
Well, Wednesday ended up as a rest day since I felt like crap. Thursday morning I spent an hour or so at the gym, but no true WOD. My planned WOD was the one on the mainsite--20 shoulder to overheads and burpess. The warmup was awful and my wrist hurt really bad--tingling nerves is never a good a thing. I had a good warmup of row, boxjumps, DB shoulder presses, so I worked on some l-sits and handstands. Then I shot some hoops for fun. I was more of a "practice day" I guess. Shooting hoops is just somehow relaxing for me. SWOOSH!
Friday WOD
4 RFT
50 airsquats
400m run
Time: 15:18
I last did this WOD in early December and finished in 15: 38. Progress! Oh and my 400m here is all uphill for the first 200m! Legs are a little sore this morning. I was going to get up and go for a long bike ride since the weather is beautiful, but I have a splitting sinus headache...looks like another rest day. I'll rest for the weekend and try to hit it hard next week.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Just Business
Nothing fun or notable to post this week, but here are my Monday and Tuesday WODs
Monday
Warmup: dislocates, hip swings, air squats, caterpillar thingys. 4 rounds OHS at 45# just to work the move and form cuz CFOT article said they were good for me.
WOD:
5RFT
250m row
15 DB Push Press (40#)
15 box jumps
Time: 15:35
Mindi joined me for some funishment and finished at 15:50. I can't wait until she's done with tri-training and will hopefully join me more often! I promised to join her next monday with a German running group for an interval night.
Tuesday
Warmup: stretching, then: 2 rounds 10 pushups, 10 dips, 15 air squats
WOD: Strict Press 5 X 3
Totals: 55, 60, 65, 70, 75
I think I can totally hit 80 next time.
Finisher: 3 Rounds, 15 GHD, 15 Hip extensions
Monday
Warmup: dislocates, hip swings, air squats, caterpillar thingys. 4 rounds OHS at 45# just to work the move and form cuz CFOT article said they were good for me.
WOD:
5RFT
250m row
15 DB Push Press (40#)
15 box jumps
Time: 15:35
Mindi joined me for some funishment and finished at 15:50. I can't wait until she's done with tri-training and will hopefully join me more often! I promised to join her next monday with a German running group for an interval night.
Tuesday
Warmup: stretching, then: 2 rounds 10 pushups, 10 dips, 15 air squats
WOD: Strict Press 5 X 3
Totals: 55, 60, 65, 70, 75
I think I can totally hit 80 next time.
Finisher: 3 Rounds, 15 GHD, 15 Hip extensions
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Hmm..
Happy Day! Another new PR. How is this happening? I don't get it. Ok, maybe I do. The depression is lifting, the diet is getting dialed in, though still fighting cravings of bavarian goodness, the intensity is up, the confidence is coming back. Boy does it feel good. I just wanted to go and hit a nice solid WOD intensly today-that was my only goal. I picked one from CF Ansbach that looked like this:
Warmup
2 rounds
20 kbs
20 situps
10 front squat 45lbs
I also added hip swings, shoulder stretches, dislocates and 2 rounds of burgner warmup.
Strength
15 min, eastablish heavy squat clean
Looked like this: 65, 75, 80, 85, 90
I couldn't remember my 1RM Squat clean Squat clean, but just recently posted it here on 24 April. Max of 80. 10# PR Baby!! I think I could have done more too.
WOD
12 min AMRAP
10 Squat Cleans (65#)
10 pushups
Total: 4 rounds
I was smoked at the end of this WOD. 4 rounds looks crappy, but after each squat clean you totally have to re-set everything. Feet and hands. And, since I'm not using bumper plates...just small 12in or so plates, my pull from the floor is low and taxing. But, the great news is that I did it. Nailed each and every clean and did a perfect pushup each time. No slacking on form and no knees...I'm so stronger than that.
Goals for the week:
no pushups on knees
get to the track and use the outdoor pullup bars
1 long trail run
Breakfast before driving Chip to therapy every day
Warmup
2 rounds
20 kbs
20 situps
10 front squat 45lbs
I also added hip swings, shoulder stretches, dislocates and 2 rounds of burgner warmup.
Strength
15 min, eastablish heavy squat clean
Looked like this: 65, 75, 80, 85, 90
I couldn't remember my 1RM Squat clean Squat clean, but just recently posted it here on 24 April. Max of 80. 10# PR Baby!! I think I could have done more too.
WOD
12 min AMRAP
10 Squat Cleans (65#)
10 pushups
Total: 4 rounds
I was smoked at the end of this WOD. 4 rounds looks crappy, but after each squat clean you totally have to re-set everything. Feet and hands. And, since I'm not using bumper plates...just small 12in or so plates, my pull from the floor is low and taxing. But, the great news is that I did it. Nailed each and every clean and did a perfect pushup each time. No slacking on form and no knees...I'm so stronger than that.
Goals for the week:
no pushups on knees
get to the track and use the outdoor pullup bars
1 long trail run
Breakfast before driving Chip to therapy every day
Friday, May 14, 2010
Certified!
Last Friday, Chip and I hopped the plane to Milano, Italy. I was on a mission to get certified as a Level I Crossfit Trainer. Why get my Level I you ask? Am I going to open a box, coach, or anything else? Probably not. But, training alone or with just a few people is HARD. You constantly question whether you're doing it right. How best do you program your training for youself? Oh, and not working right now really makes me wonder what I'm doing with my life. Why I didn't take a career in fitness or physical therapy, I will never know....
So, the Cert. Held at CrossGym Milano. A great facility. The day started with lectures on what is CrossFit, what is fitness. Then a squat lecture. Small group time on squats, then a workout. TABATA! :) Then we broke for lunch and came back for more lectures and small group time, then Fran!
This was an odd weekend to say the least. This was not your typical crossfit group. There were americans, brits, lots of italians, germans, austrians, spanish, czechs, hungarians....and only about 40% actually spoke conversational English. The entire weekend was done in English and Italian. Yes, everything was translated. The HQ staff were not prepared for this but did an amazing job nonetheless. So, you've got language barriers. Then, a bunch were italian personal trainers who just wanted to learn about CF not actually do CF. (I think) Also, in terms of respecting the HQ staff and other trainers....there was a crowd that chitchatted ALL DAY LONG. It was incredibly distracting. Then you had people asking, on day 2, "What does RX mean". Sigh...the days are long enough at a normal cert--9-5. Ours went more like 9-7 or later and I'm sure the staff had to shorten certain sections because the lectures took forever to translate. Then, on day 2, it took 45min to just EXPLAIN the test. A good portion of the crowd had never even taken a scantron exam.
In the end, I realized that all the doubts I had about my knowledge of crossfit, both the exercises and the concepts, were false. Jerry Hill and CFOT more than prepared me to do this and to now carry this knowledge and the kool-aid out into the Schweinfurt community. I realized this weekend that I came from a box and enviornment that was super hard core intense crossfit, but that in reality the spirit of crossfit is about spreading the importance of functional fitness, caring for your body, and building a community of fitness. What is important is not your max rep deadlift, Fran time, Murph time, consecutive pullups, etc. It is about loving your body enough to make it move they way it was meant to and making it strong, inside and out.
So, the best part of the weekend was Fran. Since moving to Germany, my training has been spotty, less than intense, uncoordinated, outside of the last 4-6 weeks of training OPT with Jason. Overall, I'd felt like I've lost strength, gained some weight, confidence, etc. I wanted to PR on Fran when I signed up for this.
I went in thinking this is so not happening. I'm not sure I can do 5 pullups, let alone 45, and 65# thrusters? Yea, right. I've only done that once in the past year. They gave a 10min time limit on Fran. I told Trainer Courtney that I was going for it RX'd but wouldn't likely make the cutoff, but I didn't care. She said, go for it. I'll get you there. I was 1 of 6 women at the cert and the only one with a kipping pullup and the only to attempt RX'd. I barely remember much of the WOD, but I do know my right quad felt like it was going to tear with each thruster. Round of 21 wasn't so bad. I split the thrusters on round 2 into 5's. Starting round 3 I was at like six minutes...NO WAY! I blew through the 9's. I didn't get chin over the bar on 2 pullups that last round and by now I had like 3 sets of trainers eyes on me---no cheating here--they called every rep. I finished in 8:29. A new PR. Not only a PR, but a PR by almost 4 minutes!!! After a morning TABATA score of 17. The intensity and explosion that came out of me was scary. I hadn't gone all out like that since Murph on my last day at CFOT. That one simple WOD gave me more confidence about my fitness that I've had in years. Clearly, not every day has to be at peak intensity. Train constantly varied and be ready for anything. That's what I did, and I was ready.
Monday was a day for sighseeing!
So, the Cert. Held at CrossGym Milano. A great facility. The day started with lectures on what is CrossFit, what is fitness. Then a squat lecture. Small group time on squats, then a workout. TABATA! :) Then we broke for lunch and came back for more lectures and small group time, then Fran!
This was an odd weekend to say the least. This was not your typical crossfit group. There were americans, brits, lots of italians, germans, austrians, spanish, czechs, hungarians....and only about 40% actually spoke conversational English. The entire weekend was done in English and Italian. Yes, everything was translated. The HQ staff were not prepared for this but did an amazing job nonetheless. So, you've got language barriers. Then, a bunch were italian personal trainers who just wanted to learn about CF not actually do CF. (I think) Also, in terms of respecting the HQ staff and other trainers....there was a crowd that chitchatted ALL DAY LONG. It was incredibly distracting. Then you had people asking, on day 2, "What does RX mean". Sigh...the days are long enough at a normal cert--9-5. Ours went more like 9-7 or later and I'm sure the staff had to shorten certain sections because the lectures took forever to translate. Then, on day 2, it took 45min to just EXPLAIN the test. A good portion of the crowd had never even taken a scantron exam.
In the end, I realized that all the doubts I had about my knowledge of crossfit, both the exercises and the concepts, were false. Jerry Hill and CFOT more than prepared me to do this and to now carry this knowledge and the kool-aid out into the Schweinfurt community. I realized this weekend that I came from a box and enviornment that was super hard core intense crossfit, but that in reality the spirit of crossfit is about spreading the importance of functional fitness, caring for your body, and building a community of fitness. What is important is not your max rep deadlift, Fran time, Murph time, consecutive pullups, etc. It is about loving your body enough to make it move they way it was meant to and making it strong, inside and out.
So, the best part of the weekend was Fran. Since moving to Germany, my training has been spotty, less than intense, uncoordinated, outside of the last 4-6 weeks of training OPT with Jason. Overall, I'd felt like I've lost strength, gained some weight, confidence, etc. I wanted to PR on Fran when I signed up for this.
I went in thinking this is so not happening. I'm not sure I can do 5 pullups, let alone 45, and 65# thrusters? Yea, right. I've only done that once in the past year. They gave a 10min time limit on Fran. I told Trainer Courtney that I was going for it RX'd but wouldn't likely make the cutoff, but I didn't care. She said, go for it. I'll get you there. I was 1 of 6 women at the cert and the only one with a kipping pullup and the only to attempt RX'd. I barely remember much of the WOD, but I do know my right quad felt like it was going to tear with each thruster. Round of 21 wasn't so bad. I split the thrusters on round 2 into 5's. Starting round 3 I was at like six minutes...NO WAY! I blew through the 9's. I didn't get chin over the bar on 2 pullups that last round and by now I had like 3 sets of trainers eyes on me---no cheating here--they called every rep. I finished in 8:29. A new PR. Not only a PR, but a PR by almost 4 minutes!!! After a morning TABATA score of 17. The intensity and explosion that came out of me was scary. I hadn't gone all out like that since Murph on my last day at CFOT. That one simple WOD gave me more confidence about my fitness that I've had in years. Clearly, not every day has to be at peak intensity. Train constantly varied and be ready for anything. That's what I did, and I was ready.
Monday was a day for sighseeing!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Photos from the Backyard
AAA few photos from the Steck-Con WOD in the backyard last week. About 40 degrees and raining outside. But, I loved it. Thoughts and recap of the Certification in Milan will be up soon. Important part is, I passed! :) 
Friday, May 7, 2010
Steck-CON Charlie and Off to Milan
I promise I have not been slacking this week. I did a WOD on Tuesday and this one is from Thursday.
Steck-CON Charlie (pack):
Cash in with 800m run.
Then 5 rounds of 21 wall ball, 14 box jump, 7 burpee.
Cash out with 800m Run
Time 25:20
(subbed runs for the row)
I did this in the backyard and I was SMOKED. Great WOD and tribute to the Jon and Leslie. I will definitely do this one again. Steck was actually the one who convinced me to sign up for my first triathlon. At a First Friday social, he said anyone who does crossfit 4-5 times a week and knows how to swim can totally do a sprint tri....his language and story as to why was quite colorful and for some reason it just clicked. And, you know what? He was right.
I didn't go elite on this WOD because I want to be fresh for the Level I certification this weekend in Milan. I know, not a huge deal, but the weather this week has been rainy and cold and everything is achey and my arthritius is totally kicking in! Another reason to move back home...
I will update this again next week-Chip took photos yesterday, but the camera is already packed. Full recap on Milano next week!
Steck-CON Charlie (pack):
Cash in with 800m run.
Then 5 rounds of 21 wall ball, 14 box jump, 7 burpee.
Cash out with 800m Run
Time 25:20
(subbed runs for the row)
I did this in the backyard and I was SMOKED. Great WOD and tribute to the Jon and Leslie. I will definitely do this one again. Steck was actually the one who convinced me to sign up for my first triathlon. At a First Friday social, he said anyone who does crossfit 4-5 times a week and knows how to swim can totally do a sprint tri....his language and story as to why was quite colorful and for some reason it just clicked. And, you know what? He was right.
I didn't go elite on this WOD because I want to be fresh for the Level I certification this weekend in Milan. I know, not a huge deal, but the weather this week has been rainy and cold and everything is achey and my arthritius is totally kicking in! Another reason to move back home...
I will update this again next week-Chip took photos yesterday, but the camera is already packed. Full recap on Milano next week!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Back Squat/Split Squat
Monday WOD
(1) Back Squat @ 30X0; 2,2,1,1; rest 3 min
(2) Split Squat unweighted high speed - 30 sec amrap/leg x 3 sets; rest 60 sec b/t legs
(3) Toes to Bar kipping - 10 unbroken x 5 sets; rest 45 sec
Back squats went well. The 30X0 means three counts on the way down, no pause at bottom, come up as fast as possible. Worked up and started the sets at 125#, last round was 140#. I would have loved to go heavier, but I'm not sure where my max is and without spotters I am not confident going all out.
Split squats were new..they look like this. I hit about 20 reps each round. This is an awesome move for practicing balance--I was a bit wobbly! I'm sure my butt will be super sore tonight.
Toes to bar went pretty well. I was only able to get sets of 5 unbroken. Grr. My grip sucks.
Tuesday WOD
WOD #1: 45 min trail run. Longest run in quite some time. It felt great!
WOD #2: DINNER! Terriakyi Beef Stir Fry with cauliflower rice. Just got some precut meat from the store and added it to 3 sliced peppers, toasted flax seed, garlic, and terriakyi sauce. Thickened it with a tablespoon of corn starch. That was the only non-paleo item in the meal. This was super tasty, even the sauce was good and all natural! And SUPER filling. :)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Back to the Yard
Almost drove to CF Ansbach this morning, but it was a German holiday today and wasn't sure if sessions were being held. Knowing my luck, if I drove there, they wouldn't be open, but since I didn't drive down, they were open! Crap!
Either way, I got in a good WOD this morning. I did a repeat of a backyard WOD I did back in March to see about some progress. The original WOD and results were posted here.
5 RFT
400m Run
20 box jumps
15 pushups
Time: 23:45
Wow...I felt great this morning. I shaved 2:15 off my time from this WOD six weeks ago. The run was MUCH easier, I barely noticed the hill. Would love to smoke through this in 20 minutes by the end of the summer!
I just realized I now have a wallball and could do Kelly in the backyard. We'll hit this one soon. Kelly was my very first CF WOD ever...we go way back.
Either way, I got in a good WOD this morning. I did a repeat of a backyard WOD I did back in March to see about some progress. The original WOD and results were posted here.
5 RFT
400m Run
20 box jumps
15 pushups
Time: 23:45
Wow...I felt great this morning. I shaved 2:15 off my time from this WOD six weeks ago. The run was MUCH easier, I barely noticed the hill. Would love to smoke through this in 20 minutes by the end of the summer!
I just realized I now have a wallball and could do Kelly in the backyard. We'll hit this one soon. Kelly was my very first CF WOD ever...we go way back.
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