So, what's your Fran time?

There is nothing I like less than Fran. I would prefer doing Murph, to Fran. Yes, Fran is short, and you tend to get her over with very quickly, but she is God awful. Actually, I lied. There is something I like less than Fran. Doing Fran after a 20 hour workday.

So, to say that I wasn't thrilled about getting up this morning and doing Fran is a bit of an understatement. Ok, a huge understatement. The kids swam well last night at our district meet, and I am proud of what they did, but at the same time, I didn't get home until 1130 last night, and going for 20 hours straight doesn't leave much in the tank.

We rampd up in 20 minutes to a session max on the front squat where I almost got 185, which really is nothing to sneeze at. But then we had to turn around and do Fran. I wasn't expecting a PR, and I didn't feel like I was in any place to give a PR effort, but I surprised myself a bit and got a PR today. Only by 2 seconds, but I guess as the CF video says, every second counts right? It just bummed me out to watch everyone else just pounding away at PR's and me be stuck where I am. I haven't really budged off that Fran time in almost 6 months. I've never been a speedy person, but I am feeling slower and slower these days. It's not a good feeling to have, and mentally not a good place to be.

Sorry for the non-upbeat post, but I'm not feeling very upbeat today.

4 minutes pain... repeated....

Jerry and the members of the sectional team have been working hard to gear up for the games, which are going to be held at the end of March. In order for the athletes to sort of gauge where they are with their training, Jerry thought up this pretty beastly WOD and put everyone at the affiliate through it. Although it may not look that bad, I can assure you that it really, really, really sucked. It's only a 15 minute workout.... only?

Soooooooo.... here's what it looked like.

4 minutes max clean and jerk (105lbs)
Rest 1 minute
4 minutes max rounds of
3 C2B pull-ups
3 Burpees
Rest 1 minute
4 minute time cap
Row 500 meters
Max double unders
Record the number of max double unders

Basically, this is a test run of a lot of the "potentials" to come out of the hat at sectionals. It was an opportunity for those athletes going to the games to sort of look for weak areas. For others, just an opportunity to get a sick and disgusting workout in.

My numbers for the first two wods were decent. My second number would have been higher, but if my chest didn't hit, I didn't count it. In fact, I probably did about 8 pull-ups extra that I didn't count just because I didn't feel them touch. I did almost 7 rounds with the penalties. If you figure that I had 8 other pull-ups in, that's almost 2 more rounds... which means I could have done almost 9 rounds. My last wod was a pretty decent row, but my double unders were atrocious. Working double unders, especially after about 10 minutes of pretty intense work is hard. I'm not going to lie about that. But I guess if you can double under under extreme fatigue, then you should be able to double under at any time right? Just some food for thought I suppose....

"Are you crying? There's no crying in BASEBALL!"... or rowing for that matter...

Yesterday was an unusual day at the box for me. First of all, it was unusual because I went in at 0915. I didn't go to school yesterday because I wasn't feeling well, but I've already missed so much training time that I didn't want to miss another wod at the box. I know this probably sounds like some really messed up logic to some people but to me at the time, it made total and complete sense. I was eliminating the stress of being at work and getting away from all the germ, and I was doing something good for my body that my body clearly needed, or so I thought. The second reason that the box was unusual for me yesterday was because, I cried. And for those of you who are now connecting the dots, this is where I got my amazing post title and movie clip from. The crying.

I love Tom Hank's role in this movie because it's so off kilter for him to be a complete jerk off. He's normally the sweet caring funny guy and he is such an ass here, but regardless I'm getting off topic here. I know you're shocked. Anyway, our wod was a 2K row. Just a straight up, 2K row your ass off row. I wasn't feelin 100% so I just wanted to get some work in and go home. But you know, people were talking about PR's etc, and so I was trying to keep my 500 pace under 2:00 and go for a PR. Now, I was fine for about 1000M and after that, nada. It was like at the 1000M mark, something in me snapped. I felt like I couldn't breathe and the labored breathing just turned into me sobbing on the rower and I had to stop. It was extremely embarssing but it was like something on the inside just came unhinged. That's never happened to me before. I was sitting there crying and Leslie was talking to me, trying to get me to finish. She was being so encouraging and just telling me to finish the row, and after about 30 seconds, I was ok, and started to row again, but it was such an unusual thing for me.

All I can say is that I guess that just goes to show that sometimes our bodies know better than we do. I've been fighting with my schedule for a long time but I have just kept going, putting one foot than the other, knowing I have responsibilities and things that need to be done. I really haven't given my body a break. I've known that I need to slow down, but I haven't, and I guess this was my bodie's way of saying, ENOUGH. I honestly think that all the illness, the stress, the exhaustion that I've been fighting off, just pushing away by trying to get to the end of the swim season finally caught up with me. After the row, I felt like I couldn't breathe but I was glad I rowed out the remaining meters. The clock had continued to run despite my sobbing episode, and I still finished in a respectable 8:32, but it was more just getting the work in that I was proud of... not so much the time. I don't know if that has ever happened to anyone else, but I will say this. Leslie and Jerry were very supportive and very understanding and I'm VERY VERY lucky to have such a wonderful group of people around me. The people at CFOT do care about me and what happens to me and it's good to know that they do.

I've also decided to take today off work and lay in bed to try to rest as well. I don't know that I will go push it at the box today, but I may depending on how I feel later. We'll just have to see. I'm resting now and staying away from the stress/germs of school for a few hours, so hopefully that will help.

Now after that disastrous row yesterday, Jerry had put up strict press as some extra work. I decided to do some 1 SM's and despite the mental fatigue of the rower incident, I was able to get my thoughts and self gathered to put up a 1 SM of 95lbs. I know some of you might be wondering what SM means, as opposed to RM. Jerry and I were chatting yesterday and he mentioned something that I like. He said that lifters will sometimes do the same lift two times a week. Is it feasible to go for a rep max in the snatch today if you just did it two days ago? The answer is no, you're not going to make gains that fast. So he said that they'll call it an SM, or session max. I like how that sounds because it reminds me that everyday is different. You can't always expect a PR everytime you lift/row/run. But you can always expect your best output for any given day. All it takes is all you've got, in that moment, on that particular day. Eating, sleep, stress, injuries... all make each WOD different... so I like the idea of a 'session max' and will probably use that from now on. Helps me to keep things in perspective, and let's face it, sometimes, we all need that.

Show me your squat face!

It's sort of become a running joke now at CFOT that everytime we do back squats, we look to see who has the best "back squat face". I think it was Soni who sort of got the whole ball rolling, but honestly, they are pretty funny. Nothing like a 1 RM back squat to bring out the best in all of us! Needless to say, Monday was a 1 RM back squat kind of day, and dude, CFOT is gettin' strong like WHOA! Like, Joey Lawrence kind of WHOA! There were vids of BS PR's all over my CFOT news link. I mean, seriously, there were tons! It was everytime I logged on to Facebook that day, I saw a new PR video. Lots of dudes squattin' over 300, and we've got some ladies now up over the 200 mark. Pretty darned awesome!!! So rather than wax all philosophical about me and my lifting, I'll just post the video. I heart videos! :)

Show me your squat face!

As Soni said, my shorts match my face! Show me your squat face!

Are we getting too big for our britches?

The beginning of a new year tends to make us reflect on things. Goals we have, things we want to achieve, where we're going, where we've been. As I stopped recently to think about the goals I have for the upcoming year, I got to thinking about when I joined CrossFit. It's been over 2 years now since I found Jerry and CrossFit Old Town, and I wouldn't change a minute of it. Sometimes I actually wonder what would have happened to me had I NOT found CrossFit.

CrossFit has turned me into a much healthier, stronger, and more driven person than I was before. Before I was on a slow track to weight gain, heart disease, and a sedentary life. I wonder, what would have happened to me had I not started getting fit and losing weight? After all, that IS what CrossFit is about right? Creating elite athletes by teaching them to move better through varied, functional movements, and eat better?

Since I began CrossFit, I have watched CrossFit simply EXPLODE. Not only has our box expanded, but CrossFit itself has found its way into other countries and cities and towns all over our country. CrossFit is no longer the underground force that it used to be. It's now pushing more towards the main stream, and as I watch what is happening in the CF community, I can't help but wonder if maybe we've grown a little bit too big for our own britches? De-affilating, separations in the higher ups, grumblings about programming. Is this really what we've come to?

The whole purpose of CF is to build elite athletes by teaching them to move better and eat better, right? Then I have to ask, what the F does it matter if you're doing strength days 2 or 3 days, metcons 3 or 4 days, or doing Paleo, Zone, or Primal? The point is that people are WORKING OUT and learning to move better and people are EATING BETTER. After all, isn't that the whole POINT? What does it matter if they Zone/Paleo/Primal? All 3 focus on reducing processed carbs which by now we all know is essential to becoming healthier. Why does it matter which way an athlete does it? Why does it have to turn into this huge argument about who's right? Same thing with programming. Regardless of whether it's strength training or metcons, people are learning to move better. Isn't that what we've wanted all along?

One of the things that everyone loves about CF is that there is a ton, a virtual TON, of info out there on the movements, diet, programming etc and it's all free! The only problem with that is that there is a ton of information out there on movements, nutrition and programming. Everyone has "seen a video" or "read an article" that says THIS is the way. I call bologna. Maybe it's because I'm a teacher that I see it a different way, but I have to say that all this arguing and bickering is BS. There is no one RIGHT way. As a teacher, I've learned that sometimes, kids need to hear things 4 or 5 different ways before it clicks for them. One way or four of the five ways might not work, but there might be that one that does. So it shouldn't matter if people use different cues or different techniques to teach the movements. The end goal is the same. An improved, and correct movement. The same thing with diet. It shouldn't matter if people use different diets to help improve their nutrition. The end goal is the same. Get people away from highly processed, high carbs foods and back to more natural foods. And of course, the same goes for programming. It shouldn't matter if people use more of a strength/lifting base or metcon base to get their clients to move better. The goal should still be the same. To move better. In the end, THAT'S what's going to create elite athletes; moving better and eating better.

I love that CF has grown and that more people are embracing this non-traditional style of working out. I really do. I think it's fantastic because it means that people are interested in being healthier and moving better. But I feel like lately we've been moving away from the goals of CF. We've been distracted by some off the field action. I say it's a new year, and it's time to refocus. Let's get the attention back on the athletes. Back on getting people to move better and be healthier. Forget about this "I'm right, you're wrong" mentality and understand that there are different strokes for different folks. Maybe it's the teacher in me, maybe not. But if we use all the tools around us, all the ideas, all the techniques, and we all wind up moving better and being healthier wouldn't that be the coolest damned thing of all?

Dee-licious

I told you I would share things about food that I liked, and here is the first. This stuff is seriously so good, I can barely contain myself. Ok, so I can contain myself, but this stuff is great. It is tasty, and yet so simple to use. If you are Primal/Paleo, this does have Canola oil in it, so probably a no go for you, but if you are Zone, it's a life saver. Bland chicken? No problemo. Throw some Kosher salt and pepper on some chicken breasts and throw them in a glass pan. Put them in the oven at 350 for a while. Eh, roughly 20 minutes or so. Be sure to flip the chicken once in there, and then at about the 20 minute mark, take the mix and dump it on the chicken. ALL of it. Here's the thing. Even if you eat this WHOLE entire jar, it's just over 3 blocks of carbs, and just over 3 blocks of fat. You're not going to do that, you're probably only going to wind up eating about 2-3 Tablespoons which is barely a block of carbs and maybe a block of fat. Pretty cool huh? So anyway, throw it back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes, then pull the chicken back out and throw on some provolone cheese. This basically turns your chicken into a Parmesan minus all the breading and deep fried fat. Cook for 5-10 minutes with cheese, remove and enjoy. It's f'ing dee-licious. I promise. :) Serve with fresh veggies! :) (use butter for the fat and you're all set!)

Playing ketchup!

Get it??!!? KETCHUP?!?!!? Catch up? I'm so funny... :P It's been another busy week here in Katieland and it seems that again my blogging has taken a hit. To all of my loyal readers and fans out there who have been reading and watching all the feats and failures along this journey, my sincere apologies. Swimming will be done in a little over two weeks, and at that point I will breathe a very large sigh of relief. It is not that swimming occupies much of my time. In truth, swimming practice last only an hour each day, although our meets on Fridays last much longer. Despite that though, it's really not that time consuming. What makes swimming stressful is that it requires me to fly out of school each day directly at dismissal to speed to Mt. Vernon, and on some days to then leave Mt. Vernon and speed to work at the restaurant. This constant need to be go-go-go-go-go has really begun to take a toll on me.

I hate to say "I'm not as young as I used to be" but to be really frank, right before Christmas I began to hit a wall. I have realized I cannot continue with my schedule the way it is, which is why I began to go to more night classes at CFOT. That extra sleep has become very important to keeping me healthy, and also sane. It's not that I don't love team 0515 or working out in the AM, but I simply can't do it on a daily basis anymore. I am still going in early when I know that I have commitments after school, so I do still see team 0515 ocassionally, however, it is not as regular as it has been. So, since I had to work on Wednesday after school and swimming, I went in Wednesday morning to hit a nice little metcon thrasher.

The WOD looked like this.

5 rounds of

60 seconds max GHD
60 seconds rest
60 seconds max meters row
60 seconds rest
60 seconds max double unders
60 seconds rest

This really was a burner. After the GHD's my abs were fried and my back was starting to tighten, so rowing immediately after was brutal. But with all the GHD's and with all the rows, I was able to stay within a few reps/meters of my first round. I felt pretty good about both of those. Jerry asked us to record our totals for each exercise and my row was over 1,400, and my GHDs were 149. I was pretty pleased with that. My DU's were a whole other can of worms though. It was pretty bad. We had some athlete's with over 300 DU's. Um, I didn't break 100. Clearly this is something I still need to work, and it's evident that I haven't been working them in the mornings before class like I should. It's time to def get back on that track.

After this WOD, I was in need of a rest day. It had been three days on, and not to mention, the abs were pretty sore (READ are still pretty sore) and so I took my rest. I wanted to get in Friday morning to hit a max clean and jerk day, but I was so wiped out from all the stuff going on I opted for more sleep. Thankfully Jerry let me come in a little early to the night class and so I was able to get this in right after school before flying off to Mount Vernon for our meet. (see what I mean about always going?) I didn't lift very well during the max clean and jerk, and to be honest, felt pretty lousy. I was still sore, my form was off, and we realized I have a pretty damned big form fault in my clean. So, it's back to the drawing board with my cleans. Eesh. Just one more thing to put on that goat list I guess. But regardless I got in 4 days at the box this week and have a run planned for tomorrow. That will give me 5 days of exercise this week, which I consider pretty solid work. Hopefully after a few weeks of 5'ers I can get back to 5 CF days and a run day for 6 days of a work per week. We'll see if that happens though. All in all though, this was a pretty good week in the box for me, and I'm pretty happy with my work.

I have started to get more into the Zone this week, and while I'm still not perfect, I'm slowly getting there. I've all but eliminated soda from my diet (again, haven't we played this game before?) and have REALLY cut back on the sweet stuff. I did cave on Thursday and have an ice cream sundae (I blame the PMS) but that was the worst thing I did all week. To be honest, my meals have all been pretty good, but it's the in the middle that needs a lot of work. I am still drinking coffee, which I know is bad, and sometimes I will snack on thiings and not balance them out. So, I know where my weak point is and what I need to work on. Rather than publicly log all my food like I did in the past, I have decided to keep a food journal. It's not that I fear sharing my food with other people, but it is hard to maintain. I either have to go back and add food after I've posted or remember to post that day so I don't forget what I ate, and it just gets a little confusing. I'm hoping that seeing patterns in my eating will help me to be successful. I'm also hoping that having it in one book, and not spread across 30 days of postings will help make it easier on me as well.

While I keep track I decided that I'm going to try to keep track of blocks, and it was while trying to tabulate my blocks that I got a real eye opener. I switched from drinking white mochas and started drinking lattes thinking that since they didn't have the chocolate in them, they would be better in terms of their sugar content. Ohhhhhh was I ever in for a surprise. They are actually about equally as bad. WOW! Even though I've already cut way back on my fru fru coffee consumption (everyday to about 2/3 days a week) it's clear that it really does need to go even further. I know that diet soda still creates an insulin ressponse, but I'm thinking maybe it might be better to stick to the diet soda and elimate the coffee first. Then, once the coffee is gone, I can start to phase out the soda. I don't know. These two things have been vices for a long time, and it's clear that eliminating them entirely has been a struggle. Calorie wise and carbohydrate wise, it would be much better to have 2/3 diet sodas a week vs. the coffee, so... something for me to explore.

The energy shift has not yet occurred, but I'm only a little over a week into this, and as I said, I'm not perfect yet. I'm hoping that after another week or two, with the ending of swimming, and the continuation of an improved diet, I will start to feel more energized and less like a lethargic manatee. In the meantime though, I'm going to keep tracking my progress, and of course, sharing anything interesting I find along the way. :)

They let me lift heavy things!

And I LIKED it!!! After I got a new PR on the OHS I did a little dance.... it looked like 'dis...

Oh, PS, my new PR is 165X1!!!!!!! WWWWWOOOOOOOTTTTT!!!!!

Hangin' with the 0915 crew...

Another ugly, ugly wod.

3 RFT of 5 heavy power cleans
10 pull-ups

Elite
120 lbs
Chest to bar pull-ups

For every drop off the pull-up bar, complete 6 burpees

Let's just say, I did a lot of burpees and this took awhile....

Katie on eating (again)

If there is one thing in this world that I'm really good at, it's eating. I love to do it. Fruits, veggies, steak, chicken, ice cream, brownies, bacon... mmm bacon... I love bacon, cream sauces, bread, cereal, pasta, tortillas smothered in cheese. MMM.... I love it all. Now granted, there are some things I don't eat, which most people find really odd. Like seafood. Don't eat it. That includes fish. I've tried to find things that I like, but just haven't been able to for whatever reason. I think I also suffer from some childhood memories of almost dying a few times from choking on haddock bones, but I'm seriously digressing. You're shocked, I know.

Eating. It's an essential part of life, necessary for us to survive, but it's one of the most talked about, and debated, issues these days. Being that it is the new year, many people make resolutions. Resolutions that they do genuinely want to stick to. Resolutions that will help them to change their lives. But you know that the reality of the matter is that 90% of those people who make those resolutions will fail within the first month. Why?

A very wise pig once said, and yes I said pig, "Never eat more than you can lift." Now, depending on who you ask, they may argue with that. Dr. Sears may say that so long as you eat it in a balanced 40-30-30, go ahead and eat it. Mark Sisson might say if you can't lift it because you shot a wooly mammoth, eat until you're full and then turn the rest of it into jerky. Now, this is interesting. One quote, and two very different opinions. But who do you listen to? Who's right?

The bottom line is that they BOTH are. Look, there is not one magic pill for eating. There simply isn't. People are as unique as fingerprints. We all have our own schedules, our own demands on our body, and our own dna. We've learned that different athletes need different exercise programs to keep their bodies in peak condition, why would we assume any differently about their eating? The tweaks may be minimal, or they may be drastic, but the point is that their needs are different. So a lifestyle that works for one, may not work for another.

So basically, you need to choose. Try a few weeks of both. Do you prefer to measure and weigh your food, do you prefer organic foods and no dairy while not measuring food? Or do you prefer to combine the two? See what works for YOU. But remember, this isn't a diet. It's not something you should drop in 4 weeks when you've lost weight and go back to your old ways. This needs to be a lifestyle change. You've spent years forming bad habits and unhealthy relationships with food. You need to give yourself time to lose the weight AND change your relationship with food. It may be that the Zone (Dr. Sears), Primal (Mark Sisson) or Paleo may not work for you. Find something else, but keep this in mind.

Regardless of the two VERY different opinions regarding the quote from Miss Piggy, the bottom line is that all of those lifestyles agree on one thing. TO CONTROL YOUR HEALTH YOU MUST CONTROL YOUR INSULIN. What does that mean? It means control your carb intake. Sure, there are people who will say that you can lose weight simply by watching your portion sizes and cutting back on sweets. For the short term, they may be right. But in the long run, snacking on a bag of wheat thins or pretzels or triscuits isn't doing you any favors. You're still intaking far too many carbs and it will prevent you from achieving your ultimate goals of weight loss and increased health.

Understand that to make a lifestyle change you need to adjust how you eat and how you look at food. Doing this takes time and is not easy. Like me, you may dabble with many lifestyles and enjoy them all. It may depend on your schedule which lifestyle you follow. I love Primal eating in the summer when I have the time to sit and think about how I can make really great food using organic ingredients, little dairy, and different seasonings. I love it! But during the three job run, I totally fell off of any eating plan and I'm miserable. So, I'm heading back into the Zone. I think weighing and measuring is a pain, but it will help to kick me back into thinking about what I'm eating, how much I can have, and how to keep it in a balance.

I know at this time of year, there are many groups etc to join so that you can do a team challenge to get you healthy. I'm all in favor of that if that sort of thing works for you. Go for it! But keep this in mind. If you've NEVER been Zone, or if you've never been Paleo/Primal, this is going to be very hard for your body to adjust to (If you have been Paleo/Primal/Zone but are looking for a tune up, you already know what to expect but keep it in mind). With the amount of sugar/carbs that we consume as a society, we have basically turned sugar into a drug. Going to a completely clean style of living like Zone or Paleo is like sending your body into sugar detox. While this may be good for your body, your body has been conditioned to get X number of carbs during the day, and now, goig without will be hard. You will crave things like bread or cookies, or soda or your morning coffee. You may slip a bit, but just remember that you can always get back on with the next meal. Cut yourself some slack, but try your best not to give in. Liken this to going cold turkey to quit smoking because they're really actually quite similar. We conditioned our bodies to expect certain things, and when it doesn't get them, it's not happy and it wants to know why. If the first week you're only 50% perfect, aim for 60% next week and so on. It will get easier, but remember that it's a process. Also, to try to help yourself, be prepared. Find substitutes. If you're a person who craves sweets, try keeping apple slices handy or strawberries. Both are great for you, but carry some sweetness with them. Or, if you like sweet, try sunflower butter. Put it on an apple as a Zone snack, or put it on celery for a low carb option. You can then have another carb as a block for your snack, but you still get the sweet from the sunflower butter.

See what I mean? It's a process. Not only do you need to change how you eat, but how you shop/prepare your food. Prepare as best you can and learn from your mistakes. And above all else, don't be afraid to reach out. There are lots of people who have recipes, tricks, and general words of advice/wisdom. They can be incredibly helpful. Here's to getting healthy in 2010!

Runnin' with the devil....

I was soooo sore after that push, pull, or drag yourself in WOD that I actually took a rest day on Wednesday. That was not a good feeling. I was determined to go back in Thursday and hit the Helen interval wod, but I got there and felt utterly spent. I was sore, I was tired... I was not in in a good way. So, I was getting ready to go. I just wasn't feeling it. Chris didn't call me out, but suggested maybe I do something else. I told him I was going to run, but didn't have my headphones so he loaned me his. I was really greatful because it allowed me to get some work in even though I wasn't feeling 100% awesome. I ran the loop 3 times and therefore got in 3 miles. I say that's not too shabby for a non-runner person like me.

I will admit though that I am totally diggin' the new kicks I bought (and yes that is they up above. They are the Infiniti 2). They are another pair of Brooks and I think they may be my favorite to date. I also bought new insoles and heated them in the oven to mold them to my feet. They are wonderful. I'm still having knee pain as I'm not really used to running, but it's nothing like what it was before. Hopefully I can start building up to 3.5, then 4 miles and so on. We'll see though! :)

Can back squats cure cancer?

After the rough wod's on Monday and Tuesday of this week, I have totally been a hurtin' pup. Muscles I didn't even know existed HURT. So needless to say, I was more than relieved when I saw that today's wod was heavy backsquats. Some of you I'm sure are thinking, why in the world was she relieved? Heavy backsquats are... well... HEAVY. Yes, yes they are. But a heavy back squat X 3, doesn't require me to raise my arms (much)and doesn't involve use of my shoulders really, so I was all for it today. Even after my 3 mile jaunt last night, I was actually feeling pretty good in the legs today. I worked in with Heath and Sean, which makes me giggle cause, well I don't know... but working on a bar with boys makes me laugh. So Heath and Sean and I worked up pretty quickly and got in some good sets today. Soni was all ninja with his hood on, and I was all ninja with my whale socks! Ha. I heart my sock fetish... :)

Anyway, working sets looked like this today...

35X5
85X3
105X3
115X3
135X3
155X3
175X3
185X3
197X3 (PR)

I was leery of making that last jump a 15lb jump and Sean encouraged me to throw some weights on the sides to go for the 2lb PR. I'm glad I did, but at the same time, feel like maybe I should have just gone 200. Oh well. There is always next time right? Not too shabby a day at all today, not too shabby. And let's not forget that back squats can cure cancer, so, I'm good! :)

Pull, push, or drag yourself in!

T-H-I-S W-O-D H-U-R-T!!!!!!!!!!

3 rounds of

20 seconds max pull
Rest 20 seconds
20 seconds max push
Rest 20

Repeat above for total of 3 times then

Rest 90 seconds
90 seconds max double unders
Rest 90 seconds

This is one round. Repeat all of this for a total of 3 rounds. I don't remember what my numbers were and to be frank I don't care. This hurt like a mother and it trainwrecked me for the rest of the week. I had a huge blood blister that I had to pop and I hurt all over for days! Never again....

Just clean it, just clean it, clean it, woo!

I like my version better than Michael's... it's got more flair... it must be the socks!!! My socks are way better than Michael's boring white ones... ha!



You can't deny it, I really do have better socks than Michael. I mean c'mon. He's got white, and I've got garden gnomes! And whales, and the pirate socks, and rainbows and argles, and.... and 'den.... NO AND THEN! Tehe. So ok for cereal, I'm not going to lie to you. This wod was freakin' awesome, but sucked at the same time. Because of work, I didn't go in the am class. Nada. Not gonna happen.
So I went to the night class. Correction, I went to the 5:15 class, realized I forgot my sports bra, drove home to get one in rush hour traffic, and just barely made it back for the 6:00 class. Melissa had just finished and Andrea was coachin', so I was chattin' with both of them and trying to decide what to use for the first wod. Your train of thought right now I know sounds like this "FIRST? What the crap does she mean by the first wod?"

I mean just that. There was more than 1 wod. The first part was a squat clean wod. Woot.

Every minute on the minute for 12 minutes
2 heavy squat cleans 80-90% of your 1rm

To be honest, I don't pull as well off the floor as I do from the hang, so I was thinking for me that 120-125 would be a good range for me to aim for. Melissa told me I should go 140, and then Andrea said something similar. I pulled 130 pretty easily and tried 135. It went up ok, so I decided to go with 135. Dang yo. That's 24 pretty freakin' heavy squat cleans. No lie, it was a struggle by about round 8/9. I was fighting to get a few of them up. I got up on my toes as my form started to go because I was gettin' tired, but I got 'em all. That felt pretty good. Not quite as good as the second wod though.

The second wod had a 15 minute time limit. So in 15 minutes

3 RFT with 15 minute cut off
20 back extensions
30 OHS with PVC
40 Anchored sit-ups

First off, when was the last time any of us did anchored sit-ups. Secondly, OHS? Awesome. Third, back extensions suck poopy, but you know, for three rounds, ok. I felt like I was really flying on this one. I really did. I busted through this, at least, well busted for me. And to be fair, my bustin' this day was pretty close to the bustin' of a few of our serious metcon ninjas. I felt pretty good about that. I hit this in 13:17, well before the 15 minute cut off. I was really happy with that. I think I'm finally starting to figure out hwo to push through that barrier when I feel tired. I'm not automatically starting to rest, but I am trying to push through for a few more reps. It feels good. Still a long way to go, but you know, I was happy with this one overall.

Do the running man, do the running man...

Me and my brilliant ideas....

Outdoor temperature, a balmy 23 degrees. So what did I decide to do? Run of course!
Got on the under armour, the fleece zip up, the gloves, the CFOT knit hat, and of course the Oakleys I bought just for running (EEH! :) ) and away I went.

Warm Up (literally)
400 M run
Stretch (hammies, quads, calves, shins, hip flexers)

WOD
3 rounds- record times
run 1 mile
rest 4 minutes

Cool down
800 M run
Stretch (hammies, quads, calves, shins, hip flexers)

Holy really bad idea Batman! I mean, it was great to get a 5th WOD in this week, but MAN oh day! It was freakin' freezin' Mr. Biggleswarth! The wind by the water made this even worse. I ran this on the CFOT loop which connects to the Mount Vernon trail. Very pretty, but being next to a large(ish) body of water tends to be a little windy. Wind + 23 degrees equals, I think I lost my boobies. Anyway, I hit the miles in 9:16, 9:16, and 9:23. Not too darned shabby for a poor runner, and one who on top of being bad, hasn't been running at all lately. Just goes to show that CF can keep you in great shape. I was going to try to push four mile loops in, but the knees gave out.

One thing I learned when I was in my final soccer season in high school was that I have an imbalance in my legs because I have no arch in my foot. The muscles on the interior of my knee are weaker than on the outside because of the lack of an arch in my foot. This causes my knee cap to not ride in the groove where it should. It causes some bone on bone friction which, while not bad on short runs, becomes pretty darned painful after a few miles. This is exactly what hit me during my half marathon last year. I got to miles 8/9 and took some pain meds, only to be just about blinded with the ache when I got to about mile 11. It was sheer grit (and that whole I want my medal/shirt thing) that got me through. I think if I build up slowly and build a tolerance in my knees I will be ok, but it is certainly something I have to be aware of, especially since two of my three jobs involve me spending a lot of time standing.



This picture shows a pretty good example of what happens to my knee when I walk/run. You know, I don't wear insoles in my regular work shoes, now that I think about it... I should probably do that. (me = ingenius sometimes) Ingenius! :P Note to self, buy insoles for work shoes... oi vey! I'm a terd sometimes.

Double whammy!

Does anyone remember this tv game show? No whammies now whammies!!! Stop! LOL.

Yesterday we had another double whammy, a two WOD day. We started by spending 20 minutes working up to a heavy single in the push press from behind the neck. I've never done this movement, so it felt a little ackward, but good to work. One of my form faults that Jerry has noticed is that if I lose a weight I'm typically not locked out completely. So it feels good to work that position and work on getting locked out, so that I can remember what it feels like during a max snatch or OHS. Anyway, I worked up to a heavy single at 125. My front press is 135 but to be honest, that dip WOD WRECKED my shoulders and I really wasn't feeling strong. So I'll take a 125 day.

The second WOD was 4 rounds for time. It was supposed to be a quick little burner metcon and it did the job. It was
4 rft
50 feet walking lunges w/ 25lb plate
12 pull-ups

I tried to go chest to bar on the pull-ups just to make things a little harder on myself and work on my range of motion. I had the height on all of them, but for some reasaon just couldn't get IN farther. I'm so far behind the bar that I can't get my chest in to touch. Again, another "Goat" to work on.... good thing 2010 is a longggg year. :P I hit this one in 8:16.

Dip demolisher...

On Thursday, I slept in due to work on Wednesday night, and decided to hit the night class after practice to get my WOD in. I almost wish that I hadn't because as I write this I am STILL sore. One thing I have noticed in the past few weeks is that my recovery is not very fast. I'm staying more sore for longer periods of time than I used to. I'm not sure what has caused this shift, but I'm not a fan on Facebook.

This workout looks pretty simple, but it demolished me quickly.
Every minute on the minute for 15 minutes
5 ring dips
max cleans

I had 105 lbs on the bar for my cleans, and to be honest, the cleans felt ok. I was able to touch and go with 105. Now, because I was going for speed, there were a few that were not very pretty. My form broke down in a few spots but for the most part, when I was taking a deep breath and getting settled appropriately, I was pretty high up on my shoulders and was doing ok.

Ring dips on the other hand were a whole other can of worms. My max on ring dips is about three. To do sets of five, and then try to go do cleans was horrible. After the first three sets, I scaled the volume and went to 60%. I did 3 dips instead of 5. After about 3-4 more sets like that, Chriss had me move to a band. I really wasn't doing well with the dips. I was so frustrated with the dips, I forgot to keep track of how many cleans I did in all. It wasn't as many as it should have been. Not even close, but I didn't quit, which I really wanted to do after about round 3, and I guess that's the important part, right?

Andrea made a good point and said not to be disappointed because if we were great at everything, we wouldn't have goals. Wouldn't have things to chase. She's absolutely right in saying that. But at the same time, it feels pretty crappy when you suck so badly at things. I know it's just one more thing to work on, but that list feels so long already I don't want to put anything else on it. I like to call this my "goat" list. Things that frustrate me very badly get my goat, and I have a pretty long list of things that do that. So these will be the things I have to work on this year.

Katie's Goat List

Push-ups
Burpees
Running
Muscle-ups
Hand stand push-ups
Ring Dips
Deadlifts
Double unders
Toes to bar

Good thing 2010 is a loooongggg year. :P

Lost a good one...

Many of you may have heard through affiliates or the main site, that earlier this week the owner of CrossFit Cape Fear, John Velandra, was killed in a tragic car accident. While I didn't know John personally, one of my very good friends was a client and friend to John. As an outsider looking in, it is very hard for me to imagine what their box is going through right now. It's hard to imagine going from seeing someone everyday, to not having that person in your life anymore. I'm sure their sense of loss is acute and no words can right now make things right for them.

But the thing about CF is that the power of CF is not in words. It never has been. The power of CF has always been through actions. Whether it be the hero WOD's or our fundraising, the people of the CF community are men and women of action. People doing things for others, like FGB and the Lumberjack 20. So here is what I propose. Even though you may not have known him, celebrate John. Do what you as a CF'er do and hit a WOD in his name, in honor of his memory. He was a husband, he was a friend, he was a coach, and much more to many people. Celebrate a hero. Get some. Fair winds John. May you rest in peace.

Soooo excited!

These should be here today!!!!!!!!!!

DRINK MILK! (Squat deep!)

See.... I get so easily distracted.... oooooh something shiny!!!!! I promise when I stop getting distracted ooooh look! A kitty! CRAP! When I stop getting distracted I will update my blog from my last two wods and also my brilliant eating plan. :)

FOUND IT!!!!!!



You should have based on my obsession with knee high socks and shiny shoes that I am easily entertained and also therefore easily distracted. :P When life starts to go all balls to the wall again, I sometimes forget that I write a blog and that there are readers out there waiting (breathlessly) to read what I write. Ok, ok, so maybe you're not all waiting breathlessly ("Ok Brand, Michael Jackson didn't use the bathroom at my house.... but his SISTER did.") to read my writing, but still, I sometimes forget to update when things get busy.... but here I am! I remembered today!!! :P There is a video that goes with this title by the way, but you're going to have to let me find it.... that might take awhile...

Anyway, we did Back Squats X 5 on Tuesday, and I have to say, they didn't feel bad. I've missed all the BS wod's lately just by chance, and so I haven't back squatted in a good long while. I wasn't feeling particularly great, but I worked in with my boy Sean and moved some weight. I didn't PR, but I felt ok. I was really focusing on not collapsing, keeping my torso leaned forward and not straight up, and breathing. I know that sounds funny, but I have a bad habit of holding my breath for 3 reps then releasing. Not the way to go. Take my advice. I've almost done some stupid things cause I got lightheaded cause I didn't breathe. It's also better so that you can reset your "girdle". You know, that one you wear in your abs... oh yeah, those things, hiding behind all your Christmas cookies right now. Well at least mine are. Anyway, I felt like the squats I did were solid, not half stupid like usual because I'm so focused on going heavy. Felt weird to stay a little lower and get it right than to be strong like bull, but it also felt good. Gotta nail down the little form faults at some point so I can get stronger.

I will find the video which explains the drinking milk part... then you will understand...

Inter to the val training!

Now that I'm back at school... you're just going to have to wait patiently for my updates.... I said PATIENTLY!!! I know, funny, me asking you to be patient when I'm not a patient person at all. I do believe that is what they call IRONY. Or is that hypocracy?

So, let's see... where was I? Oh yes, waiting patiently. I never said how LONG you were going to have to wait. Just that you were going to have to! :P This wod was pretty gross man. I'm not going to lie. It seems Jerry has been throwin down some doozies lately. This was supposed to have a run, but since I'm not trying to get ill, I rowed out instead. It was more brutal I think to row, but I'm not sure the people who ran in the cold would agree. Regardless, it sucked either way.

4 rounds
90 seconds max clean and jerk
rest 90 seconds
400 M run (sub 90 seconds row)
rest 90 seconds

This sucked. 90 seconds of rowing is almost 500M for me. SUCK!!!! Cause that just, no. See!?!? It's so horrible I can't even string together complete sentences! So suffice to say, it was a good one. I walked about feeling totally gross, but it was good.

New Year, New Style!

So, I just have to say that I have seriously become addicted to creating fun outfits to wear to CF. The shiny shoes are no longer enough. I have fallen in love with wearing knee high socks with my shiny shoes, and matching my shirts/shorts/shoes. I am totally stoked to report that thanks to Dick's, Tarzhay, Hot Topic, Sock it to Me, and Joy of Socks, I will have many new fun outfits to rock while I'm throwing barbells over my head this year. :) This was just one of my first fun outfits I put together with the "Bad Ass" socks. They may be my favorite right now, but I've bought a whole new batch of others that I can't wait to wear/share. They should be arriving in a few short days! Big ups to the folks at Sock It To Me who I learned make most of the socks that I own and the ones that Jerry bought for rope climbing! :) 2010 is looking to be a great year for CFOT fashion! :)