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. :)