week of improvements

After a failed attempt in participating in Murph this past Memorial Day, I wasn't looking forward to doing any WODs this week. Tuesday called for a Snatch Complex of sorts and I was dreading it all day. My wrist was not so pleased with me Monday, how would it be a day later. Well, I have learned to always try at the very least, so I did. I managed to do an entire complex with just the 35# bar, but next could I add more weight? I threw on some 10# plates and went for it. My first attempt was a failure. My hand grip felt weak and I didn't feel like I had much control of the movement, BUT my wrist wasn't what stopped me. So I took a moment and rested before attempting again. Well guess what? I did it, not once, or twice, three times, but four times. Holy shit guys!! Do you know what this means?!?! Shit is getting better, that's what! Now granted it was only 55# but still, only a week or so prior I couldn't even do just the bar. Any sort of Cleans is still a bit iffy, I can't fully extend my wrist in a front rack position so I have to keep with the light weights.

I woke up this morning expecting my wrist to be sore or inflamed but it was not. So there was no way that I'd miss todays WOD either, which was going to push me to my limits I was sure. And it did. I honestly wasn't sure if I would be able to complete the WOD in its entirety or even without modifying the movement. It called for 5 rounds of 27 Double Unders, 20 Hang Cleans, and 15 Shoulder to Overhead. First of all, this sort of WOD taxes your grip, so going all out is a no-no. Secondly, Cleans are still an issue for me and to do that many, could I? I didn't ask Joon for any modifications because I didn't want something to bail to. I wanted to give me all and if I couldn't complete it, well than at least I tried. My grip definitely felt it, I had to break the Hang Cleans in sets of 4, and I did Push Presses and those were no easy feat. Again, I kept the weight light at 55# (prescribed was 65#) and paid close attention to my form. Being ever so careful on my wrist movements. About 3 rounds in I realized I was doing just fine and that I can FINISH this WOD as is. I looked at the time and decided to hustle it and get a time under 16 minutes. And I did!

Tonight I am feeling slightly sore in my upper body, but I feel great. I am delighted to know that after so many months of pain and setbacks, I am improving! It is such a great feeling!!!! I will keep you posted with future successes, hopefully a LOT more will come. Goodnight.

crossfit open 2015 & injury

Last year I competed in my very first CrossFit Open, and in the very first WOD (14.1) I scored a big fat zero. It was 7 minutes of doubleunders and even though I managed to get three of them the night before, I could not get at least one when it was go time. I continued to compete the next four weeks even though I could no longer log in my scores. I had no illusions of going to Regionals but I gave my very best. Well CrossFit Open 2015 is here and the very first WOD (15.1) is this Saturday and I will not be able to fully participate even though I am registered. I will fight to get one rep in so that I can log something in, but I unfortunately hurt my right wrist last Tuesday. It has gradually been getting better but my grip is nowhere near what it was and there is so much swelling that any deep bending causes so much pain.

My boss/doc says I have a sprain/strain and that I just need to give it some time to heal. For once in my life, I am going to listen to him and not push myself into a potentially serious injury. I am frustrated that I got myself into a situation that affects my level of participation in the CrossFit Open. I am however certified to be a judge now and look forward to helping my great gym out.

I wish everyone at Stumptown the very best luck!

the gorilla takeover

This weekend was the second annual of The Gorilla Takeover competition that my gym, CrossFit Stumptown, and CrossFit Mt. Hood hosts. This time around I didn't volunteer or compete, but instead was there to cheer on Aaron, and his partner, Matt. They competed in the men's scaled team division and came in third at the end. It was an incredible experience to be a part of. I am unbelievably proud of these two guys on how hard they worked. 

We had quite a few members from CFST that competed and they all fought real hard through those tough WODs. I'm so absolutely proud of all of you: Kay, Zoe, Chris, Jenna, Angel, Joe, Adam, Austin, Chris, and of course Aaron and Matt. You all should be so very proud of yourselves!!

It was fun to see how very different each competitor was within a division, and than the differences between a scaled and rx division. There were plenty of new competitors but also a great deal of those who have been around the block. Some were stronger than others and some were fast than others. But the one consistent thing you witnessed was the sheer determination they all had to keep pushing through the suck. Whether it was the AirFit, the burpees, or the farmer carries. No one simply gave up, they worked until the work was to be completed or the time stopped them. And it still surprises me to see other competitors stick around to cheer on their very own competition. This is most definitely a community of people who understands what hard work and effort is and isn't afraid to share in the pain and pleasure of it all.

I am a proud member of the CrossFit community and look forward to my future with it.

This photo was taken from The Gorilla Takeover FB page.

one on one: day twenty-two

So Coach Tony, owner of CrossFit Stumptown, went to work on his Gym Jones certification a few weeks ago in Utah (I think that's where). While there, he learned a few things and decided to begin implementing them at his gym. Now I can not remember if I ever mentioned what Gym Jones is, but here's my take on it... it's CrossFit on CRACK! Seriously guys, it's crazy shit! Anyway, Tony came back inspired and ordered a SkiErg to add to his arsenal of torture devices (but in all honesty it's really not that bad) and has turned our Friday WODs into F.Y.F. WODs (F You Friday). His goal was to get all his members to do the Triathlon, which consists of 500m on the SkiErg, 50 calories on the AirFit, and 500m on the Rower. Last Friday was the moment of truth and I didn't show up! Actually, I had been going straight for 2 weeks of working out and was planning on taking a scheduled rest day. Though I knew neither Tony or Joon would allow myself (and Aaron) to sneak by this one. So for today's session with Joon, can you guess what he had me do? Yea. I think he's a tad bit sadistic. So here's the details:

Warm-up: Casual 500m Row
Practice on SkiErg

Triathlon:
500m SkiErg 2:14
50 Calories AirFit 4:13
500m Row 2:10
Overall Time: 9:05

To have an idea of what it looks like, click here to see a Gym Jones demo of the Triathlon. You are timed in each individual machine but as well as a total time. Your final time is total time (which includes transitions). So how did I feel afterwards? Oh man, I don't know if there are actually words to describe it. I had been hearing for the last few days the different experiences from many of my gym mates. Some that barfed, some who couldn't get off of the floor for about 30 minutes, to asthma attacks, and even coughing that lasts a day. This is meant to test you, you are to go as hard as you can without stopping.

I am not going to lie, this was hard. During the AirFit I wanted to give up, and I would've if it weren't for Joon and the ladies there rooting me on. The SkiErg isn't all that bad actually, I think it's just getting the technique down and knowing how and when to slow down. I was controlling my breathing and trying to stay consistent with my speed. (I did use my inhaler prior to starting this.) Moving to the AirFit is when the dread set in, if you haven't already picked up on it I hate that thing. I never look forward to using it and don't think I will ever be accepting of it. You are suppose to go real hard on this but from the get-go I couldn't, my quads were already burning from the SkiErg. The key is to not look at the screen, look down and push yourself. My hair was making me feel suffocated and my quads were yelling at me. By this point I began to get pissed, not at anyone but at this machine and at whomever came up with the Triathlon. I know I began yelling at the machine and swearing at it. The girls around me began laughing, but I was genuinely upset at it. Getting off of it was a bit challenging my I could have easily just collapsed to the floor, but I hurriedly made my way to the Rower and they tied my feet in and got me going. I know I stopped rowing a few times because my legs and arms were burning, and breathing became such a chore for me. But alas, as always I completed it. I literally rolled out of the Rower onto the floor moving about like a fish out of water. I couldn't focus in on any one discomfort, everything was yelling at me. I didn't barf and I didn't cry. It didn't make me sick like others and I am not experiencing any awful coughs. But the thing that it most certainly did was tax my nervous system. My arms and hands took a while to stop shaking. My mind felt foggy and confused for a bit too. I giggled a lot, but not at anything, I think it was like a side effect- like I was drunk.

What did I learn from this? That I absolutely without a doubt hate the AirFit. That I am capable of pushing myself. That I could have done better. That I am getting better at this stuff. And that I never ever want to do this again, EVER!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

appreciation

I watched a documentary about a 13 year old girl from Holland, who has been sailing since the day she was born, wanted to sail around the world solo. I was instantly hooked to the screen and couldn't stop watching. At a young age she knew she wanted to be the youngest person to do this. She worked little odd jobs to make some money to buy a boat that she and her father fixed up. She set out on her own to find sponsors and to plan her own route. Her father at first didn't think she'd accomplish this, but she did. When she contact the school to have them give her the curriculum she would need for the next two years, that was where she hit her first road bump. Family services were called and for a year they battled with the court. At the end the court said that she is best left with her father and could continue on with her sail. She departed shortly after at the age of 14. Her name is Laura Dekker and she's an inspiration.

After watching the documentary I thought about it and how remarkable it is for such a young person to truly know what they want to do. And not only know, but then not wait until they were older to do it and work for it now. At the age of 13 I was so far from that sort of maturity, I had no clue what I wanted out of life. I am now in my 30's and I have only begun to grasp at what I want. The beauty of this is that there is no set time in life where you need to have it figured out. We all have different journeys that lead us to new and different experiences. Some start early, and others later. There are many times when I wish I knew half the crap I know now at an earlier age. How different my life would most certainly be but what would I have missed out on if I did? There is no point in having regret in life experiences. You take what has happened, you learn from that experience, and than you apply it to your future and move on.

I am feeling a lot of appreciation right now for what I do have, for what I have experienced, and for all those who have and are helping me along in my journey. I feel fortunate to be part of a place I had driven by a million times and never noticed until I looked for it. This place has been my sanctuary, a place where I have experienced a lot of growth and have made some wonderful friendships. It's essentially become my fitness family. I could go down an enormous list of some really exceptional members that continually inspire me but that would require a lot of typing and a lot of reading on your part. I do want to recognize two important people though, and that would be Coaches Tony and Joon. I think the cosmos aligned everything right up to them becoming business partners in order for me to find them. Without them, their chats, their knowledge, the atmosphere they've created and continue to feed, I don't know that I would have ever found my path. You both have opened my eyes, have and continue to teach me what I am capable of, and are so dedicated to your passions. There are no amount of words I could EVER type to share my appreciation for the two of you. But thank you for everything you do for all of us at CFST and beyond.

Feeling appreciation is such a positive energy. You can't appreciate something or someone and be full of anger and hate. If you are surrounded by negative energy and want a change in your life, find something/someone to be appreciative of and focus your energy on that. I promise you that all the people and/or things that are negative will slowly drift away. To my followers and to my random readers, thank you. Even though this blog was started for myself the feedback I get from you who have learned something from me or has been inspired by my experience continually drives me to continue. Your words are always kind and positive, and always appreciated!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

running clinic: week one

Today was my first running class with Tony at CrossFit Stumptown. Lucky for me he has a four week (at once a week) class to help members who want to learn how to properly run. After warming up, he recorded us running and than showed us what we did right and what we did wrong. Then he had us run through some drills. I wasn't expecting too much from the first day of class but believe it or not I really noticed a difference in how my body felt as I ran. Joon has been helping me work on my endurance and agility, and I think now is a good time to let Tony mold me into a better runner. I have a bad habit of being a heal striker and I am shuffler. The drills today had me landing differently and picking my feet up. My shins are a little sore, but nothing compared to what I have felt before after a CrossFit WOD. At the end of this month I am hoping with practice I will become a more efficient runner and get started in training again for another 5k. I'll keep you posted!

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

labor day wod

Today I took part in the Labor Day WOD at CrossFit Stumptown. I walked into the box with a headache trying to take over and not feeling very motivated. But since I missed Sunday's WOD and it had been 3 days since I worked out I had to make myself get and go, and do it! And now I can say I am glad I did. It wasn't a crazy tough one but definitely one for endurance and to mentally keep you going. Here is what we did:

Teams of 4:
AMRAP (reps) for 30 minutes of:
400m Run
Box Jumpovers
Burpee Pull-ups
Wall Walks

Each member of the team will be doing one of the movements. While the one is out on the 400m run, the rest of us had to count our reps, when the runner comes back than we rotate until the next runner comes back, so on and so forth. In my team there was Candace, Amy, and Zoey. These women were awesome, we were all strong in at least one of the movements and maybe not so much in another. We all kept moving and doing our best. Amy even did 53 box jumpovers in one of the rounds, happened to be when I was running. Candace was pretty proud of herself for running the entire 400m without stopping- right on girl! And Zoey never stopped moving, every time I looked her way she was pushing through it and that was awesome. My proud moment was that I did the box jumpovers without doing step-ups, not even once. I had two mishaps in my first round that caused Tony to come and check on me. Happy to say my shins didn't suffer at all, though I think I stubbed my big toe pretty hard. At the end of the WOD we tallied up our reps and our team got 576 reps in 30 minutes. I am going to say I am pretty proud of us. Good job ladies!

Labor Day 2014- Post WOD

summer smash crossfit competition reflection

If you've been keeping up with this blog than you already know that I competed this past Sunday, if not, well now you know. Being my first CrossFit competition you can imagine I went through an array of thoughts and emotions during the process. Naturally I was quite nervous leading up to the day, in fact it didn't really hit me until the day before. The morning of was hard to eat breakfast without feeling nauseous. What I was so nervous about I'm not entirely sure but knowing myself, I was probably more afraid of falling or doing something wrong in front of all the people that would be there watching and cheering us on. Because if you know me, you know that it is quite possible that I would accomplish something like that. And no, nothing of the sort happened. My nerves completely diminished the minute Megan, the gracious lady who put this competition together, went over the standards of the first WOD. Suddenly it was like I was back at CrossFit Stumptown and we were just going over the WOD that we would be embarking on. Oh, and allow me to add that the entire competition took place outside. They had the road closed off for the day and set everything up outside where there would be more room and the people walking by for the Hawthorne Street Fair could stop and watch. I didn't prepare for it being outdoors and working out under the hot sun all day, but it was a new challenge that I was forced to deal with. I competed in the Women's Scaled Division with only five other women. Here is my breakdown of thoughts on each WOD that day.

WOD #1:
     AMRAP in 15 minutes of:
     1 Power Clean 65#
     2 Over the Bar Burpee
     200m Run (which actually turned out to be 2 back and forth sprints)
     2 Power Clean 65#
     4 Over the Bar Burpee
     200m Run
     4 Power Clean 65#
     8 Over the Bar Burpee
     200m Run
     ETC ETC.
This WOD was awful. It was awful before I had even started, awful even days prior to the competition. I already knew that this WOD would be the one that I would do the worse in. First of all, running is just not something that comes to me naturally. Sure I can run, but I am not efficient at it. I don't stride well and I don't breathe correctly. This is something Joon and Tony have been working with me on. I'm still a work in progress. Anyhow, adding running AND burpees in the same WOD is like a death sentence for my lungs. I prepared in advanced and made sure to use my inhaler beforehand, and planned on just pacing myself during the run. What I didn't factor in was the HOT weather. The power cleans were of no issue, the weight is light for me and so breezing through those were a piece of cake. The burpees got hard fast with the sun beating down on my and trying to breathe over the hot black mats. In the very first sprint I took off way too fast and burned myself out almost immediately! Rookie mistake #1! Needless to say, I came in last in this event.

WOD #2 & #3:
     Establish 1RM of Overhead Squat in 8 minutes, then rest 2 minutes and in 20 minutes complete:
     500m Row
     10 HRPU (hand release push-ups)
     20 Step-ups on 20" box
     30 KB Swings 25#
     40 Sit-ups
     100 Double Unders OR 300 Singles
     40 Sit-ups
     30 KB Swings 25#
     20 Step-ups
     10 HRPU
Ok let me begin with the overhead squat, my weakest of bar movements. I only established a new 1RM on this four days prior to the competition, from 65# to 95#. My goal was to get 90# on competition day, and maybe shoot for 95#. But as I was warned by Joon, the adrenaline will push you to go all out. And so after nailing 70#, 85#, and 90# I decided to get a little crazy and go for 100#. I failed the first two tries and even called good after that. But when 90 seconds was announced as all that was left, I decided to give it one more go and NAILED it! In a matter of one week I PR'd the OHS by 35#. How does this still surprise me? I have no clue. I placed 4th in WOD #2. The 500m row was a part of the 20 minute time cap but was scored separately. I came in 2nd place with the row at 2:06. For the rest of WOD #3 I came in 5th place and I believe a part of me died out there on the asphalt that day. As much as I dreaded WOD #1, this one pretty much killed me. Rookie mistake #2 is not knowing how to do double unders yet, so I ended up wasting time doing 300 singles. You know what that means? I means I am learning how to do double unders ASAP. The rest of the WOD was hard mostly out of being tired. I'm not accustomed to pushing myself to continuously move without stopping for water or breathing breaks. I came close to not finishing it under the time cap, but I did. Thank goodness!

Final WOD:
     AMRAP in 3 minutes of:
     Shoulder to Overhead 65#
I chose to do push presses as I felt those were more efficient for me at such a light weight. Before beginning this WOD I felt that my shoulders felt pretty good, especially since everyone seemed to be complaining that their shoulders felt tired. But after about a minute of doing push presses I began feeling my shoulders burn like crazy. I pumped out as many push presses as quickly as I could go. I ended up getting 37 reps in 3 minutes. I placed 5th in this event.

Individually I did alright in most events, especially for it being my first time. I went into this competition wanting not to place last but after WOD #1 I came to terms that I would more than likely place last overall. And you know, I was surprisingly ok with this. I mean at least I signed up and knew I was giving my (almost) all. The end result was I placed 5th overall. This was a pleasant ending to my first competition. Now the bigger question is, what did I learn from this experience?

Well, I absolutely learned that I really need to learn to be a more efficient runner. So much so that I will begin taking Tony's running clinic Saturday mornings in September. I learned that I need to learn to do double unders. And the biggest lesson learned is to give myself enough credit. I am strong. I am capable.

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day fourteen (bonus day)

This week of one on one training with Joon is slightly off. Instead of the normal Tuesday/Thursday sessions, we are doing Wednesday/Friday to accommodate my time off to allow my back to get better from my sacroiliac joint issue. But since work was a tad bit slow today, I got off early and had an impromptu session with Joon to help prepare me for my competition this coming Sunday. I'm so blessed to be surrounded by people who want to see me succeed. I don't think I would feel confident enough to even consider competing if I didn't have the support that I at home and CrossFit Stumptown. So this is what we did:

Warm-up: 3 min Row
5 Sets (2 min rest in between each set) of:
     2 Power Cleans (75#)
     4 Athletic Burpees
     10 Cal Airdyne

Sculpting:
     3 x 5-7 Dumbbell Presses
     3 x 5-7 Tricep Extension
     5 x 5 Five Sec Elevated Plank Hold, 1 Push-up

It was a short and sweet session but it sure has me feeling my arms more than I have in a long time. Feels good actually. I surprised myself with the Airdyne today and pushed myself harder towards the end, even when my quads were burning like crazy and I felt tired as hell. I worked really hard on focusing on breathing properly to limit my panic breathing. Give me something heavy to lift and I will probably do it, but ask me to breathe normally and I just can't quite get it done right. Baby steps.

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day thirteen

Today was the first day I worked out since last Friday, we can thank my left sacroiliac joint for that. I have this issue with that area where it likes to get all out of shape and flare up on me. So after doing a lot of KB movements and Deadlifts, and being an idiot and not stretching out afterwards I woke up Saturday morning in awful pain. I couldn't sit or lay comfortable and forget bending or squatting in any way, shape, or form. By Monday I started to feel better and got adjusted, by Tuesday I was functioning better but waited to get back to the gym until today. On the way to CrossFit Stumptown for my session with Joon I found out that the second WOD in the Summer Smash Competition I am participating in this Sunday will be establishing your one rep max in Overhead Squats. UGH! I hate OHS!! Needless to say, this is what we worked on today and guess what? I PR'd!

Warm-up: 2000m Row
Extended Warm-Up:
     3 x 5 Goblet Squat
     3 x 20/10 Isometric Hold Back Extension
     Max Effort Isometric Hold: 27 seconds

Skill + Strength:
     Rack OHS Press Up 7 x 5 (65, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, 110#)
     OHS #45 7 x 5
     5 Attempts 1RM OHS (65, 75, 85, 95, 95#)
   
So I went from having a 1RM of 65# from March to a 1RM of 95# today. I owe Joon so much for all his support and help. Between him and Aaron constantly telling me I am stronger than I think I am, I still don't grasp that concept. I am still quite surprised every time I accomplish something so heavy.

I can't wait for Sunday's competition and see how I perform. I am definitely nervous, but super excited about it.

This photo was taken from the competitions Facebook page.

one on one: day three

On the way over to CFST this afternoon a familiar ache began to grow in my stomach. This was not a good sign and I did NOT want to experience the same pain I had only a week ago. I knew I had taken my medicine that was prescribed earlier in the day, so I know that was not the reason for the pain. The last thing I ate was a Luna Bar, this has me wondering if it has anything to do with the stomach pains. Meanwhile, I decided to eat a banana in hopes that it would settle my stomach some. By the time I arrived at the gym there was no trace of discomfort, but I will have to do some research on those Luna Bars. 

My session with Joon today was as expected, brutal. I say this because he pushes me so far out of my comfort zone, the place where I baby past injuries or second guess my abilities. But with the brutal I must add fun because even though I was tired, out of breathe, sweating, and dealing with burning muscles, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. This is what Joon had me do today:

Warm-up: 1000m row
Extended Warm-up:
     10 Shoulder Shrugs
     10 Hang Power
     10 OHS
     10 Push Press
     10 GHD Back Extensions (did not do full ROM)

4x: Back Squat 115# 4 reps
      20m Sled Push

2x3: Push Press Strip Set 80#/65#/35#

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1:
     Box Dips
     Ball Slam 15#
     Push-ups (Deficit)

The hardest part of all of these were the 2x3 Push Presses. I started off with 3 reps of 80#, and instead of placing the bar & weights back on the rack I had to keep holding it while Joon and David Mobley (another Stumptown CrossFitter) took some weight off. I than had to do 3 reps of 65# than Joon and David removed more weight, and than 3 reps of 35#. But it didn't end there, once I was done with the 35# Joon and David began adding the weight back on. I had to do two rounds of this and in both round I fatigued out on 1 rep of the 80# being added back. This was quite literally one of the hardest push presses I have ever done. 

Pushing the sled around was fun, something new for me. And the last segment of my session was challenging, worked hard on making sure I kept moving with little to no break. My shoulders were feeling pretty zapped which made me love the break during the ball slams, something I thought I'd never say. My experience with today's session was focusing on working past the tired and not giving up. I so badly want to get passed the point where I second guess my abilities. I know I am on the road to it...

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

this old knee

You may have noticed that my resting squat challenge went stale. Unfortunately my right knee became quite inflamed and irritated, I gather from overuse. Between the resting squats and doing plenty of squat WODs at CrossFit Stumptown, my knee finally had enough. My chiropractor had me take some time off, which worked out since Aaron and I were heading out of town for the weekend. While gone I had moments where it felt great and then moments where it didn't feel so great. We had access to an indoor heated pool where we went, so I took to swimming a couple of times. Hiking on the snow at Crater Lake without proper shoes proved challenging as well, I did fine and only had one moment of pain. I am currently still not doing the resting squat challenge and will probably not go back to it on a day to day basis. Giving myself another week or so before getting back to it on a limited basis. Today I did some burpees and box jumps, it was the most intense movement my knees had to deal with in over a week. So far I feel good but we will see how they feel tomorrow morning. Running hasn't been an issue either, thank goodness.

My schedule will be changing this coming Monday, as I will begin Spring term of the Fit Tech program. I will pretty much be at school or work Monday thru Friday while still fitting CrossFit into my schedule. And starting April 14th I will begin a 10k training program for the race I want to do this coming June. In other words, my postings may become far and few between, but I will NOT stop posting. I will make every effort to post, at least once a week to two weeks. It's a great stress release and allows me to share my thoughts!

Oh, and I achieved something today. Did my first WOD with Burpee Box Jumps and RX'd. Only had one mishap and managed not to hurt myself! :)

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

fighting through the wall

So in yesterday's post I was all excited about losing 3.5# that it slipped my mind to share how my week went that led to that wonderful loss. I have noticed that my diet has slowly changed without consciously trying. It's interesting to realize that when you begin to work your body hard, it will ask for the appropriate fuel that is needed. I still haven't experienced cravings for the sugary weaknesses that had a hold of me for many years. I'm so thankful that I have overcome that. Now as a reminder, I am not giving up ALL sugar, I'm giving up refined sugar. What I also have been conscious of is how much natural sugar I am taking in. My fruit intake has increased, but not excessively, more like to a healthier level. Other than fruit, the only other thing I ingest with some natural sugar in it is a 1% chocolate milk. It is reserved only for after a workout and I know dinner isn't coming right away. It helps hold me over until dinner time. I have tried to minimize how much I drink of it though, and I notice that the taste for it isn't as strong as it once was.

What I do think contributed to my big loss this week is that I really paid attention to my body. I fed it more protein, more green, drank plenty of water, and made sure I stayed on top of my vitamins. I also began to focus more in class at CrossFit Stumptown. Both coaches have told us many times that when we hit that wall where you feel like you can't go on anymore, do five more. So three times this week I focused on pushing myself in that way. And the results? I finished 1st in one class, 2nd in another, and had the most rounds in another. What I noticed I did in those classes was that I pushed myself beyond that wall. When I began to feel tired or weak, I pushed. I didn't linger in between reps or movements, or took my time drinking some water. I went from one movement to the next with controlled haste, I only sipped water, and I kept reminding myself of the goal. I'd use a time I wanted to beat. Or a person I wanted to stay ahead of. It's 90% mental in my opinion. When the side stitches began and the breathing got rougher, that's when I knew I hit my wall, so I focused on five more. I believe that extra effort and my improved diet played a major role in the 3.5# loss this week.

And the result of having lost 10.5# in three weeks? Well for the first time in I'd say six or so years, I was able to try clothes on a size smaller. For a woman whose been overweight for some time now, this is an enormous achievement. I can't wait to see what next week will bring…

thinking about starting crossfit?

Next week will mark six months of doing the most intense workout regimen of my life, CrossFit. And what do I have to show for it? I'm stronger, healthier, have more energy, and I see things differently now. What I have learned in these past six months is that left to my own devices I would not have reached the level of fitness that I am currently in. The occasional stints of going for a run or attending a traditional gym to jump on a treadmill or elliptical just weren't cutting it for me. I never pushed myself hard enough to make real changes. Sticking to a healthy diet was impossible. And motivation was short lived. And so on May 30th I dragged my overweight self into CrossFit Stumptown in Portland, Oregon for my very first WOD and had my ass handed to me. After that first day I never looked back, I knew I found exactly what I needed. I may not be where I want to be just yet, but I am well on my way.

For those who may be thinking about trying CrossFit and changing their lives, here are seven things that will happen to you.

1. You will learn how incredibly out of shape you are. It is likely that your first few sessions will be scaled and/or modified to ease you in. You are likely to find yourself resting often during a WOD trying to catch your breathe and sweating out of pores you didn't know you had. You will certainly feel muscles that have been dormant for years. And you will breathe harder than you ever had.

2. You will begin to speak in the CrossFit lingo, naturally.

• WOD (workout of the day): a combination of exercises prescribed for the day's workout. These usually consist of one Olympic lift (dead lifts, back squats, push-presses, power cleans, etc), one gymnastic move (sit-ups, ring rows, push-ups, pull-ups, etc), and one aspect of cardio (running, rowing, jumping rope, etc).

• Box: CrossFit spaces are not called gyms, they are called "boxes" due to many of them resembling just that. A typical box is in a warehouse with high ceilings, concrete walls, and black floor mats. There are no cardio rooms, smoothie bars, mirrors, or machines. Simple and to the point. 

• RX: When a WOD is posted, it will have a prescribed amount of weight, reps to follow, and allotted time. If you do the prescribed weight/rep/time, you RX'd.

• MOD: This is when a person has to modify the prescribed amount of weight, reps to follow or adjust time. Instead of RX'd, you will have modified it (MOD).

3. You will get incredibly good at counting. All WODs have reps within them, for example "Cindy" consists of 10 pull-ups, 15 push-ups, and 20 air squats in AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 20 minutes. You don't want to lose track and do more than you have to or cheat yourself. As well, it becomes a mental game of counting down to the end when you begin to feel tired.

4. You will gain weight first. As frustrating as this can be, it is a good thing. Because you are engaging muscles that have been dormant for so long, they will begin to build. Muscle weighs more than fat does, so naturally you will notice the number go up on the scale. But once you have begun to build muscle, it will turn around and begin to burn enough calories that you will begin to see the numbers go down. There will be a tipping point, be patient. 

5. Your friends and family will begin to inundate you with what they "read" about CrossFit. They will find stories about injuries and rare disorders. The reality is, CrossFit is as safe as you make it. Injuries can occur, but it's not any different from other kinds of training or activities, such as running, biking, lifting weights on your own, martial arts, or any other activity engaged without proper supervision or precautions. The rare disorder you will hear about, Rhabdomyolysis, caused by people pushing themselves past their exhaustion point. It's when the muscle fibers begin to break down and go into the bloodstream and into their kidneys. This disorder is not limited to CrossFit and is in fact, rare.

6. You will notice you have more energy. You could be dead sore from the previous days WOD but you will find yourself moving about easier and lighter. You will have less fat weighing you down, and you will be breathing a lot easier. 

7. You will learn mental toughness. This is what I lacked until I met CrossFit. You will be 90% through a WOD feeling like you are about to peel over but you don't. You will find that inner strength you had no idea was living within you and push yourself to finish. This will also come in handy when seeing what the WOD is before heading to your box and seeing exercises you absolutely hate, but know you need to conquer. 

This photo was found on Pinterest.

CrossFit isn't just a "thing" you do, it is a lifestyle. I am absolutely addicted to this crazy thing that takes every aspect of me- emotionally, mentally, and physically- and then gives it back with more than I had ever had. It will only get better. 

the gorilla takeover

This past weekend Aaron and I volunteered at The Gorilla Takeover, a CrossFit competition hosted by CrossFit Stumptown and CrossFit Mt. Hood. It was open to Scaled and RX, as well as Teams and Individuals. The closest thing to a competition I had ever seen was this past summer when I watched the CrossFit Games on ESPN. It was exciting to watch that, but I have been continuously told that it is a much different experience being at a competition. One of my coaches at Stumptown had commented one evening leading up to this past weekend that after witnessing a competition like this, most people who never competed will get a bug to want to compete. Now I understand what he means... but more on that later.

Several of the athletes at the Gorilla Takeover were from my box. I was excited to be able to support them as they competed. Watching many of the athletes from all over the Pacific Northwest was a lot of fun. What surprised me the most was seeing athletes of ALL ages and sizes. What I mean is, we had athletes as young as their early 20's up to 40+, and not all of them were toned and ripped. It goes to show you, anyone can do CrossFit, and not everyone's goal is to have a rock solid body. The goal is to be healthy and fit- and that comes in all shapes and sizes.

Carly from CrossFit Stumptown

The competition was a 2 day event. The first day consisted of WOD 1 - 3. The second day consisted of WOD 4 and then the Final WOD. All teams and individuals did WOD 1 - 4, and then the Top 10 in every division made it to the Final WOD. The first day I did a lot of running around, assisted with moving equipment around in between WOD's. For one WOD we literally had to move 25# and 45# weights back and forth between every Heat, there were over 10 Heats! Needless to say, I got a workout in without even thinking about it. We arrived close to 8 am and didn't leave until a little after 5:30 pm. The second day I didn't run around as much as the previous day, which was good, I was exhausted. It gave me more time to sit amongst the other volunteers and guests and watch the athletes compete. Some  would finish the WOD's efficiently and with very little struggle, and others struggled, some didn't finish. The one thing I noticed though, no one gave up! It didn't matter that they still had 10 more Wall Ball's before moving on to 80 Doubleunders in less than 2 minutes. Even when an athlete knew he or she wasn't going to finish before the time cap expired, they kept going until the buzzer rang. That is some dedication. What was even more inspiring to witness,  was when one athlete was left, all the others that had finished would surround him and her and motivate said athlete to keep going. There are NO egos in the CrossFit world. There is no mentality that "I am better than you." It's a community of people who care about each other, and will help each other to push when we feel like we have no more to give. Many of the men and women this weekend PR'd in their Deadlifts, they fed off the energy that surrounded them. To see the excitement of the crowd cheering on the athletes as they did incredible things- oh how inspiring it was to be there and to share in the moments!

Going back to what I stated earlier about competing. The bug bit me. I definitely became inspired and motivated to prepare myself for a future competition...

and onward I go

I can not express how happy I am to be a functional person again. It still amazes me that a common cold can knock someone off their game in the degree that it does. It took me 2 weeks to completely recover, though I still have a very mild cough, it no longer inhibits me from doing things. Yay! But what does all of this mean? Ohhhh, what it means is that after not working out for almost 2 weeks, I am now experiencing muscle soreness like a newbie. Ok, maybe not that badly but my Quads were certainly feeling it. I attempted to return to CF Stumptown last Thursday and successfully finished the class but felt like crap afterwards. Decided to not go Friday as I had been wheezing all day, which was a bummer since the class did the "300" WOD! I returned this past Monday and got to experience the Rich Froning's "Sally Up" Challenge. Oh. My. Goodness. I think someone pissed Tony off enough that he felt that he had to torture us. What the challenge entails is a particular movement that you follow along to Moby's "Sally Up" song which runs almost 4 minutes long. At my box our challenge was doing the Push-up Challenge rest for 2 minutes then do the Back Squat Challenge. But that's not all. For every time we took an unscheduled rest (meaning not going down when told to or going up when not told to) you had to add 5 Burpee's at the end of our total challenge, with a maximum of 50. But so you can completely understand what the challenges are, I found a couple of video's of people doing what we had to do... please watch.

Push-up Challenge

Back Squat Challenge

Needless to say, after attempting these two challenges the majority of the classes had to then do 50 Burpee's. And if you know me at all, and have been following me regularly, you know I detest Burpee's. I, sadly, had to do 50 of them. Whimper. 

down with the sickness

If you're a Disturbed fan, you probably started singing the song after reading the title to this posting... you're welcome! If you have no clue what I am talking about, move on...

So I haven't been to a CF class since last week Tuesday. I caught whatever bug Aaron brought home and was suffering from. All attempts in avoiding the bug were pointless, I still got sick. I'm out of the worse of it, I'm actually functioning well but my energy level is still not 100%. Climbing the stairs into my home is an exhausting experiencing. And lets not forget the rawness of my throat from all the coughing, it's terrible. The last time I took this much time off of CF was after a spider bite on my calf became infected and I was ordered to stay off my feet from my doctor. And trust me, that was no exaggeration. This is mental torture for me. I miss the coaches, the friends, the challenge, and the feeling a sense of accomplishment that I survived a WOD. I'm think I probably won't make it back in until Monday of next week. Sigh.

I have to look at it with a positive outlook, maybe I got the sickness out of the way for the winter?

whoa! these muscles are getting stronger...

Last night's WOD wasn't anything spectacular. We've certainly done harder and more intense WOD's before. But it was one of those nights where we'd get through it quickly and capable of doing the majority of it with minimal modifications. What was unexpected was how much I'd be able to notice how much I have improved. I would have never imagined the simplicity of this WOD would help me gauge where I am after 3+ months of grinding it out. So you understand what I mean, we had to do this: Strength first, Tuesday nights are dedicated to the Press. I am happy to announce that I was able to Press more #'s than last week! And then the WOD was AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 12 minutes of 12 T2B (toes to bar), 12 HRPU (hand release push-ups), and 12 Air Squats. That is all. It's something just about anyone can do.

I haven't got the core strength quite yet to do a true T2B, my modification is facing a wall and raising my feet as high as I can. I typically pick a spot (or hole) on the wall and aim my feet at that. I try to do this particular exercise at the same bar each time so that I can gauge how much higher I am getting than the previous time. Last night I was feeling a tad bit under the weather, and as I arrived to class I contemplated turning around and heading home instead. But I decided to grind it out, and my coach, Tony, said to just take it easy- so I intended to. The problem with CF WOD's are, no matter how much you try to just focus on yourself and do what you can do, you always look to your neighbor or someone else near by and want to stay pace or go faster then them. I don't know if this is necessarily true with everyone, but it is for me. Maybe it's my competitive nature. Anyway, I tried to keep pace with the girl next to me (which so happens she and I have a mutual friend outside of CF). When doing the T2B I found that the spot I kept hitting on the wall was about an inch higher than the last spot I hit the previous time we'd done T2B. You don't understand what a big deal this is for me. My feet are literally reaching above my waist, no longer parallel. I almost jumped off and did a victory lap over this! And to add to my excitement, I was able to do 6 or more at a time before stopping for a rest. Another feat!

Moving on to the HRPU, I found myself being one of the first people moving on to this move. Don't be fooled, I'm in no way stronger and faster then my CF companions. Having done a MOD for my T2B allowed me to move forward quicker. The rest soon caught up and either stayed paced or passed me. I am unable to do a proper push-up. It's something I have been working on for some time now and it's slow going. I do what they call "girl" push-ups, where instead of being on my toes, I am on my knees. Doing HRPU this way is still fairly hard though. To do a proper push-up you keep your back straight, not allowing any sway in your back or you butt to lift higher. I can do this without going all the way down to the floor, as I am still not strong enough to lift myself completely back up. But with HRPU, you are required to go all the way down to the floor, release your hands off the floor, and then lift yourself back up. Eek! Unfortunately for me, there is some slight sway back in my movement. I'm working on it.

And then on to the last movement, the lovely Air Squats. When I first started CF, my squats were extremely weak. A true squat would have your thighs going below parallel with the floor, I was doing above parallel. In CF you'll quickly learn that in many of the exercises you do, there is some form of squatting almost always. Seriously. In the beginning I hated this, my Quads were always sore and my knees constantly hurt. (Later I learned I need to stretch more afterwards, and now the Foam Roller and I have become best friends.) Anyway, I noticed my squats were improving when we worked on our Back Squats. And most recently when I did a 140# Back Squat and found that I went below parallel I was shocked (and wanted to do backflips... and if I knew how to, I would've). So last night, when it was time to grind out the Air Squats, I found that I busted out all 12 squats without stopping for a rest (like I had in previous WOD's) and I was doing them pretty quickly. When I was back to my T2B, I again was one of the first ones to be up there.

I find that I am beginning to keep pace with some of the stronger CrossFitters, even the ones that do the WOD's RX (prescription, opposed to MOD, which is modified). My movements are becoming more fluid and stronger. I feel stronger. And all this in a little over 3 months. :) So for those who are curious, I finished my WOD in 6 rounds + 5 T2B in 12 minutes. I had one round more than the average round! Now just to master the PU and T2B...

a body & mind of change

You know in any new activity we do, whether it be a new hobby, job, sport, etc etc, we go through a phase of change. Good or bad, something within us changes. We begin to learn about said activity, we strategize, we ponder, we try and practice. We are in the process of expanding our minds, opening new doors, even when you don't see it that way. We are forever evolving beings, we never remain the same. We all know this, it's not a new scientific find, but how often do you actually contemplate the fact that you are not the same person from yesterday? Sure, we can sit and think about the person we were 10 years ago, even 5 years ago with the person today and see how different you've become, however subtle or great. But have you ever noticed the changes from day to day?

I've been consciously paying attention to that lately, with myself. I was curious to see how I differ from the previous day or two. I'm in a great position to observe this as a lot around me has been changing in way of job, sport, relationship/lifestyle. I find with my new job, even though the actual position I hold is exactly the same, my frame of mind is different. I am happier. Because I feel this sense of happiness and calm, I find that I am even more engaged in my job than I was at my previous place. I found a hunger to want to learn more, understand more, study more. This thought process changed in a matter of 3 days! THREE DAYS! Recently one of the coaches, Joon, at my box was correcting a lift I was doing. I was struggling with getting the bar up on my shoulders. After giving me a few key points and then watching me get it wrong a couple of more times before figuring it out, he commented that I am stronger than I think I am. And I think he is right. After I got the lift right, the amount of weight on the bar didn't feel as heavy. Shortly after, Aaron stated to me that I am lacking confidence in my lifting. He may be right. I know I can lift, and I have been making progress with breaking my own records, but I definitely hold some fear. Because of Joon and Aaron's comments, my thought process has changed. Why am I afraid? What am I afraid of? I've turned my internal conversation around.

My body is different from the one that walked into my box 4 months ago. I haven't lost a ton of weight, or gained massive biceps. These changes are more subtle but to those who are paying attention, are noticeable. I don't recognize my legs in the mirror anymore. These legs still have a ways to go before I'd say they are in prime fitness condition, but they aren't the blubbery mass they once were. It's a strange phase I am in. I use to daydream of having the legs of some of Hollywoods hottest leading ladies, slender yet fit. And now, I look at ladies like Katie Hogan and those are the legs (and butt) I aspire to have. Witnessing the change in my Quads and Calves (as these are the most noticeable) has been awe-inspiring. My legs are beautiful.

Change can be good. Living the change, being aware of the change is even better. Be a part of your ever growing body & mind. Love yourself enough to aware of all of it's possibilities...

so, what is CrossFit?

Good question. I get asked that a lot from those who hear I am a CrossFitter but have never actually seen someone do it. I've never been able to completely explain it right, there is so much involved in what we do. The exercises are so varied and we never do the same routine twice. I typically say, "it's elements of weightlifting, gymnastics, and functional movements." But here is a more detailed definition:

CrossFit advocates a mix of aerobic exercise, gymnastics (body weight exercises), and Olympic weightlifting. CrossFit describes its strength and conditioning program as "constantly varied, high intensity, functional movement," with the stated goal of improving fitness, which it defines as "work capacity across broad time and modal domains." Workouts are typically short -30 minutes or less- and intense, demanding all-out physical exertion. They combine movements such as sprinting, rowing, jumping rope, climbing rope, flipping tires, weightlifting, carrying heavy objects, and many bodyweight exercises; equipment used includes barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, pull-up bars, kettlebells, medicine balls, and boxes for box jumps. These elements are mixed in numerous combinations to form prescribe "Workouts of the Day" or "WOD". Hour-long classes at affiliated gyms, or "boxes", typically include a warm-up, a skill development segment, the high-intensity WOD, and a period of individual or group stretching. Performance on each WOD is often scored and/or ranked to encourage competition and to track individual progress. Some affiliates offer additional classes, such as Olympic weightlifting, which are not centered around a WOD. The aim of CrossFit is to physically prepare people for whatever life might throw at them. -Wikipedia

Now that you have a better understanding of all that is involved, you think we're crazy don't you? I don't blame you. But remember, don't judge until you try it. Up for the challenge?