A Run with The Garth Show

I told The Garth Show about my running excursion the other day and suggested that we take a field trip with some people to check out the trail sometime. Garth is very enthusiastic about taking on - well - pretty much everything CrossFit related but he's also a strong runner. I figured he would probably be up for a challenging run and would also probably help me trick others into going as well. So when I told him about the trail, he was up for it - but he also posed his own challenge, a trail, which amounts to about a 10K, at one of the nearby state parks, 6 am, this Thursday (yesterday).

Now I was a bit hesitant simply because I have been running too much lately and realize I need to be working on other things; however, I've never really been one to step down from a challenge either. I guess in this case the id won out because there I was 6 am sharp, standing in a wooded parking lot, getting ready to run with The Show.

I was standing there, one of my earbuds when Garth asked me if I was ready. I kind of nodded, still a little distracted by my music, and he took off. Not to be left behind so early in the game, I began running and fidgeting with my music as I ran. Once I found the appropriate playlist, I focused all my attention on keeping time with him.

During the run, I felt that I did a fair job of keeping up with him, although there were times where I was worried that I was slowing him down; however, he kept me going at a good pace, especially during the many hills we tackled on the way. Overall, it was a good run and a good track. We punched out 5.6 miles or a 9K in about 45 minutes. Of course, he finished ahead of me (was there ever any doubt?) but I was able to be right there behind him. It wasn't as an eventful run as my run the other day but it was a great workout, and we both decided that we'll take on the Lake Geneva trail someday too - just to mix things up a bit.

Now: No. More. Running (at least for a little bit...)

Feeling Dirty?

When I looked at Tommy Mo's blog yesterday and saw that they did "The Filthy Fifty" at the Fort, I decided it was time for a little visit. Despite the fact that "The Filthy Fifty" is a tough workout, it is actually one of my favorites (I know... Crazy, right?). I enjoy chipper workouts though because once you finish that movement - you're done with it. There are sometimes when I'm going through however many rounds in WODs and the last thing I want to do is 21 more burpees or 30 more cleans, but I digress. Here is the outline for yesterday's WOD:

"The Filthy Fifty"

• 50 Box Jumps (24")
• 50 Jumping Pull-Ups
• 50 Kettlebell Swings (16K/12K)
• 50 Walking Lunges
• 50 Knees to Elbows
• 50 Push Presses (20K/15K)
• 50 Back Extensions
• 50 Wall Ball Shots (20LB/14LB)
• 50 Burpees
• 50 Double Unders

Well, let me just tell you how this went down. I completed the WOD as prescribed. My pacing throughout the box jumps went well and it was similar in regards to my walking lunges. I flew through my first 25 reps of my jumping pull ups and then nearly repped through the remaining 25; it was a similar situation in regards to both my push presses and back extensions. I did rep through my kettlebell swings (heck yes!). My double unders were okay, but I needed to push through them faster. Then there was the knees to elbows (K2E), wall balls and burpees.

Remember that wall I ran into before during that other WOD? Well, I bumped into it on my K2E, ran straight into the damn thing on my wall balls and then did it again on my burpees. My form on K2E's could have been a little better; they were decent but I wasn't focusing on laces to bars as much as I should have; instead I was focusing on not swinging (I'm not sure which is more important, but it's most likely the former). As for the wall balls, I don't know what happened except that I hit a wall at this point in the WOD last time. Guess, I need to focus on my wall balls, especially the pacing, because I unfortunately cannot rep through those beasts like Tommy Mo. As for the burpees... Well, I think Matty-Lo was absolutely right when he said: "Those are the worst 50 burpees you will ever do." And just like Forrest Gump said: "That's all I have to say about that."

In the end I finished in 32:19, which I felt okay with since I improved from 33:05. I had wanted to reach 30:00 mark but it may have been wishful thinking. Next time though, next time things will really get dirty.

Happy Trails to Me

I'll just say it: I know I've been running too much lately. Last week, I did sprints and a 5K, and I usually jog a mile as part of my warm up. I plan on mixing it up a little more but I had the opportunity to do a challenging run yesterday that I could not pass up, so please be kind.

My mom is currently visiting from Minnesota, and so my aunt and her were heading up to Lake Geneva, WI, to take a boat tour of the lake. Yesterday, they had spent part of the day in LG too but had walked the shore path, which is 26 miles around the lake. Now, I remember this path. I walked the entire route once before back when I was younger and stupider, and it's a combination of perfectly manicured lawns, beaches, stone paths, concrete walkways, dirt trails through woods, and a whole lot of hills; there are beautiful houses to look at, boats to pine over, people to dodge, rocks and trees to jump over and stairs to run up. It's 26 miles of walking/running heaven or hell, depending on your point of view. But what got me was that the trail aspect of it. I am sick of running on asphalt/tracks/concrete - and being older and stupider, I decided I needed something different and something different was exactly what I got.

I should preface that I actually have no real record of how far I ran. The trail is not necessarily marked very well and I do not own a pedameter, but I do believe I ran at least six miles total (to and from) based on one sign I saw. My point was though was to run for a half an hour and then turn around to meet my aunt and my mom back at the docks. It was far from your typical CrossFit WOD because I do not know necessarily how far I ran or how much time it took me (I forgot to turn off my stopwatch when I finished); however, I wanted to test out the trail before trying to con other people into coming out there with me, and test it out I did. Here is a list of what happened to me while on and after my run:

1. I ran through some pleasant boggy areas; my shoes and socks are now coated in mud;


2. I nearly ran over a couple of walkers, a gardener and an elderly gentleman taking pictures;
   
3. I tripped over a loose rock on a patio and fell down. Luckily, only my pride was wounded and not my hands or the knee I landed on;


4. I got lost and ended running at least an extra 200 meters at least both up and then downhill;
   
5. A bee stung me. In all my 25 years, I had never been stung by a bee until yesterday. Seriously, that sucker came out of nowhere and it hurt. (Stupid bee.)


6. When I finished, I walked up to my mom and aunt, who promptly told me that they had found some nice summer dresses I needed to try on. I'm sure that the workers at the store were absolutely thrilled when the sweaty/dirty girl in knee highs walked through the door. Luckily (for both the store owners and for me), we bought everything I tried on (Yay for new clothes).

So there you have it. It was a fairly eventful run and morning, and I'll probably go back once I figure out the exact mileage, have a specific time to go for, and when it gets a little cooler so I don't get attacked by more bees.

The Side Show & Some Notes on "Cindy"

I've become a frequent visitor to one of the parks in my current place of residence. I haven't spent this much time at a park since I was lifeguard two summers ago, but just like when I was a kid, it's proving to be a good time. Now, I use the term "good" loosely primarily because I'm frequenting the playground to get in a WOD, which means I'm trying to kick my own ass. Aside from this - the monkey bars are great for pull ups; there are some tires set up that I can use for agility drills; there's a nice running route; some bleachers for running stairs. I'm not going to lie; it's a pretty decent setup. My only complaint is the strange looks I seem to get from those who encounter me.

Granted I don't particularly pay attention to my spectators when I'm focusing on my kip or trying to get full extension on my push ups; however, it's those moments in between when the sweat is dripping into my eyes and I'm staring up at those monkey bars that I just want to focus on cranking out more pull ups. For example, the other day, this same situation occurred; however, instead of focusing, I was distracted by the five year old who just got off the slide, looked at me and said: "Grandpa, what is that lady doing?"

"Cindy," I replied under my breath before jumping up and doing a few more pull ups and the moving on to my push ups. "I'm doing 'Cindy.'"

Now had I not been in the middle of the workout, I may have smiled at him and told him I was just working on improving my pull ups, told him they make you stronger, all that nicey nice stuff. The problem is that I'm sure I didn't particularly look all that nice while I was working out - not unless you think sweat, dirt and grass stains are the newest look for fall (hey, to each their own) - and I'm sure my smiling at him probably would have made the grandpa make a beeline for the car rather came off as a friendly gesture. Regardless, I'm assuming that I probably made their trip to the park a little more interesting, even if I was the side show.

On another note: About Cindy. Cindy is another workout that helps you measure progress. I met Cindy at my very first day of CrossFit, and let me tell you, I've come a long way. When I began CrossFit, I was using the green band for pull ups and didn't get much depth on my push ups. When I did Cindy the other day, however many glorious months later, I did the workout prescribed and completed ten full rounds plus five pull ups and eight push ups. It was nothing spectacular but compared to where I was when I began and my ongoing battle with pull ups, I was okay with this; at least I broke double digits. I only wish that I had at least reached twelve rounds. Guess, I'll just have to push myself a little harder next time.

July 21st = Good Day

What's that? Yesterday was fabulous? How right you are.

I'll keep this brief. Yesterday was terrific for three reasons and only one was non-CrossFit related:

1. I got another teaching gig at one of the local colleges (Huge for me and for obvious reasons).
2. I ran a 5K in 23:12, a time that was almost three and a half minutes faster than than the previous leading female time on the record board.
3. I made the record board for doing seven pull ups in a row, which I know is nothing compared to a lot of people - but it's a big deal for me, so lay off, okay? Just let me enjoy my moment.

Now I'm done patting myself on the back, and I'll get back to practicing things I'm bad at (i.e. more pull ups, cleans, push ups, presses, etc.). It's not as fun, but what can ya do?

Progress Report #1

So you're probably wondering how my no grain/no sugar challenge is going. Let me tell you...

It's not.

When I began the challenge, I was rockin' it. I made it through the first week relatively crabby-free. It was when the weekend rolled around and my friend in the City beckoned me to come down for the margaritas and Mexican food that began my eventual sugared/carbohydrated demise.

I am exaggerating a bit when I say "demise." It's not like I've gone sugar/carb crazy and began stuffing my face with Cheetos and chocolate chip cookies. On the contrary, cutting grains out my diet has been the easiest part of the challenge; however, summertime and Summer Shandy go well together, especially on weekends. It's not that I drink a lot or even very often anymore but it's still enough that I can tell a difference in how I feel and how I look.

The same is true in regards to the sugar. Although I did indulge a bit this past weekend, my sugar related problems have otherwise been limited to the meat, marinades and spice rubs that I've been cooking with. I know this seems otherwise inconsequential, but I can tell a difference between the first week of my challenge versus this past week and realize that I need to get back on track.

I realize that I may be trying to do too much, especially since I am trying to count calories too, and this may be part of my problem. I also realize that my home is not entirely Paleo friendly either, which also adds to the difficulty of the situation; however, in the end, unless you're Super Dave (who cut everything cold turkey), changing your diet is hard. Moreover, it takes time to phase things out, and in that respect, I feel that I'm doing okay. I've phased out grains (bread, pasta, cereal, etc.) and almost all dairy (I do eat cheese on occasion) and other processed foods. So in that respect, all is not lost. Now all I have to do is focus on fine-tuning, which I think can be the most difficult part since it's often easy to overlook minor details.

Now, I am in no way done with the challenge because I am trying to think long-term here; however, I am going to try and do better at taking this challenge more day by day and to not beat myself up if I screw up. Instead, I'll focus more on getting back on the wagon and getting back to where I felt fantastic.

The CrossFit Continuation of Awesome

Three things:

1. I went to the Fort this past Saturday for "Team Saturday."
   
2. We did the Stadium WOD from the CF Games.
   
3. It was awesome.

We started out with a short 800 meter run, mobility drills and some burpees because The Garth Show failed to introduce himself to Darryl, a visiting CrossFitter from Buffalo, New York. We then we all waited anxiously as Bill determined the teams.

I turned out to be pretty lucky that The Show failed to introduce himself to Darryl because I ended up being on a team with him, and I wouldn't have remembered his name otherwise. Jeff and Stephanie rounded out the rest of our team, and I was feeling pretty confident about our chances. All the teams seemed pretty evenly matched.

After everyone was sorted into their respective teams, set up began. It took longer than I think anyone anticipated; for some reason there were mix ups with where teams were competing and so on. Regardless, we got it all sorted out and were soon in our places to begin the workout. Just as a reminder, the Stadium WOD consisted of:

Stadium WOD

30 Wallballs (20lbs/14lbs)

THEN

• Row 300m
  
• 30 Box jumps (24")
  
• 30 KB swings (24kg/16kg)
  
• 30 Push press / Push jerk (40lbs/25lb)

THEN

30 Deadlifts (225lbs/135lbs)

Since there were a limited number of 20 lb wall balls, we did a stagger start with the teams. My team was one that started later; however, when we got the 3-2-1-Go!, Stephanie was off, repping through those wall balls like a mad woman. I was the next to go, then Jeff, and then Darryl. We were all there cheering each other on throughout, driving each other to do better. It was your typical CrossFit continuation of awesome.

After finishing the wall ball portion of the WOD, we moved onto our respective stations. I went from rowing, to box jumps, to push presses, to kettlebell swings. Out of all the exercises I was most pleased with my kettlebell swings and push presses. I almost repped through both exercises. I was less pleased with my box jumps and rowing. I was able to get a good string of about 12 box jumps in and then ended up having to stop every so many reps rather than pushing right through. As for the row, I'm not sure what I was doing there, but I know I could have rowed faster. Then came the deadlifts.

I love deadlifts. They are by far my favorite lift, and I felt pretty good about my pacing throughout, especially since I hadn't done them in awhile. I only had to stop twice and it was due more to my grip rather than feeling overly tired. Stephanie, on the other hand, was like "Psh. Who stops on their deadlifts?" and then repped right through all 30 of those beasts.

When we called "time," I was proud of my own and especially my team's performance. Stephanie had been a deadlift machine; at one point, I saw Jeff popping that kettlebell up like it was nobody's business, and I remember looking over at Darryl while I was rowing and thinking, "Daaaaaaaaaammmmnnnn." Let me tell you, Darryl took out those push presses faster than a mugger in Central Park. It was awesome. What made it even better though was that these were the only things I witnessed from my own team. The other teams were equally intense and focused.

On other teams, I saw Zach, Jennie, Beth and Stacy all crushing the deadlifts; I witnessed Tommy Mo and Super Dave flying through the wall balls, and got to watch Jessica and Garth cranking it out on the rower. All around, everyone did a phenomenal job. It was great to see such intesity and hard work from everyone.

After all was said and done though, it wasn't until I was writing down the WOD on a stolen piece of paper (my book is at home), that I noticed that my team had won with the time of 18: 12. I do believe that my response was: "Wow... We won." All nonchalant and such. It felt good though, and I must admit, we look pretty good holding that belt too.

Jeff, Stephanie, Me, & Darryl