One PR and butter fingers...

I am not sure what happened today, but my Fran performance was an absolute mess. I was wasted by the second round, I kept dropping the bar on the thrusters, and my pull ups were horrible! However, on a positive note I did PR on a dead lift today!

Dead Lift PR: 175# (I think I could have done about 5 more pounds, but wanted to save a little for Fran)

Fran: 9:45 (My PR is 7:50)

"Fran"

For Time:

21-15-9 Thrusters 65#, Pull Ups

Scores:

Soreness: 3

Fatigue: 2

Mood: 1 (before Fran) 6 (After Fran) ;-)

Reflections:

I am very pleased about with my dead lift PR. This is a weakness I have been working on and I believe my form and confidence with this lift continues to improve.

What happened in Fran? I believe I started Fran with a bit of mental block. First, I geaked out a little on wrapping up my hands to protect the tears and that it ended up causing more problems during the workout. I relaxed at the bottom of the thrusters and dropped the bar a couple times. My pull ups and back mobility was a bit limited from dead lifts this week. Finally, I was focusing on the clock too much during the workout! I am only writing these reflections not as EXCUSES. This performance is a reminder of how important skill work is and Jeremy has promised to help me out with my pull ups.

CrossFit in Connecticut...

Yet another reason why I love CrossFit is that there is always a box to visit when you are traveling. In fact, visiting other CrossFit schools is a learning experience, builds relationships, and community. We joke about CrossFit being a "cult", but once you are hooked there is no turning back, and it is fun to share this passion with schools around the country and WORLD! We have also learned that CrossFit is a small world. A new box, Yankee CrossFit, opened in Farmington, CT about 6 months ago. It turns out the owner of that facility trained in Gracie Jiu Jitsu with Jeremy several years ago. Thank you, Yankee CrossFit for the phenomenal instruction from coach Brendon!

So I have a lot of catching up to do:

MONDAY:

"Mary"

AMRAP in 20 minutes (As many rounds as Possible)

5 Hand stand push ups

10 Pistols

15 Pull Ups

* Coach Brendon taught us a new way to do "scaled" handstand push ups which requires you to use bands to get full range of motion as opposed to using abmats.

Rounds: 8

I felt great! I had to take about 3-4 days off of CrossFit endurance, but at the end of that workout I had more left in the tank. The only distraction and painful part was the ripped hands!

I did the pistols as RX'd, pull ups as RX'd, and the handstand pushups with a red band. The first three or four rounds I was able to string three pull ups together at a time, but by round 6 I was doing one at a time.

Scores:

Soreness: 1

Mood: 2

Fatigue: 3 (that was due to traveling with little ones, not the workout)

TUESDAY:

WOD:

A) Sumo Deadlifts 3x3

125, 125, 135

10 Rounds For Time:

15 deadlifts 95#

15 Push Ups

Time: 15:15

I did the deadlifts at 75#. (Sorry, Coach, for not listening. I will never do it again.) That being said, once again I had a lot left in the tank and cranked out the last two rounds without stopping on the deads and only stopping once on the push ups. I suspect that is the CFE training kicking in. Jeremy was laying in a pool of sweat and I was jumping around him at the end.

Scores:

Soreness: 3

Fatigue: 2

Mood:2

WEDNESDAY:

5 K ROW

YUCK!

The traffic on the way back from CT was horrible so after sitting in the car 9+ hours I had to do some mobility work. My back, butt, and legs were stiff. I put the damper setting on 4 anticipating that this row was going to be absolutely horrible. My goal of this workout was to learn pacing. Surprisingly, it was not too bad, but it was extremely boring.

Time: 23:38

Scores:

Soreness: 4

Fatigue: 3

Mood: 3

(The NJ Turnpike contributes to these scores!)

Traveling WODs...

Well, the holiday celebrations have taken priority over my training cycle these last three days. Preparing for Santa, yummy and filling meals, wine, snow, and traveling have made it nearly impossible to get in a good workout. That being said, some rest days and focusing on the most important people in my life during the holidays has been absolutely wonderful. Jeremy and I took a huge risk and investment this year opening up our new location in Alexandria and we are both enjoying our emotional break from the business for a few days. However, we still push each other to workout even if it is a traveling wod. It is fun to compete against Jeremy in CrossFit because we both have our strengths and they are completely different. I crush him when it come to lower body strength, right now with stamina, and endurance. Jeremy shines when it comes to upper body strength or gymnastics, and we both are extremely flexible. This is another reason I absolutely love CrossFit. Everyone has their strengths and because our workouts are designed to be holistic, functional, and random it gives everyone a chance to attack their weaknesses, and show their strengths.

Yesterday's Traveling WOD:

A) Waking up at 5:00 A.M. and traveling to Connecticuit with two young children in a blizzard.

B) Morning Metcon: Hip Mobility, 75 Buprees, 25 (25#) Turkish Get Ups

C) After our arrival:
Cash In: 50 squats for time. I beat Jeremy ;-)

"21"
20 Push Ups, 1 Sit Ups
19 Push Ups, 2 Sit Ups
18 Push Ups, 3 Sit Ups
etc.
Jeremy beat me.

Cash Out: 50 Burpess for time. I beat Jeremy ;-)

Scores:
Mood: 3
Fatigue: 2
Soreness: 1

Tonight we are off to Yankee CrossFit to hit "Mary."

Catching up...

I did not have time to post yesterday so I am going to record yesterday's WOD (12/23), and today's WOD under this post. This week I continue to feel great. I have been working through all the ugly, sore spots through mobility wods and my neck and shoulder area feels 100% better. My stress levels have been a bit higher this week, but that is to be expected fighting the traffic and trying to get last minute Christmas stuff done. My two little angels are off the wall and super excited about Santa so we are little more prone to tantrums in this house, and I have to admit I've had a couple myself! Gotta LOVE the holidays! ;-)

One question many of my mommy friends and endurance athletes have recently asked me is, how do you find time to get in two workouts a day?

"We're going to push for more work, done quicker, and getting on with the business of life in our off time." - CrossFit Journal, What About Recovery?

Well, I am NOT doing two workouts everyday. In fact, Coach John, and any knowledgable CrossFitter knows that working out everyday will result in over training, which ultimately decreases performance and power output. Overtraining can affect us not only physically, but emotionally. When we do not respect our injuries or energy levels, we do more harm than good, and there is a very long list of reasons why. With that being said, I do hit two wod's a day, but only two times a week. Both of these wod's are fairly short and intense and I actually spend more time warming up and doing skill work than I do on the wod. If you have been keeping up with the blog you have probably noticed that my longest run has been five miles and that lasted 42 minutes. I believe that is the longest workout I have hit since I began this training cycle. Everybody has to work around different schedules, but rest days are just as important if not more important than the workout days. Recovery, stress control, sleep, hydration, nutrition, and mobility will enhance athletic performance. I believe this is one of the reasons why Coach John has me record my scores for fatigue, stress, and soreness everyday.

Yesterday 12/23

WOD:

A) Power Snatch 7 x 1

53 easy, 53, easy, 63 easy, 67 Failed - FRUSTRATED, 66 Failed- FRUSTRATED, 63 easy

B) 7 Snatches

500 M Row

14 Kettle bell swings- 35#

This was extremely frustrating for me, and obviously it is a weak lift. The snatch is a very technical movement so proper form is essential! I know I am capable of getting 67 pounds over my head but lack of confidence and form is currently preventing that.

Time: 13:04, 53# snatch

Scores:

Fatigue: 1

Soreness: 2

Stress: 3

Today's WOD:

1 mile tempo run, 85% effort.

Based on my previous time trials 85% effort would put me at about an 8:30 mile.

My time: 7:46 (Oops!)

I believe that was about 90% effort and it felt like I could have kept going. I started day dreaming about beating my husband, Jeremy, in a CrossFit Workout called Filthy Fifty. We have set a date to challenge each other after the holidays. ;-) Oh, and I had just coached and watched several athletes kill "Heavy Fran," which is an extremely challenging workout, so running a mile at 85% effort made me feel like I lucked out today.

Soreness: 1

Fatigue: 1

Stress: 2

Working on strength...

One of the things I love about CrossFit is that every athlete has their own set of weaknesses and strengths. I've talked about the importance of taking a holistic approach to your training. When I started CrossFit endurance with Coach John we talked about how strength, particularly the dead lift, snatch, and clean, are my weaknesses. It has been almost one full month and I have been hitting PR's in almost all the movements just from spending more time focusing on these areas.

Today's WOD:

5 rounds for time

5 dead lifts 115#

10 Burpees

Time: 6:26

Endurance WOD:

8 x 200 meter 1:30 rest between each

43, 41, 41, 43, 41, 42, 43, 43

I felt great during both wods today. When I started the deadlifts I thought that weight was going to be too easy, but by round 3, I could feel the form starting to break down and it was a challenge to pull 115# off the ground.

I'm not sure what happened on the first 200 meter run. I did these runs at the high school track so my distance was accurate when comparing these times to the ones I did in Alexandria.

Scores:

Soreness: 2

Fatigue: 1

Mood: 2

Rope Climbs Burn!

WOD:

5x3 Push Press

7 rounds for Time:

5 shoulder to overhead 105#

10 toes to bar

1 15 foot rope climb

Push Press: 75, 85, 85, 95x1, 95x1 (could not get it up a second time without re-racking)

My Time: 19 something, 6 rounds, 85#

It is so fun to climb a rope. Well, at least once or twice and before you just lifted 85# five times. Rope burn makes some pretty nasty marks in crazy places!

I had to bail on round 6 because I was going to be super late for my daughter's Holiday Party at school. This was a very tough workout. My forearms were toasted from the climbs, and hanging from the bar for the toes to bar.

Scores:

Soreness: 2

Fatigue: 2

Mood: 2

FeXY and Endurance

Today I had the honor of putting together a killer CrossFit workout for an endurance/triathlon team I joined about a year ago. Just like in CrossFit, this is a fabulous community where members can train, race, help each other set goals, and reach their maximum potential. I cannot begin to stress the importance of training and setting goals with a community. Not only have I made great friendships with a team like FeXY and CrossFit, but both of these communities encourage me to NEVER quit, keep setting goals, and improve. There is an element of "friendly" competition, resources, and we learn from each other! About 15 FeXY members did their first CrossFit workout today, and they killed it! I love sharing my passion for CrossFit with members within the endurance community and it was an absolute blast to have them at Capital today. That being said, I am going to avoid all the participants of today's CrossFit workout for the next 48 hours or at least until they can easily walk up and down the stairs again. ;-)

I have to give another shout out to Meaghan Cromwell! She is amazing! She completed her first 50K today. Meaghan's longest run was 9 miles, she sprained her ankle, and she trained with tendonitus in the knee. Meaghan is an amazing CrossFit coach and athlete! Congrats, girl. A true inspiration to Capital's athletes.

Today I did a 5 mile time trial. My goal was to hold an 8:20 pace and finish around 41:00 minutes. I listened to Coach John and tried to carefully pace myself the first mile or two. This was a little easier to do than anticipated because I had to run back and forth from sidewalk to street to avoid ice or snow covered sidewalks. Unfortunately, I did not finish at my 8:20 pace, but that being said I felt great between miles 2-4. In fact at times my garmin showed around an 8:00 pace. I finished the 5 mile time trial in 42:28 which puts me around an 8:29 pace. Reflecting on how I think I could have improved is taking time for a longer warm up especially when it is cold! I believe this is why I started to feel good around the 2nd or 3rd mile. I know I'm making excuses, but dodging snow and ice slightly impacted my time. I regrettably admit that the holiday nutrition plan is impacting my training as well. However, time trials like today remind me how important it is to get back on track!

Overall, I felt great except for the last mile. I gave it all I had in the 4th mile! I made sure there was nothing left in the tank!

5 mile Time Trial

Time:42:28

Scores:

Soreness: 2

Fatigue: 2

Mood: 2

Double Unders and Squats

Double unders are when the jump rope passes under the feet two times before your feet hit the ground again. This requires core strength and a higher jump which is extremely exhausting. Today I was trying out my new jump rope from Again Faster, and I was excited to see how much a difference the rope made. I think I still need to do some adjusting because I kept tripping on it at the bottom. If anyone has any suggestions on how to properly size jump ropes and stretch out the cord I would appreciate it. Anyways, I did get through the workout and it was a good one!

Workout:

1 minute on 30 seconds off - 5 times

10 Double Unders

10 Squats

Record Rounds

I either did 8.6 rounds or 9.6 rounds. I goofed up in counting somewhere in the middle. ;-)

Scores:

Fatigue: 1

Soreness: 1 (Neck: 4)

Mood: 1

Rowing!

Why do CrossFitters spend so much time focusing on anaerobic activity?

Anaerobic exercise is usually less than two minutes at maximum intensity. Aerobic exercise lasts longer than two minutes and usually requires a low to moderate output of energy. Both of these activities burn fat, increase heart rate, and will fatigue the muscles. However, anaerobic training "allows us to exert tremendous forces over a very brief time." In CrossFit you see anaerobic training all the time, but that is NOT to say we do not do a combination of both. Some of our hardest, most insane, and elite workouts last 2-3 minutes and we are pushed to our limits. If you are like me and you want to "suck less" then do this workout with me:

"FRAN"

For Time:

21, 15, 9

Thrusters @ 65 for women, 95 for men

Pull Ups

This is a benchmark workout in CrossFit!

Today I performed a workout that was 30% anaerobic and 70% aerobic. What CrossFit Endurance is training me to do is to achieve my aerobic potential by pushing me through a balanced training approach.

Workout:

3 x 1,000 meter rows (too slick outside to run)

3 minutes rest between each

4:20

4:28

4:31

My rowing form needs some serious work! I would much rather run, swim, or bike!

Mood: 2

Fatigue: 2

Soreness: 1 (neck: 7)

Full Rest Day

Yesterday my neck felt like I had slept on it funny or strained it. After I did the 400 meter runs with the 25lb. plate sitting on it I felt the pain even more. I woke up this morning feeling prepared and ready to hit CrossFit endurance today! When I went to go get Sarah out of her bed and lifted her, I quickly realized that today would be a recovery day instead. As athletes we can't help, but get a little "geaked out" when there is a hiccup in our training cycle. A neck strain can happen for various reasons and it is not always possible to determine the cause. This is an issue I have dealt with in the past and it usually takes 2-3 days to recover from. Anyways, with John's orders and my own gut feeling I decided to put my recovery first and take a full rest day. Other than my neck, the rest of my body feel great! Thank you to Dr. Bills for giving me that torturous deep tissue massage and straightening me out!

Scores:

Mood: 2

Fatigue: 1

Soreness: 1 (Neck:8)

It's not even winter yet!

It is so COLD! Like we didn't already know that, but my hands were frozen for today's workout. I am definitely feeling sore today. Last night I had lower back pain, but I did a couple mobility wods and I woke up this morning feeling fine. Yes, mobility wods work miracles. However, I am not sure if I slept on my neck funny or strained it in a workout, but my neck hurts today. Blah, blah, blah. I will stop complaining now.

Workout:

5 rounds for Time:

400 Meter Run with 25#

12 Box Jump

12 Push Press 75#

I completed three rounds due to the amount of volume this workout entails.

Time: 16:33

I have very fast box jumps. The 400 Meters with the plate were surprisingly very difficult. It was awkard running with the plate and putting it on my upper back hurt my neck. My forearms did a lot of the work which killed me in the push presses.

Scores:

Mood: 2

Fatigue: 3

Soreness: 4

Coach John has been teaching me about the importance of training with a holistic approach. There is a progression athletes need to consider while training , "Position, Movement, Speed, and Load." When you carefully think about the value of this progression you realize that mobility work is one of our first priorities. Think about it. If our bodies do not have the mobility and full range of motion, the movement will not take place, whether we are running, swimming, hiking, or climbing. If the movement does not happen, the speed will not follow. Finally, if we can't move quickly we are not going to get stronger. This is why in CrossFit, our specialty is NOT specializing!

There is another VERY important piece to this puzzle that I have not mentioned yet and that is nutrition! At Capital we are very fortunate to have some of the best, most knowledgable coaches who have different areas of expertise. Kari Utz, is a CrossFit coach and nutritionist. I can't even begin to tell you how much of an impact she has made on our family and many of our Capital athletes. She not only helps athletes change potentially dangerous and unhealthy habits, but educates them and helps them understand the benefits of taking your nutrition seriously. I have listened to her advice for two years now and when I do take my nutrition seriously, my performance dramatically increases!

That being said, I am training in the midst of the holiday season and temptations are everywhere along with holiday parties. It is the season to enjoy a cup of cheer and bake cookies! However, I do try to eat clean, take fish oil, vitamin D, and avoid excess amounts of alcohol. Our youngest daughter went through a very frightening stage when she was little. She had major lung surgery around three months and then after about a year she stopped gaining weight and dropped into the negative percentiles. She had stomach and eating issues beyond belief. We went to specialist after specialist. With the help of Kari, we not only turned my daugther's diet around, discovered her allergies, but now she is in the 3rd percentile and growing! So when we consider the holistic approach nutrition is the foundation! Without proper nutrition our bodies can not recover, survive, and ensure a long, happy life! Thank you, Kari Utz, for everything you have done for our family!

10:00 A.M.

Todays WOD: (WOD stands for Workout Of The Day)

3 x 5 Back Squats

105, 110, 110 PR- These felt great. I think I can do 115, possibly 120 next time!

Jackie:

For Time:

1K Row

50 45# Thrusters

30 Pull- ups

12:17

Jackie was tough. After about 30 thrusters at 45# I felt like I was going to get sick, but powered through and that feeling went away when I got to my pull ups. My pull-ups are horrible. I can only string two at a time.

2:15 P.M.

Endurance WOD:

Dynamic Warm-up

4 x 100 m sprints

30 seconds on, 1 minute off, 30 seconds on of cadence work.

1 minute on, 1 minute off, 9 times. (No active rest, light walking or standing still)

Covered 1.56 miles (with a little walking)

Again, felt a little sick and challenged around round 4.

Held at 6:20 pace the first 3-4, and about a 6:50 pace on the last ones.

Scores:

Soreness: 3

Fatigue: 3

Mood: 1

2 Mile Tempo Run...

So after Coach John sent me my workout for today I thought maybe he was losing it and forgot I was training for a 1/2 marathon. I usually try to do at least 5-7 miles for my Saturday or Sunday run. He tells me I am going to do 2 miles at 85% effort which means I should be at about a 7:40-8:10 pace. I thought to myself, that sounds easy enough! I am under strict orders not to sneak in any extra miles, but I was tempted to do that before my 2 mile tempo run. However, I did not give into the temptation and I warmed up with some groiners, good mornings, hollow rocks, and squats. Then I took off for an out and back 2 mile run. Ha! Easy right? Not! I started out a little fast around a 6:50-7:00 pace. Once I hit my first down hill interestingly enough my pace slowed down. I was actually faster on the uphills. I think my effort level was closer to 95%. After that first mile I was really happy I didn't have to hold that pace for another 5-10 miles. When it comes to CrossFit, we believe in making every second of your training count. The high intensity and mental preparation to finish a short challenging workout on any given day is what prepares our muscles and cardiovascular system to take on challenges we are training for, or surprise us! You never know when you might have to be strong enough to escape a challenging situation quickly, chase a child when their breaks failed on the bike, or have the energy to protect yourself!

I concentrated on keeping a high cadence, opening up my chest, and relaxing the shoulders. When I see photos or video of myself running it appears my upper body and arms are swinging all over the place. I believe swinging my upper body around like that wastes energy and can also throw off your form.

Time: 15:34 (7:46 Pace)

Scores:

Soreness:2

Fatigue:2

Mood:2

GHD Situps! Fun Stuff!

Today we got to try out the new, dangerous, and awesome piece of equipment, the GHD machine. The goal of the GHD machine is to get that full range of motion activating the hip flexors and the core. That being said, this is not a movement you ever want to just jump into! It can be quite dangerous and cause extreme soreness if we don't let our bodies work up to the full range. I would suggest starting with weighted situps or going to a parallel level.

Today I woke up feeling great. These mobility wods really make a difference!

WOD:

3 rounds for Time

30 25lb Walking Lunges

25 Hand Release push ups

15 GHD situps

Time: 13:07 as RX'd

I followed up with 15 minutes of mobility work. I did the mobility WOD Kstar posted today. I'm so bummed the Mobility Cert at Trident is full. He posted his WOD from Alexandria today!

Scores:

Soreness:2

Fatigue: 2

Mood: 1

Mobility WOD's

Rest days and mobility work are equally, if not more important than the runs and CrossFit workouts. The next time a mobility CrossFit seminar is offered near the Washington D.C. area I will be the first to sign up! Today I tortured myself through a five minute mobility WOD posted on Mobilitywod.com. I will hit another one tonight after the kiddos go to bed. They hurt just as bad, if not worse, than rolling around on the foam roller. However, after only five minutes I felt like my level of soreness and fatigue decreased. Mobility prevents injuries and prepares the body to workout the next day. The three things I have in my house that aid in mobility are the full body foam roller, the torture ball (lacrosse ball), and the runner massage stick. Most of the Mobility WOD's I focus on involve opening up the hips which is an area of tightness for ALL runners. Dr. Heath Bills specializes in working with endurance athletes and CrossFitters. From what I've heard he is amazing and works his magic to target areas of tension before or after an athlete is injured.

Todays Scores:

Soreness 4 (before Mobility WOD) 2 (After Mobility)

That is a pretty quick recovery given how sore I was yesterday

Mood: 1 (However, my kids are driving me crazy today. I've had to call Santa three times.)

Fatigue: 3

Sore from head to toe!

Wow! I am really happy I have a rest day tomorrow. I am at the 24 hour peak of feeling sore. I've been drinking lots of water, taking glutamine, and fish oil to aid and speed up recovery. However, right now I have to admit I am drinking a nice glass of red wine and then I am going to bed and will sleep like a baby tonight! I had to do the workout today by myself at the Alexandria location. I accomplished a PR on my one rep max for the cleans. However, I think I could have done more, but without anyone watching I didn't want to push it especially since this is an area of weakness for me. I have trouble trusting the lumbar curve when it comes to dead lifts and cleans. It truly is a confidence issue for me! My endurance WOD today was tough, but my times were a lot faster than predicted which surprised me. I did this at the high school track and it was really COLD! I am feeling very sore in the quads, core, and arms. I know, just tell me to shut up and stop whining.

I did this at 11:30

CrossFit WOD:

1 Rep Max Power Clean

5 rounds for Time:

10 Power Cleans 105#

15 Wall Balls 12#

10 Pull ups - Chest to Bar

My results:

One Rep Max: 90#

19:17 (83# Cleans, 12 # WB, Kipping Pull Ups (My chin was way over the bar each time)

I did this at 4:30

Endurance WOD:

4 x 400m runs

2:00 Rest

(Do not deviate more the 2-3 seconds for each)

1:31, 1:32, 1:34, 1:35

* The first 200m on each one were strong. I lost speed the last 200-100m, except on the first one.

Scores:

Soreness: 7

Fatigue:4

Mood:1

Heavy Thrusters...

Workouts like today make me want to do Fran just for fun. I was very happy I could do the 95# thrusters, but that didn't last long. I had to drop to 85# after the fourth thruster. I started each thruster from the rack since I have zero confidence when it comes to cleans. Tomorrow should be interesting. The thruster is such an awesome and powerful movement because it really makes you drive through those legs and pop the hips which ultimately makes us stronger runners! Now doing this at 85#, at high intensity, and with a running clock adds a whole new level to the movement. Even though I could not complete the workout as prescribed I must say I am still very happy with the 85# thrusters. I am definitely feeling a difference when it comes to heavy lifting. Yay!

Workout

5x3 Thrusters

Complete As Many Rounds As Possible in 12:00

7 95# Thrusters

12 Burpees

My results:

I did not have time to complete the 5x3 Thrusters today. I did 2x3 at 65# and 75#

3 rounds, 4 thrusters

(4 thrusters at 95#, then scaled to 85#)

Mood: 1

Fatigue: 2 (before the WOD) 4 (After the WOD)

Soreness: 2 (I have a feeling I'll be pretty sore tomorrow!)

Brrrr....

So when it comes to CrossFit there is always the unknown! Sometimes we think a workout looks pretty easy and it ends up being the most challenging minutes of your life. Sometimes we think a workout looks almost impossible and we walk out of the gym with a little ego that day. Today I thought the CrossFit Workout looked extremely challenging. Only because of the prescribed weights. I set up my bar for 65# Sumo Deadlift High Pulls, and 75# Squat Cleans. I tried both before I started and made the last minute decision to change my SDHP's to 75#. I am happy I did! My numbers were not very high, but I was happy I didn't have to scale down the weights half way through the workout. It was not until the last round where I felt like my form was starting to break down on the swings and SDHP's.

WOD:

5 ROUNDS as RX'd

1 minute 75# Squat Cleans: (7, 7, 7, 7, 7)

Rest 30 seconds

1 minute 55# Kettle Bell Swings (17, 16, 16, 15, 15)

Rest 30 Seconds

1 minute 75# Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (10, 11, 10, 10, 9)

Rest 30 Seconds

Endurance WOD:

This was not bad even with the windy and cold conditions. I kept my rest time active to stay warm, except for the last two rounds. I actually discovered that it was harder to go all out when I started from a stand still rest position. My legs had to work much harder to get started.

Endurance WOD:

15 seconds on 45 seconds off until 5 minutes, rest 2 minutes, repeat.

I tried to concentrate on form especially with pulling that right leg as opposed to pushing of the ground.

Fatigue: 2

Mood: 1

Soreness: 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w9E-dgLUT4&feature=related

bleh...5K day

Today Coach John had me do a 5K time trial. It is so hard to get into racing mode by myself at Burke Lake. It was about 30 degrees when I started. This is probably my first cold run of the winter since we've had such mild weather. I woke up feeling a little sore this morning. I warmed up with a few good mornings, hip openers, and squats. I ran the first mile between 7:40-8:00 according to my garmin. The second mile had a couple hills and I think I averaged around 8:20. Fatigue set in on the second mile. The third mile started off rough, but I think I finished the last 800 meters pretty strong. It definitely was not a PR for me, but then again I have not been in racing mode and this is a starting point for the next 8 weeks.

5 K Time: 25:28

Mood- 3 (Is Jeremy supposed to have an impact on this score? ;-)---- Widow Maker.

Soreness- 3

Fatigue-3 (before running) 8 (while running)

As far as form goes I believe I kept it together most of the time. I was not wearing my innov 8s so my feet felt pretty heavy, but I did not feel any foot pain or hip flexor discomfort.

REST DAY and Mobility

Today I am resting, recovering, and spent about 15 minutes on mobility. My hips are always tight! I rolled on the roller for about 5 minutes, did a few groiners, and and sat in a low, rocking squat for a few minutes. The other area of tension in my body is my right foot which stems right up to my hip. When running longer distances I get a blister on the fore front of my right foot and my right hip flexor becomes pretty sore. I suspect that I favor my right side. In fact, when I was pregnant with both my girls, my right thigh became numb in the second trimester and I developed a huge bruise on my right thigh. The doctor told me both my babies were hanging out on my right side. Weird, huh?

John, I bet you loved reading about my pregnancy issues! What do you think about that? Oh and I AM NOT PREGNANT.

Widow Maker

Mood-1

Soreness-3

Fatigue-2

Another 55# Kettle Bell Day. Yay!

Today's WOD:

4 Rounds For Time:

Run 400M

25 Kettle Bell Swings 55#

25 Box Jumps

My time: 20:55 as RX'd

The first two 400 M runs felt great, but my form and pace completely fell apart at round 3. By round four I could hear my feet pounding the ground and I believe I was heel striking.

On a scale from 1-10 (1 being Best, 10 being Horrible)

Mood- 1

Soreness- 2 (I suspect I'll feel those swings in my back tomorrow. I'm going to spend some time on the roller tonight.)

Fatigue- 3 (I need to get to bed earlier. I have been staying up until midnight lately.)

Day 1... Dodging the Morning Monsoon!

Oh man. I am so happy I didn't have to do those 200m sprints in the windy rain I woke up to this morning. Everyone in our house over slept and my daughter had a field trip so we had to rush out this morning. I didn't get to have my morning shake of frozen fruit, fish oil, egg whites, and glutamine. My morning routine and nutrition intake usually has a huge impact on my performance. However, today I felt great. I think I should have increased the weight for the Power Cleans.

CrossFit WOD

20 minutes - AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)

5 Power Cleans 95/135

4 Hand Stand Push Ups

8 Kettle Bell Swings 55/75

My Results:

11 Rounds

70# Power Cleans, 1.5 Abmat Handstand Push ups, 55# Kettle bell swings

The Kettle bell swings were by far the hardest part of this workout. 55lbs. is a lot of weight! 2 abmats for Hand Stand Push Ups is too easy, but 1 is too hard. This is a skill I need to continue to work on.

Endurance WOD:

8 x 200m Sprints - 2 minute rest.

Do not deviate more than 2-3 seconds between sets.

(The measurement for the 200m route is off at our new Alexandria Facility)

38, 38, 36, 36, 36, 38, 36, 38

The last two sets were challenging and I had to dodge a Walmart truck. I was really happy I didn't have to do squats today!

8 Weeks Until the New Orleans 1/2 Marathon....

I started running about 3 years ago. This was around the same time CrossFit was introduced to Capital Mixed Martial Arts and Elite Fitness. The first time I watched a CrossFit workout I thought it was an extremely intimidating environment and there was absolutely no way my post-natal, sleep deprived body would endure that type of intensity. What I really wanted was a supportive group of mom friends, so I joined See Mommy Run. At the time socializing, and a nice leisurely stroll with my double wide stroller, was my pace. We would meet at Burke Lake three times a week. I did one year of track in high school, but besides that I had never run more than a couple miles, so I was basically showing up to walk and socialize ONLY. Well, a little peer pressure and some fit, beautiful moms, inspired me. Before I knew it I was running the whole lake. Andrea Vincent, founder of See Mommy Run, along with Carin MacLean, helped me work up the confidence and strength to get around the lake.

Once I began running the lake I then decided to give CrossFit a try. My husband put me through my very first workout. Let me just tell you he is very lucky that I am still married to him. I can't remember what it entailed, but Dr. Heath Bills and I could barely walk! We had to crawl up and down the stairs and I had to lie to people about why I was walking so funny (I was too embarrassed to say that my husband had me do 100 + jumping squats.) My infant was crying in her crib and I had trouble going to get to her. My husband - at the time - did not understand the word, "scale." Now we are now both certified instructors and we laugh about how stupid and dangerous that workout was. Yes, that WAS dangerous! Today we have several incredible MMA and Fitness facilities, and we are addicted to CrossFit! It has changed my life. It is a highly coached environment where real, functional movements are used to help us be fit, grow old while growing strong, achieve health, and confidence. This is what I love modeling to my girls.

Two summers ago some of my best mommy friends and I decided to try a triathlon! We loved it! Our friendships and goals continue to grow. In about 8 weeks we are going to do the Rock N Roll 1/2 marathon in New Orleans! Of course, we also need to train for the drinking and kid free part. Coach John McBrien will be helping me for the next four weeks as I kick off my CrossFit Endurance Program. CrossFit Endurance is about getting stronger to get faster. Every running workout I do will be short, intense, and measurable. I will post my workouts here and keep everyone posted as I train for my first 1/2 marathon!

Thank you for reading!