CFE DAY

Strength:

Strict Press:

1x3 @ 70% 47lb.

1x 3 @ 80% 55lb.

*1x3 @ 90% 60lb. +4

The strength training component has actually become my favorite part of the workouts. I am becoming more and more confident with ALL the lifts and I feel a difference in some of the movements I am doing in the wods. For example, I have struggled with good rowing form in the past, but today as I was rowing I envisioned my body going through the movements of a back squat! Hopefully, this is right, but it really helped me to improve my power output on the rower!

Conditioning:

3 rounds for time:

50o Meter Row

21 Box Jumps

15 Thrusters 65lb.

Time: 15:40

As always, the 65lb. thrusters were challenging. I tried not to geak out like I do in Fran and broke them up into sets of 5. This was just enough challenge so that I did not fail or collapse on the next one.

The box jumps were easy! Love box jumps!

As I mentioned above, rowing felt great today.

CFE

2:00 on, 1:00 off x 6

This was miserable. I had just stuffed down my lunch as I was starving! I realized I had 20 minutes until Laura's bus arrived so I broke out a of couple squats and sampson stretches to warm-up and then I took off. I almost left I pile of throw up at the bus stop! My lunch obviously had not digested, my legs were spent from the thrusters, but I did it and got it over with! I walked/jogged on the off. Covered 1.7 miles.

Scores:

Fatigue: 2

Soreness: 4

Mood: 1

Fun stuff...

Today's conditioning wod is now my new favorite workout. Doing power cleans with a manageable weight is really fun! What I loved about this workout is that it was just enough that I did not have to break any of the movements up. ;-) Thanks, Coach John! Can I do this again?

Dead Lift:

1x3 @ 70% 110#

1x3 @ 80% 125

* 1x3 @ 90% 140 +4

Once again, the dead lifts felt challenging especially at 140lb. I had to reset after each lift at 140, it was not touch and go. I hope that still counts. I do believe I am becoming more confident with this lift. Three months ago I was scared to clean 65 pounds. I could do it, but the lift made me nervous. (I'm a wimp) When you do a power clean you start in the dead lift stance and essentially dead lift the weight off the ground and clean it. Today, cleaning 65pounds was light, fun, and I believe I had perfect form! So spending time on improving the dead lift is definitely carrying over into other movements. ;-)

Conditioning:

AMRAP

3:00, 1:00 rest

3 Power Cleans 65#

6 push ups

9 air squats

1) 4

2) 4 + 3 cleans

3) 4 + 1 clean

4) 4 + 1 clean

5) 4 + 2 cleans

20 rounds + 7 cleans

BEST workout ever! I guess that means this wasn't a huge challenge for me.... so maybe I shouldn't announce that.

Endurance WOD:

Today I had to do the CFE WOD 30 minutes after the CF WOD.

8x200 meters 1:00 rest- do not deviate more than 2-3 seconds.

I did this in Loudoun so my times might be a bit off compared to the last time I ran 200 meters at the track.

46, 46, 47, 46, 48, 47, 47, 47

My quiet, snowy run..

I took this right after I finished my run! I love Burke Lake.

Friday, January 7

Back Squats! LOVE back squats. For whatever reason, I feel confident, safe and strong with this movement. Unfortunately, now that I coach mid day I have to do most of my wods by myself so I do not have someone watching form or pushing me through the conditioning. However, I believe my back squat form is good.

1x5 @ 65% - 80lb

1x5 @ 75%- 95lb

*1x5@ 85%- 107- + 8

Conditioning:

15 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)

5 push press 65#

10 wall ball 14#

15 double unders

7 rounds + wall balls + 3 double unders

The most challenging skill for me on this wod was the double unders. I was only cranking out 2-4 at a time, and I can usually stay within the 5-10 range when doing a wod. I felt great during both workouts. The push presses were very challenging, but I did not have to break them up. I did not reach the red line on the wall balls every time, and I broke those up around rep 7 or 8 each time.

Scores:

Mood: 1

Fatigue: 1

Soreness: 2

Saturday, January 8

10 K Time Trial ;-)

6 miles: 51:41

Coach John, I love how you program my time trials and tempo runs in the most wonderful weather conditions. ;-) I left my house at 7:00 A.M. and arrived at Burke Lake right when the heavy snow started. The first two miles were miserable as I was adjusting to the visibility factor, my frozen fingers, and warming up. I just wanted to get it over with! However, around mile 3 after my bitter fingers and body warmed up I enjoyed the serene beauty of the lake! I wanted to stop to take pictures with my phone. It was such a fluffy, gorgeous snow fall. Of course, right when I finished my six miles the snow stopped! To be honest, I didn't feel that strong until mile 5, and the running conditions were a bit slick. At the end I felt like my pace was starting to improve, and I definitely had energy left in the tank for at least another mile or two.

Scores:

Fatigue: 3 (another bad night of sleep)

Soreness: 2

Mood: 2

Today, Sunday

REST DAY

Scores:

Fatigue: 2

Soreness: 1

Mood: 1

CFE Endurance Day

*I love how the image above shows how landing out in front and heal striking actually applies an enormous amount of stress to the knees and beyond. Landing flat footed and heal striking is like putting the breaks on. Ouch. During my endurance wods I focus on fast cadence, landing under your center of mass, and pulling into the figure four. I know that my form breaks down as fatigue kicks in as I can hear the heavy pounding on the ground.

Today I felt strong during the conditioning WOD and strict presses. On the last round I attempted to do as many reps as possible and was able to press 4 before I felt like the next one would fail. I've noticed that core positioning and staying tight helps me to get the weight overhead and lock out!

On the other hand, the endurance wod was tough today. I went to the High School track and had to dodge the track team. My first 800 meter was cut a tad bit short. My legs felt heavy and I was struggling. I think I went out a little too fast on the first 800m and I was distracted by the track team. Around 400 meters my garmin showed about 6:10 pace, which is not where I needed to be. I definitely need to work on pacing!

Results:

Strict Press

1x5 at 65% 45#

1x5 at 75% 50#

1x5 at 85% 57# + 4

Conditioning:

12-9-6

front squat 75#

Burpees

Time: 4:09

Endurance WOD:

3 800 Meter Runs 2:00 rest

3:30- cut short by 50-100 meters

3:39

3:40

Riptide Masters

I LOVE SWIMMING! I love being in the water, I love the smell of chlorine, and it brings back warm memories of my childhood. I lived at the pool when I was younger. I woke up at 4:30 A.M. throughout high school, spent my Friday nights in the warm, indoor recreation centers all over Northern Virginia, and spent my summers being a pool rat as I never went home after morning practice. I cross my fingers and hope my girls will embrace this social, active, and healthy environment when they get older. In my opinion this sport attracts great, self disciplined kids!

After high school and college I stopped swimming, but that is not to say I didn't miss it. When I took my toddlers to the recreation centers for lessons I wanted to jump in to see if I still remembered how to get across the pool. Well, last year I decided to join the RipTide Masters team with Coach Florence and it has brought back all those awesome, priceless memories, and more. Getting back in the water felt great and Coach Florence is amazing! A great teacher/coach knows exactly how to address technique, break it down, and allow you to apply what you've learned with multiple drills and skill work. We do this in CrossFit everyday. Thanks to Coach Florence and RipTide Masters I get to feel like a fish again. I can still smell the chlorine on the back of my hands from today's practice! ;-) Love it.

Workout:

200 warm up

I.M. Kick drills

125 x 4 IM

Paddle Drills

Scores:

Fatigue: 3

Soreness: 2

Mood: 2

5-3-1

I am very excited about this new cycle of training. I will be focusing on strengthening the dead lift, strict press, and back squat. The dead lifts at 135 were not touch and go. I had to let go of the bar and reset after each lift. By round 6 I started to feel the back round a little and decided to stop at 9 to avoid failure and poor form.

Dead lift

1x5 @ 65% (105#)
1x5 @ 75% ( 120#)
1x5+ @ 85% (135#)* + 4

Conditioning:

3 rounds for time:

500 Meter Row

12 Box Jump, 24 Inch

15 toes to bar

Time: 14:20

Scores:

Fatigue: 4 (I have had trouble sleeping at night.)

Soreness: 2

Mood: 2

Ending 2010 with a victory!

When it comes to New Year's resolutions I feel like mine started at the end of 2010 when I started this CrossFit Endurance training cycle.

In 2010 I became Level One CrossFit certified, and CrossFit Endurance certified. I completed four triathlons and one ten miler! We opened a brand new 10,000 square foot facility and added new programs to make Capital the best training atmosphere in Northern Virginia. As a mother of two young girls, a business owner, and now a CrossFit coach I am very happy with the goals I accomplished in 2010. Not to mention I had the opportunity to beat Jeremy in "Filthy Fifty" on the last day of 2010! It truly was a fabulous year!

In 2011 I would like to continue to train, learn, and study CrossFit Endurance!

Friday, December 31st

"Filthy Fifty"

For time:
50 Box jumps 24 (inch box), 20 (inch box)
50 Jumping pull-ups,
50 Kettlebell swings (1 pood), 25#
Walking Lunge 50 steps,
50 Knees to elbows,
50 Push press (45 pounds),
50 Back extensions,
50 Wall ball shots (20 pound ball), (14 pound ball)
50 Burpees,
50 Double unders.

Time:

26:57

The most challenging areas of this workout were the wall balls, double unders, and knees to elbow. Another New Year's resolution is to master the kipping movement, break 200 in the dead lift, and improve double unders! Reaching the red line for my wall ball shots was definitely not happening after about 20 of them! (Don't tell Jeremy)

Thank you Coach John for pushing me!

Scores:

Fatigue: 3

Soreness: 3

Mood:2

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Back Squat: 140# *PR

Strict Press: 74# *PR

My CrossFit total score has increased 20 points since August! My Back Squat has improved by 10 pounds, and my strict press by 2 pounds. I felt like it was possible to add another 5 pounds to the back squat, but I did not having anybody watching to make sure I was getting low enough!

TABATA RUN!

20 seconds on, 10 seconds off x 8

That was horrible!!!!!!!!!! By round 5 it was so hard to get my legs moving again.

Distance covered: .48 mile

Scores:

Fatigue: 4

Soreness: 3

Mood: 2

* Note to any mothers: I did this workout in the parking lot at Lake Braddock High School. I put a movie on in the car, gave them snacks, and ran around the car! That worked out perfectly!