both sides of the coin

mom – “Happy Friday!  It’s supposed to be a BEAUTIFUL weekend :D”

me – “Same to you thanks!  Enjoy it!”  I kept the thought “great!  It’ll enjoy it from the inside of my stores!” to myself :p  So… Happy Friday peeps!  And I did have one of those “I LOVE my job” days, so it’s really all good.

Fri. Sept. 26:

“Big Clean Complex”
6 sets of the following Complex :
High Hang Squat Clean + Hang Squat Clean + Squat Clean + Push Press
High Hang Squat Clean + Hang Squat Clean + Squat Clean + Push Jerk
High Hang Squat Clean + Hang Squat Clean + Squat Clean + Split Jerk

One set consists of all 12 reps. Try not to drop the bar during the entire set; if you must drop after the Overhead movements, it’s allowed – just be quick to get back on the bar. Rest as needed between sets and try to increase weight after each set.

High Hang – Start with the bar at “the pockets.”
Hang – Start with the bar just above the knee.
Squat Clean – Start with the bar on the ground.

#75 all sets

This WOD was AWESOME!!  After being snatch-challenged on Thursday even with wallballs in the warm-up, today I found I could flow through each set without dropping the bar and very few “WTF was THAT!?” cleans.  The hang squat clean is the most awkward of the movements in my world anyway, but the split jerks were actually fun today 🙂  WIN.  Even worked on my overhead squat post-WODm which my partner couldn’t resist joining in.  Only #65, but a good little practice sesh.

Thurs. Sept. 25:

1 Mile Run
50- Wallballs 20lbs/14lbs
40- Box Jumps 24″/20″
30- Burpees
20- Power Snatches
T1- #135/#95
T2- #95/#65

time – 18:40, #55

Today I couldn’t SNATCH to save my life!  We spent some time before the WOD working up to a heavier 1 rep…  #80 was a struggle!  Post-WOD, Coach Dave posed the usual question “What did you like about today’s WOD?”  My blank stare was all I came up with.  I didn’t hate any part really, but I certainly didn’t love it either.  The run felt good.  I had someone right on my tail and my competitive side kicked in.  Trotted through the door into the box with 7:xx showing on the clock!  Don’t remember what the xx was, but I was just thrilled to see the 7!!

a believer? maybe.

Ok, it’s now Wednesday.  4 days since I started writing this post, yet I’m just about to hit publish.  Why do I do this to myself?  haha.  Anyways, small piece of follow-up on the crap written bellow – my traps are SORE!  It’s awesome 🙂  I SHRUGGED my hang cleans for once!  YES!  Other bits are sore too, but my traps make me happy.  Weirdo.

Honestly though, I have so much swimming around in my head that I want to write about.  Yet I can’t get anything to form any logical sort of order to transform into text.  Might have something to do with the fact that I’ve been walking around with the biggest smile on my face since the morning WOD.

Tues. Sept. 23:

warm-up  OTM rowing/burpees

3 minutes holding the bottom of a goblet squat (OUCH!!)

Part 1. Pause Back Squat (3 Seconds)
On the Minute for 10 Minutes – 2 Reps   #105

Part 2
AMRAP 5 Minutes:
5 Pull-Ups  3
10 Pushups   6
15 Air Squats   9
*Rest 5:00*
AMRAP 5 Minutes:
5 Pull-Ups   3
10 Pushups   6
15 Air Squats   9

result – 11 rounds

Dave’s “treats” – AMRAP, 2 minutes:

Kettlebell Swings  #35 – 69 reps UNBROKEN!! 😀

This was a fun one!  I like when there are lots of “parts” rather than a huge chunk of the same movement.  Hence “Karen” and I are not best friends…  Until today, I’ve never done any variation of “Cindy” without either banded pull-ups, or ring pulls.  TODAY, I went to set up the rings for the 2 AMRAPS, but Coach Dave said “not today McDowell!”  Gulp!  Really?  Like, actual pull-ups in a WOD?  When the 3, 2, 1 – GO! happened, my mind switched gears 🙂

Coach Dave believed in me, and for once I believed in me too!

Kipped my way through 6 rounds in the first 5 minutes, then 3 rounds in the second before my hand ripped and I had to switch to strict pull-ups.  It stung a bit, but grossed me out more than anything.  Baby.  I know.  But I didn’t stop.  AND I set a pace and did the full 2 minute of kettlebell swings.  Win.

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Mon. Sept. 22:

This sounds pretty awesome, right??  How about when you are the ONLY one who shows up for the 7:30 class?  Still awesome, but maybe not so much?

Teams of 2 complete
5 rounds of:
24– Deadlifts   12
18– Hang Power Cleans   9
12– Shoulder to Overhead   6
Barbell Rx – 155/105   #75

time – 12:11

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This morning I got to the box at 9:30 to spend some time with the foam roller in an attempt to work out some of the tightness in my upper back! I don’t know what it’s problem is, but holy tight!!  Oh, and to whip the hell out of myself a little with my daily double unders practice. Not a successful day for that. When Coach Dave pulled us all together to discuss the WOD, which wasn’t posted last night or even on the white board, I moaned and bitched. It’s Sunday though, right? Sundays I bitch.

Sun. Sept. 21:

50 wallballs   #14

5km run

50 wallballs   #14

time – 2:06 / 28:12 / 4:06

After all of my bitching, I was the first one back from the run 🙂  Boo-ya!  Best part of the whole workout – when Coach Sharon thanked me for proving her RIGHT!  LOL!  What? haha!  Apparently she had put her money on me getting back first from the run.  That’s right.  Once the 3, 2, 1 – GO! happens, the bitching is sidelined and my mind is in the game.  Coach Sharon chimed in at some point that we (ya, probably mostly me) should quit our complaining since she would KILL to be able to workout right now!  (Still recovering from an injury)  She’s so right!  I felt like a total ass.  So when the #14 wallball was suggested, I didn’t argue at all.  Just bitched quietly to the ball.  It didn’t seem to mind.

^^^ please excuse my blurry pic :p  It was taken while Marley was kinda spooking about something totally random.  But you get the idea 🙂

I’ve been in this business long enough that I will say I knew it would come to this at some point.  I’ve had my defence strategy in my back pocket since the start though.  Things have been going well with the Marley project.  First time on his back, he spent much of the ride trying to kick the saddle off :p  Second ride was marginally better, but the last time I was on his back there was definite progress.  KS even got on him after and was able to feel some of the improvement I saw.  Her dad has seen me ride.  He’s seen the challenges Marley has.  He’s even noticed the help I’ve given KS.  Every time I’m there with Marley’s owner, there’s a mention of “don’t break my horse.”  This is always followed with “I’m just joking” but I know there’s an underlying truth there.  I thought I put out that fire last time by responding “I’m not going to break your horse.  I’m just teaching him another language.”  I thought he got it!  Horses with more skills and training are worth more than horses that try to kick off the saddle.  Just saying…  Anyways, the latest comment involves wanting me to pay him to ride Marley.  Sigh.  People get greedy.  I get that horses aren’t free to keep, but training services aren’t cheap either.  This used to be a career path I had hoped to pursue.  Truth of the matter, he should be paying me to work with his horse… but I just want to ride…

all over the show

Fri. Sept. 19:

Crossfit = expect the unexpected.  When life throws you a kettlebell(s) do you:

a) RUN!!!   OR     b) clean the b*tch and SQUAT

21-15-9 Reps of:
Front Squats **   2x #25 DB
Lateral Barbell Burpees
*50 Double-Unders after each round, ** 2x kettlebells or dumbbells

Time – 11:27

Coach SHARON is BACK!!!  😀

Not to offend the awesome coaching styles of Dave, but Friday coffee WOD belongs to the ladies.  And typically one token male.  Although today there was a fairly even mix and a lot of attempted WOD-hijacking.  Anyways, this WOD was good in a love-hate sort of way.  Although, what WOD isn’t I guess?  As in, I loved it once it was over, but had many moments of hating it through the 11+ minutes it took me to complete.  I don’t blame for my own suck, but today I’m torn whether to point a finger at allergies, or DK who may have shared his cold.  The front squats were a whole new challenge using dumbbells instead of a bar, but the suck came when doing the lateral jumping burpee crap.  My lungs weren’t working like they should.  As hard as I tried, I just couldn’t seem to breathe properly.  Annoying.  The double unders I think weren’t an entire write off.  In conversation with a friend later I joked about how my doc still refuses to just cut off my leg.  This being the same leg that has given me nerve pain problems for years.  “That might really impede your double unders.” she commented.  But truth be told, it might actually be easier!  It’s typically my “lazy” right leg that catches the rope.  And trips me when running.  And causes the box jump fails.  Etc, etc, etc…  but I guess rope climbs would be pretty tough.  And having to pistol-squat ALL forms of squats.

Oh look!  It happened again.  I’m becoming the queen of the random tangents.  Thankfully when it happens in text form, I can back-track and remember what I was originally talking about.  Although, I’m not alone.  Somehow Coach Dave’s question about “how are the bathrooms?” this morning received my comment about needing more shower hooks, which turned into girls being more bathroom-private than guys, which lead to a group rant about how all privacy concerns go out the window the more wrinkly (and OLD) you become and eventually it seems to be a free-for-all to flaunt EVERYTHING in public change rooms without a care in the world while the younger generations hurry about their business feeling totally uncomfortable.  A part of me can’t wait to get to the point where I just don’t care anymore.  It was a pretty humorous group chat session, non-the-less.

Know the commercials – this is your brain on drugs?

Well, this completely disorganized pile of ramblings is my brain without nuts.  I’m still fighting that battle, although today I’m winning.  At least that’s my story…  I wrote up another big pile of chaos yesterday but it had so many loose ends that I never did hit publish.  I was tired.  Like, I think I made it to 9:00 before going to bed but I’m not entirely sure.

Well, I figure I need to at least post some of what I wrote yesterday cause there’s WOD details (“data” Coach Dave calls it) that I’ll appreciate later.

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Thurs. Sept. 18 7:30am

Game plan as of yesterday afternoon – 6am WOD today. Game plan as of 10:30pm yesterday – 7:30am WOD today. It’s my “day off” (well, from Henry’s anyways. Oh, the beauty of choice!)

3 Rounds of:
30- Calorie Row/Sally 😉
30- Kettlebell Swings (53/35)
30- Box Jumps (24/20)

Time – 15:27 Rx

Crossfit is not just about Rx’ing a WOD. It’s not just about hitting killer PRs. Every person takes something different away from the experience, but there IS something for everyone. Today, during the kettlebells in round 2, I hit that dark moment that happens sometimes during a “thinking” WOD. The moment where you find yourself at a crossroads between just giving up (some days it’s really tempting!) or fighting through the suck and coming out stronger than your mind thought you could.  Work has put me in a similar place lately on more than one occasion, and the grit I’ve gained from my hours at the box has helped get out of that dark place too.

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3 months down, 2 months to go. I’m referring to my double-store situation and I am now at the point where I will admit I’m counting the days. Last week I had a few rough days of coming to the realization that there was just way too much on my plate. Between losing staff heading back to school (from an already bare-bones crew), the need to recruit, interview and hire for both stores, inventory prep and employee review deadlines, I was kind of overwhelmed. I’m usually pretty good at taking everything in stride, but new things kept popping up and I felt as though I was drowning a little. Employee reviews were due last Monday. I’ve drafted them, but only had one meeting. Inventory is held company-wide on the same day, so I have 2 stores to prep at the same time and get to attend the physical count first in Waterloo at 8:00am, then in Cambridge at 5:00pm. All I can say is that I’m praying we get good Wizards!! (counters) I had the posting placed two weeks ago for the part-time positions in Waterloo and Cambridge. *crickets chirping*… I’ve yet to receive 1 resume. Anyways, this sums up the back ground noise in my mind over the last 14 ish days. Might explain why I’ve actually been kinda grumpy? Totally not my style… Also might explain why my super powers haven’t been at full capacity. The morning WOD can be considered an example, although I wasn’t totally useless…

Tues. Sept. 16 6:00am

7 rounds, On the 3:00 Minutes:
400m Run/Row or “Saly” run
12- Toes to Bar sit-ups

100 wallballs w/ a partner #8

Ok, I did a few toes 2 bar in the warm-up which felt good. Then in round 1 all I could manage was knees 2 elbows?? And barely got them within the 3 minute mark, so I switched to sit-ups. I felt like my battery was fully charged when we began, but drained SUPER quick?! Arg. Then for the wallballs, I grabbed a #12 and a #8 for my partner, but Coach Dave said NO. 1 wallball per pair. Boo 😦 I decided to use the top target to at least get a little extra out of the super-light ball.

Just Badass

Mon. Sept. 15:

warm-up – Beep Test, Round 6

“The Chief”
5 rounds of AMRAP 3 Minutes:
3- Power Cleans (#135/#95)   #75
6- Pushups
9- Air Squats
Rest 1 Minute between rounds. Only full rounds count.

Result – 22 rounds (5, 4, 4, 4, 5)

Round 1 I got kinda cocky, then suffered for 59 seconds before round 2. I learned. Round 5 I went hard again cause, well… Ya why not?  Amazing how sometimes you don’t realize how fatigued something is until you go to use it again.  Today my shoulders cried real tears when I went to rinse the shampoo from my hair post-WOD.  My cleans were pretty badass today.  Warming up with just the bar the “open you HIPS!” was so effective I nearly smacked myself in the chin quite a few times.  Amazing though how when you feel what it’s like to be moving really well, how one “off” rep can feel really off!

Sun. Sept. 14:

Yesterday was kind of an interesting day, which may lead to a very different kind of post.  The morning started off with my final mud run of 2014, the Badass Dash at Chicopee Ski Hill in Kitchener.  All week, I went through the same pre-race mental process that I’ve seen accompany every mud run this year.  I was not excited about it as I have been in previous years.  Even talked myself out of going a few times, but the different thing about this run was the company with which I’d be “enjoying” the torture.  Signing up with a group of crossfitters made me feel more accountable, but nervous at the same time.  Plus the weather was expected to be less than 10 degrees and rain.  Boo.  However, when I woke up the morning of the run my mind was made up.  I was going to the Badass Dash and my only goal would be to keep up with the rest of the team.  Just another “3, 2, 1 – GO!” right?  Overall, it was a great experience.  I’m happy with myself that I didn’t back down from the self doubt that tried to talk me out of getting out of bed.  I’m happy that I managed to keep pace easily with the much younger team.

I’m also happy I didn’t drown :p  There was an obstacle that had a bunch of plastic cubes strung together to form a bridge.  While I watched the others before me creep across slowly on their stomachs, my mind decided “‘EFF THAT!!  I’m gonna run across!”  I’ve had smarter moments.  Made it half way to the middle platform before I tipped into the icy water.  Ok, I have zero fear when it comes to water.  Swam competitively in high school.  Taught swimming when I was younger and even lifeguarded for a few years.  This did not prepare me for the shock of plunging into cold water on a cold day that proved to be WAY deeper than expected!  (More than 30’ deep I later learned)  It completely knocked the wind out of me.  Like, couldn’t take a breath at all.  Panicked for a second, then realized I better get my shit together and scrambled back onto the bridge.

Other than that, the obstacles were pretty awesome.  I grumbled, not unlike last year, when I got to the “Pesky Push-ups”.  I’m sorry, but I don’t consider 25 push-ups an obstacle.  The slip and slide was the fastest slip and slide experince thus far in my 32 years.  Started out all good, but picked up speed like nobody’s business!  Problem with that, eventually you run out of slide.  Then it’s just slip… on your butt… on the grass… with no brakes.  All I could picture was the scene from Christmas Vacation where Clark Griswold is flying across the walmart parking lot.

Friday wrap-up

First – run w/#25 plate = sooooooooore ribs the next day.  Like, there are bruises.  For real.  Sorry to say, this is a loooong post that has been composed in various stages but never posted cause I couldn’t add any visual appeal.  Maybe one day I’ll get over that.  Maybe not.  My week has been a busy one.  Went to a movie Monday night with CFD buds, Tuesday date night, Wednesday crossfit cause it was coming down buckets so moved horse night to Thursday, and Friday closing in Cambridge.  Sunday night I’m hoping to make NO PLANS!  I need a night to do as little as possible :p

Fri. Sept. 12:

Ok, today was supposed to be a rest day in preparation for Badass Dash tomorrow.  Which by the way, is a day for which they are predicting temps around 10 degrees and a steady pouring of rain.  Doesn’t that sound like fun?  Anyways, I decided my rest day could be what Coach Dave calls an “active rest day” when I read the details for the WOD.  I didn’t do all of it, but figured a little bench press wouldn’t hurt.  Plus… IT’S FRIDAY 🙂  7:30 coffee WOD had a bit of a new spin to it today cause Coach Sharon is still recovering so she brought the coffee and hung out while Coach Dave filled in 🙂  And I PR’d.  Well worth going!

someone skipped leg day…

Part 1. Bench Press: Build to a Heavy Set of 3 Reps   #115

Part 2. For Time:
10 – 8 – 6 – 4 – 2 : Bench (135/95)
2 – 4 – 6 – 8 – 10 : Strict Pull-Ups
**20 Situps after each round

Part 3. Tabata (8 rounds)

20 seconds push-ups, 10 seconds plank hold

That’s right!  My previous 1RM for bench was #110!  Today #115 (x3!!) didn’t even feel like a max, but I didn’t want to kill myself during my “rest day”.  Skipped the METCON to take some pics, but did get in several rounds of 20 situps and sucked it up through this Tabata workout from hell.  See, the whole concept of Tabata is usually 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest.  A plank hold is NOT a rest.  It’s further shoulder mutilation.  But as Coach Dave always says “It’s GOOD for you!!”  And my little photo taking during part 2 secured me the title of “social imaging director” or some other stringing together of important sounding terms.  :p

Thurs. Sept. 11:

“31 Heroes”

Teams of 2, AMRAP 31 Minutes:
8- Thrusters #155/#105   #75
6- Rope Climbs
11- Box Jumps (30/24)   20″
*One partner always running 400m with Plate(45/25)

Result – 5 full rounds

For the most part, enjoyed this one.  First time I’ve used the “J-hook” for rope climbing, and kept it solid through most of the WOD.  One part that totally sucked – running with the plate!  It wasn’t even the weight of it that I didn’t like, it was trying to find a suitable way to carry it!  Came down to tucking it under one arm.  The sharp JAB in the ribs with every stride was less than appreciated, but when I tried to carry it behind my back I almost lost my shorts!  Settled for the rib jabs.

Wed. Sept. 10:

3 rounds:
75- Double Unders  150 singles
50- Air Squats
25- Calorie Row/AirDyne

Time – 14:20

Sounds simple enough, right?  Been here long?  Cause if you have, I’m sure you’ve figured out that is generally not the case!  Don’t get me wrong, I like this WOD.  Proof – I dragged my butt to the box for the 7pm class!  Actually got there early cause I came right from work, so I spent a good half hour working on some kipping pull-ups and my hang cleans.  I tend to get the bar up nice and high, then catch with my forearms (elbows low) rather than driving my elbows up FAST and letting my body catch the bar.  So I worked on it 🙂  I know I at least managed to follow the proper procedure a few times by the nice bruise on my collar bone today…  Once the 7:00 class started, we warmed up and headed to comand central (the white board) to discuss the WOD.  All of a sudden there was a gush of water at my feet!  DK was standing next to me and must have gotten me worst “WTF dude?!?!?” look!  He didn’t spill his water.  Or pee his pants.  The box was flooding!  Like, water gushing up through the drain in the floor!!  😮  We all grabbed brooms, mops, a hockey stick, whatever we could find to push the water out the door!  Coach Dave got there and one of our guys managed to plug the drain.  At 8:00, the 7:00 class began their WOD.  Post WOD, we went back to help with drying and moving mats and stuff and by the time I got home it was 9:30.  Didn’t actually get to bed until nearly 11, only to get a phone call from the alarm company for one of my stores around 2:30.  Dealt with that and just as I finally got back to sleep, a car alarm went off in my parking lot, was silenced, then went off again soon after.  This went on for about half an hour.  I considered just giving up and getting out of bed.  When my alarm went off at 5:30, I was not in the best of shape :p

Tues. Sept. 9:

warm-up – Beep Test, 6 rounds

25- Deadlifts #225/#155   #135
50- Pullups   20 kipping, 10 bar pulls
25- Deadlifts #225/#155   #135

I’ve mentioned before that some WODs I find the best way to get through them is to find that place in your mind where auto-pilot takes over.  The Beep Test is the same sort of thing I find.  Pick a rythm that gets you to the line pretty much just in time to turn and run back.  As the rounds go by, make adjustment to the pace to continue the same touch-and-go rythm.  It feels totally doable, but then when we stop I realize I’m breathing HEAVY and sweating like a pig :p  As for today’s WOD, I LOVED it 🙂  I mean, deadlifts… DUH.  But I actually managed to pull off 20 kipping pull-ups!  Small sets, like started in sets of 3, then 2, then singles when the 2nd rep got ugly, but it’s progress!  🙂  I would have made it to 25 reps if I hadn’t ripped my hand open again.  Was just healing from last week, but at least it wasn’t a big tear cause I can’t wait to get back on the bar.

Sun. Sept. 7:

#epicwods, courtesy of Coach Will

Partner WOD!! 🙂  (thank GOD!)

0:00-5:00   buy in – 50 back squats   #85

5:00-8:00     AMRAP – Power Snatch   #65

8:00-10:00     400m Run

10:00-14:00    AMRAP – Squat Clean   #65

14:00-16:00    400m Run

16:00-21:00     AMRAP – Deadlifts   #135

21:00-23:00    400m Run

23:00-29:00    AMRAP – Burpee Push-ups

29:00-35:00   cash out – 50 back squats   #85

There was waaaaaay too much going on in this one to keep track of how many rounds/reps we did!  I tried through the Power Snatch, where we broke into sets of 3 reps each and completed 6 rounds, but then came the run and my brain just sort of abandoned the counting.  400m in 2 minutes is no casual stroll!  It’s not a sprint, but after the 4 minutes of squat cleans, I was happy I could produce something that at least resembled a run.  Could have gone heavier on those, but the time to think was a minimal, so I just did 2 reps per set while my partner did singles with the 85lb back squat bar.  I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I really liked the burpee push-ups!  It’s a nice, controlled, fluid motion that I sort of got into a rythm with which I felt I could have kept up for quite some time.  Reminded myself later that if I’m going to subject myself to one of Will’s #epicwods, I should plan for an afternoon nap!  Instead, I headed to Brampton to play a round of golf with my mom.  For once, I actually didn’t completely suck!  My ideal game of golf would only require a driver and a putter.  Everything in between is usually one big mess.  Today was better than usual 🙂

BUTT. Seriously!

My BUTT is screaming at me today.  Ah the beauty of crossfit, right?  It never gets easy, you just get stronger.  As you get stronger, you push yourself harder.  And things still hurt.  I’ve been going 4-5 times per week quite consistently for more than a year, but WALLBALLS still leave me looking for the handicap stall in the washroom for the next day or two.  This wasn’t even the full Karen!  BUTT it was still enough I guess.

Today’s Friday Coffee WOD had a substitute teacher after poor Coach Sharon had an accident on Monday that left her recovering from a pretty good concussion 😦  So Coach Dave was there in her place.  No bacon and eggs this time.  No coffee either.  But a pretty wicked little WOD 🙂  I must admit, when I read the details I bitched about not wanting to do it.  I missed the only squats day this week cause Wednesday was my rest day, and I was grumpy at another strict press day.  This morning I changed my tune quickly.  My quads and glutes are feeling the aftershock of Thursday’s WOD pretty wicked and were happy to share the spotlight with my shoulders.

Fri. Sept. 5:

For Time:
Run 800 Meters
21- Unbroken Strict Presses (95/65)   #55
Run 800 Meters
18- Unbroken Strict Presses (95/65)   #55
Run 800 Meters
15- Unbroken Strict Presses (95/65)   #55
*200 Meter Penalty Run anytime the strict press is broken*

rep scheme:  21 – 11/10  18 – 10/8   15 – 9/ 6

time – 24:09

Sometimes strategy is a good thing to consider.  I went into today’s WOD with a commitment in my mind to run 3km.  With this game plan, it meant I couldn’t “break” from each round of strict press more than once.  Thankfully the rep count decreased each round or I’m not sure I could have stuck to that plan!  Victory was sweet 🙂  My shoulders are toast!

Thurs. Sept. 4:

“Karabel”
AMRAP 15 Minutes:
3- Power Snatches (135/95)  Cleans  #65
15- Wallballs (20/14)

Result – 9 rounds

With the big hole in the middle of my palm still in recovery from Tuesday, Power Cleans was a feasible scaling option here.  Round 1 I thought “ok, this isn’t so bad.  I got this!” by round 4 I realized I was totally wrong.  It was a total gasser, but settled into a rhythm with the wallballs of 5, rest 10 seconds, repeat.  Round 8, I realized that I had enough time left that I would definitely make it back to the wallballs for round 9.  Once I hustled back to the wall, reality hit – the only way to finish with a nice even “9 rounds” was to do the last 15 wallballs unbroken.  I did.  Then died.

Let’s talk nutrition for a second.  Or “anti” nutrition?  Any suggestions on how I could go about getting my mind over this rebellion phase?  I haven’t really eaten ANY chocolate in YEARS and I’ve been craving it.  It’s weird.   And annoying.  I’m pretty sure I’m not PMSing either.  That hasn’t happened in YEARS either.  I just want to go back to craving Brussels sprouts please.

purely random

Wanna know why this didn’t get posted yesterday?  There I was, sitting on my mom’s front porch just typing away and waiting for the time when I had planned to head to the airport when my phone lit up.  “We just landed!” was the message staring back at me!  SHIT!  Half an hour early?!  When does that happen?  Stuffed my iPad in my bag and bolted to the good old YYZ (Pearson Airport).  By the time I got home last night it was after 10, way past my bedtime :p especially since I knew I would be hitting the 6am WOD today!  (of note – I drove pretty much the WHOLE way home thru a thunder-storm.  Wicked lightning, but further proof to my claim.  Keep reading, you’ll understand.)

All, good.  Just means I can share some additional randomness.  First of which comes in the form of a confession.  For a week or more there has been banter going around the box about starting another round of Whole30 on September 1st.  When the idea was first presented I agreed to participate, but as time marched forward I became less and less sold on the idea.  I’m not alone.  While some have signed up for the real deal, a bunch of us have made other goals and commitments.  The barriers I was facing in my own mind had to do with the facts that A: Whole30 really isn’t that much of a change from how I eat now & B: I don’t want to give up gum.  How dumb is that?!?!  SO my goal for September is to log my food everyday and cut back on the amount of nuts I eat.  I don’t even want to quantify this reality to MYSELF let alone my blogging world.  Let’s just say, I have a problem and September will be my month to work on it.  Starting September 2.  That’s today.  Yesterday my brain formed its own little rebellion against the whole idea of going through another Whole30.  It was bad, and there was chocolate involved.

It’s always darkest before the dawn.

More random – I’ve come to a conclusion through my years of working with a variety of different people that – ONLY women are capable of refilling a stapler or toilet paper roll.  I think this goes back to the “double X” thing again.  ARG!!

Back to business.  This morning’s WOD was another sweat-fest.  Thank GAWD I got there for 6am cause I would imagine it’s only going to get hotter!  Enjoyed a gorgeous sunrise during each run, was actually getting in some kipping pull-ups too until my hand ripped 😦  Bummer!  Finished the WOD with ring rows.

Tues. Sept. 2:

“Eva”
5 rounds:
800 Meter Run
30- Kettlebell Swings (70/53)   #35
30- Pullups   20 reps/round

Time – 36:47

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Happy Labour Day 😀 I usually hate stat holidays, but today things were in line to be awesome.  Coach Dave posted last night – Open gym from 9-11!!!  I flew up from the couch I was so pumped 🙂  Then the plan for the afternoon was to spend a few hours “horsing around” before heading to Brampton to pick my mom up from the airport.

Got to the box about 9:45 with a game plan and ready to sweat.  Hot as he’ll again today and sooo humid I was sweating by the time I changed into shorts and tossed my hair in a pony tail type thing.  I don’t usually go to Open Gym. I like the structure of our scheduled WODs with pre-planned warm-up and succession of movements, but there was no chance I was staying home today. Previo

usly my plan had been to go recreate “Death Valley” (sans sandbag) from the Throwdown. But I wanted to LIFT!!!  So I did.

Wed. Sept. 1:

warm-up  500m row

Spend 10:00 working up to a heavy 1 rep – Hang Clean   #95

— REST 5 MIN —

5 Rounds, not for time:

Double Unders practice

5 Overhead Squats   #75

10 GHD Sit-ups

— REST 5 MIN —

3 x 30 seconds Handstand hold

PR BABY!!  Worked up to a 3 rep of #85.    Hit that 3 times, then to #95 and did THAT 3 times as well 🙂 Coach J came over and gave me a good piece of wisdom: “you’re catching the bar with your arms! And then getting under it.  If you can get comfortable getting your elbows up FAST and catching the bar with your BODY, you’ll be able to go much heavier!”  Ooooooo!!! Ok! Something to work on 🙂  Backed off to #75 pounds for my OH squats, and glad I did!  I bailed at the end of round 3, and again in round 4, but cleaned the bar back up and carried on. Biggest challenge I found – getting my body to “settle” enough after the double unders (whip lashings) to lock the bar out over my head and SQUAT!  I need to give myself a little more credit than that today actually. I got a whole bunch of double unders 😀  Left the box in the best mood ever (as always)

#apartofsomethinggreat

Post awesome morning at CFD, the wheels fell off my well planned day a bit. Despite a few text messages sent to inquire about the afternoon horsing plans we made all of 24 hours ago, I got no response and was totally stood up. Arg.  Sooo… I headed to Brampton early and my other ride, who strangely enough doesn’t have a name even after a year together (talking about my car now) got its annual hand washing. Yes, annual. That’s cause it’ll be a year before I forget how much I hate doing it!  It’s the one hour of my life that I hate myself for buying a white car too. I swear the thing gets DIRTIER as you start washing!  Or the dirt is just more noticeable. Whatever it is, he’s all gorgeous and pearly white again 🙂 note- it will rain tonight. That’s just how I roll, and I’ve learned to accept that. I wash my car, it rains.  I leave my sunroof open a crack while at work to avoid the near death from leaving my gym clothes in the car after a sweaty morning WOD, it rains.  I get gas, the price goes down drastically within hours.  I have pretty awful parking lot karma too. I must have been trouble in a past life or something. But things happen. I’m over it.