Victory! :)

Life is messy right now. Stress level is pretty much off the charts thanks to Henrys, but that’s hopefully nearing the end. Sport Chek I’m so very grateful I kept in my back pocket for all these years cause I was only “unemployed” (ish) for a little more than 2 weeks before walking into a new full time role. Curiously enough, right back to the same store I was full time in before I first took the job at Henrys… but anyways, I’m happy to be working 🙂 On the hunt for what I want to be when I grow up still, but not bored and losing my mind. Having a job to do also put an end to my excessive WODing :p it was good therapy when I needed it, but as a friend mentioned “just think… soon you’ll need physio and you’ll be able to make friends there too!” Ha-ha.

Anyways… I’ve gone back to logging my WODs on paper cause I suck at this format lately and I got my girl into that habit too so I’m actually accountable there. However – I SMASHED my previous Grace PR and I’m pretty excited so that was worth sharing! I  recorded an Rx Grace time for the first time this year in May 9:53.  Yesterday I killed that one! 4:01 😀 and Grace wasn’t even technically a part of the WOD!

Mon. Nov. 28:

BUY IN – OTM, 8 min:
3 Back Squats

WOD –
4 min MAX Clean & Jerks #95 (30 reps)
– rest 1 min
3 min MAX Bar-hop Burpees (35 reps)
– rest 1 min
2 min MAX Back Squats (30 reps)
– rest 1 min
1 min MAX Toes to Bar (14 reps)

Score – 109

gratefully fooled

Crossfit is the headliner today no question!! An impromptu trip to Burlington on my way home from dinner with my dad and sister last night voided any chance to make the 5am class this morning, but things happen for a reason sometimes I guess.  Got to the box just in time for the 7:30 class and was the only car in the parking lot aside from Coach Rachel.  Eek!  1 on 1 = it’s just YOU kid!

Thurs May 5:

Part 1. 5 x 500m Row: Alternate with a partner until you have both completed 5 rounds in total

OR 5x500m row with 2 min rest between*

Part 2. “Heavy Grace” 30- Reps Clean and Jerk for time #225/#155  

Result – 9:36 #95

*goal was to maintain consistent split time for full 500m – 2:06 / 2:04 / 2:02 / 2:00 / 1:56

The last 500m row killed me! It wasn’t that much faster than the rest, but the only round that I struggled hard to keep the split the whole way through.  Then a quick rest, a short warm-up and into a “heavy Grace”.  Fantastic trickery!!  I read the posted weights and thought “pffft!!  We’ll be scaling that nightmare!”  When I dropped the bar after my 30^th rep, Coach Rachel got all excited… You just did Grace Rx!!!  Oh shit!!  First time 😀 Amazing!!

In a bit of a round-a-bout kind of way I got my 4 CF workouts in this week 🙂  Made it to CFD Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and did a variation of the posted WOD at the World on Wednesday.  Just can’t make the 7:30 time slot at CFD when I have to work at 8!  A new schedule is coming though which includes 6am Wednesday classes!  Double header again this week at ball hockey tomorrow.  It’s a little disturbing how excited I am about that I think.

Wed May 4:

5km run

3 rounds, not for time:

40 good mornings  #40 bar

15 DB bicep curls  #15

20 reverse lunges  #40 bar

10 bent over rows   #40 bar

The second part of this ^^ was long and tedious and really weird to be doing after all this time in a gym.  Good though.  And my hammys HURT today, so it was effective I guess!

I should really stick to animals. I mean, I kept Dr. Tom happy and healthy for more than 3 years.  I mean, I think he was happy but it’s hard to really tell with a fish… And Yuko shared an incredible almost-year with me.  But plants are just not my forte.  I got a comment from my cleaning girl this week – Um, the plant upstairs is dead.  LOL!!  Yeah.  Amanda brought me a cactus to kill a few weeks ago too.  Very kind, but I don’t like it’s chances of survival even though it’s a cactus.

move it, move it

It’s Ladies Week at CFD!!  Or Monday and Tuesday anyways 😉  Monday I met Mary for the first time.  She kicked my butt pretty good.  Then Tuesday I did two girls before work.  (haha)  I was tired and sore and really didn’t have high expectations, but PR’d my time for both!  I’d have to guess I over-scaled, but was happy I felt like I was moving the bar really well.

Tues. Aug. 25:

“GRACE” For Time:
30- Clean & Jerks #135/#95   #75
**10 Minute Time Cap**
Rest 5 Minutes, then:
“ISABEL” For Time:
30- Snatches #135/#95   #55

Grace time – 3:16   Isabel time – 1:56

Mon. Aug. 24:

“Mary” AMRAP in 20 Minutes
5– Handstand Pushups  3
10– Pistol Squats, Alternating   6
15– Pullups   9

Result – 10 Rounds

Dear Mary, Thank you for your pistol squats and the sore BUTT I still have.  Sincerely, Kate.

glimmer of hope

I’ll get to a little summary of the days I’ve missed in a minute, but first things first.  I’m trying not to hold my breath, but I may have been provided a glimmer of hope from my appointment with my physio guy yesterday.  First time meeting him, and after describing my pain issues, he made a suggestion I’ve yet to hear.  “First – let’s rule out a bulging disc.”  He explained that the pain I’ve had for the past 2+ years could actually be due to my L5 disc putting pressure on my L5 nerve root.  A nerve that runs from my spine, down the back of my leg, to my foot.  The BEST news I’ve ever heard!  Know why?  Cause if this theory is right, for the first time ever I could receive a diagnosis that is treatable/manageable!  I left his office with a glimmer of hope, and some stretching homework that I plan to diligently obey for the next week.  Second piece of good news… he didn’t say I should quit crossfit.  Just advised an even stronger level of attention when it comes to proper form.  My days of “quadding” my squats NEED to be behind me.  The name of the game is to maintain a proper lumbar curve while lifting.  Coach Dave will be happy with that game plan I’m sure 🙂  And avoid going as heavy as I would like at least until my follow-up next Thurs.  That part is tough, but also worth it.

Now that the Open is over, life can return to normal 🙂  Thank god for that!  Today is day 4 of my “ditch the sugar” month.  Truth of the matter is I eat very well, except when it comes to my lack of self-control with sugary “treats”.  Dried cranberries and walnuts are my nemesis!  Yes, STILL.  And once I cave even the slightest, things just snowball from there.  Day 1 (Tuesday) was the hardest, but went pretty well.  I was still somewhat spent from Monday and 14.5, shhh… I’m old.  I couldn’t wait to get home from work and just chill.  Problem was, I got home from work at 5:30 and despite distracting myself with a little laundry and cooking, I was still craving a treat something wicked after an awesome dinner.  Grrr…  I’ve emptied my apartment of anything chocolate or dried fruit related, but eventually I did settle for a small chunk of frozen banana and a little almond butter.  It was a cheat, I know 😦 but not the worst option and it did the trick.

Note to self… when trying to steer yourself away from treats, avoid Pintrest.  I opened my page today just to catch up and the very FIRST pin that was staring back at me was this:

Chocolate.  Banana.  Almond butter.  AND BACON.  Seriously??  Pinterest, I thought you had my back 😐

I took Tuesday as a rest day, but was back to the box Wednesday after work.  6:30pm is not a normal WOD time for me, but I was eager to get back into the swing of things 🙂  It was a fun WOD!  After 14.5 and completing what felt like 1,000 squat cleans when I got to the point of not being able to string together more than 2 thrusters at a time, I’ve gained a new appreciation for the move.  Amazing what practice can do!

Wednesday April 2:

warm-up:

800m run

In pairs – 150 wallballs  #14

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.

Set 1 – 55lbs

Set 2 – 65lbs

Set 3 – 65lbs

Set 4 – 75lbs

Set 5 – 75lbs

Set 6 – 85lbs

This one was not all about lifting the moon for me.  I was still pretty tired and sore from Monday and really just wanted to go through the movements cleanly and efficiently.  Landed on my BUTT 2-3 times in the last sets.  :p  But laughed it off and kept trying till I got things right 🙂

Thursday April 3:

10 Rounds of:
12- Pullups    ring pulls
12- Burpees

time – 17:57  🙂

I went into this one expecting a similar experience to 14.5, but it was quite the opposite in the sense that the burpee portion was anything but a “rest”.  Partially because I promised myself I would abandon the sloth-like crawl back to my feet after throwing myself on the ground and actually JUMP.  My goal going in was to move quickly and beat my 14.5 time.  Achieved.

Friday April 4:

YEEEE 😀  Coffee day!!  And for the first time in more than a month, I actually was there to workout too!  Stopped at Tim’s on the way in and picked up a “take 10” box of coffee so that Coach Dave would stick around for a bit too 🙂  I look forward to Friday morning WODs cause it’s the one WOD Coach Sharon takes the reins on during the week.  BUT… things are all the more entertaining when Coach Dave is around trying to hijack the class.  I’d even pass on the coffee ritual just for the entertainment value of that business.

“Isabel” or “Grace”
 30- Snatches for time, #135/#95     #55
30- Clean and Jerks for time, #135/#95    #65

Once again, the website wasn’t telling the truth.  Well, not the whole truth anyway.  Isabel OR Grace.  Makes it sound like a choice, right?  Well… the choice was which one you did first.  Cause after picking one of these lovely ladies which you had 6 minutes to complete, you then got to do the other as well!  Good times 🙂  Yes, I went stupid light here, but they both felt pretty good.  I focused on form as best I could, and provided myself a little comfort in realizing the weight I did for Isabel was the same weight I would have done for 14.1 had I ever gotten beyond the double unders.