Tuesday, April 17, 2018

CrossFit Day 7

{the "after CrossFit glow"}

Oh my word!! Today's WOD was brutal!!

I battled the alarm clock first. 4am comes early. I knew if I didn't get my rear out of bed, I would be disappointed in myself, so I crawled out of bed and got dressed.

The warm up was an EMOM work out with Hang Snatches. Since I'm new, Randy had me do 5 EMOM with just the training bar.

Following the warm up was the WOD of the day (I think whoever thought it up was sadistic)

For Time:
45 Double Unders (I did singles)
30 Snatch Grip Deadlifts (15 for me per Randy)
15 Bar Facing Burpees
45 Double Unders
30 Hang Power Snatches (15 for me per Randy)
15 Bar Facing Burpees
45 Double Unders
30 OH Stationary Lunges (15 for me per Randy)
15 Bar Facing Burpees

My time; 14:53

I seriously didn't think I would be able to complete the entire workout, but I had 7 SECONDS left!! LOL. I'll take it!

I have a few days off (unless I decide to go to a later class tomorrow) due to some scheduling conflicts, so maybe my body can recover a bit. So far, I'm loving this journey and already feel like changes are happening.

Monday, April 16, 2018

CrossFit Day 6

Today was my first day at open gym. Blake and I decided that we would go to the 5am class, at least for the first 60-90 days while we're getting the hang of things. Getting out of the bed might have been the hardest part...

Well...that might be a lie. There was pull ups, which I can't do. And push ups, that I also can't do. And sit ups and air squats. LOL. Seriously...so much fun!


Sunday, April 15, 2018

{Wicked Wine Run 5K ~ Lake of the Ozarks}






So, a few months ago, I talked Debi into doing the Village Creek 10K with me...in exchange, I would do the Wicked Wine Run 5K with her. I haven't really done much running since Village Creek, but I wasn't too worried, since I knew we'd be walking it.

The bus from Tan-Tar-A Resort dropped us off at the Seven Springs Winery...at this hill. This was the hill to climb to pick up our race packets. I am seriously questioning my sanity at this point.

{me, Debi, Tara}
We stopped for a quick "before race" pic. Aren't we cute in our wine run costumes?!
"Give me wine & tell me I'm pretty!"
I feel like that guy on the movie "Tooth Fairy." LOL.
Somehow, Debi convinced me to participate in the costume aspect of the race and wear a tutu!! I'm not sure how that happened...I'm going to blame it on the wine.

{Penny, Melissa, Tara, Debi, Me}
We met some super cool gals from Missouri, Penny & Melissa.
We shared a bus on the way to registration, shared a blanket on the grass, and then shared a couple of bottles of wine waiting on the race to start. They were so much fun!

{Me, Tara, Debi}
Finally after 2 hours of waiting in the cold (next time I will be prepared for any kind of weather!) we were in the start corral and ready to go!!

This was a no pressure race. No timing. Just walking (at a brisk pace)...had to make it back before the 1K Wine Tasting Walk. The finisher's hill was massive, but luckily there was wine waiting for us.

 Such a great weekend with amazing friends.

I made new friends. Tasted new wines. And just enjoyed making memories.
Can't wait to do it again!

Thursday, April 12, 2018

CrossFit Day 5 {Fight Gone Bad}

 Tonight...we graduate from Foundations Class. If a workout designed for an MMA fighter and titled "Fight Gone Bad" doesn't scare you...then you're probably just crazy!


To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I knew the workout would be scaled, but still, I worried about completing it. Jeremy assured me that he had my back ...and of course, he did. I did all the moves like everyone else in class, except the box jumps....I scaled those even lower to a 2 plate jump. I did have to do step ups for part of Round 3 and I also had to use a 10# med ball in round 3 for my wall balls. Otherwise, I worked hard and kept up.


Super proud of myself for completing 174 reps. I wasn't sure what I was even capable of, but had a number in my head of 150 and I beat that!

April Foundations Class
This is my starting picture....I can't wait to see that double chin and extra belly rolls fade away as I get stronger each month.

Coach Jeremy Irvin ...this guy was so encouraging during Foundations. I'm trusting him with my next 90 days and I know he'll keep me safe while I get results.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

CrossFit Day 4

We "affectionately" call tonight's WOD, [Death By Wall Balls].

Tonight we learned our first Olympic lift, the Med Ball Clean. I get the concept, but my execution was something akin to an elephant trying to scratch his nose with his hoof. Awkward and clumsy at best. We then moved on to Wall Balls, which I've done before...just not to CrossFit standards. I've got to work on my squats. It is proving to be foundational to pretty much every move we do and my nemesis. Getting my rear low isn't the hard part...it's getting back up. LOL.

Anyway, the way tonight's WOD worked was we had 8 minutes to do as many wall balls as we could working in Tabata (20 seconds of work/10 seconds to rest). Once our form started to deteriorate, Jeremy would tap us out and we would be done. He informed us that no one in the Foundations class has ever made the full 8 minutes. Blake took that as a challenge. I took that as relief!

The guys used 14 pound med balls and the girls used 10 pound med balls. I made it to 3-1/2 minutes before Jeremy tapped me out with 29 reps. Blake was a beast and made it longer than anyone at 7 minutes and 120 reps.

Tomorrow we graduate Foundations with [Fight Gone Bad]. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.

Today's WOD:
Tabata Wall Ball
8 minutes
20 second work
10 second rest

Monday, April 9, 2018

Nutrition...the Foundation of it All

Tonight at CrossFit it was all about Nutrition.

We all know this is my nemesis! I also know that if I want to reach the goals I've set, then I have to get this right and quit making excuses.

The bottom line: Eat Real Food...Not Too Much...Mostly Plants.

What is real food you ask? Food that was grown from the ground or had eyes.
Simple enough, huh?!

Randy (Vest), owner of CrossFit Cathal, taught tonight's class and did an amazing job explaining how glucose, insulin, and glucagon work in our bodies. I wish I'd had him as a teacher when I was in nursing school...I might've done better on the endocrine tests. LOL.

My nutrition goals:
*finish April without soda
*overhaul breakfast and make it healthy
*increase water intake

I'm starting with these. Of course, my end goal is to decrease my body fat and to eat on plan 6 out of 7 days, giving myself one cheat meal a week....but I'm going to have to work up to that a little bit.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

InBody Scan


Blake and I went to Jonesboro 5 Star Nutrition to do an InBody Scan. We wanted to have something measurable at the beginning of our CrossFit journey. We've done a couple of other InBody Scans...my last one was in January. I was not happy with the results of today's. At. All.

Weight: 237.9 (10am in jeans and sweatshirt)
50% Body Fat
BMI 37.3

I'm only 32 pounds of lean mass. I have about 80 pounds of fat to lose!

I knew these results wouldn't be pretty, but seeing it in black/white is eye-opening. Time to move some dirt and get to work!

Thursday, April 5, 2018

CrossFit Day 3

I'm still hangin' in there....bum knees and all. I think some expected me to bail out, after all, trashed knees was an acceptable excuse, right? But...I'm not one to quit easily, so solider on I did.
Tonight was much better. I didn't hurt myself and I finished the WOD :)
My body is battered, bruised, and sore, but I just keep showing up, knowing my consistency will pay off. We have a few days off, so I'm hoping my body will recover.

Today's WOD:
3 Rounds For Time
10 KB Deadlifts
10 KB Swings
(I used a 13 pound KB for these)
[completed in 5'27"]

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

CrossFit Day 2

OMG!! I was a hot mess tonight! First, my quads are so sore!! Then, Jeremy takes us outside for a 400m warm up jog. I'm thinking, "sweet! I can do this!" WRONG!! I wiped out about 50m from finishing, totally trashing my knees in the gravel. Skinned. Bloody. Ripped pants and all. Ugh. I wanted to cry (and I did when I got home) I may have cussed under my breath. But I did NOT QUIT.

Next  up was box jumps, which I've done before. I knew I wasn't in shape to use the 20" box, but thought I could modify down to 3 bumper plates. Wrong again! I couldn't quite stick the landing and ended up falling backwards flat on my back. Any sliver of ego I might've had, is definitely GONE. I did manage to jump up on 2 plates, but decided step ups on 3 plates would be safer for our WOD.

Today's WOD:
30-20-10
Push Press (using a PVC pipe)
Step Ups (3 plate high)
[completed in 6'45"]

Now for some ice on these knees and some ibuprofen!

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

It's A Rest Day....

Today is a Rest Day.
They must have known after one day, we would need a little break. My quads hate me at the moment, but not as bad as I feared....I'm fearful of what tomorrow is going to feel like.

I took the opportunity of a rest day to take some beginning measurements. As scary as these numbers are, I know it's important to have a point of reference later, so I can measure my improvement.

Weight: 233.2 (home scales first thing in morning)
Breast: 43-3/4"
Rib Cage: 39-1/2"
Abdomen: 46"
Belly Button: 52"
Rt. Quad: 27"
Lt. Quad: 26-1/2"
Rt. Calf: 17"
Lt. Calf: 17"
Rt. Arm: 16"
Lt. Arm: 16"

I swear! My quad is as big as my waist was in high school.

Monday, April 2, 2018

CrossFit Day 1

So...we went and did a thing.

 Blake and I joined CrossFit Cathal and started our Foundations Class tonight. I won't lie. I was super nervous about walking into the Box for the first time. It helped having Blake along and I'm so glad that he tries to push his momma to be better. He doesn't just encourage with words, but he walks beside me. That means so much!

Jeremy (Irvin), our coach, made me feel so comfortable and at ease. His instruction of the mechanics of each movement was phenomenal. I not only learned the how...but the why...and that made things click a little better for me. It all made sense--why the depth of a squat matters. Getting your tush low takes the impact OFF your knees and onto the larger joint, the pelvis or hips, that is equipped to take the load.

Our WOD tonight;
8 minute AMRAP
(8) Air Squats
(6) Sit Ups (using the AbMat)
(4) Burpees (I will learn to love these things!)
[Total of 71 Reps Completed]

I was a little disappointed that 4 rounds was all I was able to complete (minus one burpee), but then Blake said he got 7-1/2 rounds, and that made me feel better. LOL.My legs are jello and I'm pretty sure I will be super sore tomorrow, but YAY for completing Day!

New Goal: Embrace & Love Burpees!


Monday, February 5, 2018

{Weekly Chase ~ February 5 - 11}

This past Saturday Jen called and asked if I wanted to come run a few training laps with her at the community center....I accepted. 45 minutes later I was dead. No, seriously...I was so glad I went and that she pushed me to go "a little farther."

This weeks goals:

1. Workout 4/7 days
2. Run 3x this week
3. Stretching & foam rolling daily
4. Attend my first ever yoga class
5. Increase water consumption

My goals are pretty modest this week, but I want to make sure I develop habits that will set me up for overall success. Can't wait to see how the week goes!!

What are you running this week??



Wednesday, January 31, 2018

{Village Creek 10K}

Sometime back in November, I signed up for my absolute fave race, the Village Creek 10K Trail Run in Wynne, AR. The race director is the best. He keeps you laughing with his wit throughout the year, insists on the Pledge of Allegiance before the start, and always prays for us. The cinnamon rolls are also a great motivator and help propel this race to the top of my list. And of course, the camaraderie. Runners are some of the best people anyway, but I think trail runners are an even more special breed. Last year was my first time to run (I use that term very loosely) this event and it was a nice dry, albeit cold, race.

Fast forward to January 2018.

I somehow convinced several of my fitness friends to come along for the ride. I don't think they looked ahead to the forecast. LOL. I knew this race was known for its unpredictable weather & trail conditions. She did not disappoint. Race day weather was hovering around 50-52 degrees....and rain. Rain everywhere. Which meant...mud. Mud. Everywhere.

 Debi came in from Heber Springs the night before, but had not packed a rain jacket. I dug out my Smoky Mountain rain jacket for her and I donned Quentin's new golf pullover/windbreaker. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to work.

 Jen & Jake also came along for this crazy ride. They're usually up for a fitness challenge and although they hadn't "trained" to run any type of race, let alone one on the trails, they came and they CONQUERED!! I think Jen finished in 1:20 and Jake finished in 1:30. I mean seriously....what would they have done if it had been dry and they had trained?!

 Blake was the only one of us that signed up for the 25K (you know...he has big plans when it comes to running and trails), so he was kind of in his own world pre-race. If you look closely, you can see him at the top left of this picture. 235 runners gathered to brave the elements, challenge themselves, and push beyond their limits.

 The first couple of miles weren't too bad. We quickly learned that mud is SLICK and getting any kind of traction was difficult at best. It was actually easier to run up the hills than to try and walk and get bogged down in the mud.

 Pretty sure my shoes will never be the same!! We decided this race could be classified as a Mud/Trail/Obstacle Race all in one :)

 After mile 3, I was certain I wouldn't be setting a new PR for this race (I ran the 2017 race in 1:58). My balance pretty much sucks on dry dirt, so add rain and mud and ruts....my new goal was to not fall!! Or break anything.

 Debi did not have the same goal. LOL. She lost her footing going up this slick bank and made the most graceful fall in the mud I've ever seen. These two ladies (in red & blue) were going to check on her, while I, being the good friend I am, was scrambling for my phone to capture the moment.

 About mile 5, we were both just wore out from trekking through the mud and water and hills. We could see the finish line, but it seemed like it was taking forever to get there. We needed a morale booster. Insert war paint....aka mud on the face.

 We did it! We finished the thing and met up with Jen & Jake. Debi and I crossed the finish line at 2:29....31 minutes slower than my time the previous year, BUT...I did not fall!! Or break anything. We grabbed our yummy post-race cinnamon roll (seriously the best!), showered off, warmed up, and waited on Blake to finish the 25K.

 I knew the course conditions would slow Blake down, but I was getting worried when the clock kept ticking away and he still hadn't come in. I started wondering if he was hurt and how would we find him? He did finally come in...walking...and at 4:09. Nowhere near his goal. He said his hip started hurting around mile 9 and that he walked quite a bit of the last 6 miles. He finished, and while he was disappointed, it sure beats getting a DNF.

 Post race picture with Blake....I somehow missed getting a pic with our friend Dan, who placed 1st in his age division. Go Dan!! That man inspires me...at 61 years young, he still gets out there and runs and takes care of his body.

Love the shirt and of course the wood medallion finishers medal. Always earned. Never given.
And note the fancy wrist band with numbers.....that was a first and was to ensure no one got lost. I'm not sure it worked, but great effort.
 Now the next question....do I do the 25K next year???

Monday, January 15, 2018

{....A Year Later...}

Try...Try again.

(my first run in the new shoes 1/13/18)

With the exception of a run here and there, I've officially taken off 18 months. I've allowed myself to gain weight...to be depressed...and have forgotten myself along the way. What once was a sport that energized me, became a place of fear and anger. Nashville broke me. In ways I can't even understand. It stripped me of every ounce of my dignity and in that moment, it defeated me. Not because I didn't PR, but because I allowed the mental talk to derail my entire running journey. But I refuse to stay in that place of defeat. I refuse to let that one race define me.

So....this weekend I went and bought a new pair of shoes. (what is it about a new pair of shoes that make you think you can conquer the world?!) The Altra Torin IQ. They have a built in sensor that gives real-time feedback on running form so that you can make adjustments and run more efficiently. In the past, I've struggled with my piriformis acting up and I knew it was a form issue. I'm hopeful that the feedback from these shoes will help me alleviate that obstacle. 

I also went through my calendar and penciled in some races. I haven't raced since May 2016. I committed to completing the Women Can Run Clinic and to pushing my body again. I know that I do better when I have clearly defined goals ahead of me and have something to work toward. Adding races to my calendar gives me that competition my soul craves.

And....I laced up my shoes and went for a run. Not a walk. Although I did walk some. But a run. I would run a bit and walk a bit. It was cold. Bitter cold (27 degrees). My body was sore. But you know what....I finished a mile. I didn't want to quit. I wanted to finish!!

I look back at pictures of me when I was running and I see someone who was happy, healthy, and enjoying life on a daily basis. I want that girl back!

So here's to 2018!!!

Maybe I'll even get better at this blogging thing ;)