K-Pac – Tuesday’s workout

So today was my first workout at home. First, I had a slight injury from running on Saturday so I took Monday off. So today’s workout, I call it K-Pac, which was made up of 25 minutes of run/walk (I did about 1.65 miles) and then one tabata (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest 8 times) that was air squats, squats with arms over head (non-weighted overhead squat), box dips and decline push ups. It was pretty tough but I am working on getting to where I can run a 5k so I can attempt Murph (run a mile, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 air squats, mile run). Yes I know that 2 miles does not equal a 5k but my lungs are not great as I have asthma so I have to work up to 30 – 40 minutes of solid cardio. I have been scared of Murph for a while and they of course did it as part of the CrossFit Games. The women there had a hard time with finishing it so this just reinforced my fear. I will feel like a real athlete when I can attempt Murph. I also took the stretches from Coach Snow after my workout as stretching is important.

I have started a new job and I have not been able to walk at lunch but I did pace like a Jaguar in a cage. I am hoping I can get out at lunch tomorrow for a walk along the river at lunch. I try to walk about 5 or 6 miles each day but yesterday I was not able to get to 5 miles. I did ride the bus today with my husband so I didn’t get lost (anyone who knows me knows this is a real possibility).

So here’s the question for all of you, what music do you listen to when you work out? I am always looking for good music to workout to. Pandora channels, actual songs, which ever. Happy workouts and cheers!
-k

Week 51 – Holiday Thoughts

There are always changes in life. I think that Christmas time is a time to review your life and appreciate the great things that have changed your life. I am grateful for the people in my life. I really believe people are brought into your life to teach you something. Everyone has something to teach someone else. My coach teaches me that strength is more a mental game than a physical one. My partner teaches me patience (anyone who knows me knows this is not my super power). One of my friends that I work out with teaches me that it is ok to start over. There are countless others who teach me humor, love, respect, and hope. I can only hope that I am able to share my creative outlook, humor, and grace to others.

Yes it has been a while since I went to the gym but I am getting back into it. I did complete the challenge and lost 15 pounds. I am trying to keep up with it but it is not always easy in the holiday season. I walked in this morning to cookies sitting at my desk which of course is my weakness. Ice cream is another one of my weaknesses. So I ate a cookie for breakfast which, as I have stated many times, it contains everything I was going to eat for breakfast. Then my Jewish friend brings in Almond cake. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop eating wheat. So yes I ate a slice of cake. I mean if you are going to go off the wagon you might as well go big. I have been doing CrossFit for a year now and I love it. I have gotten pretty strong and my clothes fit better so it has been a big help. I do apologize for the lack of writing but I have been busy at work (yeah I know, how rude). I hope to write more later this week but we will see. If not, have a happy Chanukkah, Merry Christmas, Funky Festivus, Krazy Kwanzaa, and the best Boxing day. Until next time, cheers!

Week 45 – Believe in Yourself

One of the best lessons I have learned is that you have to believe in yourself or no one else will. People say it but they never explain it. Here is what I have learned. You have to believe in yourself and realize that all those feelings you have, anger, peace, love, hate, frustration, guilt, all of it is just a feeling. At the end of the day that is all it is. What you do with it is what makes you who you are. Fear can destroy you and can lead to anger which can lead you to frustration. So how do you deal with that? Wow, glad you asked. It is not easy but I realize that it is just a feeling. Nothing comes out of it until I act or don’t act on it. You have to ask why do I feel this way and how do I keep it or change it. When I feel fear I try to figure out why and push through it. Fear is an odd feeling and one of the few that really limit us. Anger and other negative feelings are similar. You have to figure out why you feel that way and change it. Here is one of the things I have started doing about once a week. I leave a positive note for someone to find or read. A few weeks ago I left one for a friend who was waiting for a decision. Last week I sent a note to someone who gives me a positive boost on a regular basis. To release the anger and negative pieces you have to find a way to find that inner peace and quiet the mind so you can see a way through.

As always my time working out has been my calm. Yeah it sounds weird but when I lift or run or even walk with the dog it sets my mind to quiet. I focus on my body, my form, what is happening around me and finally I settle in a place where I actually zone out. Yeah I zone out and I can usually solve some big questions in my life. Sometimes that is work sometimes it is personal but that moment of resolution and that time for reflection is so important. What I have seen over the past few weeks in doing the Whole Life Challenge is that I do not think I can eat sugar, wheat, or corn like I used to. I have felt better, healthier and oddly I feel mentally stronger than I have in a long time. Eric Thomas said it best “One day will be your day. One day can’t be your day if you give up. If you quit no day will be your day.” So don’t ever give up on yourself. You can be your hardest critic but you can also be your biggest supporter. So you quit before; well that is just an opportunity to start again. Figure out why did you quit? Once you answer that question then you can learn for that and move on. Every beginning is the end of something. What will you end to start again?

Long Time No Talk… I know

So I am coming up on my one year doing CrossFit. I started going every week in January and I have been on the Whole Life Challenge for a few weeks now. So busy at work doing different things so I have not been able to write anything. I have a vacation day coming up on Friday (Yes I am that person that takes off Halloween). I have gotten worse with my asthma (having to take my inhaler several times a day). This has been almost a month now where I have had issues but I am going to see someone in November (apparently getting an appointment with a specialist is almost as difficult as getting in to see a dermatologist). The paleo diet/lifestyle had been helpful as I am down 10 lbs and I am still eating really good food like Sticky Chicken. Now mind you I did not go full blown paleo as I eat brown rice but just not with every meal. I also have a cheat day to reward myself. How do you do a cheat day? Glad you asked, you decide on a given day and plan ahead for what you want to eat and then life gets in your way and you miss it and then you see homemade biscotti that you mother sends and you yell CHEAT DAY and eat 4. Yes that’s right that’s what happened which of course frightened Gary but hey it is Halloween month! Things have been going great at the box and yesterday I went to the noon class worried I would have to work out with a herd of boys (I assume this is the punishment for missing the ladies class) but when I walked in my Yoga Instructor friend was there. I hadn’t seen her in a while and it has been months since we were in the same class. Then who walked in? Yeah Wonder Woman Jackie! Yes that is right I got to work out with Jackie. That has been even longer since Jackie and I were in the same class (she is usually in the class before the women’s class so I see her but don’t work out with her). I missed my little group and I was excited. Then the best news ever, the noon class was oddly going to be all women. Yeah that’s right Coach Keidy got a double dose of the ladies yesterday.

Anyways, I am hoping to take some photos on Friday and I will try to post them as it is fall in New England (I still argue that there are days that it looks like the original England so there is nothing new about it). I also got a photo printed in an actual magazine so I am hoping that trend continues as I would like to have a little income from my hobby (even if it is just to pay for equipment). Well here is hoping you have a spooktaclur Halloween and a grand Día de Muertos!

Week 29 – Try Something Different

Sorry for the delay in getting this posted but I have been super busy. Between work and trying to figure out a plan for my photography it has been pure chaos. It is these times of chaos that I need the stability of something like CrossFit and I have really enjoyed my time there. I have started physical therapy and my foot is getting better. I was able to do a kipping pull up but when I tried it today my shoulders were too tight so instead I just hung on the bar and relaxed for a bit. I have also tried a new meal plan that is delivered to my box. They are fantastic and you can check to see if Custom Fit Meals are in your area.
My workouts have been pushed back to where they were thanks to clearance from my doctor and the promise of going to physical therapy. There are days when I feel like I don’t want to go and other days where I am excited to go. It is just what ever energy I have and the stress at work. I have also picked up yoga twice a week. I did Saturday and Sunday and the first class was really difficult. I thought yoga was supposed to be relaxing and getting you back to balance but that was not the class I went to on Saturday. Sunday was taught by my good friend, Katie, and it was relaxing and some stretching which was not easy (I have issues with stretching in that I don’t do it). I hope this finds everyone happy and healthy. Cheers!

Week 25 and 26 – You Are the Only One That Matters

Well I have a few friends that have posted the video from Always about Throw like a girl (in case you haven’t seen it you can find it here). I find this interesting as I was raised by a herd of women and they did not depend on anyone but themselves. I was brought up to believe in myself since you are the only one that matters. Throw like a girl or run like a girl was never an insult to me. I was taught to throw a baseball (yes not a softball) since my step dad taught baseball to boys. I threw so hard in junior high that a girl tried to catch my pass without a glove and seriously hurt her hand (that was a note “home” that was never delivered). I was not allowed to play anymore which was fine with me because I was horrible at hitting and I didn’t really like baseball. It was Texas after all. So instead I ran laps on the track. When it came time to do the fitness test I ran faster than some of the boys. Up until I was 23 I was able to out run men (not all of them but a lot of them). Once again, running like a girl was not an insult. Now I am surrounded by strong ladies. They are a great support group and the amazing thing is they are not only physically strong but mentally strong. Always remember that it is not about what others think of you but what you think of yourself. You are the only one that matters. If you find yourself surrounded by people who are negative or do not support you on your journey through life or insult you, you should find better friends.

Now on to the workouts… We did Fran at the beginning of this week. Yeah that was drop dead serious and by the last round there was no breaking it up it was just get it done. I think that was the best plan of attack as I just wanted to be done. My foot is getting better but I was restricted to no jumping or running. I have been modifying most of my workouts with things like ring assisted mountain climbers instead of burpees, bike or rowing instead of running, and one leg hops for anything that is jumping related. I have another week before I go back to the doctor but my foot is getting better. I am also looking forward to watching the Games online. I have not been going every day since I want to give my foot a break so I try to go 3 times a week with walking on the days that I am not at the box. I also sit at my desk and do foot exercises and stretching to keep the foot moving. Cheers and happy lifting!

Week 24 – Tomorrow is Another Day

Well I had my follow up appointment and I got super lucky in that my doctor has mentioned that I should be able to use my foot more. I was cleared to go and use a stationary bike but absolutely no spinning. I was also not cleared to jump, run, or hike just yet. These past few weeks have been horrible for my mental state. I am happiest when I am running, biking, hiking, lifting, and pulling. In other words, I am not happy if I am not at the gym doing physical activity. I only went to the box once in my 3 week rest period and just that hour was the best hour of my week. The tear is healing but I am now required to use my foot more but I still have to be careful as it is still healing. Here are a few things that I learned while I was required to rest. First, if you don’t like what you see in the mirror, don’t beat yourself down, get a new mirror. Your reflection should not be a source of self hate. Sometimes you see yourself reflected in others and the negativity they have makes you feel bad about yourself. This is an opportunity for you to find a new friend. This person is not your friend if they make you feel bad about yourself. There is a difference between finding a weakness and feeling bad about you. Do not confuse these two ideas. It is ok to not be perfect. Second, you are where you are. This was never more apparent until now with my injury. I must accept the fact that I will not bounce back as that is not how the human body functions. Lastly, all bad things that happen do not have to make you stop reaching your goals. In other words, when you are in juried take the opportunity to make the other area strong. This is not the time to stop reaching for your goals just change direction. As always I am grateful for my friends and family that have helped me though this difficult time.

Tomorrow is a new day and my first day back after a solid week off. I will be doing a modified workout and really look forward to working with the ladies who I have missed (Nurse Jackie, Joanna, The Heather’s, Ariel, and of course Keidy). My birthday was awesome and I even got some CrossFit gear such as shoes (my favorite aunt), socks, and a Reebok gift card. I got my Polar watch battery changed and started packing my Polar heart rate monitor. Watch out because now I am going to be awesome! Have you ever had an injury that took you out of your daily routine? How did you deal with it? I think that I might be able to get back to my routine but I hope that it will all return to normal soon.

Week 23 – What happens when you sit

So during this time when I am forced to sit and think some odd things have come up in my mind. Addiction, love, passion are all things that come from the same space. We all have these things and some of us express them in destructive ways but others focus that same passion and energy into healthy things. I have an addiction to fitness. I always have. There is something in the competition of whatever that drives me. When I got sick a few years back it put me into a depression and I gained weight. I have had a lot of time to look over my life. When I was in high school I was happy on the track. When I lived in Austin I would go out every single day and ride my bike. It was a type of meditation and calm. Rain, shine, wind, Saturday, it didn’t matter to me what day it was or what the weather was. In the cold I put on long pants and in the heat I put on shorts and packed extra water. I have been doing CrossFit for 6 months now and it is my meditation. It is my peace in a world of chaos. This injury has slowed me down but I am not out. I do push-ups at home and I do one legged squats at my desk. I was down for a full week and the horror of stopping was so over whelming that it is unexplainable. My trainer said she would get a program together for me so that I didn’t use my foot. It is so great when you find others who understand your need to move and push yourself. The probability that I will be out for most of the summer is very high but I am going to fight it. In talking with the doctor he said take it easy for 3 weeks and he will check in with me. Next week I go back for him to see my foot. I have done everything and more than what he said. Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate and repeat. My swelling has gone down on my foot and I am hopeful that he will take the original estimate of 8 week and reduce it.

I did go to the box this week and I think it was the first time I was sad to not do burpees. Yes that is the first time and the last time you will ever see that. I am hoping to go on Friday as well with my ladies. So here is to a new week, a new lease on life, and the ability to do more today than I did yesterday. Cheers and happy lifting!

Week 22 – On Pause

So there was an interesting thing that happened on Sunday. There was a wild ninja that broke into my house and I attacked him before he got to the baby kittens. No that’s not true. There was a circus in town and their bear had escaped and was terrorizing my neighborhood and as the wanna-be-superhero I sprung into action before the trash was bear handled. That’s not true either. I really wish it was something as exciting as a ninja bear or I was attending the open call for America’s Next Top Superhero but in actuality I caught the edge of the step and fell the rest of the way down the stairs. All in all I have a “spring” in my step. Yes that is right, I sprung my foot and am currently out of commission when it comes to CrossFit but I am just too stubborn to really stop exercising. I am currently working on an upper body workout that allows me to not use my foot but still workout. I was told that I might be out of commission for 6 to 8 weeks but as the all famous Tony Hawk once said “You are going to have to fight me”. I cannot just sit still anymore.

The big goal for this week and next is to focus on the healthy eating and build the upper body strengthen. This will allow me to get strong without putting the stress on the ligaments in my foot. I will continue to post and keep you updated on my progress including pictures and stats. Also, I am working on trying my heart rate monitor (HRM) from polar again to track my progress.

Regional Photos

Here are some of the images I took at the regional competition. These athletes were amazing to watch. First let’s start with the ladies doing a strict handstand pushup. So you start in a handstand and drop down to touch your head (believe it or not this is not the hard part) and then push yourself back up. Here you see the ladies all in the starting position.

One of the things the athletes had to do is a handstand walk (sounds like a lot of handstand work but it was just 2 events that had handstands and there were 6 events). Here you see the men trying to get ready for the handstand walk. Sounds simple enough but it is not.

This is the first part of the event which was 3 tries at finding your max weight of a hang squat snatch. Yes it is a funny word but a lot of weightlifting words are funny. Here you see the gentleman preparing his bar to lift.

Next is a picture of my coach about to start the workout that called for a legless rope climb. This is you have to climb a rope without using your legs. It is more about using your hips in a similar manner as a kettlebell swing. She did great at this event! How can she not with arms like that.

This is the women trying to push-up from the handstand push-ups. You can see the muscles working trying to get the body back up. Not easy to do and not easy to watch.

This is a great image for shoes. I have a shoe issue and I loved all the bright colors that these men are rocking. Could be an ad for Reebok!

Here is my coach Keidy again just happy to be competing. So many of the athletes were just happy to be at the regionals. I was excited just being there to take pictures. These athletes really made my job easy.

Lastly, this was one of my favorite parts of the whole competition, these athletes would finish a workout and get up and go support and coach the other athletes. Yes, that is right, they got up and helped their competition complete. This simple act costs them nothing and makes them a better athlete. It also makes the athlete who is still working know that everyone is supporting him. Being in this position myself a few times it is really hard and you just want to quit but sometimes you have to push through and just finish.