Thursday, May 24, 2012

The spokesperson... but not the posterchild

The Spokesperson:

I promised I would follow back up on my experiences with Crossfit, and I’m shocked that 3 months have already gone by. To say that I love crossfit is possibly the understatement of the year. I don’t know what I did before it. The aspect that I like the most – and that I was least expecting – is the community. I’ve met a bunch of great people, and I’m enjoying the camaraderie. This weekend Crossfit Infernal participated in the “Crossfire Throwdown”, with Firebird Crossfit. So many people went just to cheer on the participants, and have a good time together (some of these pictures are of the event). There’s something special about watching people push themselves to their max, and being able to share the glory and the struggles with them. It makes you feel connected.

Competitors from Regionals cheering on the last competitor - I LOVE this!
I am still afraid almost every day, but I’m starting to relish the chances to challenge myself, and to get better. There is still an endless amount of work to be done, but I’m starting to see progress, and that makes me hungry for more.

3 Month Accomplishments:

- I have successfully met my goal of crossfitting 6 days a week, even though it meant giving up running for awhile. I’m starting to bake running back in, because I still want to run the Summer Series over the next few months.

- After not running at all for 6 weeks, I broke my 5K PR time again this year – 34:XX, and crushed my 4.2 mile time in 47:06. It also felt easy. @Autamday and I have decided that after the hurt of crossfit, everything else is cake!

- I Rx’d a workout – and it was a Hero WOD – thanks ‘Randy’!

- I completed the 100 Lunge Challenge – 100 Lunges a day for one month – next up: pushups and planks!

- I’ve increased my Olympic lifting weights to *almost* Rx capacity. I’m up at least 20lbs in deadlifts, overhead lifts, cleans, and even +10lbs in shoulder press (my upper body’s nemesis)


From the Crossfire Throwdown. In front, Vanessa. In red behind her, JRo. Both are Legit!
But Not the Posterchild:

J has a new joke that every day I come home with a new bruise/gash/injury. It’s unfortunately fairly accurate. As the least graceful person on earth in the gym, I assigned myself bandaid duty. I have been able to avoid injuring anyone else, but not so lucky with myself. Ejemplos:

- In one week I had all of the crossfit stigmata – torn hands from pullups, bruises on my wrists from KB snatches, collar bone bruises from cleans, bruised knees from burpees/lunges, and gashes on my shins from box jumps fails

- I have permanent blue bruises on my collar bones from cleans and front squats.

- I recently dropped a 45lb barbell from over my head onto the middle of my back. Luckily just a scrape and a bruise, but there was a moment when I thought I broke my back – scary!

- I am the box monster’s bitch right now. After two painful falls, I’ve spent the last 8 weeks doing step ups until the scabs heal. One of the doctors who works out with me took pity on me and gave me a miracle patch that regrows skin, which was amazing, but I do have a 3+ inch cicatrix (you can’t call this baby a scar, as it’s one of those big wrinkly ones) on my left shin. The right shin is healing better – I’ll probably be able to call that one a scar, and it’s only 2 inches long. I will be wearing shin guards until further notice.

Coach Derek, with a cool 205 lbs over his head during the competition.
 Random Benefits of Crossfit:

- My 50lb luggage feels pretty light now

- I can now open the RV gate on the side of the house without assistance

- Carrying the groceries in no longer seems like a daunting task

- I received a (now revoked) free pass to buy summer training gear at Lululemon

The man who revoked my Lulu pass is in black. His partner George is in red. Yes ladies, those arms come home to me. ;)
Updates to 2012 Physical Goals:

- Complete a marathon

- Sub 29:24 5K – currently down to 34:XX. My plan is to do crossfit in the summer in the late afternoons, get acclimated to working out in extreme heat, and hope that the last 5 minutes just melts off. Much easier than doing sprint work and drills!

- Beat the Box Monster – I am going to slay this monster this year.

- RX a weighted workout

- Switch to guy pushups yo – I’m *almost* there. I think the next 30 days challenge will make the difference.

- Do an unassisted pullup – A long way to go on this one. If I get it done by the end of the year, it’ll be a miracle.
Julie Foucher at Regionals - that's a 70lb dumbell. She's also like 5'4.

Every day is a chance to improve, a chance to get better. I'm relishing the opportunities to grow!

2 comments:

  1. Holy geez. I could never do this.

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  2. Sounds Great!! Wish we had a crossfit gym where I live...but I'm lucky we have 1 gym :/

    ReplyDelete