2013 - Year in Review

January
27th - Yeti Chase 5K - 51:01
February
10th - Ralston 5K - 48:49 - we won Girl Scout cookies!

 24th - Frozen Foot 5K - not timed due to the blizzard conditions; with my sister and nephew.

March
16th - Lucky Laces 5K - 52:11 - with Chris and Raina and beer after!
April
23rd - Dash & Dine 5K - 37:22 - We ran for Boston.

27th - Cherry Creek Sneak 5K - 54:30
30th - Dash & Dine 5K - 44:25
May
12th - Westminster Women's Classic 5K - 42:32
14th - Dash & Dine 5K - 42:17
21st - Dash & Dine 5K - 40:54
June
6th - Esprit de She 5K - 40:37

 9th - Skirt Sports Half Marathon Relay - 2:55:18 - Team Rauschenberger-Wallace, 13:22 pace
22nd - Stadium Stampede 10K - 1:16:52

 25th - 303Vodka 5K - A fundraiser for Fire Fighters

 July
4th - Four on the Fourth 4K - 31:37

 August
25th - Heart & Sole 10K -1:22:56 - final race before the half

September
21st - Prairie Dog Half Marathon - 3:04:22 - My sister's 1st half, my 6th!

October
6th - Hot Chocolate 15K -2:03:17 - 13:14 pace; new distance, new PR
November
16th - Pumpkin Pie 5K - 33:34

28th - Turkey Chase 5K - Did not run, elected to stay home and visit with family. :-) 
December
21st - Christmas Carol Classic 5K - Did not run, recovering from a cold.

This season was about my sister's quest to complete her first half marathon. Sure, I convinced her to register, but it was really all about her. We had a training plan and fit many races into the mix to stay focused. Even when we traveled we kept each other accountable. I think our longest training run was when we were in Atlanta together.

For me, it was a nice relaxed running season. My main focus was on CrossFit this year which I started at the beginning of the year. My focus was on creating a 3 days a week workout routine and getting in my long runs on Sundays. Mission accomplished!

It was a great year of focusing on my overall health and not a particular event or even particular sport. I am loving CrossFit even more than I thought I would. I found a new work out pace and place and am looking forward to 2014! I have no real goals set for the new year. I plan to continue on this road of good health, consistent workouts, (mostly) paleo diet, and see where it takes me.

My next half will be one from my bucket list. The Indy Mini Marathon! I'm super excited! Training officially begins on January 12th.

Holidays!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! My in laws come to visit and we celebrate all of our November birthdays - mine, my hubby and his two girls. This year we added one more, Brayden James, our brand new grandson was born on Nov. 5th!

We did not have a paleo Thanksgiving and I was ok with that. Thanksgiving is about family and tradition. I did manage to sneak in a paleo side dish - brussel sprouts sauteed with bacon and mushrooms. It was tasty! But, that's where the diet ended for me. I ate lots of non-paleo foods and enjoyed every bite. I'm calling it a cheat day (or 2). Pumpkin pie, pumpkin maple pecan cheesecake, creamy sweet potatoes, white mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce... Mmmmm. The day after I had leftovers. Later I even indulged in some ice cream from Scrumptious. I'd been craving some ice cream from that particular place for a while and now that I've had some, I'm good to go. It didn't sit well but it was worth it.

Today, Saturday, I am getting back on track and trying to clean out my system with exercise and hot tea.

I'd registered for a Turkey Chase on Thursday but decided to skip it. I was pretty tired from three days in a row of CrossFit. And it was nice to sit around and visit and prep for the day. Instead I ran on Friday at Van Bibber. I did 3 miles and was happy to be out. I finished the run with a sprint up the hill. Well, "sprint".

Catching my breathe at the top of the hill.

The hill.

Today is a lazy day. My sister-in-law is leaving today. The parents-in-law leave tomorrow. Shopping? Football? Movies? Relaxing.

Food Challenge Results

It is now more than 20 days beyond the 30 day paleo food challenge. And while I don't agree with the premise behind the diet, I cannot argue with the results.

6.4 lbs lost
3% body fat lost
0.6 lbs muscle gained
1.75 inches lost in my waist
0.75 inches lost in my hips
0.25 inches lost in my neck

WOW! 30 days of eating no sugar, no butter, no processed foods, no legumes, no white potatoes, no dairy, no alcohol. Wow.

I knew I'd been doing well in those last couple of weeks. My clothes weren't as tight. My face and neck wasn't so puffy. I'd been synching my belt a bit tighter. But, seeing the numbers was a rush of emotion. I made a point not to step on the scale during the challenge. I'm glad I did that. I couldn't believe how much weight I'd lost in that short time. And guess what. 20 days later, I'm down another 2 pounds (maybe even 3!). My scale at home is just a typical bathroom scale. I should make an appointment to get weighed and dunked again at the end of the year, or maybe on my one year anniversary at Roots. :-)

I haven't been as strict as I was during the food challenge. But, for the most part, I am sticking to the paleo thing. The weekends are very hard to be focused on food. So, I'm trying not to sweat it too much. Also, the birthdays and holidays are upon us. So, I've had birthday cake a few times. And yet, I have still lost more weight and more inches as well (according to my belt).

I think I may need to buy new clothes. :-)

My food and nutrition plan is to be as strict as I can, especially during the week, eating paleo. Weekends are just whatever right now. Yesterday I bought a nutrition notebook so I can keep track of what I'm eating and how I'm feeling. That really helped a lot during the challenge. That way I can tweak things if I need to. I have noticed that eating sugar really makes me angry. And gives me a headache. So, that's good to know.

30 Day Paleo Food Challenge

CrossFit Roots' Fall in Love with Your Body Challenge began on October 7th. The last food challenge was in January. I'd just joined Roots and certainly wasn't up to the challenge. At that time I was only focused on making it to my workouts three times a week. Some times it was all I could do just to show up. I remember those days well. Ten months into CrossFit and those days still feel like they happened just yesterday. But, I'd been waiting for this food challenge. I knew I needed something to kick start my nutrition intake, or lack of it.

30 days of paleo. No sugar. No grains. No beans. No alcohol. No dairy. No kidding.

The weekend before the start of the challenge I had brunch with my book club girls. I ate so much! Saying goodbye to all those sweets. The next day my sister and I ran the Hot Chocolate 15K. Finishers received a mug of hot chocolate with a large marshmallow, dipping Ghirardelli chocolate, a banana, pretzels, rice krispie treat, and cookies. It was so good!! It was a good way to splurge before starting the challenge. :-)

Week one was a lot of trying to figure out what to eat. I spent a lot of time prepping my meals for the week and dinners and worrying about the weekend. I boiled lots of eggs to have for breakfasts, bought fruit and salad fixins. It was tough. I don't usually think that much about what I eat. I'm learning that is part of my problem. We also were required to keep a food log. Our coaches gave us tips and feedback throughout the week. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be in that first week. I was anticipating being starving which I wasn't. I quickly learned that I really wasn't eating enough especially at breakfast.

Week two was a lot more difficult. The meals were not difficult. I like all of the foods I am allowed to eat. I was getting used to the prep involved. But, my energy levels were very low. My workouts were suffering too. I felt like I was running out of gas during the WODs. And I felt like I wasn't recovering as quickly as I should. I started feeling angry and tired. It wasn't so much fun in week two.

Week three there seemed to be a turning point. I'm not sure why. I was still doing all the same things, eating nearly the same things. But, it seemed I suddenly had more energy. And it also seemed that my workouts were improving. And, I started to notice some changes in my body too. I hadn't been on the scale at all. I'd told myself not to weigh myself during the challenge. We were weighed at the start and would be weighed again at the end. I just wanted to focus on the food. So, maybe my body was finally catching up to and enjoying the nutrition I was giving it. Whatever the reason, I really started to feel good about being in the middle of this food challenge.

I'm now in the last 7 days of the food challenge. I am feeling really strong. I will definitely be glad when this is over and I can relax about being caught "cheating". There's $100 at stake and that pressure is a little intense. All in all, I am very glad I am meeting this challenge. One more weekend to get through.

Monday I get retested - weighed, photographed ("after" photos), and dunk tank body fat test. My goal weight was 127 (losing 9lbs of body fat). My body fat percentage was 31%. The challenge officially ends at midnight on Tuesday.

Half Marathon Race Report

Success!! My sister completed her first half marathon in 03:04:22 just shy of her 2nd goal of under 3 hours. The first goal was to finish.

The course had to be changed at the last minute due to the flooding that happened the week before. In fact, they were still pumping water out from an underpass the morning of the race! You'd never know it though. Everything went very smoothly. The organizers, 3W Races, did a fantastic job and so did the city of Westminster. Much kudos to them both.

Here is a link to our Garmin stats for the race:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/379169666

We had a comfortable pace for most of it but, once we hit the 10 mile mark, my sister lost her confidence a bit. Not really her confidence but, she kind of hit a mental wall. 10 miles had been the longest training run we'd done prior to the race. She was worried about it before we even got there. So, once we got there, I think she expected to fall apart. Which of course wasn't going to happen. But, all in all, it was a very good run.

During much of the race she talked a lot about the next half or when we do this same race next year. She was clearly not intimidated by the distance. :-) 

The finish chute!

It is quite an accomplishment, the half marathon. This was my 6th one and at the end of it I still felt like I did after each of the other 5 half marathons. I can't believe I just did that!

We are taking the weekend off. Haven't done that in a while. After that we are going to stick with maintaining our base and run a couple of 5Ks, maybe 10Ks.

Last weekend we completed the Hot Chocolate 15K in downtown Denver. That was fun! Lots of chocolate! But, after that run it will be nice to just relax for a bit.

At the start!

I'm thinking of the Rock and Roll half in Raleigh in April.

3 more weeks until the Prairie Dog Half!

Where does the time go? We only have three more weeks of training to go. That's two more long runs - a 10 miler and another one.

Last weekend we ran the Heart and Sole 10K. Not exactly a long run but that's ok. We ran it quite slowly too. But, that's ok too. The after party was great! The race was at the Boulder reservoir, the same location as the Dash and Dine series. That's the series where we really started to focus our training. It was nice to get in a run there and feel comfortable. My sister had a moment at the end where she felt like she couldn't go anymore. But, she sucked it up like a champion and finished strong! My moment came closer to the start. I felt like I couldn't get loose. It took me a good 2 maybe 2.5 miles to finally feel warmed up.

The race shirt was a neon pink tech shirt. Awesome!

This weekend we will be running our 10 miles on the Fremont Trail. It's dirt and an out and back. We'll need to carry our water for the full distance. That might be difficult since we run for so long, we'll need lots of it.

CrossFit - Deadlift PR!

Today's workout was Deadlift 5-5-5-5-5 then 5 x 250M row with 1 minute rest. (We ran out of time and only did 4 x 250.) The deadlift, to find your heavy set of 5, included some built in rest time as well. We did the lifting in pairs, except for my group which was three of us. The one and only other time I've done this workout was back in February. I was still very new then. My On Ramp class was in January. Back then I lifted 120 pounds. I remember feeling strong and being quite sore after. I don't remember if we did anything else that day, like the rowing today, but I don't think we did. One of my crossfitting friends told me back then that I'd deadlifted like a whole person. That made me feel really good!

Between now and then we've done deadlifts as part of our WOD but hadn't revisited the heavy 5 sets. I think we did a heavy set of 3 at some point.

Today was a good day. I didn't know what we had planned. We've been doing the same WOD as the rest of the gym lately and today, the other classes were doing rope climbs and clean and jerk. I can do those so I was looking forward to it but didn't get my hopes up. We had a sub coach today. And by sub I mean, the owner of the gym was our coach because our regular coach is on vacation. So, absolutely no slacking was to be had on this Friday. Not that Coach Ali ever lets us slack off either but, usually a sub implies that you can get away with a little slacking. Not so at CrossFit Roots. It's why I love it so! :-)

The idea with the 5 sets of 5 reps is to add weight each set. We built up to a starting weight after reviewing the proper form and such. Then each team had 3 minutes to do their lifts. We had to wait for the time to finish before starting the next set. Coach Nicole kept an eye on us and gave us our jumps after each rep. For our group, it went something like, "Next set add 20." Each time our eyes would get larger and we'd shrug and grab more weight. The three of us ended up lifting the same weight. We finished our 5th set at 165 pounds!!

That's a 45 pound PR! That's CRAZY!! Over 5 or 6 months it doesn't seem that huge of a jump. But, considering we don't really deadlift or do this 5 rep max check up on a regular basis, it's crazy to think all the work we've been doing could result in such a big jump. And, of course, Coach Nicole thinks I could have gone heavier. No, I think I'll bask in the glory of those 45lbs. It certainly felt heavy enough to me today. But, noted.

I love CrossFit!

Half Marathon training updates

Today was supposed to be 8 miles but my sister was not feeling well and needed to rest. And I missed a run doing other things. We just got back from vacation on Friday night and quite honestly, I didn't mind taking a day off. Although, as usual, I sort of regret not running now that its the end of the day. Oh well. Back at CrossFit tomorrow. I'll just have to work harder.

So, I think I may change our training plan to something like this:

Aug 4th 8 miles
Aug 11th 8 miles
Aug 18th 9 miles
Aug 25th 10 miles
Sept 1st 8 miles
Sept 8th 12 miles
Sept 15th 6 miles
Sept 21st Race day!

With the option to make adjustments as we need them, of course. I'm not worried. We will likely only miss one more Sunday together. I'll be out of town on the 18th. I'll have to figure out a run while I"m traveling. But, I think I can manage that. :-)

Training - so far so good

We are on track with our half marathon training! Ok, it's only been two weeks but still. That's important. Got in 7 miles last Sunday. The plan calls for 5 miles this weekend. We'll be running on Saturday. I leave for vacation on Sunday. (Yay!) Our next race is the Heart and Sole 10K in Boulder on August 25th.

CrossFit is going well. We have an app now to track our workouts. This week I added pre-app workouts from my calendar. Wow! I really am getting stronger! :-)

Rest Day

My sister is officially registered for the Prairie Dog Half Marathon. It was a birthday gift from our brother. So, it's on!

This weekend we took a rest day. Her granddaughter's first birthday was today so the celebrations were going on. No running for us this morning. It was probably a good thing though because my hip was unhappy for some reason. Squats were uncomfortable for sure. Weird. It's such a fundamental thing to do and I felt so strong during that 200 squat WOD. Maybe it was the 6 mile run the Sunday after that did me in. Oh well. It's much better today after taking an extra day off.

Here is our tentative training schedule (based on the Arvada Running Club's plan):
July 14th 7 miles
July 21st 5 miles
July 28th 8 miles
Aug 4th 9 miles
Aug 11th 10 miles
Aug 18th 11 miles
Aug 25th 12 miles
Sept 1st 8 miles
Sept 8th 14 miles
Sept 15th 6 miles
Sept 21st Race day!

We'll adjust as we go.

Squats!

Today's WOD was 4 rounds for time - 400 meter run and 50 squats. It's a simple workout and I was looking forward to the simplicity of it. Meditative in a way. I haven't had much time to meditate lately with all of our summer visitors. Not that I'm complaining. I've enjoyed every second of every visit. I just haven't had much downtime to recharge. Running used to be that for me. When I first started running I ran by myself. I had the "I'm not a real runner" complex and didn't feel worthy of company. But, that wore off pretty quickly. Misery loves company or so they say. CrossFit is not usually a meditative type of exercise although much of it is mental - you against yourself. But, when you are simply trying to finish a workout and not pass out, it's hard to reflect on life. That usually happens after the workout when I think to myself, "I just did that!"

Today, the 400M run seemed very very long. Try doing 50 squats and then running and you'll understand what I'm talking about. So, that gave me a little downtime.

I am still working on my overall mobility but squats are one area where I can see real improvement. And today, for some reason, something finally clicked and I was able to squat well. Even on the 200th one. I think what I was doing before was not thinking about standing from a squat. I was only thinking (and working) on the way down. Nicole, our fill in coach for today, had time, with only three of us there, to make me think more about the way up. I wasn't pushing my knees out on the way up, only the way down. Once I squatted, I relaxed before standing and wasn't holding my form or engaging my core throughout the movement.

Repeating the movement 200 times also helped I guess. ;-)

I didn't even have to use a target to get my full depth. Nicole also had us think about the movement in a slightly different way. She said to think about your toes being on a saucer and as you squat, try to rotate the saucer out. That helps to push your knees out and it also helped me stay in my heels. I have trouble keeping my weight in my heels. (I like to think it's because I'm more top heavy than others but...LOL.)

So, it was a very good day. And I'm looking forward to the weekend and some rest. Active rest like walking around the mall to stretch my legs. :-)

Here is a CrossFit video demo of proper squat technique with explanations about the various parts and some funny stuff at the end. And a link to a blog post about squatting properly. And here are some babies squatting.

My grand niece and granddaughter. :-)

Happy Friday y'all!

Catching up on the blogging...

I'm not sure what happened but it's been a while since I've posted to the blogs. Nothing terrible has happened. Just the opposite really. We've had lots of family visiting, the granddaughter turned 1 year old, I'm still running and going to CrossFit. It's all good. I did a little traveling for a work related conference which kept me from my workouts last week and this week. In fact, it's been two weeks today since I've been to CrossFit Roots. I'm going this morning.

Soon I'll post a race recap of the Skirt Sports Half Marathon Relay that I did with my sister. Maybe I'll get her to write up her own race report. She rocked it! :-)

CrossFit & Running

I feel like I'm really hitting my stride. Last week I doubled up on a couple of workouts. I missed Monday (for a meeting) so went on Tuesday instead. The WOD was 10 dumbbell clean and jerk, 1 pullup, 9 DB C&J, 2 PU, 8 DB C&J, 3 PU, until we laddered to 1 DB C&J, 10 PU. For time. And for once, I wasn't last. Pull ups have become my thing. I need to drop a band on the assist.

Tuesday night was also the 3rd Dash & Dine 5K for me and my sister. I've been sort of pacing her on this series. Her times have increased with each race. Knowing we were going to run walk the event, I didn't worry too much about doubling up the workouts that day. What I did worry a little about was the WOD the next day, Wednesday. That WOD was run a 5K for time. Well, I thought, this will be a good test of my running fitness.

On Tuesday, our finishing time was 42:17. That's about a six minute improvement since we started. On Wednesday, for the 5K time trial, I finished in 34:38. Wow! That's fast for me. It's especially fast considering how hit and miss my running training has been. This CrossFit stuff is pretty amazing. I am so all in!

Our half marathon relay is June 9th. :-)

CrossFit, Running, Vacation

Maybe not in that order. It's been a while since I've posted but it's all good. I went on vacation, where I did no running or CrossFitting or even stretching. Lots of eating, drinking, and visiting. Yay! Now, I am back home and focused, ready to make some fitness progress.

My sister and I are registered for the Skirt Sports Half Marathon Relay! I talked her into it. She's always quick to point out how I can easily make her do these things. The relay is split in half so we're building up, on our weekend long runs, to 6 miles. This weekend is the Westminster Women's Classic 5K. She is also doing the Mud Run the day before. She's also thinking about buying the Halloway walk/run timer watch.

CrossFit is really starting to gel in my mind now. I feel confident in my ability to successfully complete many of the moves. And by successful I mean struggle through with proper form. WODs are still pretty hard and they will likely always be hard if I keep pushing through to new weights I can lift, etc. But, I feel very good about knowing when I should back off from something and when I shouldn't. And I trust my coaches (well coach now that Tracie has moved :-( to Durango) to know this as well and give me proper instruction. So, I don't dread showing up. I don't dread getting injured. I don't dread any of it. I grin and bear it, suck it up, grit my teeth finish! And I love it!

Here's a photo my coach took yesterday. She loves my pushups and how I maintain my form throughout. Those were hard pushups! The workout was a 20 minute AMRAP of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 air squats. I did 6 rounds plus 5 pullups. :-)

Crossfit is Sinking In

The latest Women Only On Ramp class has ended which means we have new classmates. Which also means, I am officially not the new girl anymore. Woo hoo!! Maybe that had something to do with my confidence on Friday. Or maybe it was just that I was familiar enough with all the exercises. At any rate, something seemed to click for me on Friday. It was a long WOD, 30 minutes, but I was able to stay focused and get through everything confidently.

The WOD:

We had 6 minutes to complete each exercise. When it was completed, we had the remaining 6 minutes to rest before starting the next one. My effort went like this...

500M row took about two and a half minutes. We all finished about the same time. With the remaining time I took a potty break and got my water bottle.

The 400M run I completed in about 2 minutes. I finished about 3rd to last, finishing strong.

I was most excited about the pullups. I'd had a dream earlier in the week about being able to do pullups. We had 2:30 to complete as many pullups as we could. I was using two green bands for my assist. Also, on the warm up, Ali (our coach) made the suggestion that folks could watch my pullups if they wanted to see proper form. That made me feel very good and confident! I was able to complete 45 pullups! I was super excited about that.

Then came the kettlebell swings. On Wednesday, we'd don't both kettlebell swings and thrusters so I felt confident in my ability to do them and do them well, but I was pretty sore and my shoulder was pretty tired. It took me all 6 minutes to finish the kettlebell swings. And I was using the lightest weight I could, 8lbs. Ugh. For a while I wasn't sure I was even going to finish. Ugh. It was hard but I kept going and pushed through to get it done. Woot.

Because I finished last and without any rest time, the rest of the class started their 30 dumbbell thrusters right on time. I had to rest before starting my set. I think I rested for a full minute before I started. I knew that I'd probably be last at that point but it didn't matter. I think everyone finished when I hit 20 reps. I was trying to do sets of 5 but couldn't manage more than two really. Ali asked if my shoulder was bothering me, which it was. She suggested I only go overhead with one dumbbell. (I think she was kidding but I'm not sure.) I asked if I should drop to 10lbs in my left and keep the 15lb in my right. She said that would be weird but I could switch to the 10lbs if I wanted to (since everyone else was done). So, that's what I did. Two sets of 5 and done.

I really liked this work out. It was hard and it was long but I could do all the exercises without modifying at all. I had my usual assists but that is ok.

My shoulder has been bothering me a bit more. I've done three weeks of PT but have slacked off a bit with my stretches and prescribed exercises. I need to get back on track with that. And maybe ice more after these long or heavy shoulder exercises. I am still very sore even two days after Friday's WOD. And not just my shoulder, but my pullup effort is also what I'm feeling.

Can't wait for Monday. :-)

For Boston

I worked from home today because of the weather. And because I wanted to run. I wanted to run for Boston. My sister and I were (are) registered for four 5K races in the Boulder res Dash & Dine series. Last week was postponed because of the snow that never came. So, that took away the one rain delay date. This week, it's very snowy and supposed to snow more this evening but the race is going on. I'm sure some of it has to do with yesterday's events as well. I'm sure people just feel the need to run. I know I did. But, my sister and I decided we didn't want to make the drive if the weather was bad but would get some miles in on our own. I decided that the treadmill wasn't going to cut it. I felt the need to be outside, breathe the cold air and not have anything to distract me like a television or music at the Y. So, I ran at Van Bibber.

It was overcast and cold enough for me to see my breath but not too cold to breathe. I had on enough layers not to be distracted by the temperature.

I felt good considering I haven't been running much at all these days. I started out at a comfortably slow pace. There were only a couple of other people out walking their dogs. I could meditate a bit on why I was there and what I wanted to do. As I thought about it it occurred to me that I should run a significant number of miles. In CrossFit we often do hero WODs that have reps or rounds or a time that is a number of significance. I thought I would do 3 miles for the 3 people who died yesterday. But, I didn't want the run to only be about dying. So, I decided I would run 3.262 miles. The .262 would represent the marathon distance.

As it turns out, my Garmin only goes to two decimal places so I ended up going 3.27 miles instead. That kind of bummed me out a bit. But then, I looked at my stats. It also recorded the time I began the run. It was 3:26.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/299049468

I may never run a full marathon. But, I think I know that triumphant feeling. I felt it crossing the finish line of my first half marathon. Joy, triumph, invincibility. I have felt it at all of the half marathons since that one, even the Platte when I was in so much pain. For me it's the "I-can't-believe-I-just-did-that!" feeling. Yesterday, so many runners were robbed of that feeling, that opportunity to finish strong. I hope they get that back. I don't want the bad guys to win. So, I will keep running.

Peace and Love everyone. Don't let them win.

Boston

I have no words. :-(

Technique

Last week one of the lifts we did was the hang power clean. I seem to have a hard time staying in my heels. Not just for this particular move but for most of them. So, sometimes I review the moves on you tube and on the CrossFit HQ page. I found this You Tube video for the hang power clean that gave me a bit of insight. She talks about trying to push the bar with your hips to gain more power and maintain form. I'm going to try to remember that the next time we do them.

The next step for me on this fitness journey is to change my diet. It will be difficult to do since there are multiple people living in my house. But, lately, I've become the chef at home. That used to be my hubby's domain. So, after our vacation, I'm planning to make a few changes. Nothing too dramatic at first. And there are a lot of meals that are solo meals for me. Breakfast and lunch are two meals I eat alone. Those are under my total control. And that morning chai... well, it will have to go. More water in my diet would be good. Water used to be all I drank. Then I became bored I suppose. And became an adult who could afford beer. :-)  I do like beer. I won't be giving that up any time soon.

Nearly all of the paleo diet plans say to give it 30 days. This one, for example. I think I can do that. It should be a fair attempt for my household as well. Hubby can eat whatever he wants when he's out and about during work. This won't be an all or nothing thing for everyone. But, I want to give it a try for me.

And that running thing.... I still need to find my motivation for that.

This Week's WODs

Monday
5 rounds for time
21 deadlifts, 400M run
I lifted 60lbs. After the 2nd round, my back started to spasm on the run so, Ali switched me to the rower for a 500M row. This kind of sucked. But, I finished and didn't cry. (I need to figure out what's up with my back. This is the 2nd time this has happened.)

Wednesday
"Nasty Girls"
3 rounds for time
50 air squats, 7 muscle ups, 10 hang power clean
I used a medicine ball for a target on my squats, we all modified the MUs but I still got blisters on my wrist from the false grip, and I lifted 45lbs. This wasn't so bad. It was hard for sure and my wrists didn't like it at all. I didn't mark my time. :-/

Thursday my sister and I did our first Adventure Run. I think we got in about 2 miles of mostly walking. We also got free beer but didn't win any raffle prizes. Oh well, maybe next time.

Friday
12 minute AMRAP
40' dumbbell lunge, 7 burpees, 40' dumbbell lunge, 14 situps
I managed 3 complete rounds. I carried 15 lb dumbbells on each shoulder (a high carry). Burpees are really really hard after lunges. Ugh. You know the workout is hard if you are thinking the whole time, I can't wait for the situps so I can rest my legs. As hard as this one was, I really liked it. It was very challenging mentally to stay focused and keep moving. I need to work on pushing through and not resting as much on these "short" WODs.

Up Coming Races

Here is what I'm currently registered for:

4 Dash & Dine 5K evening runs in Boulder, April 16, 23, May 14 & 21.
Adventure Run at Westminster Road Runner Sports this week.
Cherry Creek Sneak 5K on April 28th.
Westminster Women's Classic 5K on May 12th.

There are some others on my radar but I am not really looking very far ahead. My running training is returning slowly. There's a new half marathon in Arvada in September. Just sayin'. :-) The half is still on my mind and one of my goals.

A Training Run

 Well, it sure has been a while since I've written about a training run. I made it out to Van Bibber, my old stomping grounds, on a warm, sunny, Easter afternoon.

I even wore my running skirt. (It still fit!) I wasn't sure how I'd feel since I really haven't run at all in a very long time. In fact, next weekend is the Platte River Half Marathon, which was the last half marathon I ran. I told myself to just approach it like I do CrossFit. Accept the workout for what it is and push myself through it. I knew I'd run/walk it and wanted to get a good warm up so that I'd give myself the best possibility of success. And being a warm day, I was glad to be out there anyway.

Here are my Garmin results:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/291402282

Check out those split times! I even finished strong. :-) It felt good to be running and I owe this one to CrossFit training for sure. The only runs I've done have been weekend 5Ks with my sister where we mostly walk with some running. I did run/walk this one. The first mile was pretty slow but it was as slow as I wanted it to be. The second mile I felt more loose and ran a bit more. The last mile I tried to stretch it out and I think I only walked one time on a short uphill.

There was a guy I was "racing" against. He was power walking and carrying a cane. Carrying it, not using it. He was walking at a pace close to my running pace. I found him after I came off the trail and onto the bike path. He was a bit behind me and when I took my walk break I hear him catching up to me. At the turn around I stopped to stretch my calves and he passed me. I decided to run back on the horse trail because it helps my calves not to cramp up so much. I didn't really pass him but broke off from the bike path at the same time. I could still hear him even though we weren't on the same trail anymore. I think I "beat" him but it wasn't by much. LOL. We both hit the end and made a turn for a few more ticks on the odometer and he gave me a nod when I passed him on my way back out to complete my 3 miles.

My next registered event is the Cherry Creek Sneak 5K at the end of April. And, we plan to run a few of the Dash and Dine Tuesday runs in Boulder as well. I'm shooting for the most improved award. :-)

Always something...

Lately, it seems, every CrossFit WOD brings a new challenge. And not just the types of challenges I am paying for and expect but, the kind of challenges that I have to figure out why they are challenges. For example, today's WOD was a 10 minute AMRAP - 5 dead lifts, 100 yard sprint. On the surface I thought, whew, things I'm good at. The dead lift was supposed to be 30% of our 1 rep max. I hadn't yet done a 1 rep max so coach Ali determined my weight based on my 5 rep (120#) and 3 rep (145#) weights. I lifted 65lbs. In 10 minutes she was expecting 8-10 or more rounds. I finished with 6.

My back started to cramp after the 3rd round. Ali had me do a rocking stretch on the floor, which really helped but, it cost me time and reps in the long run. But, if I hadn't stopped, I would have had spasms in my back during the runs. There were times when I couldn't run at all but had to walk. The sprints were 6 lengths of the width of the gym, sort of like running lines. I could feel the muscles in my back affecting my hamstrings and running felt really weird. WTH? Ali said it may be due in part to my tight hamstrings. And she also said my dead lift form was a bit off. She said I was leaning a bit forward. I could feel a difference when I corrected but it was too late at that point. My back wasn't having any of it.

After my rough go last week when I had a mini break down on Monday, I've been trying to just suck it up and understand that I'm going to have these kinds of days as I push through this 3rd month. It doesn't feel like a plateau but I suppose it is. It feels more like I'm going backwards and am on the verge of injuring myself. Or, as if I don't really know what my body is going to do next. It's a little disconcerting. But, I'm trying to remain focused. And I'm trying to remember how much I have accomplished and how far I've come. Some days it's really hard to remember all of those positive things.

I also am pretty sure I'm getting sick. It's always something.

This week, thanks to spring break, I get to take an extra rest day. I'm looking forward to that. :-)

CrossFit Games at CrossFit Roots!

On Wednesday, the announcement of workout 13.3 happened at my gym, CrossFit Roots. I volunteered to help out from 4-8 with the crowds and any task they needed me to do that afternoon and evening. It was amazing!

There were people queued up when I got there just before 4:00, hoping to get a front row seat for the action.

There were bleachers set up, barricades around the workout area, and all sorts of equipment for the cameras and the broadcast.

There was also a feed station set up for FREE barbeque courtesy of CrossFit HQ. Pretty cool. There was even an after party with free beer and more food at a hotel after the event. I skipped that part. It was a school night after all. :-)

The estimate was over 700 people attended the event. Here are the Roots coaches being introduced.

And here are Kristan Clever and Talayna Fortunato after they were introduced and while they wait for the workout announcement.

Kristan Clever was the first CF athlete I started to follow when I became interested in the sport. I was pretty excited that she was coming to Boulder! I didn't take a photo with her though. Lots of people did and they were both very cool and hung out to chat with folks for a long time after the event. I'm kicking myself now that I didn't get a photo with her. Oh well.

The link to the broadcast is on the games web site. You can see me if you know where to look. ;-)

150 wall balls!!

30 muscle ups!! (Neither got through them.)

It was a really fun and exciting night. I'm so glad I went. The crowd was really fun, the food was great, and I got to see elite athletes struggle through a WOD just like we all do. They really struggled too. The altitude really played a big part and I don't think either of them expected that. I think we all felt a little proud or maybe smug that we work out every day at altitude. :-)

The view from Roots. :-)

I'm so very glad that I found this place. :-)

Rest

So, I've been doing this CrossFit thing now for 10 weeks, 3 times a week. I've missed a couple of classes due to illness and travel but not many. According to my coach, I've hit a plateau, which is normal. That's the professional term for hitting the wall or having a mini meltdown, which is what happened to me on Monday.

The WOD was 4 rounds for time: 15 power cleans, 12 back squats, 9 pull-ups. Not particularly intimidating really. But, right off the bat I'm needing to modify the back squats. It hurts my shoulder to have my arms in that position.

http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/2011/11-708-04/back-squat.jpg

No problem, I modify to the front squat instead. But, that's not as heavy a lifting position so I was bummed about that and started psyching myself out. I was also already very tired. It seems I can't catch up on my sleep lately. And, I didn't eat well before class. You can see where this is going.

Friday's WOD had included shoulder pushups which really made my shoulder unhappy. In the middle of that workout I had to modify. I got a solid set in the first round but the 2nd was ugly and I barely made it through them. On the 3rd set I modified to ring rows. I was bummed about that as well. I guess some of that carried over into Monday. All of those factors created a perfect storm or pity party in my head. I didn't complete the WOD. I even fought some tears throughout the set making me more upset with myself.

I know there are certain moves I can't do right now because of my shoulder mobility. I just really need to focus and work on that. But, a few things have happened recently that are allowing me to think more proactively about it. I'm trying to get in to see this PT who has an office close to my house. I attended a lecture by him on shoulder pain and crossfit a couple of weeks ago and it was enlightening. Three things I learned. It's not as bad as I thought. Rest for recovery. If it hurts, don't do it because you can't work through shoulder pain.

I have the tools and much of the knowledge. I need to put them into practice. I took Wednesday off and plan to be back on Friday with a bit more enthusiasm and focus. I just have to work through this plateau. This is a long term commitment so one crappy day is just that. One day. 11 weeks ago I wasn't even sure I'd be doing any of this. I've seen lots of improvement, even in my mobility. I just need to keep showing up.

And I need to figure out how to work my running back into my training plan...

Weighing In

I don't bother too much with the scale. My weight has never been an issue for me. Well, that's not entirely true. When I signed up for the Peace Corps after college, I had to get a note from my doctor to prove that I didn't have an eating disorder because I was apparently underweight. I had no idea. Anyway, I did that and went off to Senegal and probably lost even more weight while I was there. So, no, I've never been terribly concerned about my weight. It is, however, a good indicator of general health. As I became more sedentary in 2012, I could definitely tell the difference in my waistline. And the scale began to creep up as well. I'd check it every now and then just to acknowledge to myself that my overall health was going backwards. It's also a really good way to make yourself depressed.

On our wedding anniversary road trip last year, we happened to stay in a hotel where the mirrors were positioned in a way that allowed me to see myself completely, front and back. It was a bit of a shock really. I had no idea who that person was. I looked very unhealthy (to myself). Seeing is believing, or so they say. I made a mental note that I needed to get back to running and taking better care of myself. I even had my hubby take some "before" photos of myself. I stepped on the scale and wrote it in my running calendar (which has a place for weekly weight).

Then I went back to work the following week and was told I was being laid off. Ugh. So much for pulling myself out of a funk. That sunk me deeper into it. An over the next few months (I got that message about being laid off on August 3rd), I struggled with my physical and mental health. (I am not at the moment laid off.) My weight probably dropped because I ended up getting very sick that next week. And then I started stress eating and looking forward to my beers. This went on through the very end of 2012.

Then I signed up for CrossFit.

In January, I started the On Ramp classes where we were taught the fundamental movements of the program. We did short workouts that sort of built up over the three weeks. After "graduation" I registered for the Women Only program. I go three times a week, same as the On Ramp classes. It's been two months since I began.

I began to notice physical changes fairly quickly. I've always been quick to gain from exercise. My cardio improved and so did my general strength. My measuring stick is our basement stairs and how quickly and efficiently I move up and down them, especially with a laundry basket. After about two weeks I could see a big difference in my motion up the stairs. :-) And then a few weekends ago, as my sister and I were heading to a 5K, she made a comment that went something like, "Wow! Look at your legs!" There were muscles showing. :-) So, this morning, now that it's the start of another month, I thought I'd step on the scale again.

This morning I weighed 133. When I took my before photo at the end of July I was 137. At my heaviest, in my funk, I was around 145. I didn't weigh myself when I started CrossFit so I'm not sure exactly how much I've lost in the last two months.

Weight is all very relative and also very personal. And, like I said, I've never used it to measure my own health per se. I wish I'd weighed 140 or so in college (as opposed to 100) when I was playing competitive basketball! I would have been much stronger and more effective I'm sure. But, knowing what works for us keeps us honest with ourselves. My half marathon running and boot camp work out weight was about 131. I think I used to weigh myself every couple of months or so when I started to increase my mileage just to see if it fluctuated.

So, now what? Now I begin my running. I managed one 30 minute run this week. And another 15 minutes walking on the treadmill. Tomorrow I'm meeting a friend to run our "long run" together. She's returning to running after having a baby. I think we are on similar paths. I have no pressure on myself and no fantastical goals. I just want to slowly rebuild mileage.

I won't be posting those "before" photos. But, maybe some "after" photos later on. :-)

Monday WOD: "Jackie"

"Jackie"
1000M row
50 Thrusters (35lbs)
30 Pull ups
One round for time.

I was last again but I didn't care. I did care that I felt like crying halfway through it. The row was hard and felt never ending. But the thrusters were what did me in. I wasn't even halfway through the thrusters when everyone else had moved on to the pull ups. Ugh. It just felt really hard. My wrists were hurting and my legs were burning from the row. I really felt like giving up. It just seemed like I'd never finish. But at some point I realized I could make up time in the pull ups. I got past halfway and started thinking of the reps in smaller increments to make it seem more doable. That helped. When I got to 36 done, Ali, our coach said, "2 sets of 7 to go!" and I knocked them out. Whew! I rested briefly while walking over to the pull up bar. I used 3 bands like I had in the past and pulled off 15 in a row! Wow! I finished in 16:45 just under a minute behind the next to last person.

I think it might be time to drop to two bands for my pull up assist. :-)

The view from CrossFit Roots. :-)

Frozen Foot 5K

They weren't kidding! The timing seems about right for a race named the Frozen Foot 5K. Blizzard conditions. We probably shouldn't have been driving in it. But, it was quite fun to walk/run in it. I thought for sure we'd win some prizes but no such luck. Here are a few photos from the day. I didn't take very many because it was snowing so much. I didn't want to get my iPhone soaked.

I finally got to wear my screw shoes! That was fun. :-)

Friday's CrossFit WOD was Lumberjack 20, a tribute to troops lost at Ft. Hood.
20 dead lifts (45lbs), 200M run
20 kettle bell swings (12lbs), 200M run
20 over head squats (15lbs), 200M run
20 burpees, 200M run
20 pullups (3 bands), 200M run
20 box jumps (18"), 200M run
20 dumbbell squat clean (10lb dumbbells), 200M run
I finished in 28:10.

Next week I begin my road to the half marathon.

Oh, my back

So, dead lifts made me feel badass on Wednesday. Not so much Thursday and Friday. Holy smokes is my back sore! I wonder what will be in store for us today... Yes, I'm going back for more.

I realized something this morning. Since starting the CrossFit workouts, I am much more relaxed at work. And it's easier to go to work knowing I have CF waiting for me. :-)

Sunday is the Frozen Foot 5K on campus at CU. This is my 3rd one I think. It's supposed to snow. :-)

Oh, that reminds me, I need to update my race pages for 2013!

It's good to be back!

I returned to CrossFit today after missing the last two classes. Two classes doesn't seem like a lot but it was a Friday and a Monday so it was 5 whole days of not working out. Well, I did do a slow walk (2.5mph) on the treadmill for 30 minutes on Monday but I'd hardly call that a workout. Anyway, it was great to be back! I was kind of nervous after being gone so long. And then I remembered, missing two workouts or 5 days isn't long. Missing months at a time is long. Which is where I was at the beginning of the year. And that made me feel very proud of myself! And I smiled out loud. Yes, it's good to be back!

Today's WOD

Today was a "heavy lift day". Heavy, as you know, is a relative term. Note my weight is the least heavy out of all my WOD-mates. I still felt like a strong badass at the end of it. Oh yeah. And that's why I like CrossFit. At the end of it I feel like pure badassery. I often say to myself, I just did that! I still say that to myself at the end of a half marathon too. :-)

Speaking of....

My half marathon training officially begins next week. I've put together my training plan using the "Half Marathon: You Can Do It" book by Jeff Galloway. I'm starting easy and not putting any pressure on myself. No time goals, no race specific goals, just build miles and be ready for whatever is on the calendar after August. I'm focusing on doing it right. CrossFit will build my strength base and confidence and core. I just need to put in the time on the running. 30 minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Long run on Sundays. I'm trying not to over think it. I figure the long (30 week) training plan gives me time to miss a few days for whatever reason. (I seem to be sick a lot lately.) We also have some travel plans this summer. That gives me a lot of wiggle room. I'll be adding to my long run in half mile increments each week. That gives me some wiggle room too.

We shall see what this season has in store. :-)

Norovirus is no joke!

My household is recovering from a GI attack. Ugh. 2 days down for each of us. It moved in quickly and fortunately, moved out as quickly as well. Wow. I missed one Crossfit workout because of it and two and a half days of work. I'm not so worried about missing work though. I did miss going to crossfit. I have been resting and trying to recover my appetite since Friday. It's slowly coming back. I haven't done any walking on the treadmill either. I wanted to today but couldn't make myself do it. Maybe my body still needed rest. Yeah. I'm going with that.

I shall crossfit on Monday. :-)

Box Jumps & a 5K

On Friday, part of our workout of the day (WOD) included box jumps. The prescribed height, turns out, was the height I was jumping. It was not terribly difficult for me, but the exercise followed a 400M run and preceded 15 wall balls (with an 8 lb medicine ball). We were doing 5 rounds for time. In my fourth round, I relaxed for just a second while doing the box jumps, thinking about how close I was to being done. That's when I missed the box jump.

Oh my! That was pain like I hadn't felt in a very long time, if ever. I finished the set of box jumps, on a smaller box, and on one leg. But, I was done. There was no way I was going to run after that. I didn't even think I could squat for the wall ball set. Done. CrossFit won that day. It bled for a while. I iced it much of the rest of the day which helped a lot. It didn't even bruise heavily. I felt bruised but didn't become discolored.

I recovered well enough by Sunday to walk the last 5K in the winter series with my sister. It was a cold cold morning but the snow that had been predicted didn't materialize. A few flakes were barely falling at the start. Even though we walked almost the whole way, we ended up finishing it faster than the previous one. And, we each won a box of Girl Scout Cookies at the end! That was good way to end the series and a good way to begin the next round. We are registered for another 5K on the 24th. Trying to keep that momentum going. :-)

Feeling the burn...

I'm getting fit... CrossFit! Oh and do I feel the burn?! Oh my.

1 Feb 2013

I forgot to take a photo of the board on Wednesday. I'll have to ask someone if it was documented. Friday's workout was 15 minutes AMRAP - as many rounds as possible. We found our heavy power clean weight. Mine was 45lbs. And then did the workout with a little less than that. Mine was 35lbs. The exercises were:
5 power cleans
10 toes to bar
15 over head lunges
I couldn't do the toes to bar. And doing the knees to chest from the bar made my shoulder unhappy. So, the modification for me was sit ups with knees to chest (since I couldn't do V-ups.) I was good with that. Good gravy my abs are sore. I can barely sit up straight. And my triceps are really painfully sore. My right elbow hurts too. Probably from the power clean position. I enjoyed learning that move and getting it right. It's nice when you can tell the difference between a good rep and a bad rep.

I'm doing the Monday, Wednesday, Friday shift for the Women Only class. It's a small class, so far. And the ladies are all very friendly but not too chatty. One woman has had a knee replacement! That's pretty crazy that she's doing this crossfit stuff on an artificial knee. She rocks!

I am really enjoying this class. The trainers are very cool. I hope my job holds up so I can keep going. :-)

CrossFit

Today I completed the On Ramp Foundations class. And registered for the next month of drop in classes. Oh yeah. Looking forward to feeling the burn.

Yeti Chase

My sister and I walked the Yeti Chase 5K this morning on a most gorgeous January day in Colorado. The temperatures were very mild, the sun was shining, and the race was sold out. We had a nice leisurely walk and good conversation. There's lots of stuff going on in our lives right now so it was nice to have some time together to catch up on things. We stopped at Starbucks on the way for a hot beverage. We were able to get a close enough parking spot at the park where we could get back to the car and not need to check a bag. We even had time to stand in line for a potty break and then stretch a bit.

Our official chip time was 51:01 according to the race web site which seems pretty accurate. My Garmin time was 51:03. We had no expectations for this one. In fact, we thought about skipping it and just getting breakfast. We were both glad we didn't skip it. We always feel better after it's done.

This was the 2nd race in the winter distance series. I'd originally signed up for the long series (5K, 10K, half marathon) but changed it after I didn't get any training runs going. I'm ok with that. In fact, it's more fun to get back into the races with my sister. We are sort of in the same boat, with the same goals, and similar struggles to reach those goals. The next (and last) race in the series is in just two weeks. It's the Ralston Creek 5K and Half Marathon. After that, we plan to register for a 6 race series that builds to a long run of 10 miles in July. That should be fun. :-) We will be able to challenge ourselves to get the workouts in and push ourselves to make some progress. :-)

Tomorrow is the last On Ramp day for CrossFit. I'm excited to graduate! :-)

CrossFit

Monday is the last day of the 3 week On Ramp foundations training session at CrossFit Roots. After that, I plan to jump right into the regular Women Only sessions. I'll register for 3 times per week and stick with the MWF schedule. The sessions are at 10:30 and it's nice to have that to break up the work day.

Speaking of work, that's mellowed out a bit. My job is secure through the end of September which makes it a full year of work that I wasn't supposed to have (when I got laid off last August). I still don't yet have a secure future but September gives me a lot of time to get a lot of things done. Hopefully, some of those things will secure my future. Or, I could also win the lottery. Some days those options have equal chances of happening. :-)

I really like this gym in Boulder. It's quite mellow which is what I need right now as I'm starting over and dealing with so much other crap. It's nice to start with a group of ladies with similar goals. We are also of a similar age for the most part. Trying to get back to a fitness level previously enjoyed is hard as you age. Having women around you struggling to do the same is the best.

I missed the yoga class last week. I can't remember why. I think I need a more beginner level class. I'll have to look into that and use my Y membership for something.

I also need to really think about what I'm eating. :-/ I'm not ready to admit that just yet. I'm just trying to make my workouts a habit at this point. Maybe for Lent I can give up something again. I fell off the wagon recently with the soft drinks. I think re-establishing that and also giving up the Starbucks chai would be a huge thing. :-/

Tomorrow my sister and I will walk the Yeti Chase! I'm excited for that. :-)

Glass Half Full

In 2012, I ran my two fastest half marathons. I also ran my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fastest 5Ks. And I ran my first trail race. That's pretty good!

Glass half full.

That's not such a bad year after all. :-)

Today I went to my first CrossFit Foundations class at CrossFit Roots in Boulder near my office. Location and the women only class is why I selected it. I think I might love it already. I am so out of shape but it felt so good to be in a class and moving again. And to get proper instruction. I can't wait for Wednesday's class.