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. :-)