Fran...kinda gone crazy...

Nothing like starting a Sunday this way...

Thanks Debbie ( and Andy) for this one....Thruster's and Pull ups what a horrible lovely combination these 2 moves makes. One, the thruster, is the ultimate pushing movement moving the bar through a tremendous range of motion. The other, the pull up, is such a great test of pulling strength and when done with the kip a amazing combination of power and co-ordination.

WOD

Thrusters 95 lbs/65 lbs

Pull ups

reps of 10-1-10

*10 reps of each, 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

Time: 21:03

That was a tough one. I did it with 50lbs onuly - not the prescribed weight. I kept my form and rhythm in check and might have lost both if I had of gone up to 65lbs. I will get there one day. My legs also had a 19K run on them from yesterday so going a little light was a smarth thing to do.

Looking forward to a great week of working out....trying to get back at it 5 -6 times this week.

Busy weekend....

Well - I didn't make it to CrossFit on Friday night. I was still way to sore from the last 2 nights workouts. Gotta love Metcon weeks.

Saturday Marlene and I ran 19K - it was supposed to be 26K but we ended up on time constrictions that only allowed for 19K. It was a great day to run but the snow was melting making nice big puddle to run through. My socks had to have soaked up about 5lbs of water each.

I averaged a 6:42/km pace which was good as we did North Shore out and back which is all rolling hills.

As sore as my legs have been from squats and lunges - the running actually loosened them up and I felt better after.

Sitting in the car for 45 minutes didn't help but considering the lack of mid week runs - I am still impressed that I can do the distance - only about a month to go and this race is over and then I can cut back down to shorter distances and concentrate on getting stronger..and lighter.

It just keeps getting harder....

Okay - I checked the site and felt sore just from reading it.

But I had to go and get it done.

Not much else to do except post it..... (too tired to type more).

WOD

100 - 2 count Mountain Climbers

90 - Jumping Lunges

80 - Sit ups

70 - Double Unders

60 - Box Jumps 20 "

50 - Deadlifts 95 lbs/ 65 lbs

40 - AB Roll Outs 95 lbs/ 65 lbs

30 - Ring Rows

20 - Squat Cleans 95 lbs / 65 lbs

10 - Turkish Get ups 35 lbs/ 25 lbs

TIMe: 24minutes and something.....

That was just brutal....

You don't know SQUAT

This was my first class this week. Puppy training takes up one of my CF nights so I feel like I am missing out but then again a well behaved puppy is worth it.

I saw today's workout on the website and was hopeful in a strange way that our class would be doing it too. We did...it hurt as much as I expected. Actually it hurt more than I expected.

WOD

100 Squats

12 Pull ups - 12 KB Swings (24/16)

80 Squats

16 Pull ups - 16 KB Swings

60 Squats

20 Pull ups - 20 KB Swings

40 Squats

24 Pull ups - 24 KB Swings

20 Squats

28 Pull ups - 28 KB Swings

TIME: 23:16

In case you didn't do the math - that is 300 squats.

That hurt.

Actually my forearms hurt more from the pull-ups. I am sure my legs will speak up tomorrow. haha.

Fridays are never easy....

Well - I made it to the end of the week....didn't think I would. It has been busy at work - I had a photo shoot this week and life has just been rocky.

I took this afternoon off work in lieu of time worked on the holiday Monday. Jennifer and I went out and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.

Still wanted to go to CrossFit. Glad I did....

WOD

5 Box Jumps every minute on the minute

as soon as you finish the 5 box jumps proceed to the following - keep accumulative count but stopping every minute for the 5 box jumps

30 Hanging Squat Cleans

30 Push Press

30 SDLHP

You get 1 minute rest every 5 minutes.

Time: 15:37

Today was great - lots of good lifting and I am sure to feel it in the morning.

Tomorrow is a day off before Sunday's long run. We think about 25K but we are still working on that.

I should have done some mid week runs - but I am also hoping the CF classes continue to help with those missed runs.

See you Sunday....

Hump Day....HEAVY and HARD

Well - we didn't know what we were in for but that is the JOY of CROSSFIT.

Tabata - DB Push Press

10 - Deadlift

10 - Box Jumps

10- DB Squats

5 Rounds

As soon as you are done the 5 rounds you start doing sit-ups and continue until the last person has finished their 5 rounds.

Everyone together will do:

Tabata -DB Push Press.

Today it was tough...heavy heavy deadlifts and LOTS of sweat.

I have Thursday off and will be back at it on Friday.

I guess I should try to get a run in at some point this week.

Recorded a couple days late...

Okay so Monday was Family Day and while enjoying a day off of work I made it to the 9am CrossFit Fundamentals class.

WOD

50 double unders (or 200 singles)

30 Wall Balls

21 - 15 - 9

Dead Lifts

Knees to Elbows

Box Jumps

30 Wall Balls

50 double unders

Time: 16:43

I had to rest for the rest of the day. haha.

Getting back into it...

Well - there isn't anything to start with except - Man - I did NOT want to run today. I did not want to contemplate a 30K race and why the heck was I thinking I could still do it with all the time off I have had.

Good thing Marlene didn't want to listen to me and said to meet her at 1pm. So there I was - pretty much even keel when I saw her and not a lot of the negative Nellie I was on the phone.

We had a minimum of 18K to do but I felt like we need to get 20K to be able to build the distance towards the ATB - 30K.

We met Dana a Perry at the 5K mark and then continuted along Lakeshore until we hit the hills of North Shore. Even if a walk break beeped we ran the hills. ALL the hills - no walking them. I ran the long slow steady leading up to LaSalle. My goal is to run it each time and NEVER walk any of it. So far so good.

We could have turned back at the top near LaSalle but we added another tough hill with more mileage before we started heading back.

It was so nice to get back to Dana and Perry's van. They had oranges and who knew an orange could tastes so good. Marlene and I still had 5K to get back to her place so off she went.

The last 2K were TOUGH but I got through it and we ened up wih 21.6K and an average pace of 6:53. Not too bad considering the hills an lack of training.

My legs are pretty sore so let's see what a good nights sleep will do for recovery.

I really need to get my 2 or 3 weekly short runs in...... Maybe I will make that my goal this week...

Sledgehammer....

Today is the first day of two days of not eating on my cleanse. I'm REALLY looking forward to the shake on Friday morning. I could have used some comfort food today at work but stayed strong!

CrossFit tonight was great. It always amazes me how a few simple looking things can beat the crap out of you.

WOD

1 minute of jumping pull ups (to the chest)

1 minute of Ball Slams

1 minute of Rowing

1 minute of Sledgehammer (you swing the sledgehammer and bring it down and hit the large tire) Not a great explanation but there you go.

1 minute rest.

Repeat 4 times.

So - again - 4 simple items that beat you down and make you HURT.

I'm not sure if I will make it tomorrow night but I am looking forward to Friday night's class....I think. haha.

Monday.....'nuff said.

Well - the weekend is over - maybe this week will be better than last week. Although if today was any indication I'm not betting on it.

I started my cleanse today. There are 2 days of pre-cleanse and then the 9 day cleanse program from Isagenix. Not sure if it is good to be going short on comfort food when work is so bad.

CrossFit was what I was looking forward to today.

WOD

10 Manmakers (I used 20lb dumbbells)

15 Jumping Squats

20 Sit ups

4 Rounds

Time: 16:33

The Manmakers were tough. We did them a little different than what I have seen on the videos.

We start with the dumbbells in the hanging position and then we do a squat clean to a push press - then lean over - and set the dumbbells down beside your feet. Then, keeping your legs straight, you walk your hands out to plank position do a pushup and then walk your hands back in, keeping your legs straight. That is one.

Doesn't sound all that tough but it was.

Huge sweatfest for that workout.

I needed that!

Still Improving....

Today was a lazy day but I still went to ACT - Aerobic Conditioning Training. I worked out with Kathy and it was pretty good. My coughing has let up so that makes it easier and shows that I am now hopefully on the mend.

After ACT I stayed to see if I could do my MAX Push Press. Usually you do your Max lifts right after the warm up but I had done the ACT class so I wasn't sure how I'd do. Previously my Max was 80lbs and that was a couple of months ago. I like doing the push press so I hoped for improvement.

I managed to do 100lbs!!! I couldn't get 105lbs up all the way and had to let it drop. But I hit the 100lb! That is a 20lb improvement. Gotta be happy with that.

Tomorrow I am starting a cleanse and harder training again. My body may not like the combination but let's see how it goes.

Superbowl night is here....wonder if New Orleans will beat Indy???

Nothing good to say about today's run

Light Flurries

Temperature: -10 degrees Celsius

Wind: 35km/hour

Wind Chill: -20 degrees Celsius

There is nothing good that I can say about todays run - except that it is over.

Marlene ad I met Dana down at the pavilion on Old Lakeshore. We headed west over the lift bridge and on the path. The lake was rough. You could feel the wind but luickly for it was at our backs.

We knew it was going to be BRUTAL going back but we had to get back to our car (the bakery was waiting!)

It was a hard run and we cut it short at 12K. We figured there was a wind factor that took us to 16K. :)

Considering in the last 3 weeks I have run once - and it was only 2K I think the 12K in that wind was acceptable.

I am waiting for a revised schedule to take me to the 30K for Around the Bay.

Glad this run was over!

Thursday....my body is still feeling Wednesday...and Monday...

Today was a hard day mentally. I needed a good workout but my body is still sore from yesterdays MAX Deadlift and my body is tired from getting back at it this week.

This is what was picked for today's workout...

Another "Hopper Deck" Thursday and a new workout we havent done before. I really like this style of workout and think we will add more of this type in the coming weeks. The minute of rest is really crucial for being able to keep the intensity high on all rounds. It is that level of intensity that is the key to gains in your all round level of fitness. Go as hard as you can for that 3 minutes and leave it all out there!!

WOD

3 Burpees

6 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 95 lbs / 65 lbs

9 Box Jumps

As many rounds as possible in 3 minutes.

Rest 1 minute.

3 Burpees

6 Thrusters 95 lbs / 65 lbs

9 Box Jumps

As many rounds as possible in 3 minutes.

Rest 1 minute.

Repeat 2 times

Well - THAT hurt. I did it with 55lbs. I can tell the two weeks off have put me back with my METCON workouts.

I managed the following rounds each set: 3, 2,2,1.2/3 (and 6 box jumps)

That was enough for me.

I had my shin looked at by Dr. Steve today and it is really sore. I thought about running the 8K tonight but between my leg being as sore as it is and my back muscles SCREAMING at me I felt it was best to just go listen to the talk today.

Maybe tomorrow I will take the day off or try a run or try crossfit or maybe both.

Let's hope tomorrow isn't as mentally taxing.

Short but tough....

Well here is the second workout of the week - it was short but you know the short ones are just as tough and maybe tougher as they are more intense.

WOD

Deadlift - 1 x max

My previous max was 170 and I remember seeing stars as I lifted it. That wasn't too long ago either. Today I worked with Marg and we started the "climb" in weights.

I got 185 and then took a big jump to 195...I did get it off the ground and up to mid thigh but I just couldn't straighten my back and push my hips through so it was ugly and didn't count - but I know I did get it off the ground.

I went back to 190 and was able to complete that! 2olb increase in my deadlift max! Woo Hoo! I am sooooo close to that 200lbs mark....

5 Deadlifts (70% of max - for me that meant 135lbs)

10 Dumbell (DB) push presses (20lbs each hand)

AMRAP (as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes).

I completed 7 complete rounds plus 5 deadlifts.

Glad that was done but it does feel good to push myself and sweat (and sweat and sweat) again!

Wonder what tomorrow will bring?????

Finally back at it...and I'm gonna hurt tomorrow....

Well - I have given my body 2 weeks off. I have done NOTHING. Hard to believe it but it is true. I had no energy and who likes to hack up a lung just from climbing a short flight of stairs or from just hitting the cold air? I am still coughing a bit but I think I am pretty much back to normal.

I was nervous about the CrossFit class as I knew no matter what the WOD was going to be it was going to hurt but I went anyways.

WOD

STRENGTH - BACK SQUAT 1 rep max

I was finding the back squats tough on the quads and hams...those lazy quads. I worked with Gillian and we went up and I hit my previous max (125) and did 130....and 135....I had to let 140 drop. I got down but could not push myself back up. I was impressed - 2 weeks off and I still improved my Max Back Squat by 10lbs!

reps of 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 of

Wall Ball

Sit Ups

Box Jump Squats *

* the box jump squat is a jump squat where you land on the box then jump off the box and land in your full squat.

Time: 8:22

I think I did two sets of 3 but my brain was lost some where around the 8s...or maybe even as early as the 9s....those box jump squats sure made my quads scream!

And it is another reminder that those simple looking workouts are Killers!

When I got back from CrossFit I had my run to do today. I did not do the 27K run yesterday but this is a "banner" week which means after your long run on Sunday you do a 2K easy run on Monday, a 4K (2K easy - 2K hard) run on Tuesday, 6K (4K easy - 2K hard...get the idea?) on Wednesday, 8K on Thursday, 10K on Friday - a rest day on Saturday and the long run on Sunday.

I'm not sure how much running I will get in this week as I have to ease back into that too but I did do my easy 2K. My legs were not happy with me from CrossFit but it was good to get them moving. I did it with a 6:31/km average - nice and easy and my breathing wasn't too bad. Wasn't great but it wasn't as much of a struggle as I thought it would be - even with the cold.

So - looks like I'm back at it and I hope I continue to stay healthy and enjoy the last month or so of winter.