Redemption

For me, the CrossFit Games Open is now done. I am very happy about that. While I feel like I was somewhat of a catalyst for some people to sign up, I feel like I wasn't a very good competitor this year. I felt like I didn't really give it my all on any of them (except maybe my second attempt at 12.2). I wasn't really excited about any of them....until 12.5.


I practiced handstand push-ups all week. I still haven't gotten one, but I am SO CLOSE!!! I was sure they would program a Diane ladder (deadlifts, hspu). Most people thought this. Instead, they brought out the last one from last year: the Fran ladder.


Last year, I got three thrusters and spent 6:30 trying to get a chest to bar pull-up...twice. And although I've been able to get chest-to-bars in practice now and then, I haven't really done them consistently, so I wasn't sure if I was able to get them during the WOD.

I got 23.

And I would have been able to do more if I hadn't been SO HAPPY!!!! I don't know if I've ever smiled so much in a workout. What a relief! I've actually improved! It's been so long since I've seen actual improvement...maybe this is just what I need to kick myself back into some sort of mental shape.


And part of me thought, for a minute, 'Damn. I could have gotten more reps if I would have known I would have done that well. And that was my one shot.' But then, my true self came through. It's just exercise and I improved! How often do we just enjoy what we're doing in CrossFit (as much as you can enjoy thrusters and pull-ups)? I was smiling for hours after that. Not because I looked ridiculous, like my snatches in 12.2, but because I was awesome!


So the moral of the story is don't forget to have fun. Otherwise, what's the point?


So I hope that the Open was worth it for everyone who participated. I look forward to seeing who will be going to Regionals this year. And for those of you who pushed yourself farther than you intended, nice work. You understood the point.

“Promise me you'll always remember: 

You're braver than you believe, 

and stronger than you seem, 

and smarter than you think. ”

Christopher Robin to Pooh

A.A. Milne

 

And this, right here, is truly what the Open is about: Pride.

**And I am purposely leaving out any mention of the wall balls in 12.4. I completely lost my motivation and those weren't fun. Not at all. They never will be.** 

Hey Girl...part 3

And more from your athletes at Eugene CrossFit

And again, Ryan, if you have an issue with any of these, I'm happy to meet with you personally to talk about them. We could hit a WOD together. It's all good.

Hey Girl...part 2

Another round of our CrossFit fantasies... (from the athletes at Eugene CrossFit)

Just think of this during the Open, ladies. 

That's right ;)

We do a lot of mobility work. Ryan's into that.

Hey Girl

This is what happens when creative and bored CrossFitters take an idea and adapt it to CrossFit. Thanks Gabe, Kelly, and Crystal! And Ryan Gosling, if you have a problem with any of these pictures, please contact me directly! I'd be happy to sit down and talk with you about them :)

And many of the ladies will appreciate this one...

And yes, we have many more on the way. 

33

I was born in 1978. This may come to a surprise to some people, like the student who recently said, "You're 30???" (No, I'm not) Or the people who guess my age as mid-20s. Or the woman who asked me if I was a student. Or the many servers who ask to see my ID. Yes, I'm 33. 


Jimmy Carter was president the year I was born.
I remember the Tigers winning the World Series in 1984. 
I remember talking about Tiananmen Square in the 5th grade. 
I was devastated when River Phoenix died (don't even get me started on Jeff Buckley).
"Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica was my class song (seriously, they expect me to go to a reunion after that?)
In my first election, I voted for Bill Clinton (I wish I could vote for him again). 
I didn't have email until college (and honestly, I don't think I used much email in college). 


But apparently, I don't look 33.
So what, exactly, does 33 look like? 


I looked through some pictures from 10 years ago, when I was 23, and even though I was kind of a train wreck at that point in my life, I looked all right. But I look younger now. A lot younger. I feel better. I may still party like a rock star once in a while, but I know better than to do it more than I should. (And I know that I should have the right people around when I do it). I have a better idea of what I want in life. I don't know exactly what I that is, but I'm getting there. I also know that if I keep doing what I'm doing, 43 is going to look Amazing.

In my world, this is what 33 looks like, and I am totally, completely happy with it.

Games Recap

Eugene Crossfit had a most awesome weekend. Started a little uncertain, but ended with big excitement and big time winners.


Friday
I got there very, very early. I was super excited and ready for some action. I was also supposed to volunteer, but after waiting around and repeatedly asking if there was anything I could do, some other volunteers and I decided to watch the Games. I hadn't really thought about the workouts in terms of action and spectators, but now I know better.

Before the storm

WOD 1 - Rowing/HSPU/Running
The only thing more boring than rowing is watching other people row. I hadn't really thought about this. For the teams, each member had to row 750 m, then they had to do a total of 50 hand stand push ups, then row again. Sound exciting? Not really, especially when you in the stands have no idea how far they've rowed or how they're doing against the other teams. Our team did good. Here's Sam. He's awesome!

Sisu - remember?

The individual competitors started with a 1000m run, then 30 HSPU, then row 1000m. Kendall and Cheryl did good. The best Crossfit athletes are good at everything, not necessarily experts in one thing. Remember that.


WOD 2 - Thruster Ladder
Uy. Thrusters are the worst. They're even worse than normal when rules are attached to them and if you slip up just once, you're out. Yeah. They're also kind of boring to watch the way it was set up. Friday afternoon was not good for our team. But I feel like I know what we'll be working on soon (keep those feet in place!). Cheryl was called out early on a technicality, which was very disappointing. She finished the day 21st. Boo! But we knew her strengths were ahead and we were looking forward.

Lindsey's tiny and she can lift that weight - I have to work on that (picture stolen from Gabe)

Saturday
WOD 3 - Deadlifts/Box Jumps
This is a 21/15/9 workout where the guy does deadlifts & box jumps (275lbs/30'' box) and then the lady has to take the weights off and flip over the box and do the same thing (185lbs, 24"). I did this workout at a much lighter weight and lower box a couple weeks ago and it knocked me out. Our team did great. Steve did awesome for his part. Then Lindsey stepped up and she's just so small but she can lift so much and jump so high. Truly awesome.


The best part about this was watching the other teams finish. This is where we saw some true Crossfit spirit. About 8 teams went at the same time and many finished in the same general time frame. Some were taking longer. And it was up to the women to finish up. There were a ton of people cheering on these athletes and they finished. Box jumps can be so hard - mentally. It was so great to see athletes and fans cheering on these women to finish the workout.

An athlete from Crossfit Salem finishes while everyone cheers.

For the individual athletes, the workout was the same except the deadlifts were heavier - 315/205. Cheryl made up some places in the standings with this. She finished second with a 3:37 time and started her ascent.


WOD 4 - 100 pull-ups/KB swings/double unders/overhead squats
Seriously, that's the workout. For teams, they had to do 250 reps of each as a team (with chest to bar pull-ups). It was fun to watch, and super awesome performances by every member of our team. Sam and Daren managed to get all their double unders basically in a row, making up mad time. Those crazy kids.


It got ugly watching the individual competitions. Those overhead squats were getting nasty out there. Some of the guys were dropping the bars and getting into other athletes spaces. One guy kept trying to lift it at the end and he couldn't get it and he would wander away like he was going to pass out. That's a lot of working out. Helmets might not be a bad idea for this one.


Cheryl got another second place finish with 19:10 and ended the day tied for 6th. That was big climb for one day. I know in other Regionals, one or two athletes were ahead for the whole weekend. Even though it was stressful, it was kind of fun to have a real competition on our hands. It really could have been anyone going to the Games at that point.


Sunday
WOD 5 - Amanda 9/7/5 Muscle-ups, Squat Snatches
Muscle ups are hard. Not many people can do them. You basically have to hang from rings and propel yourself up using your own force and strength until your arms are locked out above the rings. Like this:

Gabe took better pictures with his fancy camera

This was another big ol' inspirational Crossfit day. When I got there, they were in the middle of their second team heat. The guy on the team was supposed to do 9 muscle-ups, then the girl, then the guy does 9 squat snatches, etc. When I got there, many teams were on their round of 7. One team was still on their first round of muscle ups. This guy was trying his hardest. There was a time cap and that in that time we watched this guy do about 3 muscle ups in 15 attempts. It was brutal. But whenever he got one, the crowd cheered so loud. Another team had similar issues with the squat snatch. The woman walked up and tried and fell. And tried. And tried. When she got one, that crowd roared. Yeah, it was pretty rad.


Cheryl placed 4th. Didn't quite finish in the time allowed, but got pretty darn close. Not a lot of female athletes finished this one. Some just tried to do a muscle up in the time allotted. But they kept trying, in true Crossfit spirit.


WOD 6 - The Chipper
Row 20 cal/30 burpees/40 dumbbell ground to overhead/50 toes to bar/overhead lunges/sprint
This looked awful. But watching Cheryl finish the WOD first was so freaking awesome!!!

That's her - alone in first.

We had a huge group cheering her on. She dominated this one. Then, after she finished, she encouraged the other athletes. Total awesomeness.


So she's going to the Games again. Moved from 21st to 3rd. I saw so many amazing athletes and people this weekend. And shirts. Some favorites:


"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. I ran out of bubble gum."
"Wheat is Murder. Go paleo."


And I got to hang out with these people, which isn't a bad weekend at all.

Don't mess with us. We work out.

More thoughts soon. I have some ideas. I might share later :) But I am ready to workout tomorrow! I've been sitting all weekend!!!

Game On!

What's more exciting than refreshing a web page, waiting for workout scores of athletes you don't know to be uploaded and seeing who makes it to the Crossfit Games this summer? Actually going to the Regionals next weekend (June 10-12. And there's a hot tub in the hotel!). Yep, that's more exciting. (and a great excuse for a Thelma & Louise type road trip. Maybe not exactly like Thelma & Louise. We'll be in a Civic. And we're not that angry. And I don't think we'll run into Brad Pitt.)

I guess I'm finally over my disappointment of not making it to Regionals this year. I'm sure it was the muscle-ups or the overhead squats or the 110 lb. squat cleans or the chest to bar pull-ups or the terrible nutrition or the realization that I'm not really in any league with these people. OK. Anyway, I'm still GOING to Regionals. I think I've even volunteered for some of the time. AND I do know some amazing, awesome athletes who are competing and ......WINNING!

I'll of course be cheering on Cheryl Brost, who's like my workout buddy (not really. We don't workout at the same time, unfortunately.) She did a really good job of taping up my hands last week after I tore them up. Oh, and she was in the Games last year and finished 13. She's pretty super awesome.

I'll also be cheering on Kendall Burnham, who's also super awesome. She's so buff and strong ... and one of the nicest people ever. She's not at our box anymore, but I still have some mad love for her.

And of course, I'll cheer on my team from Eugene Crossfit. I did a lot of the Games WODs with the team that's going and I couldn't work out with more supportive people. How awesome would it be to see them at the Games in Cali?

So Crossfit's not a real sport right? It's not like I'm going to the World Series, right? (The Tigers could still make it, right?) Why would anyone pay to watch someone else work out? 

Standards

About 6 weeks ago, I set a PR for my clean - 100 lbs. That was a good milestone for me.


Today, I cleaned that weight 25 times.


Crossfit HQ has been releasing a WOD a week for the Open, in which they're determining who will make it to the Regionals, and then the Games. Most of us signed up knowing that we really wouldn't make it to Regionals, and when I signed up I was questioning why I even wasted the $10. But I love it.


The first week, the WOD was double unders and snatches (or ground-to-overhead) 55 lbs. When I saw that, I thought, "I can do that." And that's the point. I got a few rounds - the bar was pretty heavy after that intense cardio. But the really great part of that WOD was seeing all these athletes at my box getting their first double under. 


The second WOD involved push-ups, a big barrier for so many women. Their standards were pretty strict too - keep your body straight, hands off the ground at the bottom. That was by far my best WOD.  But more importantly, so many people did more push-ups than they usually do. Good stuff.


The following week was tough - 110 lb. squat clean and jerk. I've mentioned this before. It was awesome that I finally got that squat clean, even if I only posted 1 rep for that WOD. I'm still in it!


Last week was just irritating - 60 odd burpees, 30 90lb. Overhead Squats, 10 muscle ups. Now they're starting to weed out the weak ones. I did my burpees. My Overhead Squats are terrible and I didn't even attempt it. But I'm still in it!


This week, the WOD is 

5 Power Cleans (100 lbs.)

10 Toes to Bar

15 Wall Balls (14 lbs.)

When I saw that, I made myself worry about the Toes to Bar and Wall Balls. I didn't let myself think about the cleans. I figured my hands would get all torn up from the Toes to Bar. But when I tried them yesterday, oddly enough, I was fine. I could totally do them. I know I couldn't do them 6 months ago, but I could now. I practiced cleaning a lighter weight. Keep it close to the thighs. Explode with the hips. OK.


Cleans are a weird move. I've heard the explanation a hundred times. I've practiced so many times. But I blank out during heavy WODs. I have the strength, I know this, I just have to get under the bar.


And I did. My first 5 came pretty easily. I set pretty low goals for myself on this one and now I wish I hadn't. On my first set of wall balls, one of them came down right on my left thumb, bending it back. That still hurts. But I could have gone faster. I could have done more. *


But I made it through 4 full rounds, and 5 cleans and 1 toes to bar. I missed some reps. The Games require standards, which I completely appreciate. All of my wall balls didn't make it. They didn't count. I wasted time. I missed a couple toes to bar (I think everyone heard it when I missed). But those shouldn't count. We should have standards. We need to get it right.


What I love about the Games is that if this WOD came up in a normal day, I would never do it RX. 100 lb. cleans? No way! But I had to today in order to get a score for the Games, so I did it.


Even with my sore thumb and my bruised collarbones, I'm considering doing this again on Saturday. I shouldn't. Oh, I know I shouldn't. Why do I do this?

That's why. Yes, I won the Crossfit March Madness. This was taken right after (OK, if Sam and I were really arm wrestling, honestly, I know). But you know what's great about this? All those people in the background who - after a really intense WOD - volunteered to do this one with us. They didn't have to, but they did it. And there was a big group of people cheering all of us on. That is awesome. And that's why I'll be at Crossfit on Saturday, definitely cheering, and if I don't come to my senses, competing.


*There's a common misconception that I don't like people cheering for me. This is false. I don't like the disappointment in people's voices when I can't get a rep. Also, I know my limitations. I can only get so many pull-ups at a time. Cheer on!