Tiempo medio

“Eva“
Five rounds for time of:
Run 800 400 meters
2 pood Kettlebell swing, 30 15 reps
30 15 Pull-ups

Looking at this picture, I am very hard pressed to believe that I beat Jess or Maru in this WOD. Quite possibly they did 3 rounds of vs my 5 rounds of half the work... 

At the end of round 2 I hit a wall, I think I went to hard to fast. I felt pukie during my second set of Pull ups. For the rest of the WOD I had a pounding headache around concentrated around my ears. I am proud that I did all 75 KB Swings unbroken. Yay. My pull ups felt good. My runs were shit. I couldn't keep my torso/midline tight/hollow. It was breaking, because, I think, of the KB swings tiring my abs... I pretty much running hunched over. It was sad. And not efficient. 

Glad it's over. Glad it's Back Squats tomorrow. I <3 back squats. Plus I'd like to test if I'm back to my strength level from before my back injury in the summer. I think my PR of 130 is almost a year old. From when I did CF Total. The prescription is 3x5 but I think I'm going to do 1x7. 

Sleepy time. 

Kambing

8 rounds 180m/60sec Rest

60s-61s-57s-59s-62s-61s-62s-63s

On this rest day, G left it up to us to pick a "goat," something you know needs attention and work. Of course, if you've been following my blog or even been in my presence at the box you know that I hate running. Running is my goat, and monkey on my back. So, with Zeb's approval, I decided to do interval runs with short break (vs. a long distance run; I was considering a 5K.). 

Round 5 I felt gross. 6 & 7 I felt ok. Last round I was just trying to finish. My pose running def needs more work and attention. I really should do interval runs once a week. Give it attention like I did DUs and my strict pull up...

I also did some ring dip work. I'm going to get ring dips! Then come the muscle ups!!!! Mwuhahahahaha!

Loitering

"Death By 10 Meters"

Run 10 meters the first minute, 20 meters the second minute and 30 meters the third.  Continue to run an additional 10 meters until you can no longer finish the prescribed number of meters within the minute. Score is complete rounds and meters run in last round.

Wowsers! I just checked the last time I did this WOD in March and I PR'd by over 3 rounds, which comes out to 460 meters! I'm happy for the new PR. Yayayayayaya! Oh, by round 8-9 I had already broken form. And I realized that I should have done some pose drills before I started the WOD. Next time, for sure. 

I ended up sticking around the box and cheering on the On-ramp class. When 13 showed up for the 8:30 and I felt inspired to do another WOD. 

2011 CrossFit Games Regional Workout 3

21-15-9 reps for time of:

315 85 lb Deadlift

30" 20" Box Jump

I really pushed myself on this. I went light on the DL cause I def wanted to keep intensity up and I was trying to be mindful of my hip. When I called time, I had that post WOD body-heartbeat-glow that I haven't felt in a while cause all the WODs I've been doing for the past week have all been 40+ mins, endurance workouts that haven't pushed me to that edge... But today made up for that. I had expressed wanting to do some sub 10mins WODs to Smidty earlier this week. 

Now I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight :)

PS- I can still do strict pull ups :)

I'm alive!

"Rick"

4 rounds for time:

20 Hand release burpees

400 meter run

30 Sit ups Wall Ball

15'  10' Rope Climb, 5 ascents

Major Rick Crocker, USMCR, was killed while on a tour of duty in Iraq. This WOD is in honor of him. 

Today maybe the first day I genuinely don't care about my time. I am completely happy with just finishing this difficult Hero WOD. I thought of "Rick" often in those 57 mins. Especially on the runs, when I wanted to stop; I thought, I'm alive, not dead, keep moving-- over and over, like a mantra. 

Doing Annie yesterday, really aggravated my hip flexor. So I subbed in with Wall Ball. Not sure why, since it made more difficult, but I'm glad I didn't cop out with a not challenging movement. 

Before starting the WOD, Diso asked if I could climb the rope. I answered, "I haven't tried since I've gotten stronger." I looped the rope around my right leg, anchored my left foot on top of my right, and pulled up; I was climbing the rope. Without difficulty. I mean the anchoring part. I shimmied up the rope and made the mistake of looking down, and I sorta freaked. Diso and I made the arrangement that I would climb as far as I felt comfortable with, taking into account my level of strength and tiredness as the WOD continued. I'll be honest, some attempts I would get about 2 feet away from the top, and some attempts my arms would just not work and I only got up half way... So I'd average my climbs to be about 10'. 

I couldn't be happier that I have another epic gain today--- 2 days in a row!!! 

Really, again, I will admit that eating clean equates to elite performance in the gym. I am the living data to prove it. Just plain crazy. 

This week has been soooo good :)

Having some clarity

3 Pull-ups on the minute for 10 minutes

I started with the 1/2" band for the first 4 minutes. Then on minute 5, I had to go up to the 1" band. I believe I did 11 rounds, just cause I lost count. 

After that I jammed over to SMC to join Frank n Beans for some Pose running- Yay'er! I will have video coming of the improvement of my pull and foot landing. You're excited, aren't you. We did an hour of running drills that included jumping rope. The wod ended up being 12- 100m runs for cadence on the minute; any leftover was rest. Using a metronome, we started off at a pace of 90 beats per minute. After 4 rounds we upped it to 93 beats per minute. The last 4-100m we paced at 96 beats per minute. 

The intention of the metronome is to be mindful of the timing AND HEIGHT of the leg pull off the ground. The faster the beat, higher and quicker you have to pull your foot off the ground. The WOD killed me--- not my lungs but my hamstrings. By the 8th-100m, my legs were not happy. The felt sooooo heavy. The springiness in my "bounce" was lost, but I did my damndest to keep up with the metronome as its speed increased. Frank took video of our pose in rounds 4 and 10. We reviewed the first video between rounds 8 and 9, and it was evident that I was still have a slight heel strike on my right foot. 

The second video shot in round 10, even though my legs were greatly fatigued, showed that I had definitely corrected my heel strike and I was looking "lighter on my feet" on my landing. My pose was a true pose. Yay'er!

I definitely did not eat enough calories today to fuel the amount of work I did. I'm starving and sleepy all at the same time. 

Oh, BTW, seeing myself on the video, I can now totally see the change in my body comp. Not great, but I definitely can see that I leaned out and have more definition. It's bonkers. 

Must eat/sleep now. 

Today, after a week of pretty intense work, my body is WRECKED. I'm sore all over. I love it!

Still in the HATE phase

Zeb somehow jedi mind tricked me into attending TRACK NIGHT at Santa Monica College, coached by Frank.

At 3PM in the afternoon, I text Zeb that I would be taking a rest day and wouldn't be able to make it. But for some reason, at 5:50pm, I found myself getting dressed and heading out the door for some running.

Got there and immediately told Frank of my abhorrence for running; that is was a borderline phobia with how my body goes into panic mode while running for no reason at all.

We ran a 800m warm up, at which I did not stop :D--- seriously that's a big deal. Then we did a good amount of stretching. After our muscles were warm, we went into about 30 mins of amazing running drills. My mind was exploding with all this new technique and practical skill work. It was great.

Now came the WOD:

4 x 400m with 3 minute rest between each 400m. A mile total.

Here were my times:

2:06
2:31
2:30
2:29

My first 400 I just ran like the dickens, completely not applying any pose running drills we just did.
The second run was a bit brutal as I was doing my best to keep form, but the whole time want to quit.
The 3rd 400m I had a grip on my compulsive thoughts and just tried my best to keep my head calm and relaxed, focus on the cadence and keeping my body not tense.
The 4th and final 400m Frank said I looked the best, my cadence was faster and my heal strike was less exaggerated. I did feel my midline was tight and my shoulders were back and relaxed for the entire lap around the track. When I finished I collapsed. I was very glad to have completed the WOD without stopping/walking/bitching/moaning/complaining.

I told Frank that I'm committed to improving this weak link in my fitness and will be attending his class every time he puts it on.

My hamstrings are soooooo tight right now. That pose running is going to need a lot of practice. Awaken those muscles. I've been running with my hip flexor, as my left foot bows out when I'm tired. So much to correct.

Running. My achilles heel.

Changing my regiment

RUN TO THE BOX FROM MY HOUSE
Here is the MAP of the route I took. 

I did not run for time, but just to work on my endurance. I was proud that I ran the first mile with stopping. The 2nd mile was pretty tough for some reason; I think because it was the long stretch on the Marina with no "markers." The 3rd mile I did run/walk, but the stretches of running were extensive. I would "bargain" with myself like say, "Just run to that pillar." When I'd get there, I'd rationalize that I'm not tired and tell myself to run to the next marker that I saw, so the third mile went quickly. As well, I was encountering more traffic lights, so it forced me to stop. Therefore, I made the rule that I had to run to each traffic, no ifs/and/buts.

When I got to through my final (red) traffic light at the 90 Fwy, I jogged all the way to the box without stopping :)

Things I learned on my run: I have to keep looking up. I have the tendency to look down at the ground in front of me and I think it makes me "dizzy." Upbeat music is a must; I kept getting Ray Charles and Diana Krall coming up on my shuffle, that I finally put it on the hip-hip folder and I getting into the zone was easier.  Once I get past that discomfort phase, I realize the my body will keep going as long as I keep my internal voice quiet.

I plan to run to the box every Tuesday :)

I got the box knowing that I wasn't planning on doing the WOD. I wanted to work on building my overhead movements. I picked push press and push jerk.

I set 2 new PRs. 1RM PR for Push Press @ 70#s and 1RM PR for Split Jerk @ 80#s. 

That is actually the most weight I've ever lifted overhead. 

I learned today that I really need to work on my speed with the regular push jerk. I switched over to Split jerk, because I was having fear/commitment issues getting under the bar fast enough. I failed one too many times. I KNOW I'm strong enough to lift eh weight, it's just speed and commitment. Knowing I'm strong enough to lift that weight overhead, I switched over to the split jerk, to get my confidence and wanted to set a PR. 

The 80#s felt heavy when I took it out of the rack. Took a big breath in, dipped and drived, and got under the bar quickly. The weight felt solid at the top in my locked out arms. Mid-line felt tight, solid; no longer back "pinching." Super happy. 

Now, I've got to work on my squat clean cause I've never attempted an 80 clean and jerk together :)

So the change in my regiment is that I'm going strictly strength conditioning for the next month... Maybe longer if I don't see the gains I'm expecting. I want to raise all the PRs on all my powerlifts by 10-15#s. 

If the Main Site wod is a heavy-weighted met-con, then I'll do it. For example, tomorrow will be the Games Open WOD 11.3, which is AMRAP Clean & Jerk for 5 mins. That I will do. 

But all the body weight/met con I'll pass. Obviously, I'll make sure I'm getting in a decent amount of cardio in the form of running/Double Unders/Rowing as part of my warm up. 

Let's see if can set some crazy numbers by early May. If I'm not there, then I'll just keep at it.