imPRESSive

Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps

Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps

Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps

Shoulder Press: 35-45PR-50m-50m-45

Push Press: 55-60-65-70mx2

Push Jerk: 60-55-60-60-60

Holy moly, I just realized that I set a new PR for my shoulder press. My former 1RM was 42.5#s. That's pretty cool. Shoulder press will always be something I need to work on slowly but surely. Hopefully the biproduct of me doing my strict pull exercises on the regular will be more power/strength in my presses. 

I've never really done push press for max effort, only in programmed WODs. So this is new for me. So technically 65#s is my baseline. 

As well, I've never done the push jerk for max effort. Of course, 5 rep sets adds a new dimension to the weight so it really wasn't a max effort. Knowing I can C&J 75#s I assumed that that would be where I'd start. Zeb advised to go lower in weight as 5 reps is a lot of work. And boy was he right. 60s fuckin' killed me. my 4th and 5th rep were always the ugliest and were a struggle. I'm very happy with the work I did with the push jerk today. I definitely had good speed getting under the bar, but it was mostly my arms failing towards the end that made me all wobbly.

Ok 'nuff about this boring stuff (ha!) and on to the juicy part of the day:

After class, I was enjoying my post wod SFH recovery shake (in chocolate) sitting on the bench under the white board that has the WOD posted. Next to me is Patrick. We're being lazy and watching the 6:30 class wrap up their WOD, shootin' the breeze. A man with shaved head and full beard, dressed in all black workout gear walks through the door and into the gym. 

Me: I know that guy

Patrick: Uh, ya he looks familiar.

Me: I know I follow him online (Could it be? No...)

Patrick: He definitely is someone big...

Me: Firebreathers....?

2 more people follow him; a lady holding bright red Inno-v8s, and another gentleman in red. 

The man in all black engages in conversation with Diso at the bottom of the stairs...

I look at Patrick and mouth the name "Mikko Salo?" Patrick shrugs. 

"Does he have an accent?" We both listen carefully. Yes, we can hear the distinct Finnish accent. 

My eyes almost pop out of my head when I realize it's him, and my mouth drops. I instantly become this retarded school girl who's hoping the members of her NKOTB poster would magically come to life. 

I look at Martina and Gretchen and they too have reverted to 13 yr girls and having the same dancing eyes that I do.  

The lady happened to Christy Phillips, 6th place finisher for the ladies 2009 Crossft Games. The other gentleman, I believe is Mikko's business partner, whom runs their box in Finland. They chose PCF as the box to do a WOD in prior to jumping a red eye flight back to their respective home towns. The determining factor in choosing us (cause we're definitely not the closest to LAX) was because we HAVE A SHOWER! 

They set up to do hero WOD "Jack." Watching them attack the wod with a definite plan, with deliberate breaks (!!!) to achieve their goal was fascinating. It's a 20 min AMRAP of 10 Push Press(135/115), 10 KB swings (1.5 pood/1pood) 10 box jumps. We all later find out that Christy had a goal of 16 rounds, and Mikko 18 rounds. He figures that he has 66 seconds to do one round if he wants to meet his goal of 18 rounds in 20 mins. Any time left over  of his allotted 66 secs. is "rest." Crossfit math is fuckin' genius. 

The spectators (myself, Patrick, Gretchen, Martina, Joe, Franny, Zeb, Diso... the other guy) were in awe watching them go hard for pretty much the entire 20 mins. At some point, Zeb says, "We can cheer for them right?" Up until that point were were all in quiet amazement, not making a peep. We started to cheer them on, and it felt weird to me. Like I didn't really know them, but who doesn't like to be cheered for? I know I do, I talk extensively about the how cheering affects your mental state during a WOD. Both Christy and Mikko met their goals by the end of the 20 mins. 

After the WOD we all gather around Mikko and start to ask questions about his strategy in the WOD. He shared his Crossfit math and how he uses it to set and accomplish goals. We were all enrapt in listening to him speak. It was crazy. Christy starts to shower. Mikko obliges to take multiple pictures with everyone. It was crazy. Christy comes out and she starts talking about her experience in SoCal, and how she wanted to go out to the club tonight and dance, and Mikko said that he didn't want to be drunk on the plane ride home. Then it comes up that Mikko was getting down to 93.9 KDAY's old school hip-hop, that he was dancing in the car on the way over to the box. We were all laughing and it was super jolly. Did I mention that it was crazy?

We took more group pics, this time with Christy, who is just the sweetest thing. She's only 25 yrs old. And she is a bad ass. Her body is soooo out of control. 

I do want to share that at the Games this year I had a "moment" w/ Mikko. Games were done and all the vendors were breaking down their booths. I was standing by SFH booth, waiting for Zeb, Rico and Matty. It was over 108 degrees that day. I was wearing a fun, flirty dress that was backless. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, I see Mikko walking through the sea of commotion, heading my direction. He looks tired and irritated, his head is down, as if he didn't want to be stopped by a fan. When he was about 10 feet from me, he looks up and we make eye contact; immediately his eyes light up and his mouth curls into this big smile, a genuine smile of mutual attraction. I blushed but held his gaze until he walked past me. The chemistry was palpable. 

I joked with Mel from Valley Crossfit that Mikko is soooo bad ass/the epitome of masculinity that he was able to impregnate me with just his eyes- immaculate conception! Hahaha!

I don't think Mikko would remember our "moment" from July today, but I still think there is a mutual attraction that I felt. When I was talking to his biz partner, and Mikko was engaged with Martina, our eyes "caught" each other several times-- each time making the blood rush to my cheeks:) On my departure, I followed Mikko into the changing room alone and hugged him goodbye. His gaze still felt strong and intense. I asked him when he would be back stateside and insisted that he must come back to visit us @ PCF. He said he didn't know, but promised he would come back to our box. He was still all wet and sweaty, but I didn't mind and reveled in his big-hot-wet hug. 

Ahhhhhh.... he's so dreamy. My Finnish crush. Lol. 

Back to reality Lauren. 

Blessings

I’ve been 30 years old for, oh, about 9 hours now and the desire to nest and have a baby has really gone into over drive. It wasn’t but 24 hours ago I was singing the praises of the many forms of the opposite sex. And now, the biological drive for monogamy and procreating is pulsing through my veins. I’m tired of trying to control any of it.  With modern medicine, I could have children way into my 40s. But would I want to be in my 40s with young children?  Oy.

Today is the day of my birth, the day I took my own first breath. Well, maybe not. I was born with complications; I think I was put on a respirator. I overcame a lot to be here today, says my mother. Statistically, I should have perished. 

I’m in a lovely place in my life. I’m actually at a bend in my road, but I’m excited for what ‘s to come. I don’t know what that is quite yet, but the mystery has me intrigued. I know what I want, but I’m also open to what I don’t know what I want… yet :D

So my party was fun. That’s what the attendees say. What do I think? I don’t really have a feeling about it. I’m sad that I passed out in the middle of it. I guess the shots hit me hard. And the champagne, and the rum, and the sake.  I wish I had more of my own memories and recollections. I have been piecing my night together by what others have told me. I feel really blessed that so many of my old and new friends were able to be present. I wish Carla’s “driver” didn’t get tired and she could have stayed longer, like she has done in my birthday’s past. I felt like she wanted to stay.

I’m glad Alice and Eddie had a good time. They are soooo keen.

Marissa and Cher. They are good together.

And of course new Crossft friends. What can I say? I’m so lucky. I really am. To have found true friends this “late” life.  Not every one of them has pure hearts, but they all act with good-heartedness. I’m perplexed that Patrick didn’t show up. I figure he’s going through some healing. Or he’s back with Olivia and is ashamed to share it with me since I told him my piece of mind of how I think she’s “abusing” him. You don’t break up with someone to figure out if you want to be with him or her. Maybe when you’re like in college and there are many dating options out there. Which kind of brings me to the conclusion that maybe she had another suitor in the wings. One only acts with 2 motivators: FEAR or LOVE. And she’s obviously acting in fear. I know Patrick believes he loves her (or at least loves what he knows of her) and wants to give her her chances… but I don’t feel good about how she is hot and cold with him. It’s a cycle of abuse.

If you truly, truly care about someone, you are present and available; you don’t pull away to figure it out. I was just having this conversation with C-rose.  Both of us are traditional women, with traditional values. The men lead. If a man is interested in getting to know you, he will “rise to the top;” he will seek you out, and desire your companionship.  Once the lead is established, it is then the lady’s turn to reciprocate, if it so moves her.  The dance of courtship is a complicated one. I don’t have it figured out by any means. I have my values and I’m steadfast in them.  I know my worth. I will not settle.

Zeb and I were talking about what we’re attracted to in the opposite sex, and his response was, “I don’t get to choose. I don’t know whom I’m going to be attracted to until I meet that person.” It was simple yet insightful. And he’s right.  I’ve never chosen whom I’ve had that energy with. You just lock eyes and know.  It’s an amazing phenomenon. Those feelings in the pit of your stomach, the headiness,  that floaty feeling; all the things going around you seem to blur as your attention is locked into that one person.  Your pupils dilate, your mouth opens slightly, as you catch your breath. Those feelings, chemical and biological reactions, are so strong that sometimes you can’t look into their eyes cause it’s too much.


If they look into my eyes they will betray me and reveal all that I’m feeling.

I’m still a romantic at heart.