I ran today!

3 Rounds for time of:

400 Meter run
10 Thrusters (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)
10 Bar muscle ups

My time:  18:18, modified

Okay - I ran!  I RAN!!  I ran and it didn't hurt.  Yay!!  

So, I modified the WOD - 75# thusters and c2b attempts/kipping pull ups.  I had a few chest to bar pull ups, but mostly just really good chin-way-over-the-bar kipping pull ups.  I didn't love the thrusters, but I was so excited about actually running without pain, I didn't care about the thrusters or how long they were taking.  I have to keep after the stretching and get these muscles back to normal in my calf, but for now I'm saying "I'm back!"

Strength today was thrusters. 
2 each at 45-50-55-60-65-70-75

TGIF!

3 Rounds for time of:

800 Meter run
50 Sit-ups
50 Walking lunge steps

My time:  24:41, mod

The warm-up was a 400m run.  I thought I'd try running, since I'm sick of rowing and I ran a 400 the other day with no problems, but the minute I stepped out the door, I felt pain in my leg and didn't want to risk it, so I modified and did 800m rows instead of running.  Odd that it felt fine the other day but hurt today.  Frustrating.   This was a fun enough workout, but let me tell you - getting back on that rower after 50 walking lunges was torture!! 

Anyway today was a bit different.  We warmed up, and then did the WOD first, with the strength component at the end.  Seems like when we do it this way, more people skip the strength and just go home after the WOD.  I stuck around for the strength, even though bench isn't one of my favorites...I just like getting a full hour in. 

Bench Press:

3 ea @ 55-60-65-70-75-80-85

Snatch this!

As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:

7 Power snatches (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
7 Chest to bar pull-up

My rounds:  5 + 4 snatches - kipping plu

Ah, snatches!  It's easy to love them when they're light weight power snatches, right?  If I could've just done 10 minutes of power snatches I'd have been perfectly happy with that as a workout.  I know back during The Open I talked all big about working chest-to-bar pull ups all year, but today I did only two or three and decided I'd be better off doing kipping in the WOD.  So I kipped.  I still need to work c2b.

I am, however, making a concerted effort to do a few strict pull ups in the warm up every day.  I figure if I get better/stronger at those I am building strength that can only help the kip and chest to bar pull ups.  Plus, B makes strict pull ups look SO freakin' easy, I'm totally in awe of her, and I wanna be just like her when I grow up.  Ha ha!


Strength today was overhead squats

5 ea @ 55-65-70-75-80

Feeling the soreness from the previous three days, mostly in my shoulders.  Knees felt pretty decent today - I even skipped the knee sleeves.

I'm ready for Friday - Bring it on!!

So sore!

This is turning out to be one of those weeks where I'm just going to be sore from head to toe!

We started off this morning with a 10 minute row.  I went pretty light on the damper setting - about a 4.  I managed about 1750 meters.  Not anything stellar, for sure.  Then we had three rounds of "warm up": 10 plu, 10 p/u, 10 wall squats, 10 v-ups, 10 dips.  I did a few strict pull ups, but mostly just hung from the bar to loosen up my shoulders.  Dips were just "attempts" - a major thing I need to work on!


Strength today was  20 rep back squat!  It's been a while since we did this one.  I had to go back and look - it was September 19, 2012.  (On that day I attempted 140# and failed.)  Today I went with 125# and did just fine.  


Then the WOD...

3 Rounds for time of:

15 Toes to bar
25 Push-ups
35 Box jumps (Men 24” box, Women 20” box)

My time:  16:32

I stepped the box jumps instead of jumping. My calf muscle still isn't 100% normal after that stress fracture.  The bone is healed but the muscle is still kinda weird.  Anyway, I'm working on it.  My toes to bar were a mixed bag today.  Had a nice set of 7 kipping and then it was hit and miss with the kip.  Mostly sets of 3 or 2.   Good workout!

New Name, Same Game

You'll notice, perhaps, I changed the name of my blog.  I'm no longer "CrossFit Angie".  It was time for a change.  Actually, I'd heard from a few friends who were using "CrossFit" in their blog names and/or Facebook pages, that they had been contacted by HQ legal and asked to cease using the CF name if they were not an actual affiliate...and I'm not.  So, I figure I'd save them the trouble.  I'm small potatoes, so who knows - they may have never bothered with me.  But why tempt fate? 

I went with WOD Ever it Takes, because it was a good fit.  I'll do whatever it takes to stay in shape, to maintain my health, and to progress in my fitness.  And to hopefully look better than my high school classmates when I run into them in the grocery store.  Ha ha ha ha - the truth comes out!!

Today's WOD:


5 Two minute rounds of:

7 Push jerks (Men 165 lbs, Women 115 lbs)
Max double unders with remaining time

Rest 1 minute b/w rounds.

My total D/U:  138

This one looked pretty evil from the comfort of my bed this morning. And, of course, it was.  I started out with the Rx weight of 115lbs.  In the first round I got through 6 jerks and failed on the 7th.  Couldn't lock out.  Then I failed on the clean.  Tried again, made it and got that 7th jerk.  Then I had like 25 seconds to get in some double, and manged only 7, and some serious slash marks on my legs from the wayward rope.  I immediately decided to scale for the other rounds, and dropped to 85#.  It felt pretty darn good after 115#!!  I wasn't exactly burning up the double unders, but I managed to do the remaining rounds of push jerks unbroken.  Bottom line...a good workout!

Strength today was Split Jerk (from the rack)

5@85, 3@105, 2@115, 2@120, 1@125, 1@130, 1@145(f)

I was feeling weak this morning, but decided I needed to push myself.  The 130# felt pretty good, and I decided to go for a PR.  I got that 145# up over my head but couldn't quite lock it out, so I bailed/failed.  I will get it next time!!!

Nasty Girls

3 rounds for time of:

50 Squats
7 Muscle-ups
10 Hang power cleans (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)

My time:  10:12

Scaled weight to 75# and did 7 pull ups in place of muscle ups.  Yeah, I totally took the easy way out here.  Looking back to the last time we did it, I did the 95# hang cleans.  Not sure what I was thinking today except, "holy cow that's heavy".  I did feel like I got a great workout, with pretty good intensity, so that's all that matters.

I've been feeling so fat lately and more than anything I think it's because of the weekend drinking. SO, I'm on the wagon until my birthday party weekend.  Then after that, right back on it until Memorial day.  I can't keep partying like I'm 20.  Heck, that wouldn't even be legal, would it?!

Strength today was snatch balance

5 ea @ 45-50-55-60-65

I need to get better at bringing the bar down gently to my back so I can go heavier on these.  Working on it...

TGIF!

What a week!  CrossFit has been pretty awesome and I'm sore all over.  CrossFit has been the best part of my week.  But work...oh, work - it's been ridiculous.  I'm repeatedly amazed at highly educated people who seem completely stupid some days.  I don't understand how they managed to get a degree in anything. 

The grand finale at work was a water leak last night about three feet from our server.  Yikes! 

But all is well, in the end.  Water leak is fixed, no damage to anything.  It's Friday, and I get a couple days to relax.  And, best of all, tomorrow is the very first ever Tulsa Craft Beer Festival! Just what I need!

WOD

3 Rounds for time of:

21 Deadlifts (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)
15 Hang power cleans
9 Thrusters

My time:  11:49, w/75#

My initial thought was "scale to 75".  Then I let myself think I could go 95, so I loaded up the extra 20# at the last second.  I made it through about 5 cleans and since I was starting to do split cleans, I figured I'd never get done, so I dropped the 20# right back off.   And I was so thankful I did, because even at 75#, the thrusters felt awful!!  Had I gone 95# I would still be there, staring at the bar right now. 


Strength today was squat clean & jerk.  I do love squat cleans!! 

1 ea @ 55-65-70-75-80-85-95-105-115-125

TGIF!!

Improvements

5 Rounds for total reps of:

1 Minute of toes to bar
1 Minute of ring dips
1 Minute of double unders

My reps:  232, with bar dips

So the compare to date on this one goes back to my second week at CFJ!   I had never done toes to bar, and still didn't quite have double unders figured out.  I could do one; stop; rest; do another.  So today I almost doubled my score from 2009!!  Yay!  And I did fairly well with kipping toes to bar at the beginning of the WOD today, but as time went on it got more difficult.  Still I managed at least 10 per round.

Here's the breakdown:

TTB: 14, 11, 10,10,10
Dips: 10, 13, 12, 11, 11
DU: 18, 20, 25, 27, 30

Notice how my double unders increased each round?  Fatigue will do it every time.  I'm too tired to be tense and when I relax a little, my doubles get better.  Also...today is the first day of doing double unders since I hurt my leg.  I experienced a little muscle soreness this morning but it feels fine now.  I'll say I'm healed. 


Strength today was overhead squats

5 ea @ 45-50-55-65-70

Isabel

Ah, Isabel.  Laying in my bed this morning, it was tough to think of actually making it through this one, as sore as I am.  Let's review:  hips and glutes sore from kettlebell swings; quads sore from squats; traps, lats, just about every muscle in my ribcage sore from pull ups.  The only thing not sore is my abs.  So, squat snatches sounded awful today. But, as usual, the warm up  loosened me up and I was ready to go!

“Isabel”
For time:
30 Squat snatches (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)

My time:  7:43, scaled to 75#    This is a PR for me by 2:46!!

Next time I will go with a heavier weight.  My strategy was to just keep a steady pace the entire time and not get overly excited on the first ten reps like I normally do.  It worked out great. 

Strength today was also Squat Snatch

1 ea @ 55-60-65-70-75-80-85(f)-75-75-75

Oops...almost forgot!

Totally forgot to blog about my workout today.  Although, I doubt anyone was hanging on the edge of their seat, refreshing their screen, dying to know how my workout was. 

My hands were sore and red until about noon from all the pull-ups we did this morning.  Throw in rowing from today, more rowing from yesterday.  Yeah....tender hands.  But no rips or tears.   I love my gloves!

WOD

For time:
21 Pull-ups
21 Handstand Push-ups
18 Pull-ups
18 Handstand Push-ups
15 Pull-ups
15 Handstand Push-ups
12 Pull-ups
12 Handstand Push-ups
9 Pull-ups
9 Handstand Push-ups
6 Pull-ups
6 Handstand Push-ups
3 Pull-ups
3 Handstand Push-ups

Handstand push-ups are “nose to floor” and pull-ups are “strict” or non-kipping. (Uh, yeah...maybe in some parallel universe, where I'm totally awesome.)

My time:  20:31

Of course, I did kipping pull ups, and used two abmats for my handstand pushups.  I'm good for about one or two strict pull ups and that's it.  Maybe just one these days. 

But my friend, B is a whole other story!  I look across the bar as I'm flailing around like a dying bird, and I'm pretty sure she's levitating and just resting her hands on the bar, to make it look like pull ups.  Yeah, she's making strict pull ups look entirely effortless and almost magical.  She's not even breathing or sweating!  Amazing.

The warm up today was 10 sets of 30 seconds rowing, 30 seconds rest, for meters.  I managed 1250m.  I wasn't going all out, obviously.  I'm so sick of rowing right now.  Ugh!

The other part of the warm up was 10 sets of wall squats, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off.  I managed 125 of these bad boys.  So between these and my soreness from kettlebell swings yesterday, I should be virtually crippled by tomorrow morning!

Happy Monday!

For time:

1 Mile run
100 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)

My time:  15:27 - subbed 2k row for 1 mile run

I so want to run.  I hope within the next week or so that I can!  I saw the orthopedic doc today and after looking at the x-rays, he thinks the bone is healed.  I still have some muscle tenderness/pain, so I've got stretching exercises to do until I am pain free.  He suggested elliptical when I get to that point and I just laughed.  I'll do some walking/running intervals when I'm pain free.

Strength today was snatch balance
5 each @ .35-45-50-55-65

So tired of rowing...

Complete as many rounds as possible in 12 minutes of:

400 meter run
5 Deadlifts

My rounds:  4 + 1 min rowing - DL @ 185#

I subbed 2 minute rows for the 400's.   Getting really tired of rowing, but I'll be healed up soon enough. 

Strength today was Dead Lift to work up to whatever weight we wanted to use in the WOD

Dead lifts:
5 ea @ 105-135-155-175-185

Fun With Skills

 This morning's warm up was super fun.  We don't often have the opportunity to work some of these skills, and I thought it was a good change of pace.  We still got a nice warm-up and had time for strength, and the regular WOD.

This was the warm up:

20 min AMRAP

:30 pull-up hold (chin above bar)
:30 squat hold (toes as close to wall as possible)
:30 handstand hold
:30 L-sit hold

My results: Roughly 3 rounds

My first set of pull-up holds kind of set the tone for how that little element was going to go.  I think I held the first time for 10 seconds; then 5, then 5, and so on, with plenty of rest between.

Handstand holds for 30 seconds are fairly easy, so no trouble there.

The squat holds - holy moly!  I fell on my butt the first try, then moved out pretty far from the wall and finished.  Second round I just did a squat hold in the open floor area.  Third round, I actually got up to the wall, about 2 inches and held the full 30 seconds.  Torture!

L-sits are something I love because the first time I ever tried, I failed miserably and thought I would "never" do them.  Well, once I changed my mind about that, I was determined to get good at them.  I wouldn't really say I'm "good" at them but I can hold for over 20 seconds.  My longest one this morning was 21 seconds, then mostly they were around 10-15.

Then our strength component was  Power Clean and  Front Squat:

Warm up sets:  5-3-2-2 @ 55-65-70-75
Work sets:  1 ea @ 85-100-125

(I so should have gone for 130 - it would've been a PR...ah, maybe next time.)

And then, the WOD:

As many rounds as possible in 8 minutes of:
10 Pull-ups
10 Bar dips

My total = 4 rounds

Dips are feeling better, though still not full range.  I'm getting there, though!

Sweet! A new PR!

I haven't set a PR on Back Squats in a long, long time.  As a matter of fact, last time I PR'd on back squat was October, 2010.  That's too long!  Today we had an opportunity to max out and see if the recent squatting program has helped us gain strength.  I didn't even fully participate in the program and it helped me!  My previous PR was 200 lbs, so I was going to go for just 205, but figured, what the heck, I'll go for 210 - and I made it!

Back Squats:
warm up sets:  5-3-2-1-1 @ 85-105-125-135-155
work sets:  1-1-1 @ 175-195-210 (pr)

Then the WOD...

For time:

21 Burpees
18 Push jerk (Men 115 lbs, Women 75 lbs)
15 Handstand push-ups
15 Burpees
12 Push jerk
9 Handstand push-ups
9 Burpees
6 Push jerk
3 Handstand push-ups

My time:  12:31, 2 abmats for HSPU

My first 10 burpees, I felt lighter than air, and then it was like someone dropped a rock on my lungs!  I just suck at cardio.  Anyway, I powered through.  The push jerks weren't too bad.  I split them up a little, but nothing horrible.  HSPU were awful, even with two abmats.  I need to devote more time/energy to these, but seems like there is always some other skill or element to work on.

My leg is feeling pretty good with a little bit of jumping and putting some weight on it.  I'm hoping to be released to start running again next week- I need to run!!

The End of The Open

So, it's finally over with, and I manged to come out a little better than I had hoped.  Of the 1255 women who signed up in my age group I came out #229.   I was hoping for top 25% and ended up at 18.5%, so I'm pleasantly surprised!

I must have been celebrating in my sleep, because I woke up this morning, after two rest days, way too many aches and pains.  Tennis elbow (ongoing), upper back still sore from last week's WODs (how is that possible?), and some unexplained soreness in my hips.  Although if I think hard enough, I can probably justify the hips.  Ha ha.

Anyway, nothing makes those aches and pains go away like a good workout, so off the CFJ for my daily dose of exercise.

3 Rounds for time of:

400 Meter run
21 Power snatches (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)

My time:  16:51, mod

I'm still not released for running yet, so I modified by doing 500m rows instead of the running.  I did the Rx weight on the lift, after doing fine in the strength.  I have been hesitant to do a lot of repetitive jumping on my leg until I get the okay, but it feels fine now.  Just minimal soreness.  

Strength today was snatch balance and then squat snatch

snatch bal:  5 x 5 @ 35-40-45-45-50
squat snatch:  1 ea @ 55-60-65-70-75

TGIF!

What a week!  I'm sore all over.  And this is a good thing.  I like being sore and knowing I worked muscles that needed working.  Specifically this week, I enjoyed the dead lifts and the dumbbell work we did.  Those are a couple of my CrossFit "loves".  So, a good week. 

I took a rest day on Wednesday, but made up for it by doing 13.5 twice yesterday. 

Today I had to modify because I'm not running yet.  Anther week or so and I hope to be released to run again.

WOD

5 Rounds for time of:

500 Meter row
400 Meter run

I just rowed a 5k

Time:   23:33.9

TGIF! 

13.5, and 13.5 re-do

Yes.  I did this one twice.

Twice in one day.  And for what?

One extra rep!

There's a lesson here, folks.  My level of fitness is much greater in my mind than it is in physical reality.  My first attempt at both 13.4 and 13.5 left me thinking "I know I am faster/stronger/(insert other extremely delusional adjective here) than this."  And I would not rest until I made a second attempt.  Sadly, the results of the second attempts weren't all that much better.  In my mind, I was going to get another 15-20 reps.  But reality strikes again!

So, the lesson:  unless I'm just totally sandbagging and I know it, re-doing a workout is rarely, if ever, going to yield significantly greater results.

But, I did get in two workouts in a day, so that's something, right?

Right...

CrossFit Games Open 13.5 (aka F*cked-Up-Fran)

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 4 minutes of:

65# pound Thruster, 15 reps
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
If 90 reps (3 rounds) are completed in under 4 minutes, time extends to 8 minutes.
If 180 reps (6 rounds) are completed in under 8 minutes, time extends to 12 minutes.
If 270 reps (9 rounds) are completed in under 12 minutes, time extends to 16 minutes.
Etc.

Attempt 1 - 5 am:  28 reps
Attempt 2 - 12pm:  29 reps

Chest to bar didn't give me this much trouble last year.  I'm a good 5 lbs heavier than last year.  Let's call it muscle.  Okay, we all know that's bullshit, right?  It's fat.  So, anyway, pounds are pounds and hauling extra weight up to the bar never makes it easier.

I was getting the height but not touching the bar on most of the no-reps.  That's a matter of technique and I just need to work on it.  The main thing is, I need to work chest-to-bar all year, and not just get in a panic the day they announce them for The Open and try to be good at something I have not practiced at all.

Anyway, I'm glad The Open is over.  I'm glad I participated.  My hope is that I came out somewhere in the top 25% of my age group.  We shall see.

Yay! Dead lifts!

I did not want to get up  this morning.  My flannel sheets were warm.  The house was cold.  I could hear rain falling on the skylight in the bathroom.  I was so comfy, and I really feel like I'm coming down with something.  A cold, maybe just allergies. All day in bed sounded pretty nice right about 4:30.  But, I laid there and talked myself into getting out of bed.  I'm glad I did - our strength component included dead lifts and it's been a while since we've worked on them. 

Dead Lifts: 
warm up sets:  5 @ 85, 5 @ 105, 5 @ 125
work sets:  5 x 10 @ 155

In between sets I worked ring dips.  I did sets of 3 and actually had a few good ones!  Yay!

I had to modify today's WOD, since I'm still not jumping. (Two more weeks, perhaps). 

5 Rounds for time of:
15 Dumbbell push press (Men 45 lb dumbbells, Women 25 lb dumbbells)
50 Double unders    Row 1 minute

My time:  9:56

DB PP felt pretty decent, as long as I didn't try to over extend my left calf muscle, i.e., dipping too much.  I did that a few times and sure felt it!  Ouch!!  I'll be glad when this is healed up.

Cindy

“Cindy”
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats
OR
“Mary”
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 One legged squats, alternating
15 Pull-ups

I chose Cindy, and concentrated on not breaking up my pull ups.  Yes, I have been guilty in the past of breaking up sets of 5 pull ups into singles, or 3/2.  Yeah...I know.  Anyway, today I did all sets of 5 unbroken.  My push ups felt pretty decent up until about the last round, and squats always feel good.

My rounds:  11 even

Went to the Ortho for a follow up today.  Making progress, although I hurt it a little on Saturday, appears it was just muscle, not bone, so I'm on track to maybe start running and jumping again in a couple of weeks.  I really need to get back to running, though I know I'll have to take it slow and build back up.  I'm ready!