A Month of Crossfit

I completed 4 full weeks of crossfit, missing one day each week except last week, I made all 5 days. It makes me sweat. It makes me tired. It makes me feel pretty good about how strong I am. Weekends have usually involved at least one endurance workout, running or biking for at least an hour, preferably 2 or 3. I've been tracking workouts and some of my favorites are days when it's a long list of exercises that you have to rotate thru as quickly as possible. This morning for instance, started with a bench press/hang time set.
Bench press at
80% of your max 1 x 6
84% of max 2 x 5
88% of max 2 x 4
between each set you have to hang from the pull up bar with your knees up, thighs parallel to the ground for 30 seconds.
THEN the workout started.

3 rounds
chest press x 8 30lb ea arm

farmer walk (walk all the way across the gym carrying heavy dumbells) 45lb

walking pushup for 10 yards (10lb dumbells in hands, do a pushup, extend an arm out without moving your feet is harder than it sounds, spider crawl up and do another pushup) this was the hardest thing on the list, I swear.

incline flies 8 x 15lb
flat flies 8 x 15lb

punching bag 30 seconds

start another set. If you can't, you have to hold a plank until you can start the next round.

Every day is something like this. I am really enjoying it. Except on days that involve running. Sprints blow.

A Week Without the Small One

This week I am recieving daily (or almost daily) updates from Wisconsin and Minnesota. The small one was offered a very, very generous vacation via accompanying her sweet friend Al, her brother, Dad, Gma and Gpa in their MotorCoach from LR to Duluth. I haven't seen her pictures yet, but since she called me to ask what the procedure was if you see a bear in the woods, I'm guessing there might be some real doozies. They stayed a couple of nights in a cabin on the Wisconsin edge of the lake. Hence the request for bear knowledge to be imparted. Apparently there were good trees to be climbed and she was told to make sure she didn't climb one with a bear already in it. I wonder if she ever climbed a tree after that warning?

A's Gma told me they were going to visit this bridge and take a lake cruise. This is gorgeous, I hope the small one remembered to take her own pictures.

The Trip, capitalized because it is a Trip not a trip, also included 2 nights in a suite inside the Mall of America. Oh me. Oh my. The phone call today at noon revealed that all but pocket change of the money she started out with has now been spent. Mostly on clothes. Ugh. I hope SOME of the lecture about buying things that will last as memories sunk in and it isn't all consumables. And what is this Minnesota Sushi she's raving about? Something about smoked walleye and some kind of roe that she can't pronounce. Only a 13 year old girl can go from Urban Outfitters clothes to smoked walleye in the same breath.

I am ready for her to come home. She has 4 more days. And no money. Ha. She must learn to budget someday. I hope.

The Start of Something New

Last week was my first attempt at multiple Crossfit workouts.

Monday:
general w/u
6 x 10 sec sprints
set 1: 6 x 6 ea
hang clean 65lbs
push press 20 lb DBs

set 2:
50 hang snatch
go to max rep then drop to plank until you can continue
I did 6 x 6 reps then 2 x 5

had little time to stretch and it hurt the rest of the day and into the next workout

Tuesday:
general w/u
4 rounds repeated:
800 m run ( tight and slow)
95 lb bench press to max (2 + 2 with spot was about it for me)
chair push ups to max (on toes, max for me was 4-5)

GOOD stretch, much better than Monday

Wednesday:
general warm up + 1 min run at 7.4 mph
12 x 10 sec sprints with 20 seconds rest in between. If more than 20 seconds is needed- do 5 pullups.
Did 7 sprints, pullups, only finished 3 more sprints, I was toast, 5 pullups.

In the evening I went out for a 2 mile trail run/hike on the quarry trail at Pinnacle.

Thursday: Rest day. Did 30 minute walk on treadmill at 3.7 mph intervals 2-8% incline.

Friday:
general w/u with 800 m jog
5 round repeated of : 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
warm down 2 x 400 m jog with 30 sec rest in between
core work, roman chair w/ 10 lb plate, plank, side plank, toe touches, leg lifts, etc.

Sat: yard work
Sun: 18 mile bike ride, no big hills, avg 18 mph

A WEAK of no Blogging

This several days have been less "active" than usual, mostly due to heat and my general dislike of gyms.
I have managed a couple of treadmills workouts, an early morning short hilly run but no bike. J's been sick, too sick to do any working out and I find that I won't ride without him. Didn't say don't because I can, could if I wanted to, but I choose not to.
Last Friday I met Sweet Sarah Smiles for a foray into the world of Crossfit. Apparently there is a sports performance center here that does uber athlete training for speed-agility etc. that also has crossfit programs in the early a.m. and early evening.
1st workout involved a repeated circuit of :
400m run while holding a 6lb medicine ball OVER head
12 plyo jumps with 110% body weight
sprints on a whack treadmill that likes to spit people off the back all while a pit bull barks at our butts. Not kidding.
sprints-no idea what the settings were but basically the first round was 30 seconds at a good incline then by the 3rd set the incline was WAY up but it was 12 seconds. the speed was consistant, the time and incline changed. Whew.
THEN came the ab work. It was the only part of me that was sore the next day. My abs hurt for 3 days.
Then I drove to work, worked half day, drove to Vicksburg and chowed down at a seafood buffet at a casino. Noice.

Today went back for more torture at Crossfit to determine whether I not I want them to consistantly torture me for money.
5 repeating circuits:
800 m run
30 x 15lb kettlebell swings (ouch)
pullups (admittedly with rubber band assistance) to failure

Disappointed in that last one. My best circuit was still only 6 and by the 5th I couldn't do 1. rrrrrrrghhhh
Yeah, I'll be back. With Money. To pay for my own torture.
When I got home I parked the car in front of the house which means I'm opening my door against a hill. I thought I might let it slam back into me my arms are so tired.
youtube of crossfit fire explanation

Off with a BANG

Saturday afternoon the small one complained of an earache. Sure enough, Thursday's trip to Wild River Country with her lovely cousin Tricia (the DLI educated Korean speaking Air Force member one) not only provided her with what I hope are good memories of her cousin but a raging case of swimmer's ear. We were scheduled to leave LR at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday to meet sweet sweet Cari, not to be confused with sweet sweet Connie, about halfway between our respective homes 5 hours apart. Instead we were in the after hours clinic at Arkansas Children's Hospital getting a scrip for antibiotic/steroid drops and instructions from Dr. Simmons. We have never had need of this clinic before but since the small one's pediatrician retired a few months ago, I daresay we will use this facility again. We had the most pleasant Dr's office experience there. Kudos! We were done, had our scrips and even ate lunch before leaving LR only 2 hours behind schedule!
I have recieved one nightly phone call each evening this week so far. All short and to the point. Having a GREAT time, loving life, enjoying camp and making friends. So far they've done the physics thing building egg cases and popsicle stick bridges, done some GPS orienteering and today they are working in a genetics lab in the a.m. and a robotics lab in the p.m. This ROX! I want a robot too! I'm taking a half day off work tomorrow so I can drive down to Vicksburg to see her projects from the week and attend an awards banquet. Okay BBQ banquet, it IS Mississippi ya'll. I've missed the little bugger and she's home for a week and then off again to her 3rd week of being away from home this summer for Camp Mitchell. At least she'll be surrounded by friends, forced to GO PLAY OUTSIDE!, and only an hour away from home for that one.

Oh dear- Back to the subject of Fitness:
Got a treadmill walk/jog/hill repeat workout in on Monday. A short but hilly and hot walk on Tuesday but we got soft serve in the middle so I don't think that counts.
Had a nice 3.2 mile very hilly run yesterday morning before it got too hot. It was only 80 at 6:20 a.m. It really felt good and made me wish I'd timed it.
I've been invited by my Sweet Sarah Smiles to join her for a Crossfit class tomorrow at 6 a.m. Oh my. I like a torturous workout now and again but this might be pushing it.

Weekend Drives

Friday started off good with a nice 2 hour workout in my favortie gym...Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Heat was a bit heavy even at 9 a.m. but worth every drop of sweat.
Left LR about 3 for the drive to Fayettville. Dinner with the oldest (and tallest of our little family unit) on a lovely early evening on the patio of Hog Hause. We had one short cry over a spilt beer knocked over by wind and an errant menu but oh what yummy food! After dinner we were on to see a play where I completely obliterated my workout with a piece of opening night cake and a box of cracker jacks-oh yeah! BLEACHER BUMS is a play about a group of fans watching a Chicago Cubs game. The audience is facing the bleachers on stage as if they are on the field looking back at the fans. The Tall One was the head Scenic Designer for this play. Oooh Aahh. Well done! I had to ask how she made plywood look exactly like cement bleachers but she wouldn't share much of her secret.
Afterward we met some friends for more fun and frolick but mostly people watching on Dickson St. I am very thankful that The Tall One has mentioned she doesn't spend much time down on Dickson except for the theater and the bookstore since I watched many young women her age stumble, fall, sit on the ground and/or generally make asses of themselves. Very proud of her maturity.
After a very fitfull night of sleep due more to J's painkiller induced snoring than the bed lovingly provided by our friends, we drove thru Rogers to see the new Visitor's Center at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area on Sat morning. WOW- they did a fine job and I highly recommend a stop if you're up near Rogers or War Eagle. We're already planning a backpacking trip on one of the many trails up there. I've only mountain biked a tiny little portion of what's available. Now you can catch the multi use trails from the parking lot of the visitors center. Noice.
Heading out for a trip to drop the small one ( but not shortest one ) off to go to Math and Science camp for a week. Hope she learns something!

Not a single picture

Spent a lovely weekend in Memphis and have not a single picture to show for it. That we took. So I am pilfering from the interwebz. Soon after the flight arrived bringing our smallest one home from a trip to see Grandparents, we headed straight for Blues City Cafe on Beale Street. For some reason our children all think that Memphis means Ribs at Blues City and bowling at Jillian's. Jillian's at the Peabody Place is now a 21 and over sports bar so that was out. Disappointing. But ribs and tamales at Blues City was ON.

The next day we intended to go to the Zoo and to Graceland but dawn arrived with thunder and lightening and high winds. We stayed at our hotel for a long relaxed breakfast and then spent part of the late morning at the Rock and Soul Museum. We were concerned that the rough weather wasn't over and wanted to be close to shelter if necessary. It turned out to be a gorgeous day. We had a great time introducing the small one to music she hasn't heard often enough. I thought maybe she wasn't paying attention or wasn't enjoying it but when we got home she asked if she could watch Blues Brothers AND if she could buy Sam and Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'" for her ipod. So she WAS paying attention!

We also took the tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory next door. I think it would have been better if it hadn't been a Sunday because there were no worker bees. It was still interesting to hear the hows and whys of the place even if we didn't get to see much actual assembly.

In between the museum and the factory, we got hungry and wandered to find a place we haven't tried before. We found Automatic Slim's Tonga Club on Second and Union close to the Peabody. We sat outside on this patio even though the inside looked beautiful...it was too nice a day after all the rain in the a.m. They were serving brunch so I had crawfish eggs benedict and it was the BOMB. J was craving salmon and they had a salmon hash that was also tasty. I thought the small one was going to cry when she found out she couldn't order off the "regular" menu but when her soup and sandwich came... she was all smiles. The chowder was most excellent and she tried to name ingredients for me suggesting I should attempt it at home. :) right.

This isn't what we ate but isn't it lovely? I think this place deserves a return trip next time we're near Memphis.