PR, what!

9/26/2012 WOD:
'Cindy'
20 min AMRAP
5 pull-ups (jumping)
10 push-ups (knee)
15 air-squats
Rounds: 14 + 5 pull-ups

Holy shit this week has been amazing! High reps on Monday. First Rx on Tuesday. And my first real PR today. What is in my water? Or maybe it was the entire half-gallon of chocolate milk I have drank in the past three days. Who knows, but I'm beyond thrilled!

Cindy is the first WOD that I have now done twice and can say I earned a legit PR. And this time I didn't use a band on my pull-ups either. Though I think the highlight of my night and even my week was that tonight our trainer called me out on my squats. He told everyone in the middle of the WOD, if they want to know how they should be doing their squats to look at me. How does little ol' me have perfect form? HUGE thanks to our trainer for that, made my day!

I stumbled upon this and it cracked me up. And technically the squat should be lower.

And now I am officially on vacation! I'm sad to leave my pups for a few days, but I know they'll be in great hands. Plus I'm sure they'll be glad to get a little vacation from their mom.

Mickey here I come! 

Rx baby!

9/25/2012 WOD:
2 attempt max weighted push-ups (Rx-25 lb)
Total: 4
21-15-9
Med Ball Clean (Rx-14 lb)
OH Med Ball Walking Lunges (Rx-14 lb)
Box Jumps
400 meter run after each round
Time: 16:48

I just did my first workout as prescribed!!!! Can I toot that horn from yesterday again? Toot toot!

I figured since it was pretty low rep that I would give the 14 lb medicine ball a try. I've never used it in a workout before and it's always the prescribed weight for women.  I've always stuck with my little 8 lb blue ball that I have become the best of friends with, but was feeling so good after yesterday I wanted to see what that red ball was all about.

And on top of that I not only did boy push-ups for the max push-up attempt before the Metcon, but I did it with the 25 lb plate on my back. Sure, I only did four reps, but of the four women doing the WOD tonight only two of us did it with the weight. And I haven't tried to do legit push-ups since I started so it was a HUGE feat for me! Granted, mine didn't look very pretty, they still counted!

Now to figure out if I want to get back in there tomorrow night or be responsible and take care of all the little things I need to get ready to leave for Disney early Thursday morning. Anyone want to place bets on my level of addiction vs level of responsibility tomorrow night?

Babel

Today I did something I have never done before, ever! I woke up, fed my girls and immediately started listening to Mumford and Sons new album Babel. It has been a REALLY long time since I've been this amped for a new album by anyone.

I listened while drying my hair, putting on my make-up, cooking and eating breakfast, playing with my dogs, taking out the trash, reading, and getting my gym bag ready. I managed to listen to it once through before heading out the door for work and am currently four tracks deep into my third listen.

Do yourself a favor, stop whatever you're doing including reading this and go find a way to listen to it. Purchase it. Borrow it from a friend. Knock a kid off his bike and take his headphones if he's listening to it. Do what you need to do, I won't judge.

If you need some persuasion, here are videos for I Will Wait and Below My Feet. If you aren't drooling for more there might be something wrong with you!

Toot Toot

9/24/2012 WOD:
18 min AMRAP
10 pull-ups (jumping)
20 yard bear crawl
20 yard crab walk
4 burpees on every minute
Total: 330 reps + 72 burpees

I feel absolutely amazing right now!!!! I dominated tonight's WOD. For so many reasons I am really proud of myself. Let me run through them real quick.

• I managed to do jumping pull-ups instead of banded 
• I didn't struggle with the jumping pull-ups
• I kept all of rounds of burpees under 20 seconds
• I tried very hard not to get lazy on my burpee form
• Except for burpee interruptions, I never stopped during my bear crawls or crab walks
• I kept proper form on the crawl and walk
• I managed to complete 6 full rounds plus 10 pull ups and another full bear-crawl
• I put up higher numbers than a lot of people on the board and not just the new people visiting for 'free week'
• I had about 5 people after tell me I killed it

I think that's about it. Hopefully from reading previous blogs you'll see that I don't really toot my own horn  often when it comes to this stuff. Sure I have little victories once in a while, but nothing like tonight. 

When our trainer asked me how many rounds I did and he totaled it I was confused. I honestly thought he gave me one too many chips, I couldn't believe I had done that well! 

With it being free week and our WODs being a little closer to what I did when I started with fundamentals I was told this would be a good time for me to see if I can see an improvement. Judging from today I will have to say a big fat yes! And that gets me so excited and just validates the feelings I have about the decision to do this. 

I'll make sure to celebrate this feeling of accomplishment with a tasty treat this weekend at Disney! 

Go team!

9/21/2012 WOD:
1 Deadlift (35 lb)
1 Clean Squat (35lb)
1 Clean Squat Thruster (35 lb)
Ascending ladder: 1, 2, 3...10. (55 total reps)
Bar must touch the ground between each rep.
Time: 20:07

Holy shit my legs got beat up last week! And this WOD only added to my pain and soreness, which by the way I am still feeling on this Monday morning.

The workout was tough, but I really didn't start to struggle until I started rep six. At first I was bummed that my deadlift weight had to be so low because of the other two movements, but a little later through it I was very grateful!

I somehow managed to finish first among our class, but I think it was also because I had the lightest weight. Don't get me wrong, I was still struggling, my thighs were screaming at me the entire time! Having finished early for a change I was able to watch everyone else and cheer them on like they had all done for me so many times in the past!

I debated back and forth going in Saturday for the WOD since I was so beat up and decided just to go in for my second set of linear progression squats for the week. I knew it was going to be a challenge since my legs were pretty tight, but I managed to get through them. On my third set my trainer suggested I go ahead and add the five lbs for next week to get familiar with the weight on my back. 50 lbs was a success! I'm looking forward to tonight and starting week two.

Just to make sure I got a little sweating in while I was there, I did 6 minutes of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. I felt much better after and was happy I was able to loosen up my legs and hips some.

While the rest of my weekend was pretty amazing and fun filled, one of the highlights was finally making my way to a Team WOD. Monthly a lot of the Florence CrossFitters gather at one of the gyms and host team workouts. Teams vary anywhere from two-man to five-man and the WODs can be quick or long and brutal. Yesterday's team WOD was at the new CrossFit Florence gym and quite a few of our PDCF guys and gals showed up to represent!

Teams of two competed in the following WOD:
1 mile run
50 Thrusters (115 men/75 lb women)
50 Kettlebell Swings (2/1 pood)
50 Burpees
400 meter bar carry (150 lb-both team members must touch the bar)

I'm not 100% on the weights, but they're pretty damn close! I arrived just after the first heat started their run and was able to get in there to witness the madness. Watching those folks work was really impressive. Most of the people from PDCF who were competing don't typically do the regular WOD and follow their own CrossFit programming plans so it was neat to see them in the thick of it.

After the first and second heat, two of our guys were still holding the fastest time of the day. Then in the final heat, my trainer friend and a newer chick from our place began their domination! I was dying with laughter when they began their thrusters because all of the other folks for PDCF were calling them Team Asstastic, as they're both known for having pretty round asses around our gym. Fortunately the name calling didn't phase them because the ended up finishing up a solid thirty seconds faster than all the other teams for the day.

It was great to see everyone come together for a little friendly competition and to see my fellow PDCF folks do so well! I was asked about 5 times if I was there to compete but I gladly told them I was there as a spectator. Maybe one day I'll compete, but for now I'm content cheering from the sidelines! Already looking forward to next month!

Seeking an Intervention

My name is Emily and I am a Google addict. Admitting the problem is the first step, right?

I'm pretty sure there are a whole slew of things I'm addicted to that I could use help with...Mumford and Sons, taking adorable pictures of my puppies, The Beatles, and of course CrossFit....but as of late, my need to completely surround myself with Google has taken a turn for the worse.

I just discovered the Google Store. Not the Play Store or Chrome Market. A store that sells physical Google products.

Before I knew it my cart was filled with items totaling over $50. It all happened so fast!

Fortunately I was able to step away and close the window before entering my credit card information.

Since that day I have caught myself back at that little shop adding things to my cart without even realizing it. Sometimes it's just a Chrome sticker. Other times it's an Android watch and a Google snuggie. There is no science to the madness!

With the news of my Samsung Nexus finally being able to get the Jelly Bean update today, I promptly headed back to the store to purchase a pack of Android stickers to adorn my car with. I didn't even think about it, one second I was reading the article in G-reader and the next I was in the store. Thankfully I closed the window again before breaking out my credit card.

I know it's time I do something about my problem. I am seeking an intervention. A suggestion for a new hobby. A new blog to follow. A new habit to pick up. Anything! Just help me please.

I tried to distract myself at lunch today to keep myself from making a purchase and from constantly checking my phone to see if it had been coated in Jelly Bean flavor yet. However, as soon as I got back to work with nothing in my to-do box I went right back to using Jedi mind tricks on my phone to make the little notification appear.

Fingers crossed a little time at Disney will distract me from my temporary insanity! Five days and counting.

Blue balls

9/20/2012 WOD:
"Med Ball" (8 lb)
50 Wall Balls
50 Overhead Walking Lunges
50 Med Ball Cleans
50 Med Ball Sit Ups
800 Meter run with Med ball
20 burpee penalty for every drop of the ball.
Time: 17:58, 0 burpees

My body hates me tonight. All of it. Too bad my brain already penciled in the WOD for tomorrow! Shhh...don't tell my body. It might revolt!

Tonight was pretty tough. Though I don't think I've ever said any night was easy. Note to self: come up with better descriptions for the torture levels of the workouts.

My giant blue ball!  I should have named him since we spent so much quality time together tonight. 

Okay so back to tonight, we had a really small class. Just three of us. And I was the only chick! My trainer friend was teaching which usually makes it a little more fun, but tonight he kept lying to us! And I didn't like it. During the wall balls he said a few times, okay the next part will be easier. Then halfway through the lunges, he said again, just finish up these and the cleans will be easier. Finally as I was about 30 reps deep into my cleans I stopped, looked at him or looked in his general direction because I didn't have my glasses on, and said I think you're lying to us, this is only getting harder! He just laughed and told me to keep moving. However at that point he really was telling the truth because the sit-ups really were easier than the previous three movements.

Referring back to my post from earlier today, you'll understand why I winced when I saw that I was going to have to endure another round of medicine ball sit-ups tonight. They hurt, a lot! Yet somehow I made up the most time during those sit-ups. Caught up to one of the guys and ended up coming in a good 30 seconds before him. It might have even done that round of 50 sit-ups faster than I did my first round on Tuesday, at least it felt like it.

Tonight was another CrossFit first for me too! Running with a medicine ball or any additional weight for that matter was brand new to me. I tried carrying it up on my shoulder like the boys but I was too sweaty and my arms were jello so I carried it like a pregnant woman. Whatever works, right? Between my arms, legs and abs, I was spent. So my run was a combination of a quick walk and very very slow jog. I would have normally felt bad about walking but the two other guys were right here with me so I was perfectly fine with it.

I know tomorrow won't be easy, it never is, but I can always hope, right?

Just curious, did anyone else have this song in their head after reading this? I just can't seem to get it to go away!

Don't make me laugh

Remember yesterday when I said I was surprised I didn't hurt from all the burpees and sit-ups I endured except for a little minor back soreness? Yeah, well I was even more surprised this morning when I sat up in bed and very quickly laid back down! My abs are so sore! My entire torso is so sore! From the bottom few ribs down to hips is in pain.

What the hell happened to me last night while I was sleeping? In addition to the middle third of my body  revolting against me, the back soreness has spread and now my hamstrings are a little tight too. Ugh!

And on top of it all, my foot started giving me some trouble again yesterday afternoon. I'm trying to stretch it out and am hoping a little extra potassium quickly cures it. I really don't want to have to miss the workout tonight, let alone have it persist and potentially ruin Disney next week.

I keep telling myself it doesn't hurt and it's going to be a-okay! Fingers crossed that does the trick.

Just so I don't sound like a big whiny baby today, I do have positive things to say! Yesterday and today I have had some fun with the music I've been listening to at work. Yesterday was a Girls Only playlist all day that consisted of Lady Gaga, Celebration, Alanis, Karmin, Ke$ha, The Ting Tings, Florence + the Machine, and a few other individual songs thrown in for good measure. It was mega-fun and I felt girl power running through my veins all day!

Today's playlist is only brand-spanking new albums just released in the past few weeks that I haven't heard yet. We have Pink, Ben Folds Five, The Killers, Band of Horses, Dave Matthews Band, NOFX, and Grizzly Bear. I tried to get a decent mix of things I would normally listen to and might not normally pick up. So far I've only made it through Pink and Ben Folds Five. I would recommend both! It's as if a day hasn't gone by since BFF wrote an album, good stuff!

Houston, we have a problem!

9/18/2012 WOD:
50-40-30-20-10 reps
Burpees
Medicine Ball Sit-Ups (8 lb)
Time: 23:12

The workout looked so short and simple on the board. It was very misleading! Before the WOD got started I was purposefully trying not to do the math to see what the total number of reps was, but just a few minutes before the torture began a friend of mine blurted out that it was 150 reps. Ugh! I cried a little on the inside for half a second then told myself I have done 205 burpees at once before and that I would survive this one too!

Last night I was exhausted! After showering up, which was a workout in itself,  I planted my happy ass on the couch and got cozy for the remainder of the night. Surprisingly today the only thing mildly sore is my back between my shoulder blades. I blame the medicine ball. That bastard!

Next week is a free week at PDCF for anyone interested in seeing what CrossFit is all about. I sent out a few texts last night and might have some friends joining in on the fun! Though it is with much excitement and sadness that I will have to alter my usual routine next week and may miss out on some of the fun with the my friends.

Early next Thursday morning I'll be Disney bound for 5 days! And while I am THRILLED to be going to Disney and to be on vacation for a few days, I'm already working on some WODs I can do on my own at the hotel. I know I've joked that I may have a problem and could be addicted, but when it first crossed my mind to research workouts to do on my own I realized I really might have a problem. I suppose it's not a bad addiction and it could be much worse, but it's still a problem. I should be able to go to the happiest place on earth and totally forget about CrossFit. But I can't. I'm even already planning on getting back in there the Monday we drive back so continue with my squat progression just because I don't want to get behind! (read: HELP ME!)

At this point with next week being free and the possibility of friends being around, I am planning on going Monday-Wednesday and will have a back-up WOD on hand in case I'm feeling froggy down in Orlando for Friday morning before we hit the parks. Oh yeah, there is a silly little run I'm registered for Saturday night too. Just a little ten-miler that I am in no way prepared for!

What is wrong with me!?!?!

While I'm sure this fabulous trip will provide me with a few firsts and new experiences I cannot anticipate, I am planning on taking on two little experiments during this vacation.

First, a couple months back I bought some yarn and needles with the intention of taking up the hobby of knitting. It never happened. I never even got started. With 14+ hours in the car looming over me, I'm going to attempt to knit a scarf on the way down and back. It might not be a wearable scarf, but dammit it will be a scarf!

Second, through a very sarcastic and smart-ass remark said to me by a friend, I decided that I was going to purchase and wear mouse-ears the entire time I'm in the parks. On every trip to Disney that I can recall, I have left with a souvenir pair of ears, but always on the way out. I don't think I've ever actually worn them for more than an hour after purchasing them, let alone in the parks. I always feel the 'Disney magic' when I'm there, even as an adult, but I'm curious if this experiment will make it more magical or if I'll just feel like a moron wearing a silly hat!

Expect a full report upon my return. And maybe some embarrassing photos!

So this one time....at CrossFIt

Let's start this little post out with some CrossFit humor. Tonight's entertainment is brought to you by Crossfit Problems via Twitter: "HSPU? Is that hang snatch pullup?" (@CrossfitProblms) I'm sure no one else died laughing reading that like I did. And just to clarify, HSPU is hand stand push-up.

If you really want to be entertained, watch this little video. Though, just like before, you probably wont think it's nearly as funny as I do, but I hope you do!

Today began my experiment with linear progression back squats. For a good five hours or so, it was thought the project was going to be delayed because of really random horrible pain in my left heel, but the foot fairy paid me a visit at lunch and cured me with her fairy dust. Or walking on my toes all morning stretched out whatever was tight and cured it. One of the two for sure.

Twice a week I will go in and do three sets of five reps at one weight. Then the following week I will go up 5 lbs until eventually, months down the road, I will reach a max. Since my starting point was tested last week, I began day one with the 45 lb bar.

Overall it went really well and I was super stoked I was able to go in today and make it happen. Once I got to the third set I was told instead of doing just 5 reps to go as far as I could. I squeezed out 21 reps! I'm sure I'll feel it tomorrow.

I'm very excited to see how this goes over the next few weeks starting out and to see how it effects my regular workouts, if at all. And I'm really excited to see what I'll be able to lift next month this time.

Just to really make this post over the top with CrossFit humor, here's one last bit of funny!

Lets go for a ride

In the spirit of staying on my toes, which seemed to be a theme for the weekend, I decided to do something I haven't done in quite some time.

With fall in the air it seemed like it was the perfect day to go for a nice bike ride. I had thought about riding my bike a few times recently but the weather hadn't been just right until this weekend.

It had been quite a while since I had gone for a ride with Kert (yes, I name my almost all inanimate objects that I own, don't judge me). Being the scared little girl that I am, I took my time checking for spiders and other creepy crawlers first as my storage room tends welcome them with open arms. Once I got him all cleaned up and in tip-top shape we hit the open road.

Since owning my bike I don't think I've ever just gone out for a ride on a whim before. A first for sure! I'm not sure if it was the great weather and nice scenery,  my new sense of adventure or what, but I had a really good time and am glad I decided to venture out for a bit and enjoy the weather.

I don't think I could have thought of a better way to cap off my afternoon! I had a lot of fun with the cool breeze and warm sun shining down. Plus it was a great way to stretch out my legs a little after all the squatting on Thursday.

Now that fall has arrived I hope to take my bike out a little more. It's too much of a good time to pass up given the great weather that seems to be sticking around.

Stay on your toes

9/14/2012 WOD:
Open WOD 12.3
18 min AMRAP for total reps
15 Box Jumps
12 Push Press (25 lb)
9 Toes to Bar (knee to elbow)
Total: 216 reps

Tonight's workout was my first Open WOD. I am somewhat familiar with the CrossFit games and watched the games replay on ESPN shortly after I started going to PDCF. Those folks are amazing athletes! Anywho, the games posts Open WODs that anyone can do for a series of weeks. A certain number of the top athletes from each region are then invited to compete in regional events to qualify for the games. I'm glad we could all learn something new today!

After tonight my hands are a little beat up. I guess it's time I break out my new fall nail polish and give myself some cute nails to help distract from the yucky callouses and blisters I've developed.

I am also starting a week long experiment tonight. Well technically it began at 4 pm when I left the office. I have decided to go a week without Facebook. With Twitter and Google +, I don't really post much on Facebook these days. Mostly just sharing interesting stories or local events. I catch myself just getting on it and wasting time when I'm bored. I think that time could be better spent so I'm going to see what else I do with that time over the next 7 days.

I don't think I am ready to give up Facebook totally just yet. I have really dwindled down my 'friends' to those that I actually care to keep up with and will see again in my lifetime. If only I could convince all of those lovely people to mosey on over to Google + where things are much cleaner and simpler my life would be a little grander!

And one final note, I have decided that the best days are started out with a really good laugh. I mean one that you catch yourself laughing about later in the day just for the hell of it! I didn't have the best day at work, but having that hilarious moment to think back about allowed me to make it through the day without harming anyone.

Lets have a ball and a biscuit sugar

9/13/2012 WOD:
'Dubs'
20 Thrusters (35 lb)
20 Sumo Deadlift Highpull (35 lb)
20 Push Press (35 lb)
20 Overhead Squats (5-35 lb, 15- 15 lb bar)
20 Front Squat (35 lb)
4 burpees on every minute until completion (48)
Time: 12:11 

Man on man was tonight's WOD tough! I've complained recently that most of our WODs focused on arms and upper body, but tonight was almost exclusively about the legs. I am going to be feeling it tomorrow for sure!

This is my third week at 35 lb as my base weight for most of the lifts. I should be on track to move up to 40 next week, but the last two weeks haven't had a lot of lifting so I don't feel confident moving up just yet. Hopefully after next week I'll be a little more prepared.

Yesterday it was decided that I am going to take on a little experiment outside of the WODs that I am pretty amped about. Next Monday I will begin working on linear progression squats. Tonight I did my first ever back squat to find a good starting point for next week. We started with the 45 lb bar and made it up to 65 lbs.  It was decided we'll start next week back at 45 lbs and that I'll add 5 lbs per week. I will be lifting twice a week, on my usual rest day of Mondays then again later on Thursday or Friday after a WOD.

I'm really excited to see how this goes!  Beginning CrossFit I admit that I was afraid of the weights and the bars. I thought I would get gross and bulky. And sure that could happen if I went crazy with it, but I'm not. I am slowly getting stronger and I love it!

One last side note for today. Today at work I created the ultimate mega Jack White playlist. It included every White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather, and solo album in chronological order. 9+ glorious hours of music. Through this playlist creation I was presented with an opportunity to share his talent with a Jack White virgin. Trying to come up with 15 or so songs that showcased his talents and abilities was the most stressful thing I did all day. Of course I didn't create it expecting them to immediately understand and appreciate him in the way that I do. It takes time. It even took me a while. I didn't fall in love with his artistic ways until much later in his career. And it's just recently that I can listen to his full body of work and appreciate it all. It still surprises me for such an unusual guy how emotional his music really is and how much heart is in it.

I'll leave you with one of my all time favorite White Stripes songs, Ball and Biscuit. I cannot pinpoint exactly what it is about this song in particular, but if you figure it out please let me know.

The Man in Black

Hey June, That's really nice June.  You've got a way with words and a way with me as well. The fire and excitement may be gone now that we don't go out there and sing them anymore, but the ring of fire still burns around you and I, keeping our love hotter than a pepper sprout. Love John

I can't remember how I came across this recently but I just cannot stop thinking about it. It makes me so unbelievably happy! It was published in a book about Johnny's life called House of Cash written by his son John Carter Cash. 

June and John had more than their share of ups and down throughout their lives as individuals and as a couple, but through it all they really loved each other no matter what. The hopeless romantic inside me shed a tear at the sight of this love letter. 

I'm not sure why I felt the need to write about it. I tweeted it, shared it on Google +, but that just wasn't enough. 

As I've said previously I am amazingly satisfied and delighted with who I am right now. I have learned so much about who I am and what I want out of life in the past few months. And I think this letter is an example that. I have always thought I was a thoughtful and considerate person when it came to those I am close with and care about. And I have learned that I need that in return. You should put yourself and your happiness first, but not so much that you let your relationships flounder. I want to surround myself with people who genuinely care about the people they share their time with. And I don't mean just romantically.

I have learned who I can trust, rely and depend on when things get tough. And who, no matter what, will be there for me when I need it. Those are the people I want to share my time with. 

And sure, one day, I wouldn't complain if I got to share my time with someone who wanted our love to be hotter than a pepper sprout! 

Itty bitty baby

9/11/2012 WOD:
'Brynn' 7 RFT
9 Wall Balls (8 lb)
6 Pistols (band assisted)
12 Pull-ups (banded)
200 meter run
TIme: 22:45

Tonight's workout was in honor of one of our regular's new little baby girl, Brynn. She was born last week weighing in at 7 lbs, 6 oz (7 RFT) on 9/6/2012. And for being just a few days old, she sure is one tough cookie!

Tonight was my first experience with pistols and thankfully we got off to a pretty good start. A legit pistol is doing a one legged squat with one leg stretched out in front and your hips getting lower than your knee. Go ahead and give it a shot, I'll wait. Sounds easy in theory, right? I was also introduced tonight to about 3 or 4 variations that can be done if you can't do a real pistol. The choice our instructor preferred that I went with was using my pull-up band to help lower myself down and back up while still being able to keep the weight in my heels.

I'm not sure if it was from the painting this weekend or what, but the pull-ups tonight were pretty tough. Seeing only 12 on the board I felt like it would be doable but I struggled. I may have even let out my first grunt, though I don't think anyone heard so there is no proof it actually happened.

I spent my evening recovering in the hammock. The weather this week has been absolutely perfect! Clear skies and 60 degrees at night. If only the mosquitoes would vanish I think I could sleep out there. My goal is to spend at least an hour a day/night soaking it in each day this week while the good weather is hanging around. So far I've been successful. We'll have to wait and see what the rest of the week brings!

First day of the rest of my life

Wednesday for all accounts looks like a regular day for most people. And for me it will be a regular day too. I won't do anything out of the ordinary in honor of September 12th. Though that date will, for at least a while, means something to me. As it was on the night of September 12th that my then husband told me he wasn't happy and didn't think he could be happy with me anymore.

Words can't even begin to explain how I felt that night or the days following. To say I was crushed is an understatement. It was as though someone had died.

I wish more than anything I could tell myself a year ago you're going to be fine. You're going to be better than fine, you're going to be amazing and it might just be the best thing that could have happened to you. Of course, me a year ago would have never believed it. And what I have gone through over the past 12 months has gotten me to the happy place that I'm in now so I shouldn't have wished it had gone any differently.

Once the denial had finally ended and I realized there was nothing left to fight for it was time to try to move on. Sadly I wasted a few months thinking something could and would change in his head. I distinctly remember a night shortly after my birthday when I realized I didn't love him anymore. The revelation left me with a new since of freedom and excitement I hadn't felt in years. Hindsight is twenty-twenty. Had our relationship and marriage really been good, I would have always felt that bit of excitement and happiness all along. Lesson learned!

While there have been a few days of note throughout the past year, September 12th was the beginning of it all.

Having had a year to reflect on things, I don't think I would change a day of it. Sure I could have cried a few less tears. Or asked him to leave sooner than he did. Or done a million other things differently. But I wouldn't be where I am now had things been different. And I LOVE where I am today! I am happier than I have been in a very long time. I'm healthier and stronger than I've ever been in my life. I have a fantastic group of ladies that I adore. And I am having a lot of fun trying new things and just enjoying the ride!

Life is grand!

Crashing hard

9/7/2012 WOD:
10 Min AMRAP
5 clean squats (35lb)
10 push ups (knee)
15 sit-ups
20 double unders (80 singles)
Rounds: 4 complete + 8 reps

9/8/2012 WOD:
20 Min AMRAP Partner
400 M Run
7 Broad Jump Burpees
Partner work:
8 Kettlebell swings (18lb)
30 second plank
Rounds: 6

Let me being by saying it's mid-afternoon Saturday and my back is still reeling from Thursdays workout. I am going to need to speak to them about including those muscles into our WODs more regularly so I don't have to go through this pain again.

Secondly, Friday's workout was quick and I liked it. While I only really completed 25 squats, they were the toughest part. I was dreading the push-ups after Thursdays WOD, but they were surprisingly easy and loosened up my back and arms a little.

Lastly, this morning was a sweat-fest. Completing a run and the burpees was what constituted a round. And while one of us was lucky enough to go for an early morning jog in the pretty great weather, the other had to suffer through what seemed like an eternity of kettlebell swings and planks. Actually I think I would have rather just had to swing my little kettlebell the entire time than have to stop and hold plank. What I learned today was that my core is mega weak! And that 30 seconds lasts forever!

The plus to this morning's WOD was that the college kid and I were the only folks who showed up for class today. Our gym is hosting a pretty big obstacle course race today in Atlanta so all the regulars were volunteering or participating. It was pretty fun to kind of have the place to ourselves

After being kept up a later than normal last night, I was crashing fast after the workout today. We headed over to Lula's to get some coffee. It was my first time stopping in and the place is pretty great! They serve coffee from Raleigh, NC, so fairly local which I like. PLUS...they're a non-profit coffee shop. Definitely a local business I can get behind! I am going to try to make it a point to head up there one night soon to check out the live entertainment too.

The coffee's warm and fuzzy effects quickly wore off so I think I may be due for a quick afternoon nap over some Parks and Rec.

Oh hello triceps

9/6/2012 WOD:
1000 meter row buy in
5 RFT:
20 push-ups (knees)
20 yard bear crawl
20 yard crab walk
Time: 18:26

Tonight is a first because I had no clue my triceps could hurt like this! And they hurt, they aren't just fatigued. I said before the workout ever started that the push-ups would be the hardest part and I totally called it.  My right arm almost gave out on me when I started my first bear crawl, but after that I managed to push through that and the crab walk pretty decently. I was really excited because I was able to get through all rounds of the crawl/walk without having the stop once I had gotten started.

I finished off my evening with some quality family time over a few games of Bingo. I'm not very lucky when it comes to things like that, but tonight I did win free dinner. Guess who's getting a nice steak dinner at the next Bingo night? That's right, I am!

I can't believe the weekend is practically here again already. Thank you Labor Day for the short week! I'm looking forward to getting two more workouts in between tomorrow and Saturday, spending a little time with the college kid Saturday, and a few other things I've got on the calendar that should be pretty fun. Plus some good quality time in my freshly mowed yard with my two favorite furry pups. While I don't normally wish the weekends away, I am especially looking forward to Sunday when this cold front moves in and brings clear skies with it. Is it too early to break out the flannels and cords?

No new-ness

This post will contain no firsts, WODS, or mention of CrossFit. If that's what you're here for, turn back now! I'm writing just because I feel like writing and because have some free time on my hands at work today. 

I was listening to a pretty sweet mix of stations (Jack White, The Shins, The Black Keys, Mumford and Sons, and Of Monsters and Men) on Pandora this morning seeking out some new tunes and one of my favorite Jack White songs came up. It's also one of my all-time favorite covers...ever. As soon as I heard it I loved it!  Unfortunately there isn't a video, but a clever little guy over on YouTube posted the song so you can enjoy it too! If you don't care for it, please don't tell me because I'm not sure we'll be able to remain friends. 

I'm not sure what it is about that man, but he just does something to me. If I was only able to listen to five people sing for the rest of my life, he would be in that top five. And to think he almost spent his life reupholstering other people's furniture. My ears are happy he dropped his tools for a guitar.

And now for the worlds worst segue.

Having gone through separation and an impending divorce for the better part of a year, you would think I would be very skeptical and concerned for my sister's upcoming nuptials, jealous even. Plus she's only 24, finishing up school and her fiance is a good 7 years older than her. But I am not! I am BEYOND happy for her! She dated a bit more than I did so I've seen her with other guys, but I have never seen her as happy and glowing as I do now. I love that I will get to stand beside her next May and know that I couldn't have hand-picked a better guy for her. And I love even more that she had the balls to ask him to marry her! They are amazing together and I hope one day I'm lucky enough to have what they have with each other. He treats her exactly how she should be treated and knows how to handle her quirks.

I'm happy that I wasn't left jaded and bitter and that I cannot wait to see my little sister become a Mrs.

Women and I just don't get along.

9/4/2012 WOD:
"Helen"
3 RFT
400 meter run
21 Kettlebell Swings (18 lb)
12 Pull-ups (banded)
Time: 11:11 (PR)

The ladies just keep coming! Tonight I met Helen. She and I are on better terms than Cindy and I are, though she's still just as much a bitch! I have a feeling I won't be good friends with any of these women I meet during my WODs. However, I do like them more now than I probably will down the road since I'm still guaranteed a PR.

I was pretty pleased with my time tonight. Our trainer pushed everyone to get under 10 minutes, which I didn't think was realistic so being only 1:11 behind made me pretty happy. And I really really love our regular trainer! He knows his shit and he really cares. He made all of us do a little extra warm-up to get our hips loose and open for the swings and for those doing kipping pull-ups. Just the little added touches like that make my membership fees totally worth it!

Just like with last Friday's workout, my arms felt like they weighed a hundred pounds when I had to go out for my runs. At one point I was just letting them hang straight down because I didn't have the strength to hold them up. After I finished up one of the regulars going on the second heat gave me a low-five just so I wouldn't have to raise my arms. I wanted to hug him for it! If anyone is curious how much you use your arms running, try doing a few kettlebell swings and pull-ups before a run and let me know what you think.

While technically I've hit the two month mark if you count my intro class and fundamental classes, but by the end of the week I'll be two months through regular WODs. I can't believe it's been that long! And I can't believe I'm still just as enthusiastic, if not more, than I was on day one. And that I've gone 3-4 days a week, every week. A lot of things about me and my routine have changed this summer, but this one has been the biggest and best by far. I am beyond happy with my decision to join PDCF and to have CrossFit become part of my regular routine. I love it!

Goodbye Summer

As this Labor Day comes to a close, so does my fantastic summer. This summer was a very welcomed surprise and full of firsts. I don't think I would change a single thing about it!

To cap off the end of summer I enjoyed a few more new impromptu experiences over this long weekend. While all were very note worthy, the one that I must mention is that I drank my first beer today. I'm still not sure how or why it happened, but it did. A few of us were in the pool hanging out and a friend of mine poured herself a new beer that she brought over, Woodchuck Private Reserve Ginger. I'm not a fan of ginger and I had previously tasted a Woodchuck cider and wasn't a fan so I'm not sure why I even bothered tasting it. It was delicious! She didn't care for it and offered it to me but I respectfully declined. Then for some reason or another she kept handing me her cup and I kept drinking it. And a short while later I had finished it.

The effect, none. The only thing it may have helped me do was swim 3.5 laps in the pool while holding my breath. It was a very yummy beverage and I would probably drink another given the opportunity, but I think I'm still just as content being a non-drinker. I can't say that I really felt anything other than how refreshing it was. I think the coffee I had Friday morning gave me more of a buzz than this beer did.

I had an amazing extended weekend and I am very sad to see it come to an end! Lots of laughs and fun. I'm excited to see what the fall has in store for me. Fingers crossed it's just as exciting and fun as the last few months have been.

Testing...1,2, 3

8/31/2012 WOD:
800 Meter Run
75 Snatches (25 lb)
800 Meter Run
Time: 19:57

I thought it was just me that this week's WODs seemed a bit tougher than the norm, but then I found out last night that it was test week. A week to complete standard WODs to measure your progress. A heads up would have been nice! Thankfully we have an amazing group of trainers at PDCF who helped me through it since it was my first. Plus I got a guaranteed week of PRs!

Last night's WOD was just as tough as the previous ones this week. I may or may not have said that I prefer "Fran" to this workout. Somehow in my time at PDCF I've been able to avoid having to do any snatches. So of course my first encounter with them is doing a ridiculous amount. The guy who teaches most of the classes I attend was really focused on all of us doing our snatches with proper form as not to hurt our backs and to be more efficient. I love that he cares so much! He would rather us use less weight and complete all 75 reps properly than to RX the WOD. It makes me really happy that they care so much! I don't feel like I go there just for them to collect my money, but because they actually want me to do well and progress.

Funny thing about the snatches, once we were taught proper form, I only felt it in my legs while doing them. Those last 15 were torture! However, we soon as I stepped out the door for my run, my legs felt fine and my arms felt like they weight about 50 lbs each. I would say my run more of a very fast walk than a run, it was brutal! And the fact that it was the first humid and warmer day in about 2 weeks didn't help.

The best part about test week is that while I may have been slightly immobile directly after the WOD, I haven't been sore the next day one bit. I love how quickly your body can adapt, even when you push it hard!

Now to enjoy this long weekend with friends and family! Good bye wonderful summer, thanks for all the fantastic memories. Hello fall, I'm looking forward to some fun adventures together!