To good friends

In case you didn't know it, I share my life with some pretty fantastic people!

I came home yesterday to find a card in the mail from my first friend from college.  We lost touch after college, but over the last year have reconnected, thanks to my divorce.  The first time we got lunch last May, we spent a solid five hours catching up. We've gotten together for lunches and dinners here and there this past year and it’s like we never lost that time after college. Picked right up where we left off.  That’s a good friendship.

Then there’s the college kid. Sadly, I haven’t gotten to spend as much time with her this summer as she’s been back and forth from Charleston to home. Thus she hasn't been back to CrossFit either. However, when she is here, we make sure to squeeze in some girl time. We can have fun doing practically anything. And we have the BEST junk food/movie days!

And we can’t forget about one of my other favorite people, my old boss. Practically my first boss. She is fabulous! Sadly, she moved a few months back. She has an amazing energy and it’s just fun when she’s in the room.  Plus she’s a sugar fiend just like me. It’s never going to be a bad time when she’s around, that’s a guarantee.  The only flaw is that when we do get together, we always seem to run out of time.

I adore my friends and would do anything for them. This past year I've learned how important good friends are and who I can always count on. They've all been amazingly supportive this past year. They’re all one of the best things that came out of my divorce!   

Now what?

What am I supposed to do now?

There are few times in my life when something ends and I feel like I need to fill a void. This is one of those times.

The boyfriend and I spent a good portion of the weekend watching the 2013 CrossFit games on ESPN3. And all of a sudden it was over last night.

What now?

That's excitement right there! 

I ask myself this every four years or so after the World Cup ends. A month of one to three games a day and all of a sudden it ends.  

This is a very similar feeling.

Beardy was my favorite athlete! 

I didn’t even watch every single event. Not even every heat of the events that I did watch. Yet, I still have this void.

I was thoroughly entertained with this year’s events. Mostly because I have a year of CrossFit under my belt and can really appreciate what these athletes are putting their body through. It was incredible to watch.

While I’m sad it’s come to an end,  I’m really happy that I won’t have to hear about how Rich Froning is a God anymore. Impressive he’s won three in a row, but I just can’t get behind a guy like him.

Should have been the winner, but I'll settle for 2nd.

I’m sure we’ll see plenty of folks replicating the games events over the next few weeks in my gym. There were already a couple of guys doing the 21k row on Saturday.  Even I tried to do my own version of the pool event yesterday afternoon. Believe me, I’m paying for it. This just makes me wonder what kind of mental state these folks are in to be able to push through the pain and soreness to continue on for 4 solid days.

Handstand walking at it's best!

I don’t have the strength. I don’t have the will power. And I don’t have the mental abilities to ever attempt anything games related. But I’ll gladly watch everyone else push themselves to get there! 

Fittest on the planet!

It’s that time of year again!

The week where folks tune into to watch people who are in amazing shape endure pure agony with the hopes of being named the fittest person on the planet.

It’s CrossFit Games 2013!

The games really started back in March when 138,000 people signed up to compete in the CrossFit open. By the way that is up from 70,000 in 2012. A whole slew of people from my gym competed. One guy was right on the line of qualifying for regional’s too.

After five weeks of grueling workouts , those 40 or so who qualified move on to their regions competition. Of those 40-ish folks, only 2-5 or so make it to the games in California from each region.

And here we are. The week of the games!

While I have zero desire (or ability) to ever try to compete in the games, it’s damn entertaining to watch. Thankfully EPSN picked it up a few years back.

Wednesday night we watched the first of two mid-week events for the individual men and women’s competition. It was simply called ‘the pool event’ which didn't sound like anything special, but it sure was.  The event consisted of a 25 m swim, 3 bar muscle ups, and another 25 m swim. Times 10! They made it look like a breeze. The top time for the men was 10:06. One minute per round. Insanity!  While ESPN didn’t show it, there was another little event that day in the individual competition too. A measly little 21k row. That’s 13-ish miles on a rowing machine in case you don’t want to do the math.

I can’t wait to see what the weekend holds for the competitors. Regular coverage starts today at noon on ESPN and I'll be itching to watch while I'm at work, but I don't see it being feasible. One of those days when I miss working at the place that laid me off. Espn.com was a very welcomed part of the work environment there.

Happy Crossfit Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!

All the single ladies!

It's official....I'm a divorcee!

Other than court running a few minutes behind, it couldn't have gone any better. The judge even complemented us on being the most put together pro se (no attorney) case he's had in a while and said it was practically a pleasure to work with us.

The closer it go in the day to time the more and more knots I got in my stomach, but all of it was for nothing. We answered the judges questions. I made my statements.

I walked in with one name and out with another. I'm happy to have my name back. So happy that I jumped the gun over the weekend and began moving everything over to my new gmail account. Ladies 10 years ago had it easy. Changing your name in the digital world is a bitch!

Oh and for the record, I didn't write that on my car. My lovely mother did while we were in the courthouse. Thanks, mom!

Now just 8 days before the boyfriend will be legally single again. Then the four of us can go on our merry ways and live happily ever after.

P.S. Why is it the first question people ask you after telling them you just got divorced, when are you getting married again? Chill out folks!

Sigh no more

Scratch it off the list! I'M GOING TO SEE MUMFORD AND SONS!!!!!

While I nor the boyfriend got the elusive email invitation to purchase tickets, my bestie, the college kid did. And with her limited 6 ticket allotment she gave two to us.

I wanted to scream and jump up and down at work yesterday when I found out!

I get to hear Marcus Mumford sing live. It will be a glorious day!

Calloused

I've been working my butt hands off this week for a pull-up. It's so damn close I can taste it!

I've been working little by little on getting my first strict pull-up for the last year, but only recently have I really started putting in extra work to get there. I've talked to the boyfriend about it. To the trainers. Even the gym owner. Is my body just not capable of getting it? Is it physically impossible?

Something the owner said about getting a strict pull-up struck a nerve. His wife, one of the fittest, strongest, and most dedicated women in our gym, couldn't do a strict pull-up until after she mastered kipping pull-ups.

Well damn! If she can't do strict first why do I think I'll ever get it. I have nothing against kipping pull-ups, but there's just something about hanging from the bar and pulling your entire body up versus rocking and using the momentum to help you over the bar. Kipping are great for when you need to string together 10, 15, or 20 pull-ups together quickly. I appreciate them when the time is right, but I want a strict!

That thought sat in the back of my head for a good two weeks. Then I walked by the pull-up bar at the house, jump up so there was a slight bend in my arms and I was able to pull myself up. I did it a few times just to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Then I tried hanging. Nothing. I barely budged. Maybe it's not so much strength as it is shoulder flexibility. Damn you shoulders!

I showed the boyfriend and he recommended working on stretching my shoulder girdle regularly to build up flexibility. Done. I mentioned it to one of the trainers and he asked me to show him. He suggested I try kipping again. Thought back to the trainers wife and figured why the hell not.

So Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I kipped my little heart out. My hands are screaming at me to rest! I'm practically there. One day soon I'll walk in, hop on the bar and it's going to happen. I can just feel it. And when that day comes, you'll know it because you'll hear a faint scream of accomplishment!

Home stretch

20 days. That's how long I have until I will be officially divorced. And it can't get here soon enough! I get my name bag. No more jokes about being married with a boyfriend on the side. Plus I'll feel comfortable enough to make this thing public again. I'm not trying to hide the boyfriend, but I just felt like it should have been kept private since legally it's not allowed. 

I'm working on my turning 30 bucket list again. Mumford is playing a show in September in Simpsonville so I entered the lottery for tickets. I'll find out Sunday if we get to buy some and scratch it off the list. Fingers crossed!!! 

I also started reading the first book of the Harry Potter series again last week. I sort of forgot it was on the list. Oops! I'm enjoying it so far. I'm pretty sure I only ready book one once. Right before the first movie came out before I really got into the series. 

And I'm pretty sure a pull-up is right around the corner. I can just feel it!

How in the world are we about to celebrate July 4th? It was just Christmas a few weeks ago! I'm ready for some fireworks and good pool time during the week to break up the work week. It's going to be good times!