Evil and Awesome (But mostly awesome)

Four rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
Rest 2 minutes

On paper, this seems like an easy morning. At least I thought so. A little jog with some rest in between, easy peasy. What I failed to consider is that this run is for TIME. That jolted me awake. Running is not my best activity and although I don't avoid it, I don't enjoy it. But I didn't get all dressed up for nothing, so I was all in. I met Jeff and Mike at the the LSS track. It's a beautiful rubberized oval that feels like a dream to run on. There is something Olympian about running on a track, with overlooking grandstands. The place was filled with soccer players getting in some good practice and the occasional jogger rounding the track. Perfect.

We did some pre-run stretches and joking around until the inevitable moment arrived when we had to start running. Mike and I elected to run first and Jeff stayed at the line to time us. The first round started well and I was keeping to a good pace. Mike was right beside me and we rounded the track making good time. All was going well when we rounded the last leg. We started running into the wind and that cold breeze felt like a freight train hitting my body. We sprinted into it for the last 100 metres for a finish of 1:28. Not bad.

Jeff ran a quick round next while we rested (longer than the Rx'd 2 minutes - judge me, I don't care) and then alternated running for the remainder of the rounds. It was quite evil for round 2 and 3. I was tired and my time was slipping each race. Ironically, I should probably run more.

By the fourth round, I think we were all gassed and I no longer considered this to be an easy WOD. Far from it. But like the title of my post says, it was mostly awesome. The beautiful track to race on and two good friends to bust heads with makes it all worthwhile. And since we are all bonafide crazy, we topped off this pain cake with bodyweight exercises in the grassy field. Jeff did his 39 burpees for the challenge, Mike elected to do 60 pushups, and I chose my favourite air squats for 80.

My times were:

1:28
1:38
1:39
1:49

Dead. Lift.

I'm coming up for air, deeply inhaling sweet oxygen. Little stars are dancing at the edge of my vision, sparkling messengers of the effort put forth. My grip hurts and the calluses on my hand threaten to catch on the bar and tear.  My hands are so beat up these days. Pushing those thoughts aside, I once again grip the bar and heave on it. For a second, it refuses to budge, then slowly I overcome it's inertia and deadlift it. I'm so aware of how heavy it is and that makes me feel a bit scared and intimidated. Can I keep lifting this for ten rounds? I push that aside, too. Those kinds of thoughts only lead to doubt and defeat. There is only one way to keep lifting this damn thing and it's to visualize doing it. I love Churchill's speech: "If you are going to go through hell, keep going.".

I find it's best to get in touch with my inner bastard and move the bar like I mean it. Clutching it weakly and entertaining thoughts of how hard it will be is like putting a spoonful of sugar in your mouth. The taste is sickening and it will leave you feeling weak. But strongly envision the obstacle giving way to you and setting micro-goals of making it to five reps helps. One. Two. Three. Unnngg! Four. Five. Fuuuck! Six. Seven. Jesus! Eight. Nine. Ten. Bang!

I love dropping the weights and walking away. See you soon, mutherfucker. Hopping on the rower is like a vacation after that. I'm using this 500 metres as a rest break and the rowing motion is helping my back stay limber between lifts. I can't believe I have five more rounds to go. Snarling, I grab that thought and wrestle it to the ground. You are not welcome here. Picking up the barbell again, and finding that it is still heavy, I fight on. I'm taking breaks at the 5 rep mark. I didn't want to do that but the alternative is to drop a few pounds off and I don't want to do that either. It's such a hard choice to make when you get into this position. Do I honour my commitment to the weight I started with, or do I back it off so I can do the required reps without rest pauses. I suspect the right thing to do is drop some plates off but I don't. The inner bastard has a strong ego. We're still working things out.

What do you do?

10 Rounds
250m row
10 Deadlifts 225lbs *last five rounds were broken into two sets of five

Buried Treasure

You get out of Crossfit what you put into it. This is the lesson that I've noted time and again with my workouts. When you first start Crossfit, you want to survive. After a few months,  and realizing it didn't kill you, you want to thrive. How can I squeeze the most out the WOD? If you stand back and reflect on that for a bit, you will realize it's an incredible testament to the progress you have been making. Your world has changed. You notice greater depth to what used to be a fight to the death just to finish. The fight to the death remains, however you can now be certain of making it through, in fact, having fun with it.

I remember a movie called Contact a few years ago, about the search for intelligent life. Dr. Arroway, played by Jodie Foster, received a signal from a distant star. That signal contained a mathematical progression to point out it was a beacon - a message. And that seemed to be all. But listening more closely, they discovered a second message, one with pictures and detail. And then that seemed to be all. But there was more to discover. A deeper hidden message contained incredibly detailed plans to build a device that would allow a person to travel further than any human had before.

The theme of that movie can be a metaphor to getting more acquainted with Crossfit. When you first start, it's all about learning the exercises and surviving the WOD. Who here has tried anything in the past that is as challenging as Crossfit? Show of hands please. Few hands are up. My goal in the beginning was to finish, period. If it was a timed session, I rushed through the exercises because I wanted to show more than two rounds when the time was up. A little sloppy form here and there, coasting in to the finish line, that sort of thing. I wince when I recall that but then forgive myself. I was new to this and it takes time to build the discipline to challenge the WOD and make it work for you. So, like Dr. Arroway, I only saw the first objective. Then I started to win some victories that meant a lot to me. Learning the proper form of the clean, being able to do a pullup without jumping, and deadlifting 165% of my bodyweight. I began to see the second, deeper goal. Be strict in the movements, care that you are doing each repetition well and to form. Cheating on the movements is cheating yourself out of the benefits of doing it. If someone was robbing me a little bit everyday of my progress, I would drop a safe on them. So I resolved to be as proper as I could. If that meant less weight and not Rx'ing a workout, then so be it. If I did half as many pushups, but my arms were fully extended then I feel those were vastly more valuable to me than the other. One could say the pushups were Kosher.

This was my focus for today's WOD. At first glimpse, an easy little ditty made up of cleans, pushups and squats. Pshaw. Let's get started! If you did this workout and you are reading this, you may smile at my naiveté. After a great coaching session about the value of quality over quantity, we began our fifteen minutes in hell. Fifteen minutes will seem short when you talk about it with people you work with, but in Crossfit it can be an eternity. My cleans were going well and I devoted my pushups to being properly strict. I used a wall ball to ensure my air squats were regulation depth. I managed three revolutions of the circuit in the first round. The second and third round I was able to add six pushups as well as that. By the fourth round, I was gassed and breathing like the walking wounded. My cleans were still good, but I had to break my pushups into two sets. On the last rep, my chest didn't touch the floor, so I repeated it properly. No pushup left behind. In the final round, I dug deep to make it memorable and cleaned the weight up with a burst of power. I didn't realize at the time that I tore a callous off my thumb and left it bleeding. Intense focus. Pushups again and this time my chest hit the floor on each rep. The air squats seemed like cake after that, except for the fire working it's way up my thighs. I think I'm starting to have fun with the pain. That's just bizarre. The finish was a sweet victory, made even sweeter knowing that I could be proud of each rep. No excuses. No rushing. Just plain Kosher work. Because of what I put into it, I have felt phenomenal all day. Crossfit rewards you tenfold.

5 Rounds
3 - Power cleans 135lb
6 - Pushups
9 - squats
Do this as many x in 3 minutes and then rest 1 minute you just did 1 round

Round 1 - 3 X
Round 2 - 3X + 6 pushups
Round 3 - 3X + 6 pushups
Round 4 - 3X
Round 5 - 3X

The Complex

I play favourites. You know who you are. And when it comes to exercises, the barbell complex is in my top three. It's my second favourite next to the granddaddy of all movements - the squat. But what the complex gives me that the squat doesn't is variety. And in today's WOD, it included both a front squat and a back squat. Have your cake and eat it too, I say. I often wonder what other people's favourite moves are. I know Jill likes the complex too - she's over the moon about it. I relate to that. I'd like to go back this evening and do it all over again. But I think I'll have a zoned Starbucks instead and reflect upon the great session this morning.

The mission is:

5 Rounds
BB Complex
6 - DL-Row - H power clean - F squat - P press - B squat - P jerk (That's 30 of each, if you're counting)

7 am is early. I've been up for a total of 45 minutes when I greet the gym. Fed on four blocks of zoned oatmeal, I'm ready to go. I decide to start light and work my way up. The weak link in the complex is going to be the overhead press. After so many sets my shoulders will be very tired and not able to press overhead what I am capable of deadlifting and squatting. I load on 65lbs but in a cruel twist of fate, I select the 'girl' bar with my two 15's . Meh, heavy is heavy. It's not painted pink. I stand with my back to the mirror. I'm learning a thing or two, you see. While the mirror can be useful, I find it a distraction when I'm focusing on complex movements. I keep catching my eyes and look upward during the clean and squat. That's bad form, so, with my back to the mirror, I start with the deadlift (dead easy), row it, then power clean it (yeah!), descend into the front squat (must remember to put the bar on my shoulders, not strong-arm it), presssssssss it overhead, squat it down (love it) and then jerk it overhead, finally touching the plates to the mat quickly before starting the cycle again.

Oh man, I am loving this. I've got my new lifting shoes on and I'm feeling strong and in control. The weight is right and I'm working hard to get through this. After a few rounds, the presses and jerks are getting difficult. I take great lungfuls of air when I rest between rounds. I think I averaged about two minutes between rounds which is probably a bit quick for strength training but I'm itching to get back at it. You have to make hay when the sun shines.

The last two rounds are very difficult. Pain has arrived and brought friends: lactic acid and oxygen deprivation. They are miserable houseguests. I am working now with a precipice on either side of me. If I go to slowly and rest at key points in the complex, it takes me longer to complete. If I blast through it, I run the risk of exhausting myself on that pace. I pick the middle - a breath catch here and there, but no rest stops until the round is done. Aggression turns to power and that helps a lot. Fuck it. Breath later. Fuck it. Rest later. I look deep into that desire to stop! stop! stop! and I remember the words of Robert Frost. 'The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep'. I redouble my efforts and I close the WOD with a great finish.

Yeah, definitely a top favourite. Look out squat.

65, 65, 75, 85, 95lbs.

A Dark Place

I'm back at my writing desk after a few days taking care of my sick family. I took two work days as well.

I enjoy the freedom of working from home and when I start my next career (writing) it will be from a studio at home. Freedom, baby.

These last couple of days I have been reflecting on the post that Leanna put up about finding the dark place within yourself to go for a PR. Do you ever set records when you are thinking sunshine and lollipops? No, I figured not. It's another kind of feeling that rises up. It's almost like anger mixed with a bit of fear. A surge of adrenaline in your veins as you approach the bar. It sits there, unmoved by your desire. I can feel it in my heart when my fingers wrap around the knurling of the bar, where so many have been before - their stories of victory and defeat has worn the bar a bit smooth. You cannot be anything less than completely committed to the objective. If you have your max weight on the bar and you intend to squat for five, you better fix it in your mind that you will do it. Firm up your body, place your feet properly, take in that deep breath, and then do it. The descent can sometimes be hell because at the very bottom when you are in deep, it takes an effort of strength and will to get that bar to rise up again. And when you do it, the short lived relief gives way to fear again as you know that it's time to do it again. And again. And again. Pushing those feelings down deep and summoning something else that doesn't like the sunlight. The primal instinct is powerful and determined. The instinct will not be denied. Blisters on your hands? Can't feel that. Bar digging into your back? Suck it up. There have been WODs were the thing that got me through was this hostile takeover of my mind and body with these emotions. I am not Iceman when I'm pushing through the wall. I don't feel the cool, emotionless surety of my goal. It's a burning mission to succeed.

Not every WOD is like this. In fact, for a long time I didn't have the capacity to push through with that kind of intensity. When I first started, finishing was enough of a challenge. I certainly wasn't going to make it any harder by attempting personal records. And I have my favourite exercises. I do well with the squat and the deadlift. Pullups are difficult and the box jump sucks the life out of me. I want to write the names of mountains on the boxes - Everest, K2, and Mt. McKinley. I jump as fast as I can like I'm swallowing bad tasting medicine. And I'm not defeated. I swear that I will box jump the 56 inch. I think Coach keeps in locked up in the back, like a tiger that might escape it's cage and hurt someone.

There is so much more to do.

Saturday

21 - 15 - 9
Deadlifts 185lb
Ring dips

As many squats in 2 minutes (level 1- 80) I did 80

Tuesday

1-10 10-1
Deadlift 135lb
Box jump
Pushup

Up the Hill Again

Tuesday's WOD was great metabolic conditioning and I was glad to see the variety. It's the spice of life. I get bored with doing the same things every time and that's the reason why Crossfit is perfect. Each session brings a new mission to train and test the body. I don't peek at the workout before heading to the gym. I like to be surprised. Occasionally I've also been shocked.

7 Rounds
10 - DB split jerks loading use 23% of BW
10 - Box jumps
10 - Ab wheels
1 - Rope climb
10 - Pushups

I started with Ab wheels to be in the middle of the pack and not fighting over the rope when my turn came. I can climb the rope now. I couldn't do it three months ago, nuh uh. Just hung there at the bottom like bait on a hook ... dangling. My upper body strength has improved considerably and I've lost the hitchhiking fat around my middle. Climbing a rope becomes a lot easier when you're not also hauling up the equivalent weight of a dwarf.

The start was strong and I was especially pleased with how well the DB split jerks were coming along. 40lbs was not possible three months ago. Everything is coming along easy for the first few rounds. Then, just past the halfway mark, I started to feel challenged with the box jumps. I'll make a small confession to you, gentle reader ... I hate the box jump. I abhor it. When coach pointed out the 56 inch box and suggested we try a few practice jumps, I literally walked away from it and never looked at it again. It was like a skulking black tower of doom and I wanted no part of it. I was having enough challenges with the little box jump Everest of my own. I had to break it into sets of five for the last three rounds. I think I need more of these met con days because my aerobic endurance isn't doing so well. Hard on the heels of the challenge with the box jumps came the surprising difficulty with the pushups. I am surprised because I don't usually have trouble with these. But my shoulders are so tired after so many split jerks that I am having trouble supporting my weight for ten pushups. I keep pushing it. I am unwilling to relinquish this territory to the enemy. The final two rounds are feeling good. The rope climbs give way to modified climbs because my shoulders are blasted. BLASTED. If they could sing, it would be opera. The shrieking kind with the fat lady wearing the horned Viking hat. An aria of pain, if you will. I love it.

The next workout on Thursday is a welcome change to the gut busters. It's all about practicing the overhead squat. I am totally stoked for two very important reasons. The first is that Crossfit is so diverse that it takes me a long time to learn a movement and the overhead squat, of which I've tried once, is a difficult one to master. Five sets of five reps of practice. Yahoo! The second reason, and arguably the most important is that I get to try my new lifting shoes. I've been jonesing for an opportunity to put my new Do-Win shoes on for some squats. I'm a shoe nerd and this makes me very happy. And let me tell you what a profound difference it makes to feel that support underneath your feet as you are under the weight. I'm so glad I bought them.

I start light with the 35lb bar only. Coach was demonstrating the squat and the most important thing to remember is to have active shoulders. I have to tell you, even with that light bar, when I let my shoulders drop, my form deteriorated and I found myself forward on the balls of my feet, struggling for balance. Bad juju. Active shoulders through the whole movement are key to keeping that weight moving in a straight line. I learn that I have good flexibility in my back with a good curve. My shoulders could use some work as there is a slight stretching pain in them when I do this squat. I put on a little bit more weight and that helps with the balance. The progression is: bar, bar, 55lb, 65lb, 75lb, 75lb, 65lb, 65lb. I did a few extra sets because it was a practice day and I was having fun.

The fun stopped when we went for the L-sit.  These things are frigging hard! I even took off my shoes to drop the weight off my legs. I saw the picture of Michelle doing an L-Sit on Crossfit.com. Jeepers, can I borrow that? I got the first round okay, but the next two were a total gong show. You would think I was tap dancing with how often my toes were touching the matt. I couldn't help it, I just had to take the weight off, even for a second. With much satisfaction, I see everyone else is struggling too. It's mean to feel like that, but I did anyway.

It's a good week for Crossfit and although I'm hitting the wall a lot, I'm enjoying it more and more each day. It's time to renew my membership at the gym and I've made arrangements for another three months. That gives me bite-sized time frames to make something terrific happen. I feel like I'm on the other side of the abyss now, fitter, lighter, happier, and ready to move forward and go for more. That will be my mantra for the next three months - go for more. A bit more weight, a few more reps. an even greater diligence to proper form and perhaps a try at that 56 inch box jump. Shudder. If you'll excuse me, I've got to start climbing this hill again.

So ... what can you Zone?

Turns out, just about anything. Oatmeal of course. Just add some protein powder or slice up some Canadian bacon and you have a great Zone breakfast. Also easy is a quick Zone shake before bedtime. But what about more exotic dishes, say something forbidden? Which leads us to cheesecake. In the ancient world, all roads led to Rome. In our modern one, all diets lead to cheesecake.

I have found a recipe for Zoned Cheesecake. It's not possible, you cry. I don't blame you my spinach eating friend. I didn't believe it either until it was right before me. I've done all the dirty work for you. I have tested this cheesecake to ensure that it tastes like wonderful dessert and not dirt. I have diligently watched my weight to ensure that not only did I NOT gain weight, but continued to lose fat weight as I follow the Zone diet. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you ... Zoned Cheesecake.

3 large egg whites

32 ounces Philadelphia Fat Free* Cream Cheese *important to be fat free

1 cup granulated fructose

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup fat free sour cream

3/4 cup natural full-fat creamy peanut butter

50 grams of pure whey protein powder

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese and fructose until smooth. Add vanilla, sour cream, and peanut butter. Add whey protein powder until well blended. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cheese mixture until well mixed. Pour the mixture into a prepared springform pan. Place the pan in 1 inch of hot water in it on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake the cake at 325 F for 45 minutes on the centre rack. Turn off the oven without opening the door, and let the cake cool for 1 hour. Cool thoroughly before unmolding. The cake can be covered in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for 10 days, or frozen.

Ahem... it makes 20 servings. Measure carefully. ;)

Per slice: 160 calories; Grams = carb-16g, protein-12.5g, fat-5.5g

It’s in the pacing, you see.

I thought it was a misprint. Forty-two rounds it read on the whiteboard. That's FORTY-TWO ROUNDS, people. But it wasn't, and the mission for Saturday was laid out in black and white.

8-Calorie row
10 SDHP 75/55lb
18 sec ring support
15-box jumps
10 wall balls 20/12lb to ten ft target
10 ab wheel rollouts

Each exercise counts as one round, so the WOD was seven rounds of the above. There are days when I walk in ready to spit nails I'm so ready for it. Other days, I have to psych myself into it. Today, I needed all the game I could muster. As I mentioned, I love strength training. However, I need metabolic conditioning. This kind of workout builds my capacity for endurance. It's a work in progress and this kind of WOD takes the piss out of me. Heading into it, I would have picked the box jumps as the toughest part of the round, but in fact, it turned out that the wall balls were the worst. By far. But I'll be kind … the wall ball is sort of fun and on the last rep you can let it drop thudding to the floor. On to the ab wheels, which ARE fun. I like these – I think the motion is interesting. I used to fear these when I first started because it was so hard to bring that wheel back. It just hung out there, enjoying the view while I tried to figure out how to make it come back. It's easier these days. When I'm feeling in fine form, I can stretch out pretty far and then roll it back. I usually position myself so I can roll the wheel to the yellow marks on the matt and then back. I like that little game and it makes me feel like each roll of the wheel meets my criteria for a good effort. I play little games in my head like this. The plan for me is to get the most value out of the rep that I can. Good form, full range of motion, and strong control. I could spend the next year just working on that.

I was exhausted by round five. My ring dips started suffering because of my huffing and puffing for air and I could only hold for mere seconds at a time. I just kept going for the whole 30 seconds, holding and resting. The box jumps are next and I'm glad I have my springy shoes on. I have a funny little double hop when I land and then square up for the next jump. I begrudge it a little bit because it wastes a smidgeon of time between jumps. When you are doing 105 box jumps, these little things become a big waste of time. I'm doing GREAT on the sumo deadlifts. I have a pace going that lets me bang off my set and rest between rounds. In fact, I'm trying to maintain a sustainable pace throughout the whole WOD. In high school, I ran track and field. One of my strong events was distance running. The key to distance running is to pick a good pace and stick to it, so energy reserves hold out until the end. These met con WODs benefit from the same strategy. Pick a pace that isn't too slow and isn't too fast. Too slow and you get little done, too fast and you burn out quickly.

With Coach nipping at my heels every round, I finished round seven and lay on the matt, astounded that a mere 25 minutes can lay me out so completely. I'm always amazed at how effective Crossfit is at pushing my body to the limit. Then I'm equally amazed at what my body and mind is capable of.

I'm glad it wasn't a misprint. I needed this today.

Digging Deep

Sometimes I surprise myself. I have an idea in my head of what I can do and then I go and make it happen. I choose my goals based on what I think I can do. I think I can deadlift 200 lbs and therefore I am able to achieve that. Only, there’s a flaw in the logic there. If I only try what I think I can do, then I’m not stretching myself – I’m not discovering what I really can do. It must be an instinct to protect ourselves from harm. And often it’s a very good thing. It can also hold us back from our potential.

Our mission today included 4 rounds of deadlifts. (3-3-3-3) I love strength training. I know there are many systems in the body that we must train and I’m cool with that, but if you asked me my favourite it would be strength. It pleases the ego but it also builds a fundamentally different experience of living in your body when you know, at a cellular level, that you are strong. You can’t get that out of a bottle.

I started with 135lb to get a feel for the heaviness of the barbell. Not very heavy. The second round we piled on 225lbs and I deadlifted that. Getting better, but I could lift more. I had surpassed my estimate of deadlift ability and now I was in undiscovered country. Coach Clarke talked about how walking up to the bar and being passive would never allow you to lift as much as you could. You need to be feral in your intensity. Grab that bar, own it.

How much could I lift?

A lot more, it turns out. Round three went to 275lbs and I powered through round four at 295lbs. That was one hell of a pull and I think I found the edge of my strength. And I gained a valuable insight. Last time I squatted, I learned to go inside my body and stop looking in the mirror. To that, I can now add moving past imagined boundaries I must be willing to listen to my body and keep on pushing. (Or back off, it that’s the case.) I thought I could deadlift 200lbs. And I was right. What I didn’t know is that I could also deadlift almost 300lbs. Life is a lot like that.


Back Squats
3-3-3-3
135lb, 165lb. 185lb, 205lb

Deadlifts
3-3-3-3
135lb, 225lb, 275lb, 295lb

Ab Roll
12 X 3

Amazing Grace

Helen and Grace. Pretty names, and I dearly wish I could report to you that I experienced that lovely aura when I undertook the WODs with these namesakes. But Helen is tempestuous and demands every ounce of courage you have, and Grace follows up with a flurry of punches to your ego and stamina. I am writing this battered and bruised from my battle with these two ladies.

I met my fellow warriors on Sunday for Helen. Knowing little about her, I assumed the worst. She did not disappoint me. That cheeky wench consists of a 400 metre run, followed by 21 heart-pounding kettlebell swings, and topped off with 12 pull-ups like a cherry on a heart attack. Three rounds of this for time. (I think Sterling should measure that 400 metre run again. Raise your hand if you agree.) I would say the run wasn’t bad but it was enough to suck the gas out of your tank. The kettlebells were the real demon in this routine. Those damn suckers are HEAVY and I found myself thinking "What the hell is this movement for?"

"The ship is sinking! Throw those cannonballs overboard. No, not those ones! The other ones … with the handles!"

Each time I finished a swing, the kettlebell dropped back to earth as I struggled for control. On my last rep, I dropped it and it came crashing to the pavement. I think it left a dent. You will be relieved to hear the kettlebell will be okay. I followed with jumping pullups. I must report that I am still working on the pullup. I find it difficult to chin my bodyweight, although it’s getting easier with the loss of twenty pounds of fat while following the Zone diet. I know that it won’t be long now.

My time was 11:09.

The next day we tackled Grace. This one sounds easy. 30 repetitions of clean and jerk for time. That’s it. Fini.

Oh, how you would be mistaken. 30 repetitions feels like 300 when you’re into the thick of it. I watched each person go with a building sense of dread. I hate waiting for my turn. The butterflies are awful.

Sterling lent me his lifting shoes. If you’ve never tried them, I wholeheartedly recommend them. Standing in those shoes, I felt so sure. That’s the only way I can describe it – a feeling of stability and surety. I loved them.

And so it began. I chose 115 lbs – midway between the Rx men’s and women’s weight. Clean the weight up, a slight bend of knees and then jerk it overhead. Drop to the platform and square up for the next one. I had prepared for this lift by reading in Starting Strength to dip-drive the legs and think about bouncing the weight off the meat of the shoulders and then driving it upwards. But all that went out the window as I got deep into the set. The distant shore of rep 1 faded behind me and I was adrift on the ocean, my eyes keenly searching for Land Ho! on the horizon – the fabled land of 30 reps.

Sterling was right at my ear, counting down the reps, shouting encouragement and tightening the weights when they became loose.

"Ten more pulls!"
"Good expression – I love it!"

He was like a coach at my side, traveling with me through the reps, keeping me confident that I was going to make it. And I did. With one triumphant heave, the last rep of Grace was over my head and I was standing there, victorious. Time: 4:13

And so, what makes a great WOD? Is it the twisted mind of a demented genius crafting ever more difficult routines? Not really. Is it the inner journey we take as we try these feats of strength? Yeah, for sure. And to that I would add the shared experience of doing this with your friends. I feel great when I’m finishing and the group is cheering for me. And what feels even better, is cheering for them when they are deep in the hole, busting their guts to a good finish. Thank you Sterling and Michelle. And you too, DeBoer family. You are awesome. Jeff, I owe you buddy. Jill, we did it!

Fuck you Grace. Tell your sister Helen for me.

Are you a fire breather or a puff of smoke?

You know those multiple-choice quizzes you get in magazines? Well here's the kind of thing I think they should really be asking - here's a gasser little quiz for you - let's see just how much of a dragon you are ;)

Choose the answer that's closest to how you feel. Total up your points at the end of the quiz: (a) = 1 point, (b) = 2 points, (c) = 3 points. Once you have your total, check at the end of the quiz, to see just what a fire breather you are ;) And no cheating! Hope it'll make you smile - and don't forget to leave a comment and let me know how you did ;)

1. How often do you visit Crossfit sites and blogs?
(a) Just every once in a while, they’re bookmarked so why not?
(b) Every week, to catch the new post, I wish people would post more often.
(c) Every day, sometimes two or three times a day, I can't get enough!

2. How often are you so inspired you can’t wait for the next WOD?
(a) Hey, what kind of person do you think I am – a gym rat?
(b) Yah, okay I get kinda worked up about it. Don’t tell anyone.
(c) Every damn time, it’s so exciting.

3. What does your wardrobe contain?
(a) Nice clothes for work, some casual items
(b) Sweats and t-shirts. I like to be able to do an impromptu workout when the mood strikes.
(c) Weight lifting shoes, a weight belt, ClimaLite breathable shirts and shorts. I’m ready for the shit.

4. What would you do if a friend called up inviting you to take a turn in a boxing gym?
(a) Erm, I’d have to check my schedule before accepting. And is it a nice gym or one of those basement dungeons? Ew.
(b) I’d be up for it, maybe a little footwork and some speed bag.
(c) It’s called CROSSFIT! Of course, I’m up for it. I train because I DON’T know what’s going to happen tomorrow.

5. Your friends are coming over and you just started a WOD in your garage … What do you do?
(a) Blow off the WOD and get ready to party!
(b) Do a WOD ‘lite’ and then spend the afternoon socializing. Friends are important.
(c) If they’re friends of mine, they have their gym clothes on and they’re coming to join me! Yeah!

6. I’m looking for someone to be a workout buddy. Would you be up for the job?
(a) Maybe, what’s your schedule like?
(b) I’ll think about it, but I guess I would like to hear about your goals and to see if they mesh with my own. Sounds like it might be fun.
(c) Why are you standing around asking stupid questions? I want FIFTY push-ups! Go! Go! Go! Yeeeaaaaaaah!

7. You have a free night. What would you like to do?
(a) Plunk down on the sofa, put in a great movie and just relax with my sweetie. *sigh*
(b) Grab my sweetie (heh) and take a long walk.
(c) Meet sweetie in the garage gym and work on our muscle-ups.

8. If you went shopping, what would you buy?
(a) Shoes, either sensible or silver. Oh heck, buy them both.
(b) New clothes for my new fit body.
(c) Zone friendly groceries, more protein powder and some fish oil. And the new clothes.

9. What’s a pood?
(a) That thing I put my music on so I can sweat it out to the oldies. You know, iPood.
(b) Um, that’s an impolite question.
(c) The Russian measure used for kettlebells; common ones: 1 pood =36 lbs;

10. You’re planning a picnic and a terrific lunch. What are you bringing?
(a) I prefer take out – something deep fried and salty. And a cold fizzy drink to wash it down. *sigh*
(b) A nice salad, a few pickles maybe. You know … healthy food.
(c) A ‘zoned’ lunch of Chef’s Salad - turkey breast, egg whites, lettuce, avocado and lean ham. Delish! And following that, K2E rounds from the branch in a nearby tree.

Okay... total up the points:

10-14 points: You’re light hearted and a bit of a romantic. Just for reference, the dumbbells are the blobby things in the gym that weigh a lot. No, not the exercise balls.
15-19 points: You like a little tough workout now and then, but you’re a little bit shy of giving it your ‘all’. It’ll take you three WODS to get your first blister.
20-25 points: You’re clearly a warrior. Pick up the other end of that barbell and let’s squat clean this mutha. ;)
26-30 points: You are a fire-breathing dragon! For breakfast, you sprinkle ground up barbells on your steel-cut oats. Your hands have so many calluses and blisters you take pictures of them. You rock.

What's in my Gym Bag?

What's in yours?