tremendous MOXIE for her size…

These are the workouts I’ll be competing in tomorrow. Should be pretty awesome. I haven’t be doing anything special to prepare except relying on the top notch programming of my coach and a bit of watching my diet.

My priorities for tomorrow:
1. Have fun
2. Smile while working out
3. PR at least once

My hope:
1. Top 10 finish (there are only 27 women, so this may be a task. I don’t know.)

WOD #1
“The Laundromat”

For time:
35 Box Jumps (Males – 24″, Females – 20″)
Pull-ups (Males – 25 CTB Pull-ups, Females – 25 Pull-ups)
20 Ground-to-Overheads (Males – 95lbs, Females – 65lbs)
15 Forward Rolls
20 Ground-to-Overheads (Males – 95lbs, Females – 65lbs)
Pull-ups (Males – 25 CTB Pull-ups, Females – 25 Pull-ups)
35 Box Jumps (Males – 24″, Females – 20″)

WOD #2
“The Triple Crown”

PART A:
Athlete has 8 minutes to establish a 7-Rep Max Front Squat

* If the athlete gets the weight locked out overhead after their 7th Rep (no thrusters), 20lbs/15lbs will be added to that score for men/women respectively.

**If the bar drops to the ground at any point, the athlete must find a way by him or herself (either by stripping off the weight or by cleaning the bar) to get it back onto the racks if they wish to go for another attempt.

Rest 2 Minutes (walk to start of Part B)

PART B:
In 5 Minutes:
Run 600m, then
AMRAP Burpees

*Athlete will be scored by how many burpees they complete within the time frame.

**Burpees will be done with a lateral jump over a parallette.

Rest 4 minutes (get set up for Part C)

PART C:
In 90 Seconds:
(RAMMAP) Row As Many Meters As Possible

* Athletes may use whatever damper setting/footpad setting as desired.

I get asked a lot about Crossfit. I have no problem sharing my passion for the program and talking about why it’s so great for everyone. Then comes the question about money. How much does it cost? I really want to say, “It costs you your life.” I know that probably wouldn’t go over well, but it’s true.

I’ve talked to a lot of people about fitness and nutrition and something NEVER changes from conversation to conversation, most people want the quick (cheap) fix. They want the $5 walk in the park or the $25 a month LA Fitness membership. Ok, fine. But are you DOING it? I only know of about 2 people who do fitness on the cheap (meaning at home, in the garage or in the park) and actually have a program they are committed to. But even then, there are classes or books, which are not cheap at all. It’s NEVER free.

I noticed a new fitness business in my city and it looks pretty simple. They meet in the park and you bring your mat. No fancy equipment or buildings, but they are still charging $150 a month. Why? Fitness is not just about offering a space or a dumbbell.

Fitness is offering a community and results because it offers something people WANT to keep doing. If your program is offering you results, by all means keep doing it. If your program consists of a mile run every 3 weeks. I can guarantee the only results you are getting is 3 days of soreness after that run.

What about medications? Americans spent $12.7 billion on diabetes medications in 2007 and that was doubled from 2001. Mid range blood pressure pills cost about $40 per month, then figure in the cost of heart disease brought on by high blood pressure or other illnesses related to it. If we are merely attaching a price tag to our health, we need to be thinking a lot harder about what we are sacrificing. Eventually it’s not just monetary. Sure, there are doctor bills, caregivers, insurance costs but what happens if you end up hospitalized, debilitated or even dead? Family and friends left to give round the clock care or mourn us. That’s a cost I’m not willing to pay.

I know that my only guarantee in life is for today. I have no idea what tomorrow brings or if I’ll even be there to see if. I do know that today, I’m going to do whatever I can to make tomorrow the best day yet.

I’m gonna pay now in order to live later. How about you?

“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” GK Chesterton

From Blogger Pictures

I’ve been practicing looking up. I’m looking up on a daily basis. Not the research, wikipedia kind, although I do love looking stuff up. I remember poring over the World Book Encyclopedia’s regularly to learn stuff. It totally was NOT to find things my parents wouldn’t tell me about.

Anyway, I’m looking up.

When I’m bummed.

When I’m doing push ups.

When I run.

When I need inspiration.

There are so many times when I feel deflated and want to take a posture of defeat. I’ve begun to realize that by taking that posture, I’m accepting less than what I can achieve or what’s promised to me. Do you do this? I’ve been practicing that, when I get to a point of something difficult or disappointing, I look up. Maybe not physically always, but pushing my heart and mind to stay in the positive and look forward to what may come. Hope for the future.

Many people fear change. Not me. I hope for it. In my mind, when things stay the same for too long, they become stagnant. No growth. I’ve learned that discomfort makes me stronger. I actually am a little freaked out by people who don’t move or explore.

I’m not sure where I’m headed with this, I just know that people who look up and want more, are the people I want to know. Are you one of them?

This is late. Way late. I would rather do a good job and be late, I guess.

My biggest boy “graduated” from 8th grade. It sticks in my throat a bit to use the word graduation anywhere other than from high school. I truly cannot stand Kindergarten graduations and 8th grade seems a little contrived as well. Really, it feels as though we are continually patting kids on the back for nothing. “Hey look, good job…you’ve still got 12 years of required schooling left. You completed ONE!” I do think Kindergarten is a big deal. A lot is learned when you are 5, but to put caps and gowns on? Kind of like my whole Disneyland issue. There is no excitement left for the future. But I digress. My son was promoted to high school.

The last few weeks leading up to that day were fairly emotional for me, privately. I remember this:

and this…

Wow, do I remember that!
So, it’s really strange and moving to see them put on a shirt and tie, grab their guitar to play a song for the ceremony and give a speech.

Even though all the pomp and circumstance was there,

Ok,not a lot of pomp, but we did celebrate not only the completion of one chapter, but the stepping into a new chapter. This is the part where he begins to move into that pre-adult stage. We see cars and girls on the horizon and jobs and decisions. We can only pray that we have equipped him to make wise choices and to be a man of integrity as he moves forward.

Don’t get me wrong. Our parenting is not done. We have many years of input left, but for me this becomes the time where we see if these last 13 foundational years have taken hold. I don’t doubt he’ll hit a few bumps a long the way after all, this is what happens. I’m excited to see how he handles those bumps. I just hope he knows that we will always be here to see him through to the other side and if he falls, that’s ok, too.

My dear Christian, I’m so blessed to be your mom and becoming your friend. I’m anticipating what the future holds for you, but happy to take that one day at a time. I love you.

Yep.

I did it.

I just hopped up there, made sure no one was looking. Ya know, too much pressure. Davis saw, though. He can confirm the truth of the matter.

I completed 3 strict pull ups! Amazing what some focused, concentrated training can do.

Now what? Handstand push ups? Muscle up? Hmmm…