Fourth Place for the Warrior Princesses
What an incredible weekend! I absolutely had a blast both days, and I can genuinely say I have found my athletic calling in life. I am tired but extremely proud of both myself and my box today.
The Warrior Princesses placed 4th of our 24 teams in the Scaled Women’s division yesterday, and we missed the podium by two points. TWO POINTS! Our team rocked it out, and we all had a great time.
Our first WOD was comprised of individual events that all summed to the total score for our team. Meredith did 4:00 of wall balls (you go girl), Bri did 4:00 of thrusters with 45#, Jill did a 1.6 mile run, and I did 4:00 of double unders (jump roping with the rope passing twice under your feet on each jump). I have just recently gotten comfortable with double unders, so it was a challenge for me.
We all did a great job—Meredith and Bri killed their events, and I got 144 DUs in 4:00. I cannot tell you how toasted your shoulders get while doing 4:00 of these things—holy cow! My highest streak was 35—a PR for me up to this point. Jill also did a great job with the run, and I believe we were ranked 5th coming out of the event.
Our second WOD was a couple of hours later, and it was a 10:00 doozie. Jill and I had to pull each other across a basketball court using a rope, and Bri and Meredith had to alternate holding a 155# deadlift and doing hand-release pushups. There was so much confusion and strategy around this WOD that we went in with a little frustration. We ended up getting 8 rope pulls plus over 200 pushups—a great effort on our part. This ranked us somewhere near 6th place going into the final WOD.
The third WOD was an hour or so later, and it was definitely an all out gut check for us. It was a 20:00 AMRAP relay—one person did 15 deadlifts with 95#, 15 box jumps, and 15 burpees then tagged the next girl. I ended up going three times within the 20:00, and my quads were on FIRE! We got in 10 rounds plus the deadlifts, boxjumps, and 13 burpees.
Through all three WODs, we placed 4th in the competition! We were hoping for 3rd, but I am definitely pleased with our effort. Our other teams did a great job as well, and everyone had a fantastic day at the Garage Games One.
DEFINITELY a rest day today—these sore muscles need a break! See y’all tomorrow 
Taking SECOND at the Garage Games Individual
Holy cow–I placed SECOND in my individual division at the Garage Games!
This is the biggest tournament in the SouthEast for CrossFit, and there were tons of people there competing and spectating. The event was hopping, music blaring, and sweat pouring. My goal going in was to place in the top 10 of the 47 scaled women who were competing. In my mind, that would be a win, and I would walk away satisfied with my effort. I NEVER thought I would have placed second–what a thrill ride!
Matt and I arrived at the venue around 8a, checked in, walked around the expo, and found a spot to camp out for the day. Two other men from our box were competing today also, so we all sat together to watch and share advice with each other. There were three WODs for the day, and each of us had them in a different order–worked well for giving tips to succeed in each event!
WOD 1
My first WOD was the easiest of the three for the day. It was a combination of the Bear Complex and a trail run. For my division, you could set the weight and rep scheme however you wanted to total 650# for the Bear, so I chose to do 65# ten times. After this, there was a trail run for 1.6 miles. Your score was your time that you returned from the trail run.
It was freezing outside, and my heat started around 10:45 or so. Despite the cold, I flew through the Bear Complex unbroken and took off into the trail. I paced myself somewhat on the way down, and I hauled butt on the way back. The run was definitely NOT 1.6 miles (more like two miles and change), but I did well. I finished in 20:14 for the WOD, and that was good enough to place 10th in my division. It wasn’t a great start, but I was still within reach of the top girls in my division.
WOD 2
My second WOD was by far the worst of the day. It was an AMRAP in 10 minutes of 10 pull-ups, 15 burpees with a box over carrying a 20# sandbag, and a 100m lunge with the 20# sandbag.
My heat started within 30 minutes of finishing the run, so I was still fairly warm from running. This WOD was awful–I was sucking wind the whole time, and my legs were burning on the lunges. The pull-ups went really well for me, and the burpees just sucked all around. In the 10:00, I finshed 3 rounds plus 10 pull-ups–good enough for 6th place in my heat.
At this point, I was tied for 6th place in my division, and I was within striking distance of 3rd place overall. I knew I had to bust my butt on the third WOD to place on the podium, and, being so close to 3rd, I was determined to do it.
WOD 3
After about a two hour break, my final WOD was up. It was another AMRAP in 8 minutes of snatches, pistols, and single under jump rope. Again, you could choose your weight and rep scheme on the snatches to total 650# each round, so I did 65# ten times. I then had 10 pistols and 50 jump ropes each round.
I was in the last scaled women’s heat, so I was able to watch the competitors before me complete their WOD. Most were getting three rounds and change, but the elite in my group were finishing four rounds and getting additional snatches before the buzzer sounded. I was DETERMINED that I would get through all the snatches of the fifth round–that was the only way I could place high and possibly jump people on the leader board.
Holy COW yall–I got in a zone on this WOD and never looked back. The snatches got heavy quick, but I kept my pace and worked my way through each round. The pistols and jump rope served as breaks for me, and I completed both with no problem. I had lots of people from our box cheering me on right behind me, and Matt was in my ear the entire time pushing me to do each snatch. I was able to complete four full rounds plus 10 snatches and 1 pistol before time ran out. I was GASSED afterward!!!
Our group was anxiously looking at the leader board, and I ended up getting 2nd place in the WOD by two pistols–heck yea! I jumped five girls on the leader board and PLACED SECOND IN MY DIVISION OVERALL!!!
We watched the RX Men’s and Women’s finals after all WODs were finished for the day, and I definitely have my work cut out for me over the next year. My gymnastics skills are my biggest flaw right now, and I will work to improve those so I can compete RX from now on.
I got to participate in the podium announcement for winners, and then we headed home. What a day! Not only did I place better than I ever expected, but I had an absolute BLAST.
Now, it’s time for the team competition. Jill, Meredith, Bri, and I hope to place just as well today. Stay tuned for the news
Garage Games Preview
Quick post today, but definitely an exciting one! I am competing in the Garage Games this weekend in Suwannee, GA, and I am doing both the individual and team competitions. It is bound to be a grueling but fun weekend.
Today, my workout was light in preparation for this weekend. I did 3 rounds (not timed) of the following:
5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
200 meter jog
It got my blood flowing, heart pumping, and muscles loose for this weekend. Good stuff!
Tomorrow, I am competing as individual, and my day is comprised of three different WODs:
10:15a—Bear Complex and Trail Run. I will complete 7 Bear Complexes (Power clean, front squat, push press, back squat, back press) at 95 lbs, and then I will run a 1.6 mile trail run. My score is the time that I finish the trail run.
11:30—Burpee WOD. I will do a 10 pull-up “buy-in”, then I will do a 10 min AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of burpee box jumps with a sandbag and lunges with the sandbag.
2:10—Snatch and Double Under WOD. This is a 10 min AMRAP of 10 snatches at 65 lbs, 40 squats, and 25 double unders.
I feel very good going into tomorrow, so hopefully I will place well among my competitors!
Sunday, I am competing with a team—the Warrior Princesses!
Again, we have three WODs for the day, and my parts of the WODs are:
11:00—4 minutes of Double Unders…oh man, that’s a loooong four minutes.
1:30—20 minute relay. One person will sprint down a basketball court, do 15 deadlifts with 95 lbs, 15 box jumps, 15 burpees, sprint back and tag the next person. We will continue to take turns to see how many rounds we can get in within the 20 minute time cap.
4:00—15 min WOD. I will be working with one team member to trade off holding a 135 lb deadlift bar off the ground and doing hand-release push ups.
A BIG weekend, huh? I am pumped, and I cannot wait to report back with the results. I will post updates on FaceBook, so check me out there, and I will blog on Saturday and Sunday with the final review. Wish me luck!
CrossFit with My Love
Happy Valentines Day!
In the spirit of the holiday, I thought I would tell you the top five reasons I love CrossFitting with my oh-so-handsome hubby:
1. I love to watch him “pick things up and put them DOWN”
If you know my husband, he can lift a LOT of weight. I absolutely love watching him throw around weight like it is nothing—makes me both proud and a little jealous
2. He encourages me to achieve things I didn’t think I could do
Matt is my number one fan, and I am able to push just a little bit harder because he is in my face yelling for me to get that weight up. He knows exactly how to motivate me, and it is a HUGE boost to know he is in my corner.
3. He is a great partner for WODS
I mean, come on—who wouldn’t want to partner with someone who can handle the prowler by himself and knock out the weightlifting components without even breaking a sweat.
4. He competes with me ALL THE TIME
Yes—we just may be the most competitive couple in our gym. We compare times, weights, tips, and a technique like it’s our jobs. Our house is always full of CrossFit talks, we have the CrossFit games on our UVerse to watch anytime, and we look at YouTube videos all the time. Yes—we have a slight obsession…..just SLIGHT.
5. We share each other’s successes
We support and cheerlead for each other every day, and we both get pumped for each PR or great WOD time that we achieve. It means the world to me that I have someone to share my wins with and pick me up from my bad days. We have such a tight bond with each other, and CrossFit is something we share and enjoy each and every day.
I love you Matt!
For today’s workout, we had a combination of weightlifting and a heavy met-con WOD. We started with a 3×5 of Front Squats, and I stayed light at 125 lbs for all three sets. For the WOD, I worked with one of the top guys in our gym, and we partnered very well together. The WOD was shared equally between us, and it looked like this:
For Time:
30 Ground-to-Overhead 135lb/85lb
50 Hand Release Push-Ups
40 Kettlebell Swings 70lb/53lb
40 wall balls 20lb/14lb
50 Toes-to-Bar
200m prowler push 90lb/50lb
The first part of the WOD was not bad at all—we sped through each exercise, worked together seamlessly, threw on our jackets, and headed outside to push the prowler (side note—the prowler is the bane of my existence…..I can’t get through a prowler set without yelling a few expletives each time…..I’m not proud of it, but it’s the truth). We pushed the 90 lb prowler together, taking breaks every 50m or so. After what seemed like an eternity, we finished the WOD in 13:35.
Hope you all have a great day—go love on your significant other or love on yourself!
CrossFit Life Lessons
I started CrossFitting in July, so I am still relatively new at the sport. I have embraced it 110%, and I know that this is where I am meant to be. I am addicted to the highs that CrossFit gives me, I love the gains I see in my performance, and I like watching my body change for the better.
It has been seven months, and, already, I have learned a lot about myself in the process:
1. Competition is good for the soul.
It is no surprise to anyone that I am a competitive person by nature. I always want to be the best I can be, and I have a burning desire to excel—it is just engrained in me. I was like that in school, softball….everything. After college, I lost a little of that competitive magic and had no outlet to get it back. Normal gyms are great, but you can easily get caught up in the monotony. CrossFit has brought me back to life. It makes me excited and giddy to wake up each morning and workout, and I get butterflies every time the 3-2-1 buzzer sounds.
2. Beauty is NOT in the eye of the beholder—it is in your own eyes.
So much is said on the internet and in the media about the definition of beauty. Some define it as skinny, svelte bodies like the Victoria Secret models flaunt down the runway. Others define it as being perfectly made up—make up caked on, heels meticulously matched to your outfit. I have come to realize that neither of these is true. To me, muscles are beautiful, strength is beautiful, and confidence in your passion is beautiful. I feel the prettiest with no make-up on, rocking through a workout, and dancing to the music blaring in the gym (if you know me, you know I can’t resist). Beauty is what you make of it, and no one should ever make you feel otherwise.
3. Numbers do not tell the whole story.
Weight is a controversial issue in today’s society. Everything is dictated by the number that pops up on that machine, and that number has the power to affect your mood and outlook for the entire day. I agree that weight should be monitored and used to improve your overall health. With me, the number does not tell the whole story. Everyone knows that muscle weights more than fat, and this definitely affects that number. I try not to let that number on the scale dictate how I feel about myself—my appearance, how my clothes fit, and the numbers I put up in the gym matter so much more. Is this always easy?—heck no, but I try to keep it in mind each time I step on the scale.
4. Leaning on others only makes your stronger.
I am an independent person by nature, and my personality tends to be more introverted most of the time. Before CrossFit, I was a “back-off” athlete in the gym. I sent all the signals—headphones in, don’t make eye contact, get my workout done, and get the heck out. CrossFit has opened my eyes to the benefit of working with others. I love the community feel of Warrior Pride Fitness, and I value greatly the friendships that I have made already. I know I am a better competitor when I am WOD-ing with others, and they push me to finish as much as I push them. It is an awesome dynamic to be a part of, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
5. Nothing is out of reach if you are willing to work for it.
My goal in the next year is to make it to the CrossFit South East Regional tournament. I have a long way to go, but I truly believe I can do it. It will take a lot of time, work, discipline, and determination, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to get there. Belief in yourself is half the battle, and I hope the rest comes with time.
Like I said, I am still new at CrossFit, but I have fallen in love with the sport. I hope to keep growing both physically and mentally and be dangerous by the time the CrossFit Open rolls around in 2014. This year is for learning, but next year is serious, baby!
Yesterday’s morning workout was strict weightlifting, and I had a PR (Personal record)! We did a Clean and Jerk progression, and I worked my way up to 143 lbs for one rep—a 20 pound PR for my jerk. I struggled to get it up, but heck yea—I locked that bar out!
Last night was a good little cardio workout in preparation for this weekend’s Garage Games:
3 Rounds for Time:
100m sprint
20 deadlifts with 95lbs
100m sprint
15 box step ups
100m spring
10 burpees
I finished in 11:30 and called it a night.
Off day today—ran a bit on the treadmill this morning and foam rolled my sore spots.
Hope your Wednesday is a great one!
Pumpkin Waffles and Thrusters
Merry Monday to everyone!
I thought I would start off this week by sharing one of my all-time favorite recipes with you. I am a creature of habit when it comes to food, and I make this almost every morning after I get home from WPF. It doesn’t take long to make, it is full of good carbs/fats/protein, and it tastes awesome!
FitWhit Pumpkin Waffles
2 eggs
1/3 cup egg whites
½ cup canned pumpkin (or canned butternut squash, sweet potato, etc)
1 banana, mashed
2 tbsp almond butter (I use Maranantha or Justins)
Cinnamon, to taste
- Heat up your waffle iron—this is definitely of my favorite appliances!
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed.
- Spray your waffle iron with nonstick spray, and spread the mixture evenly in the waffle iron. Close the lid, and let it do its magic.
- When the timer goes off, the waffle should come right up off the iron, and throw that thing on a plate. Top with almond butter, maple syrup, or condiment of your choice. Enjoy!
I am telling you—I LOVE this breakfast. It is the perfect combination of sweet and savory, and it keeps me full until lunch. Plus, who doesn’t love an easy clean-up?
Statistically, this is a great choice for breakfast as well. It clocks in 524 calories, 27 grams of fat, 49 grams of carbs, and a whopping 30 grams of protein. This is right around the .4 Carb/.3 Fat/.3 Proteins that I aim for each day. It may seem high calorically for breakfast, but, right after a tough workout, this is a great recovery meal, and it sets me up for success for the day. I would rather eat a higher calorie meal than resort to snacking all day.
In the WOD world for the day, this morning was a blast!
4 Rounds for Time
20 thrusters, 75/45
20 sit-ups
Seem easy?—think again! This workout was physical AND mental. I had to fight the urge to drop the bar during the thrusters, mentally focus on keeping the same pace throughout, and fight fatigue the whole time. I ended up finishing the workout unbroken in 5:15. I was definitely gassed afterwards!
Hope your workout was a great one today—get your sweat on!
75 Minutes of Hell
Bikram yoga…..105 degree room, 75 minutes, one towel…enough said.
I have always wanted to try my hand at Bikram Yoga, but there aren’t any studios near our house. Also, 75 minutes is a lot of time to devote to yoga (especially with my short attention span for anything other than running and CrossFit), and I have never had that much free time. Matt is pretty grounded at our house right now with his surgery recovery, so I ventured out to Midtown to finally take a class.
Bikram Yoga is a type of yoga that uses a sequence of 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises, and it is practiced in a room that is 105 degrees and 40% humidity (we live in Georgia people, it was way higher than 40% in that little room). Bikram has a devoted following just like CrossFit, and there were many die hards in my class.
I showed up to Be Hot Yoga at 12:30p, stripped off all my clothes to the bare minimum, and walked into what felt like Hell. After setting up my yoga mat, my beach towel, my sweat towel, and my already sweating self, I was ready to go.
I have to tell you….this was the hardest group fitness class I have ever attended. Between the sheer difficulty of being in that heat and the huge demand of holding the yoga poses for minutes at a time, I was exhausted about half way into the 75 minute session. I am definitely not the most flexible person, so balancing on a locked leg and holding uncomfortable stretches was definitely a challenge. By the end of the class, I was soaking wet (that sports bra is dripping, trust me), exhausted, and limber like nobody’s business.
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was $17 for the 75 minute session, so it was a pretty good deal. I have A.D.D. when it comes to yoga, but it felt great to loosen up my sore muscles and get a really HOT stretch in on a Sunday afternoon.
Now I am off to eat some dinner, enjoy the rain on the windows, and watch the Grammys. Enjoy your night!
The “300″
Today’s workout was a blast. I did a WOD with the owner of my CrossFit Box, Warrior Pride Fitness, and I was definitely left panting on the floor. That is when you KNOW you have gotten a good workout. We did the “300″–the workout that each gladiator used to train for the “300″ movie. It is a classic benchmark WOD, and I was pumped to see how I fared.
The workout details are as follows:
25 pullups
50 deadlifts with 95 lbs
50 pushups
50 box jumps on a 20″ box
50 floor wipers with 95 lbs (50 each side)
50 one-arm Kettlebell Clean and Press (25 each arm)
25 pullups
What a BLAST! I Rx-ed the workout (aka. did the prescribed weight above) and finished in 19:58. I finished off the day with a mile run and some rowing. Now THAT is what I call a great Saturday morning!
Matt and I took it easy for the rest of the day. We saw Argo and continued to plow through our 5th and final season of Breaking Bad (shedding a tear as I type). It is absolutely the best show I have ever seen–go rent it NOW!!!
Quick post today, but I promise more posts and EXCITING details to come. I want to start posting workouts here for friends and family to use, and I will begin to use this blog as a journal for my own workouts. I will also share my nutrition ideas, eating habits, and healthy tips in the days to come. And I would love to hear from you!–please feel free to comment on what you would like to see, things you would like to know, and just random thoughts you want to share
Hope you enjoy, and I will see you soon!
