05.28.09 ANGIE, ET. AL.

Today we did Angie.
100 Pull Ups
100 Push Ups
100 Sit Ups
100 Squats

My goal, I admit, was to beat Donna! Donna is an amazing competitor. At 54, she constantly wows me with how tough, strong, fast and able to bear pain she is. She inspires me. She beats me at pretty much everything. One of my goals for quite some time has been to beat her at something, fair and square.

Today, I did it! I beat her at Angie with a time of 26:00.

It's good to have someone just better than you, as it gives you something to reach for!

All I can say, is I'm glad she's on my team for the Mud Run, b/c this woman kicks ass.

Thanks, Donna, for the inspiration. I'll bask in the glory for a little while, b/c knowing you, you are plotting your revenge to beat me back! ;)

Mt. Wilson Trail Musings

Well all right, I did it! I ran the Mt. Wilson Trail in 1:38:41. I was 11th in my age group, the 27th woman, and 118th overall. I'll take it.

But today as I got home, wrote the above data on my bib and pinned it to my ever growing "wall of bibs" I had to stop and think for a minute. "Wow."

All I can think is "wow". Not even one short year ago, I was smoking a pack a day, and although I considered myself a runner, I had never entered a race. Now I've run 9 races...usually finishing at least in the top third.

I am so grateful. The universe brings people to you when you are ready. Fate smiled on me that lucky day that my roommate, Lisa brought me to my first CrossFit class.

So much has happened since then. A 35lb kettlebell, once terrifying, is now doable. And although wall balls still push me to my limits, I know I can do them. I am no longer the last one in the class to finish when the WOD calls for them.

All of my max loads in weightlifting have increased tremendously. I know what the Burgener Warmup is.

I am interning at TCA, and am coaching a small group of bootcampers in Sunland with the full knowledge, help and blessings of Coaches LeClair and Ortiz.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to give back freely what was so freely given to me--and I thank the universe for my good fortune to have such amazing people leading my way.

I am changing the lives of others. I've already lifted someone up from the depths of depression hell.

My confidence is tenfold.

I am no longer afraid of CrossFit. Even the hardest workout, I know I can get through, or at least make my best attempt at doing it to standard. In other words, I am tough now. I am strong. I am willing. I fight.

I know I will suffer. I know it will be hard as hell. I am okay with that now.

For me, Team CrossFit Academy is a miracle.

I am grateful for that.

Wins out the Yin Yang

I did Franken Helen today.

Franken Helen is a combo of Fran (65 lb squat thrusters and pullups in sets of 21, 15 and 9) and Helen (150 20 lb wallballs to the 10'mark. For this workout we did 150 16 lb wallballs to the 8' mark in 3 sets of 50).

About 4 months ago, Fran alone with a 45 lb bar and jumping pullups took me 22 minutes. I had nightmares for weeks afterwards from that experience. It scared me to death!

Today I did both in 28:40, and I did the pull ups and squat thrusters to STANDARD.

Heck yeah!!!!

This is so cool.

I also did 5/3 dips yesterday with a 5 lb weight strapped to me. Unbelievable. I couldn't even do 1 standard dip not 4 months ago.

I did 3 dead hang pullups in a row. I did one max deadhang pullup with 10 lbs strapped to me. Just a few months back, even a 2.5 lb weight was IMPOSSIBLE.

CrossFit is the ultimate sense of accomplishment! I am telling you right now, I will be doing this when I'm 80 and blowing away 20 year olds.