How Sweet it is to be a part of a TEAM

Sunday's Mud Run was fantastic.

Here I was lucky enough to have been invited to be amongst some of the most bad-ass women currently at TCFA--Donna, Kellie, Corlyn and Rose.

These ladies are always at or near the top of the heap at 6am. Sunday put us to an excellent test.

We opted for a slow and steady pace out of the gate, and we kept that up the entire race. We pushed when we needed to (especially up the hills), and we rested when the going got rough.

Some women were faster than others. Some were slower. It didn't matter.

What mattered is that we stayed together as a team and finished as one too.

Running in boots and utility pants is a great challenge, as when wet, they add about 8 additional pounds of weight.

We took on the challenge and flew, landing ourselves a first place medal for our efforts.

Very well done, Team Red 6 Militia! It was great racing with you!

Hell Yeah, I'm Proud of Myself!!!

I raced twice this weekend at Camp Pendleton's World Famous Mud Run.

Sunday was a team run, which was a blast. It felt excellent to earn a medal for our efforts.

But I have to say, my biggest source of pride was from my performance on Saturday's run.

I placed 8th in my age group of 40-44 at 1:01:23, but here's the coolest part of all.

Only 25 women TOTAL in the whole race that day (singles) beat me. That's it.

I beat all women in the 25-29 category except 8.
I beat all women in the 30-34 category except 3.
I beat all women in the 35-39 category except 2 and I tied a third.
I beat all but 7 women in my 40-44 category.
I beat all but 2 women in the 45-49 category.
I beat all but 2 women in the 50-54 category.

Honestly, this race is my proudest moment in competition to date. I worked my ass off! I pushed myself as hard as I could go, but kept a pace I knew I could sustain.

If I had it all to do over again, I'd pack myself into the front of the starting line, as looking back, I am convinced that's what kept me from getting a medal. That is a hard lesson to learn. It was my own damned fault that I waited around wondering where everyone went rather than getting my ass to the starting line.

I should've been more aggressive once I got there to make sure I was at the front.
That's okay. It sure as hell won't happen again.

But I'll tell you what, out of 3075 runners, I came in 224. And only 25 women beat me.

That is FREAKING stellar!!!!!!

There is no greater sense of accomplishment in my book that what I get from Team CrossFit Academy and my training.

Damn, I love winning!

Cool Factor of 8

Hey! I just PR'ed on Clean and Jerk. I can now do 95lbs!!!

I really almost cannot believe it.

The first time I walked into an O-lift class, I felt so overwhelmed, awe struck, intimidated....

Seeing Katie lift weights amazed me. (It still does!)

It seemed like I'd NEVER learn the difference between a Clean or a Jerk or a Snatch, much less actually be able to DO one.

Well, I now can.

They're not perfect. No, they're far from it.

But I'm getting there. Slowly but surely, I getting there.

Building Muscle and Character

The other day I was putting on my shirt, and I noticed an "egg" where my biceps used to be.

Holy freaking cow! I've got an actual bulging bicep! Pretty freaking exciting when you consider I had virtually no upper body strength a year ago.

It was cool today to be able to do 5 deadhang pullups while newbie men could barely do one. It reminded me of being new and wondering if you'll ever "get there".

Amazing.

On another note, I'm really digging coaching. It is incredibly challenging to help people (especially women) overcome their lack of belief in themselves and what they are capable of and turn them into fierce warriors. It is quite a process that requires a great deal of patience, genuine caring, follow through and some serious toughness.

It is really pushing me forward as an individual.

People have so many reasons why they (or someone else, usually their doctor) have convinced them that they "can't". It is my job to disagree with these assessments and help them realize what they've been told is WRONG!

But I'll tell you what, watching the light come on when someone regains mobility in legs that hadn't run in years or watching someone do their first pushup from the toes or kipping pullup is quite an amazing reward.

Sometimes it's hard not to get frustrated when you're faced over and over again with the same considerations from folks--mainly that they're too old, overweight, fragile, weak, have this or that "bad" bone or muscle, et. al.

It sure is a character builder.

I only hope I can honor my clients with coaching that inspires them as I have been inspired. If my end of the first 6-week assessments are an indicator, I may be doing a thing or two right.

I think as long as I remember that that is what I am there for, I think I'll be fine.

It's hard to be a hard ass sometimes. However, it's a hell of a lot better to have a client be momentarily mad at me than it is to continue to allow them to be weak by not pushing them further than they think they can go.

And this is the tightrope I am learning to walk....

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.