Missed Crossfit . . .

Well, it has been a heck of a month.  My Grandpa passed away from stomach cancer close to the end of October.  It was absolutely horrible watching him basically starve to death.  A fate that I would never wish on anyone.  If there is a plus side, it is knowing that he is at peace.  It was nice, under the circumstances, to see my two nieces that live out of state.  I always enjoy spending time with them.  It's like they are different extensions of me.  Well, actually my brother, whom they really never knew.  Funny how that happens.  How personality traits can be passed on through blood.  His two girls are very much like him.  Wish they could have know him.

Sorry for the sidetracking . . . I found out on the day that we buried Grandpa that I would be going into surgery in a few short days.  Still trying to fix my throat issue, I had Nissen fundiplication surgery almost two weeks ago.  Basically, the Dr. took the top part of my stomach and wrapped it around the fundus (lower part of esophagus), tightening the opening into my stomach so acid and such is not able to come back up.  It is laparoscopic surgery and I have six new scars to prove it!  I am still recovering.  The baby food diet sucked and I am transitioning into real food again.  The other night we were eating scrambled eggs and french toast.  Not thinking, I took a normal size bite.  Stupid!!!  It basically got stuck on the way down and hurt like a MF'er.  Took a good minute before I could recover.  Word to the wise-small bites and chew a lot.  My middle son was so cute and told me that he would write that down on a post-it for me so I always remember.  It will take a bit to build my energy back up and I think that I might be ok with keeping off some of the weight that I lost.  Need to get back at CF and build more muscle.  Not sure how my schedule will work out with CF yet and my new job.  I just know that even though my life is very busy, I am blessed to be able to do things that I love.  Everything will fit into place soon.

The next step . .

3 rounds

10 overhead squats 95#
50 12" box jumps

No time-goal was to be able to finish and breathe.  Working with my beyond awesome ENT Dr. Coombe at Medcenter One.  Seriously, he is great!  He is going beyond his scope to help me get my issues solved.  I will be forever singing his praises!!!!  Sounds like I will be working with a new Dr. and praying that he can make my health/life better.  Been lifting lots at Crossfit, skating at roller derby and working a ton.  You can now see me at Creative Clay and at Victoria's Secret.  I used to manage the Fargo store and absolutely love the company.  Very excited to be back.  The Bisman Bombshellz are having the first home bout of the season at the Bismarck Civic Center next Saturday, October 29th.  It will be tons of fun!  Everyone should go.

Diane with crutches

21-15-9
deadlift
hand stand push ups

Did my own personal version today.  Figured since I can't go fast (at all), I might as well go heavier in increments.  Did the 21 at 155#, the 15 at 165# and 9 at 175#.  The handstands were banded.  Need to kick the band and just do the depth that I can without it.  My schedule is changing leaps and bounds, so I am sure that this will be inconsistent. 

Hello!

Hello!  Remember me?  Even though we have not talked, you have been on my mind and I am sorry to have neglected you.  During my absence, I have been lifting daily, working, working and more working.  There has just not been time for us to talk.  This week I tried some cardio and the results were disastrous.  Just wanted to see if things had changed at all.  They haven't.  I have made lots of new Dr. friends and may be going to Mayo clinic to finally get some answers.  Just waiting for the call.  It seems sorta silly to me, and yet not, that my issues are minor compared to some, but they impact my life in a major way.  It all trickles down and I am just done with it.  I need answers and resolutions.  Some things that we have done this year have helped, others not.  Found out that I am anemic.  Hoping that will completely explain why I can barely keep my eyes open.  Well, gotta go.  Just wanted to check in.  Have a great weekend and blog you soon.

Tuesday, Sept 20th
Lynne with a mohawk
for reps
5 rounds
bodyweight benchpress/ women's 1/2 bodyweight
pullups
66# -10/12,9/10, 8/11, 8/8, 7/9  sub shoulder press for bench press and Rx pullups

Wed, Sept 21st
I had a ph probe put in through my nose, down my throat and into my stomache Tuesday afternoon and needed to workout with the probe in place.  Did some toes to bar, 65# thrusters, and box jumps before the thing went wacky.  Praying that this will help them help me.

Thurs, Sept 22nd
Deadlifts
135#-10 reps
155#-10 reps
165#-10 reps
175#-5 reps
185# 3 reps

Overhead squats
65#-10
85#-10
95#-10
105#-5
115#-failed to get over my head today, oh well.

It was a crazy week at the studio . . .

Wed, Sept 14th
25 rope pullups
145#/85# clean & jerk 5 reps
20 rope pullups
165#/105# clean & jerk 4 reps
15 rope pullups
185#/125# clean & jerk 3 reps
10 rope pullups
205#/145# clean & jerk 2 reps
50 rope pullups
225#/185# clean & jerk 1 rep

Time was way too long as I got stuck at 125# and tried repeatedly to stick that weight.  Maxed out at 115# and finished wod with that weight.

Thurs, Sept 15th
shoulder press
5-5-5-5-5
push press
3-3-3-3-3
push jerk
1-1-1-1-1

60#-65-70-75-80 SP
85#-95-100-105-110 PP
115-120-125-130-135 (f) PJ

Was working at the local street fair both Fri and Sat, so wods.  Had derby practice Sunday night, Well, sort of.  After the warm-up, the Bombshellz needed to scrimmage in preparation for the SD bout this Sat and I was the jam timer.  The new fresh meat class starts Mon night and us "seasoned meat" will be skating with them.


Mon, Sept 19th
Split jerk
1-1-1-1-1-1-1
70#-90-105-120-125-130-135 (f)

Nice!!!

Monday, Sept 12th
12 min as many rounds as possible
6 handstand push ups
12 sumo deadlift high pull kettle bell 53#/35#
200 m row

Made 4 complete plus the hspu and sdhp.  The rowing was the devil.  I am off antacids until they do a ph test in a week, thus killed my throat hardcore.  After recovery, I wanted to lift some.

Front squats
3-3-3-3-3
100#-110-120-130-140 single

Tuesday, Sept 13th

overhead squat
1-1-1-1-1
front squat
1-1-1-1-1
back squat
1-1-1-1-1
continue with weight when progressing from one lift to the next,  Try to increase load with each rep.
65#-85-95-105-115
120-120-140-150-155 (fail)
155-165-175-185-195 (pr)

Loved this wod, except for the front squats.  They always hurt my shoulders.  I guess the bruises are pretty . .  .

Wednesday eve . . . Bombshellz practice.  We had our annual meeting first with about an hour and a half of skating.  With a bout coming up here soon, we focused on endurance skating.  Felt like I skated really good on the new surface.  Loving me some derby!!!

Thursday, September 8th

21-18-15-12-9-6-3
double unders
box jumps 24"/20"
rest 2 min, then
3 min as many rounds as possible
ground to overhead 125#/95#

time 12:16 /9 Rx

Friday, September 9th
deadlift
2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2
135#-145-155-165-175-180-185-190-195-205 (single)

Veggie Meat . . .

Monday, Sept 5th

Had derby practice this eve at a new location for me, the Hughes Center.  It is an old gym floor made from old school linoleum tiles that have been waxed.  Can you say slippery?  It was a quaint practice with us not fresh meat, but not bouting yet girls.  We are working on what to call ourselves.  Will keep you posted.  Practice itself was great.  Mike and Jeff were there as coaches and it was a nice one-on-one setting with great feedback.  They will lovingly be known as "Mike & Ike" by me henceforth.  Excited of things to come in derby world . . .

Tuesday, Sept 6th
50 kbs 53#/35#
25 knees to elbow
30 mod handstand pushups
35 ring rows
40 push ups


Time 17:04  hspu were banded, rest Rx


Wednesday, Sept 7th
5 rnds
5 backsquats 185#/115#
10 pull ups
15 glute ham situps

Time:  16:07 Rx, then . . .

Thrusters
3-3-3-3-3-3-3
65-70-75-80-85-90-100

15-12-9-6-3
Power cleans 135#/95#
Bar facing burpees

Time 17:58 -95# (sub 200 single rope skips per set of burpees) 

I knew that the burpees would kill my throat, so I subbed them out.  Looks like the rest killed my throat regardless . . . It had been at least on month since I had done cardio due to sinus infection and I felt like it was time to give it a try again.  Other than the breathing, throat hurting like hell, it was pretty fun.  It felt great to do the power cleans.  After a nice recovery time, I rounded off the day with some banded handstand push ups.  Totally felt those in my shoulders the next day!  Have a great weekend!

Love those derby kisses . . .

Not my best practice last night.  Wiped out on a corner.  I think that my skates slipped out from under me causing me to land on my front hip/pelvic bone, chin and, most unfortunately, nose.  The bruise sucks!!!!  Enjoy the pic.  My steroids are still being good little troopers and my head is pretty clear.  Still wanted to lay low and just lift today.


Overhead squats
5-5-5-5-3-3-1
45#-65#-75#-85#-95#-105# and 115# (matched my PR)  The form on my last one was pretty wobbly.  Had to try it twice to get it.  Loic gave me some pointers that I will start working on next week.  Was very pleased with my ability to jerk it overhead.

Backsquats
3-3-3-3-1

135#-155#-165#-175#-185#  Wanted to work on a deeper 195# today, but my body was saying no, and I listened.  Think that I may redo my CFT for S & G to see if I can up any numbers.  Never know . . .

Confessions of a small town girl . . .

You know, sometimes you just can't get the past out of your mind.  Silly and irrelevant that it may be, it still sucks.  So, here's the story.  I grew up in a small town in ND.  My graduating class was double the normal size and consisted of 63 classmates.  Since we were a small town, it was the norm to be involved in lots of activities.  Lots for me equated to almost everything that I could do, I did, including sports.  Now, just to clarify, we didn't start sports at age 3, like they do in Bismarck.  It was generally, for girls, when you went into junior high that you could be on teams etc. Like I said, small town.  There was this wonderful coincidence that my school was sorta well known off and on for having solid girls basketball team due partially to the coach.  So, of course, I was on the basketball team.  My poor parents sent me to multiple camps every summer, drove my butt into town (we lived in the country) for early practices every morning both in and off season.  The truth be told, as anyone who saw me play could tell you, was that I sucked.  My friends did it, so I did it.  Don't get me wrong.  The exercise, teamwork, etc was all good for me.  The problem is that since we were small town, I was allowed to keep playing on some level until I decided to quit.  There wasn't "you didn't make the team,"  I was just a continual bench warmer.  This went on for about four or five years.
Of course, I was also in track during the duration of my basketball career and did so, so on jumping.  When my school finally formed a volleyball team, followed a few years later by a golf team, I joined both.  It was pretty much all the same story, except for golf.  I can hit a ball fairly decent, but my putting sucks.  The moral of this little story is that I sucked at sports.  Try as I might, I was just not naturally athletic, nor did I catch on quick.  Looking back, it does show some degree of perseverance on my part that I kept going with it all for so long. Maybe just stupidity?  By the time I was done with sports in school, I was done exercising.  I have been told, either directly or indirectly, long enough that I was no good and I therefore decided to hate exercise of any kind.  Yep, young and dumb.

Now we come to the parts of the story that you may have heard before.  The reason that I started going to Crossfit was because my husband lost 100 pounds and I felt some pressure to also get my butt in shape.  I didn't really need to lose weight, just get healthy and tone.  Truth be told, it sucked at the start.  After not working out at all for seventeen years and gaining & losing 150 lbs between three pregnancies, it kicked my ass.  Running was the worst.  Brian heard lots of swearing every time we ran for a solid half year.  As time passed, I realized that it felt good to be sore for a reason and noticed that my clothes were fitting differently.  You should have heard me giggling with joy the first time that I really saw some muscles in the mirror one morning when I was checking my progress.  Totally addicted by that point.  Then came the health issues last January with my throat that are still present.  I adapted and focused more on lifting, as this was easier on my breathing.  Lifting rocks!  Hands down, it is my favorite thing to do at Crossfit.  I may be slow, but for my size and how long I have been working out, my lifting numbers are pretty good at our gym.    I make a point to push myself in ways that is is currently possible for me to grow and know that when I get the health crap figured out, I can tackle getting my times down where they should be.  And at least 90% of the time, Rx is my middle name.  Anyhow, Crossfit is part of my life now and that won't change.  I finally feel like I am good at something athletic.  Then I heard that there was roller derby in Bismarck.  My eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and I was on the search.  Granted, I grew up in the country with gravel roads and have no clue how to skate, but I was willing to learn.  Low and behold, a friend of mine stops in and says that his wife is in derby.  Then a few days later, some of the Bombshellz come into my studio for a birthday party and recruit me.  Perfect!!!!!  Got my gear asap and after my surgery this May, I was on the track attempting to skate.  For as in shape as I am and as good of balance that I have with overhead squats, I sure am squirrely on wheels!  I really should have been counting the number of bruises that I have had thus far, because it is pretty impressive.  Even though I go down a lot, I am quick to get back up and try for more.  If I want something bad enough, I find a way to make it happen.  This brings us to the whole point of this long ass blog.  We had our first basic skills testing, and I did not pass.  I am finding it hard to wrap my head around this.  For someone who just started skating in June and has only skated two days a week max (due to lack of a smooth surface to practice on other than at practice) I should be happy where I am at.  The way that I look at myself athletically since I joined CrossfitCrossfitters could see that point.  We push ourselves at every WOD to go faster, lift more weight, have perfect form, etc.  We are trained to become addictive to perfection.  When I look back to where I was in high school and what I felt capable of then, it is the complete opposite of my outlook now.  If I want a killer deadlift, I know that I can put in the work and it will come.  When people ask after they see my derby bruises, why I do it, it's because it is fun and challenging.  I just want to get better faster!  Gone is any patience that I pretended to have.  It truthfully sucks not moving out of fresh meat status, and maybe it is just a mental thing like in high school where someone else is again telling me that I am not good enough.  So enough whining.  My outlook is going to be positive from this day forward.  I will be the best fresh meater out there and when the time comes in December to test again, I am going to lack the smack down on some derby candy asses! (I love the Rock!)  Please and Thank You for listening.


 

No WOD this am.  Was at my first Savor the Flavor committee meeting helping raise money to benefit kiddos in the Bismarck community.  Derby practice tonight was not loving me lots.  Wiped out really good.  My pelvis bone on my lift hip is scraped up, swollen, and very bruised already.  Can't wait to see what it looks like in a few days.  Also hit my chin and nose on the same wipe out.  The nose freaked me out majorly.  We call these "derby kisses," but they really feel like derby kisses from hell!!!!!  Will be super interesting putting on my workout gear on tomorrow as I can't even touch my hip now.   Enough whining already, bring it on!!!!

Yeah!

What better a way to start the day off than with the Crossfit Total!!!!  This is absolutely one of my favorite WODs and it saddens me that it doesn't come up more.  Looks like the last time I recorded a CFT was last October.  My then score was 455.  Today was 480!  I really do think that I could have upped it a little bit more if I was feeling better.  Goal for next total is 200# BS, 95# SP, and 220 DL.  Regardless, I am pleased with my results.

For those of you unfamiliar with the CFT, here's how it goes.  You get to warm up with each lift, but only get three attempts to hit your max weight per lift.  Rest as needed.

Back squat-185#
Shoulder press-90#
Deadlift-205#

Total-480#

Hello again . . .

What a Monday!  Missed the alarm, thus making my boys and myself all late this morning-yuck.  Jetted to Crossfit for a very quick progression of shoulder presses, showered and off to a Dr. appt for my youngest.  The rest of the day was not an improvement by any means.

Surgery last week went good for most part.  I was completely drained for the rest of the week and am still feeling like dog poo.  Started another steroid today.  My sinuses suck, for lack of better words.  Decided I am going to do what I do best and push through this crap until I get it all figured out.  Having most of last week off of WODs didn't agree with me.  Not only do I not feel productive mentally, I physically hate taking time off.  Yes, yes, yes, I know that my body needs time to heal, but it's not really getting better anyhow, so what can it hurt to at least lift some everyday?  My name is missing the WOD board . . . Maybe I need a good killer WOD to expel the demons.  Yeah, that sounds great!

shoulder press
5-5-5-5-5
45-55-65-70-75 then singles to 90#

Did a few high box jumps with Julie and Austin for fun.  Austin tied his 41" height again:-)  Wed is surgery.  Praying that this will clear things up for me as I am sooooooooo sick and tired of this continual pain/headache!

No, I'm not dead . . . I just feel like it

It's been a long couple of weeks again health wise.  Having a second sinus surgery next week and trying to battle off another infection in the meantime, aka, more antibiotics.  Sooooooooooooooo very tired of this!  Didn't work out last two days and wondering if I should just lay low until surgery.  Guess it depends on how the new antibiotics work. It would be beyond horrible if I was unable to have my surgery because I was too sick.  To be determined . . .

Mondays are starting to suck!

What a horrible Monday, in pretty much all regards.  Not going to bore you with the gritty details, sorry.  Felt like crap today after an emotional Monday, so kept it nice and easy.
The wod went something like this.  With a continously runnimg clock, do one pullup and one handstand push up the first minute, two the second, three the third and so on.  Once you are unable to complete both tasks within the minute time frame, you are allowed to switch to just pullups.  You should have total completed rounds, plus the extra pull ups as your score.  I sucked.  Make 8 complete rounds and just five pullups.  My hands started to rip and I needed to breathe.  Pullups were Rx, but the HSPU were banded.

7 minutes in heaven

7 minutes in heaven
single rope skips-abmat situps
100-50
80-40
60-30
40-20
20-10

time 7:56

I barely made my time goal.  Abs were sorer than I realized.  Afterwards, I helped some fellow crossfitters work on overhead squats.  They are my favorite, but most people loathe them.  Practice makes perfect.  Whoever made up that saying was an evil genius and was most likely not liked by others.  Maybe I should clarify, if they are practicing things they dislike, then they would be friendless.  There is a long list of exercises in Crossfit that would fall into that category.  On a different note, Austin bested his old overhead squat pr by 40#!  Awesome to see and help coach.  I will be skating all weekend in preparation for derby minimum skills testing next week.  Wish me luck!  Have a great weekend!

A tough week!

3 rounds
15 squats
15 pushups
15 knees to elbow
15 walking lunges
15 back extensions

time 13:24 Rx

My body did not have any zip today.  Shoulders were really sore from lots of heavy overhead all week and just plain tired.  My lovely hubby has been gone all week and I truly am feeling like the boys and I are cursed.  Monday started with Kithe fracturing his arm and me getting a nasty derby bruise on my hip.  Tuesday was Strausser smacking his face into a bar, so a swollen and cut up cheek.  Wednesday I smacked my knuckles good on a high box jump-cut and bruised.  Thursday was Garver's turn to run head first into a corner while shopping.  He was trying to keep up with his older brother.  Bloody tooth, swollen lip, bruised nose and eyebrow.  Regardless, I texted my husband asap and asked him to be real safe.  Crossing my fingers that our injuries are done for the week.