SECOND internal competition and other things!

Hi everyone!

So this past weekend was RCFBC's second internal competition- The Ghoul Duel! It was an absolute blast. It wasn't nearly as intense as the last competition, but we still got a pretty decent workout in. And of course, we were all in costume! How fun is that? But before we get into that competition, some other cool stuff happened this past week as well. For one, it was the end of the paleo/zone challenge (thank you, sweet baby Jesus)! I love paleo- but paleo zone is a pain in the rear end. It's a lot of preparation and thinking, and it was starting to get annoying. However, I did see some pretty decent results from the challenge- while my weight and body fat percentage stayed the same (I don't trust that machine, p.s.) I did lose about 8 inches overall. I lost 4 inches just from my thighs! Must be all those squats! Although, it's less than what I wanted to see gone from this challenge, I'm still happy. All of my lifts went up significantly, and I feel better, and that's really all that matters. Before I did my measurements, Mike said that he came across a picture of me from when I first started this journey. He showed it to me, and I was speechless. I can remember the exact day that picture was taken and I remember how I was feeling. It was move into the new building day- After we moved all the equipment into the new space, Mike had us do a wod with a bunch of burpees. We all know I absolutely HATE burpees, but I was still new there, so I had to just do it. I was the last one still going during that wod, and the ladies that were there got down and did every last burpee with me. It was the exact moment that solidified by decision to stay with crossfit. You can't find the camaraderie that we have at RCFBC anywhere (I think!). We are a unique box- we are not as competitive, and hard core like some boxes, rather, we care about each and everyone & want to see everyone succeed at whatever they are trying to accomplish. That is a true testament to the coaches and members. You will always have those few intense athletes, but for the most part, we are all there just trying to get healthier and stronger.
I've had so many people in the last few weeks come up to me and say stuff like "you are such an inspiration" "you made me finish that wod- I thought if you can do it, so can I."  "You are such a strong person, to keep coming here day in and day out." This kind of stuff makes me feel so overwhelmed. I don't feel like I'm anything special- or someone for others to look up to during wods. I go there- push my hardest, and go home. I'm not doing anything different than any of the other people there, but for some reason, people find me as a source of inspiration. I appreciate everyone's kind words, but sometimes, I have to look back and make sure they are actually talking to me- since I don't feel like I should be inspiring people. Maybe one day it'll all click, and I'll actually notice my accomplishments. But for now, I'm going to just keep doing what I'm doing & not give up.

Hillary & I from after finishing all those burpees on the fateful Saturday! 

Now onto the fun stuff: The Ghoul Duel! Mike asked me to do the decorations for the Halloween themed competition, so naturally, I obliged! My partner for this competition was Mike West. He was a champ. We went as Operation (the game). He let me make his costume out of a latex suit and wore it throughout the whole competition. Although we didn't place in the top 10 (I don't think- I didn't even look), we had so much fun! The first workout was pretty manageable- one partner did a 20 calorie row, while the other partner did as many hang power snatches as possible- all for the entire length of the song "Thriller."  That song is a lot longer than I thought. Once that was over- the song was restarted and we immediately went into one partner doing 20 KB swings, while the other partner did as many burpees plate jumps as possible. Once the partner got to 20 cal row/ 20 KB swings- partners switched. I've been doing plate jumps instead of box jumps, and for some reason I thought I couldn't do them on Saturday. Thank goodness for our judges, Sarah O & Jeff B. They kept me going and kept reassuring me that I was doing great. It was only 5:57 minutes, but it seemed like 20 minutes. I looked at Sarah at one point, and told her I couldn't jump on the plate. She just looked me in the eyes and said- "You can- you just did it- and you can do it again. You've got this Amanda- just don't think about it."  And I did just that- and went for it.

The next wod literally almost made me pass out. I've never seen stars like that before in my life. I don't even remember what the whole rep scheme/wod was, but all I know is that it started out with 100 shoulder to overhead with a pumpkin (yes- a legit pumpkin), 90 ab mat sit-ups, 80 squat clean thruster partner throws (SICK), 70 double unders, 60 over-head walking lunges w/same pumpkin, 50 pull ups- and that's all I remember- there was a bunch of other stuff too. The work was split up however you and your partner chose to do so. Mike did a bunch of the SOH, and I did some too. I think we split the ab-mat sit ups, but I'm not even sure- that's where the stars began. The 80 pumpkin squat clean thruster partner tosses are what got me. Oh my lord. Hands down, one of the toughest things I've done. I would take burpees over that any day. Around number 20, I really started to fade. Thank goodness for the Monarchs, Mike & Trang, and my partner Mike. They pushed me when I really needed it- and let me rest when I needed also. My partner was so patient with me. I literally could not have asked for a better partner- he was so understanding, even when we were done, he said- I probably pushed you too hard- sorry for that. How adorable and understanding? That's what I love about our gym- about crossfit in general. At about number 40- I felt like I was going to actually pass out. Mike M. gave me his water that had something in it- I'm pretty sure it was a pre-workout supplement mixed in- honestly, he could have told me he put cyanide in it, and I probably would have still drank it. LOL. After a minute or 2, we finished and my partner, being the best person that he is, told me to rest, and he did all of the double unders. Thankful doesn't even begin to express how I felt at that moment. We almost finished the pull-ups in the 25min time cap. I was really proud of us. I wish I could've pushed harder, but I'm glad we at least got to that portion.

Some other fun that we had was throwing baby pumpkins into baskets- skee ball style. That was fun & I actually got one in! The final wod of the day for everyone was the best I think. Using your big pumpkin from the crazy wod, one partner ran a certain distance in the parking lot to the other partner, then that partner just all out smashed it on the ground. Mike said to me- "That last wod killed you- you should smash the pumpkin." How adorable is he? I can't even stand it. So he ran me the pumpkin, and I smashed the crap out of it. It felt amazing.
Overall, it was an amazing day with the great people that I'm proud to call my friends. I cannot say it enough- there is nothing like the bonds you make with people that are a part of your crossfit community. It's such a strong part of my life- and it's hard for me to think back to when I didn't have these amazing people in my life. To Mike, Sharon, Chris, Lauren, & each and every one of the bare cove members- you are completely amazing. You have changed my life in so many ways- I am forever grateful. There are no words that I can say (or type) that will express the amount of respect and gratitude I have for you all. <3

On another note, I just want to throw it out there that the three time fittest man on earth, Rich Froning, & I are on a first name basis:

Chris F, the best person EVER made this happen. Chris was in Berlin for the Crossfit Invitational, and asked Rich if he would take this for me. ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? RICH.FRONING. I woke up to a message from Sharon with this attached, and my heart skipped a beat. It is the background to every electronic device I own, and it is also printed out and hanging at work. This is seriously the coolest thing. CF- you made my entire life with this- the only way this could be topped, would be to actually meet Rich (So if you wanna work on that, Chris....just sayin'). 

Left- 8 months ago; Right- last week- returning Rich a message- and actually seeing some changes in myself! 

Our amazing community of members at the Ghoul Duel! <3 

Damn Straight. 

Benchmark Week- PR CITY!!

This week has been absolutely incredible. I don't think I've ever felt stronger than I have this week! It was benchmark week again.  That means that we did a bunch of hard, crossfit benchmark workouts and recorded our times/weights/etc. and saw if we have progressed at all since July. These are the workouts we did in consecutive order (M-F): ***If you don't know what these things mean, just Google them- you'll find them!***

Monday:  "Karen"- 150 Wall Balls (14lb med-ball throw at 9′ target) For time.

Tuesday: "Diane" 21-15-9 Deadlift (165lbs-rx); Handstand Push Ups

Wednesday: A. 1RM Back Squat
                        Rest 5 minutes
                   B. 400m Run for time
                       Rest 5 minutes
                  C. 2 Rounds:
                  L Sit for time
                    Rest 1 minute
                  D. 1min. AMRAP T2B

Thursday: "Fran"  21-15-9- Thrusters, Pull Ups

Friday: "The Filthy Fifty" 35:00m time cap
50 Box jump (24/20)
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings(35/26)
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press (45/35)
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots (20@10′/14@9′)
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

KAREN sucks. That's all. She is by far my least favorite of the girls. I wanted to beat my time from July, and I  was determined. I told Chris F. that I was going to keep going, even after the time cap, because I wanted to finish. His son, Nate was my judge and biggest cheerleader. My time was 24:05 last time, and I knew I was going to beat it. Last time, I went into it with no plan- just get as many wall-balls at a time that I could. This time, I listened to my girl, Sarah O. who told me to figure out a good breakdown- so I went with sets of 6 or 8, I can't really remember- I sort of blacked out. At one point, I was doing sets of 5. Thank goodness for Nate. He's the best. He counted for me & even gave me rest countdowns, and pushed me to get back on the ball. Since there was only a 12min time cap, I was the only one still going when time was called. Everyone who was at the 9am WOD was at the wall with me- cheering me on- counting down, making sure I finished and didn't give up. I have never felt so much love and support in my life. It was amazing. Even people who I didn't even know were cheering me on. I can't even explain the level of thankfulness and love I have for the people at RCFBC. It's immeasurable. I finished Karen at 21: 14; Almost a full 3 minutes off of my time. AMAZING!! I would've never finished if it wasn't for my bare cove family. Seriously.

Diane isn't so bad. I have long deadlift arms (according to Mike-haha) so it was okay. It took me slightly longer to finish than last time, but I increased my deadlift weight by 30 pounds, and went from using a 20in box for HSPU, to a 24in box. So that's a win.

I skipped Wednesday- I've been having really bad sinus pressure and headaches- and it was really bad on Wednesday; so I made up my 1RM back-squat & 400m run on Thursday. Probably wasn't the best idea, knowing that Fran was on tap for Thurs, but whatever- gotta do what you gotta do.

Thursday. Fran. One of the most dreaded crossfit workouts. I got to the box early because I wanted to do my 1RM back-squat. I wasn't sure I would be able to get more than 135lbs, since I had to dial it back a bit during hatch. So I started out light, and put more weight on as I went on. I was there during the kids class, so Mike sent Sharon over to "watch my butt." BAHAHAHHAHA he is nuts, but hilarious. So anyway, Sharon gave me some good tips about improving my back-squat. She told me squeeze my butt before I squatted, so that my hips were already being pushed forward. It actually worked! I finally got up to 135lbs. Mike was surprised that I was at 135- he said my form looked a little better- still needed some work, but looked better and the strength was there. He told me to put 10 more pounds on, and then shut it down. So, I got 145lbs on my 1RM back-squat. Pretty amazing. Then came the 400m run. I HATE running. But I wanted to see if I improved, so of course I did it. I only improved by a few seconds, but a PR is a PR! Then came Fran. After wall-balls, thrusters seemed like a bad idea- actually, thrusters are always a bad idea. haha. Last time we did Fran, I used a 26lb KB with one arm and did ring rows. This time, I used a 45lb bar, and did jumping pull-ups. Once again, it took me more time, but I used more weight, so I took it as a win.

Then to end this hell week, we had the Filthy Fifty on Friday. AWESOME. Last time we did it, I only got through 10 burpees in the time cap, and I had a bunch of other scaling options because my wrist was still not 100%. This time around, I still used the 16in box for step ups (still completely terrified of box jumps), jumping pull-ups (rx), KB swings (rx), walking lunge (Amanda rx- haha), Instead of knees to elbow, I did candle sticks, Push press (rx), Instead of back extensions, I did supermans, Wall-balls (rx), and I got through 20 burpees in the time cap! I couldn't believe how much better I did than last time! I am so thankful for Mike Eats for pushing me through those last few burpees!

Here's a quick list of the other PRs I got this week as well:
Clean: 1RM 90lbs from 75lbs in August!
Clean & Jerk: 1RM 90lbs from 80lbs in September
Front Squat: 1RM 110lbs from 85lbs in July
Split Jerk: 1RM (from rig) 95lbs from 75lbs in July

I can't even handle it. I would never have got through any of these wods, if it wasn't for the love and support of my RCFBC family. I can't wait for the next benchmark week to see where I stand!

Last week, I stupidly broke my pact with Mike M (We gave up alcohol until Nov.2nd- the end of the nutrition challenge). I went away with my girlfriends for the weekend, and I broke down and had a drink. I've never felt so guilty in my life. I had to tell him right away. Even though I could tell he was disappointed, he told me to forget it and press on. We all make mistakes, and I need to learn that I'm not perfect and things will come up- it's how I deal with them that matters. I'm only in competition with myself- and when I mess up- I only hurt myself.
I can't wait to see what's on tap for this week- I can't believe I would ever find myself looking forward to working out. It's crazy how much things can change.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend, and have a great week! Until next time...
<3 A

My PRs from the "MY WOD" App- July vs. October! So excited! 

BAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. True though..haha

Had to include my love, Rich! <3

Is that paleo? Or zone? How many blocks is that?

UGH. These past two weeks have been ROUGH. Not only crossfit wise, but work wise, and just life wise. As most of you know, the RCFBC nutrition challenge started two weeks ago. You get points for each day you eat paleo, zone your meals, go to crossfit, or do some other activity. We are in teams of 4 (My team is the best, obviously!) When I first started at RCFBC, they did the first paleo challenge, and I was just thrown in there. I know how to eat paleo, and have adopted it as a new lifestyle. Now my friend Mike adds in this twist of "Zoning" your paleo meals. Just google the zone diet, and you'll figure it out- it's a lot of math and figuring out your blocks and equal numbers of carbs, fats, and proteins.  Basically, just a boat load of planning and preparation. It is definitely a much different challenge than the first one. My team is awesome though! Rose & Pete are amazing. They have 4 kids all under the age of 10, and our absolute rock-stars at paleo-zone. I'm just a single lady, and am having a hard time- I don't know how they do it with those kids (who are absolutely ADORABLE!). Our other teammate is Jess. I had never met her before, and didn't know what to expect. Well, she's awesome. And super nice. And amazing at paleo-zoning and cross-fitting! So glad to have all of these people at our box! We are rocking this- the only thing is that we need a team name!
Last week,  a few of our members were in a competition up in Rye, NH to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I was there as a judge. I was absolutely humbled by the whole thing- the athletes, the cause, the community- everything. The ride up to NH was absolutely hysterical. I drove, and had Colleen, Gareth, & Marvin in my car. Needless to say, it was amazing. We belted out DMX the whole way up & had a lot of laughs. It was beautiful up in Rye- we were right on the water, it was a little cool and windy, but overall a gorgeous day. We had two teams- scaled and Rx. On the scaled team was Kevin, Brian, Alex, Colleen, Melissa, & Nanette. The RX team consisted of Marvin, Gareth, Mike Monarch, Lauren, Kyla, & Kaylee. Mike L. & I were both judges (obvi not for our own team, hehe). Before the competition started, the guy who started it gave a speech. If you know me at all, you know that I obviously cried (and tried to play it off like it was the wind). He just told everyone there his story about how his son was diagnosed with CF & how he was in the hospital this time last year. Then they introduced his family- and a few young adults who are living with CF. It was just so amazing to see how much money was raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation just through this crossfit competition. There was even a team there from Georgia! Our RCFBC teams were amazing, but it was so awesome to see teams from all over and how they represent their box. It was an honor to be a part of the crossfit community not only that day, but everyday.
What was so amazing to me was how welcoming and friendly everyone was. It truly shows the spirit of the crossfit community, and the main reason why I love it.
That night ended in a lot of alcohol, and shenanigans (which I will keep to myself), and subsequently my pact with Mike Monarch to give up alcohol until the end of the nutrition challenge. So far, I'm week without alcohol- I feel great, but I do miss my tequila, soda, limes! We only have to go until November 2nd, and I think we'll be able to do it.
Crossfit wise, these two weeks have been awesome. I HATE running- hate it. One of the past weeks' wods included 5 rounds of an 800m run, toes to bar, and burpees. 800m is 4 laps around the building. Usually, I have to stop a bunch of times to walk and catch my breath. I made it the first round, the whole 800m WITHOUT stopping. Granted, I wasn't going fast - but I didn't stop, and I couldn't believe it. I felt pretty jazzy that day. Another PR I got was on my clean and jerk. I've had a few setbacks with these movements because of my wrist mobility, but I was able to clean & jerk 80lbs from the ground twice. I cannot thank Zoe and Hilary enough for their encouragement and motivation while I was trying to get that up. I tried for 85lb, but it wasn't happening. A few days later, we did bench press. We hardly ever do them, so it was awesome. The last time we did them, I got 65lbs. This time, I got 85lbs. It was amazing. Colleen was with me & she is CRAZY strong! At the competition last week, she carried Kevin on her back for a long time- nuts!!!  I think she got all the way up to 115lbs!  That's nuts! I love PRs. They make you feel so amazing, and give you the confidence to go into wods.
The only thing I'm not so crazy about is Hatch. My back-squat has been looking rough. I always look like I'm going to tip forward, and then my back starts to hurt. Because of that, I've had to really cut the weight down on my back-squat, and really work on my form. As much as I hate it, I know that Mike is looking out for me, and having good form will ultimately help me in the long run.
There has also been a ton of burpees this week- I HATE burpees too. I wish I was more efficient at them- maybe one day. I just looked at the wod for tomorrow- Hatch, followed by burpees, and box jumps- AWESOME. hahahahaha.

I have the day off tomorrow, so I'll get to go to the 9am class and see people I never get to see! I can't wait! Now, for the rest of the Patriots game...Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!
-A <3

Our amazingly awesome RCFBC team!! <3

TRUTH.

Question of the day, everyday. 

Getting back on track!

Hi everyone!

I have been feeling so much better since getting myself back on track. It's amazing how good your body feels when you work out and treat it right. Although, I am very sore from this week's wods! This week has tested my mental toughness over everything else.
Tuesday we had a chipper wod. Chippers are just how they sound- it's a long workout, and you chip away at it, until you finish or time is called. I LOVED this one. Here's what it consisted of:

30 Deadlifts (225/165)

50 Pull Ups

30 Clean and Jerk (135/95) (using same bar as DL)

50 Push Ups

100 Double Unders

My one rep max deadlift is 165, so I most certainly was not using that weight for the workout- I ended up using 85lbs. I really like deadlifts- Mike always tells me I have super long arms, so I'm a deadlift machine. haha. Since I have back problems (from that fateful zumba class where I threw my back out during a Pitbull song- lol), my form is super important so I don't hurt myself again. I ended up splitting the DLs into two sets of 15. Then I moved on to the pull ups. For the past few months, I've been doing ring rows instead of pull ups, to get some of my strength back, but for this workout, Harrison suggested that we do jumping pull ups instead. It felt good to get back on that bar! A jumping pull up is just like it sounds- stand on a box and jump up to get a pull up. Those I had to split up a little differently- I ended up just doing as many as I could to start, then doing sets of 10. Next, were the clean & jerks. 95lbs was definitely NOT happening, seeing as my one rep max C &J is 75lbs. I tried 75, and could still only get one. I moved down to 65lbs, and got maybe 5 reps. My arms were smoked from the pull ups. I stripped the bar down again, to 55lbs. That's where I was able to get in a good rhythm, and get through the C&Js. That is one of my favorite crossfit moves. It really engages your whole body, and makes you feel like a boss when you can do it. haha. Next, came the push ups. I was so sore- my arms, shoulders, entire body was hurting, but I had to push through- there was still plenty of time before the time cap. I broke the push ups up into sets of 10. I just kept thinking back to when I first started CF, and Mike made this apparatus on the rig for me- with three very thick bands- it basically just propelled me up so I could get a modified push up in. Although, they are still modified, I am able to do a push up on my own, and it just amazes me how far I've come from that. I completed the push ups, and then it was time for double unders. I still can't even do single unders that well, so doubles were definitely out of the question. If we did single unders, they counted 3 to 1. So that means for every 3 singles you got, it would count for 1 double. Essentially, I would have to do 300 single unders. At this point, there was only about 10 minutes left before the time cap. I knew I would never get up to 300, but I gave it my all anyway. I still have a hard time with the flow of jumping rope, and truly envy people that can do it so effortlessly. I can get a few and then I get caught in the rope, and have to reset. When time was called, I was up to 70 singles! I couldn't believe it! The most I've ever got in one workout was around 25. Crazy. Just absolutely crazy. Right when we finished, I immediately had the urge to puke. I busted a move to the ladies room, almost took some one out while trying to get there- and met with pukie again. It happens to me at least once a week. Crossfit is the only place where people high five you for puking. I love it. I felt so good after completing that workout- it was great. 

A few days ago, I was helping a patient off of the treatment table, and he must have grabbed me the wrong way, and some how hurt my scapula. It's been killing me since Wednesday. Awesome. I just felt like I was getting back into the swing of things, and then boom, another injury. I feel like I'm always the CF problem child- always something wrong with me! We were doing snatches on Thursday and things just went awry for me- physically and mentally. I tried using the lightest weight I could, and still couldn't snatch without being in so much pain. Mike could see I was in pain, so he shut me down- and I had to go back on the kettlebell. It was so frustrating. But now that I look back, I'm glad he shut me down, before I hurt myself even more. Although my scapula is still killing me, I got some good mobility pointers, that have been helping. I finally realized on Saturday, that if I mobilize, my body gets better at stuff. I don't know why I never listened to any of the coaches when they told me that before- only took me 8 months to figure it out on my own! So, I will most definitely be working on my mobility, if it can help me get better.

Another blow to the ego came this week as well. There is a competition going on in NH next week. There is both an RX and scaled division. I thought that at this point in my crossfit life, I would be able to participate in the scaled division. I looked up what the workout were from last year, and they looked pretty doable. Except for my old nemesis, the box jump. I asked Mike if he thought I should enter. Overall, I just didn't want to be humiliated in front of a bunch of people I didn't know, or the people from my box. The only thing Mike would tell me was that I would have to complete several step ups on to a 20in box- everything else he was sure I could do. I kept thinking of that box. That was the only thing holding me back. I tried to figure out ways that I could pump myself up to get on that box- I researched "ways to get over box step up fear" all to no avail. I wouldn't be able to complete several of them in a row. I might get one or two, but not several. So there I was again, feeling defeated. But then I thought to myself, that's my goal. Next year, I will enter that competition, and I will be able to step up on that box- easily. That's what I'm working toward.

My crossfit family is something that I will never take for granted. They are the only people that I truly have in my corner, that support me no matter what. My family is a little less than thrilled that I'm doing crossfit over just the treadmill or elliptical. I wish they would be a little more supportive, but that's fine- that's where my CF family comes in. I have never felt more myself than with these people. I couldn't ask for a better second family! I know I'll have these people in my life forever- it's great. I can't say thank you and I love you enough to my crossfit family that continue to support me always. <3

The next nutrition challenge starts this week, and I'm very excited! It's just what I need to get myself together and absolutely back on track. I can't wait to see the progress we'll all make once the challenge is over!
I hope you all have a great week!!!

Snatch Demo- from youtube

Basically, my life. hahaha

SO. MANY. MUSCLES. 

Rich and Dan- my faves! <3

T-Rex tail is equal to my pony tail...hahahahahah

Off the wagon....

Hey everyone!

So it's been a tough couple of weeks for me. I felt myself losing control, and slipping back into my hold habits. I can't believe how fast I could go back to my old way of life. After all of the hard work I've put into this life change, why would I ever go back to the way I was? I don't know. Maybe I'm a self-saboteur, maybe I was feeling bad about other aspects of my life, and looked to food to help me get through it, maybe I saw my other friends not suffering as much as me to be healthy, and got depressed. Maybe it was the sligh t man troubles I was having.  Whatever the reason, I let it happen. I found myself missing workouts because I was tired, aka I didn't want to go. I know we all have those days where we just can't go, but how did I let it turn into 4 days??? Today I realized that I've worked too hard to let it all go now. Also, I've been feeling terrible both physically and mentally since skipping all of those wods. I never realized how much they actually affect my mood. My body feels like that of an 80 year old woman- my back hurts, my knees hurt, and even though they still hurt when I crossfit, it hurts in a different way. A good way.
Food wise- I've been eating awful stuff. Subs, calzones, breadsticks, mozzarella sticks, cookies-  like what am I doing?? I just don't even know why I thought that any of that would ever be a good idea. EVER. I felt like a drug addict getting my fix. It is so strange to think of food as a drug, but that's exactly what it is. I could very well be going through the same thing, but with heroin instead. That's what scary. My mentality is that of a drug addict. I then started to feel like a hypocrite, because my best friend, Laura was asking me for advice on meal planning, and how I get ready for the week, etc. and I'm giving her this info while eating Sunchips. How awful is that? He asking me for help really helped put my struggle back into perspective. It was just the kick in the pants I've been needing.
Along with Laura, one of RCFBC's members, Tammy is a certified health coach, and she posted a link to sign up for a late summer detox that she is running. She couldn't have posted that at a better time. It's a week long detox, where she'll be there to coach me and the other people in the group, every step of the way. I am very excited to start that next week. I think it's going to give me a lot more momentum and help me find my way back on track.
It's hard for me to talk so openly about my struggle with food. Obviously, I didn't get to be this way by eating salads and chicken. Food has always been my number one drug in life. But it's a drug that you can't live without, so I must learn to live with it. Growing up in a large Italian family of 6 has not made this process any easier. There is food everywhere- at all times. No one is forcing it on me, but I need to figure out how to process my own thoughts toward food. I know what I need to do in order to lose weight, but I am so easily tempted. It's a problem. I just don't understand how I became this way. How does my brain process food this way? This is definitely something I need to explore more with my therapist. I hope there is a way that I can change my thinking of food how I use it as a drug.

In addition to slipping off the healthy eating wagon, I have also missed the past week of crossfit classes. My back has been killing me- I think I hurt it during our heavy hatch squats, but I'm not sure. Still, I did wods with a broken wrist, I definitely could have done them with a hurt back. I was using it as an excuse. I don't know why I didn't want to go- I just didn't have the motivation to get there. So I just skipped. I thought it would only be one day, but then it turned into two, and so on and so forth. I can't believe how guilty I felt after missing so many classes. Like guilty as in robbed a bank- but all I did was miss a few workouts. Why should I feel guilty? I'm only hurting myself, right? I think I feel guilty, because I have so many people rooting for me, who want me to succeed, and I'm letting myself down, and I'm letting them down. And that's not cool.

So now that I finally have my head on straight, after a couple of weeks of craziness, I'm ready to bring it. I did my meal prep for the next few days, and I'm feeling more than excited to get back to my regular crossfit routine. I miss being in that atmosphere, having everyone rooting for one another. I need that in my life. You would think I missed like 2 months of classes- it's not even been a week. That's how much this is a part of my life. I need it.

Whatever happened is done- it's time to move on, and focus on getting back into the game. I'm ready to get after it. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me through this whole process- I had a temporary setback, but I'm ready to get back to it. There is no reason why I can't do this- I deserve it. I'm focused and  ready to go. See most of you in class tomorrow!!

Love always,
-A

A little eye candy- Garret Fisher <3

Rich, Matt, & someone else so hot. haha

And for the Gents, Here's Camille Leblanc Bazinet! 

Shameless Selfies & other things...

Hello!

Hope everyone has been enjoying the summer so far! It's hard to believe that we are almost through the month of August! I do have to say, this has been the BEST summer of my life so far- without a doubt. I can honestly say that it would've have been your run of the mill summer, if it weren't for my new found crossfit friends, and my new affinity for tequila, Dr. Mcgillicuddy, and selfies on Instagram (feel free to follow if you'd like- @ama2414). Six months ago, I wouldn't let other people take pictures of me- now I'm taking pictures of myself. and posting them to facebook- where other people can see them- and I'm not embarrassed of them. These pictures remind me that it's okay to be happy- even though I'm no where near my end goal- my face shows where I am right at this moment. I've also noticed that I have very high cheek bones, and I can almost see my collar bones (I know that's a weird thing to want to see, but it's all I've wanted my entire life). 

 This is the most comfortable I've felt with myself- ever. If you would have asked me in December if I would be out partying and having a good time this summer- I would've answered you No, because more than likely, I'd be at home- napping. 

Crossfit and my new found confidence has made me feel more alive. I don't know how to explain it. All I can say is that I feel like a different version of myself. I still have my same characteristics (to an extent) but my attitude toward things has completely changed. I used to cry all the time- for absolutely no reason. I would throw some John Mayer on in my car and just cry all the way home from work- for no reason at all. I haven't done that since starting this journey. Sure, there's been times when I've cried because I was hurt, or couldn't do a box jump, but I haven't cried just for the heck of it. I haven't heard from a certain gentleman (or not such a gentleman) call in over a month- normally I would just get super sad and depressed, and now I'm just fine with it- his loss. I'm pretty fabulous, and if you can't see that, then that sucks- someone else will (hopefully).  You have no idea what that feels like (or maybe you do-lol); To wake up happy and even if you have the worst day, and go to bed happy. I can't believe it's taken me 27 years to discover this form of happiness. I do owe a majority of my new found attitude to my crossfit box- RCFBC. We all know- they changed my life. The coaches, the staff, the community, and everything in that box has changed me. 

Besides being incredibly happy the past few months, I've been making great progress since breaking my wrist. The past few weeks have showed me that I'm getting stronger- I'm breaking my PRs that I had even prior to the whole wrist incident! Last week-ish, I was able to get 75lbs up for my one rep max clean! That's 10lbs more than I did before the break! That is so crazy to me. I was also able to strict press 65lbs! It may not seem like a lot to most seasoned crossfitters, but being able to get my wrist in a position to clean and press that much weight feels incredibly amazing. Along with the accomplishments, there are defeats. One of the things I've been struggling with as of late, is my Hatch program back-squats. If you don't know about Hatch- just google it- It is basically a squat program that helps you get stronger, and able to squat more weight. So every hatch day, we have to do a certain percentage of our one rep max weight, a certain number of times (it makes sense in real life, I promise). Ever since starting CF, I've had terrible squat form. I'd like to think it's gotten better over the past few months, but I don't know. My body tends to lean forward while squatting, so when you have a bar full of heavy-ass weight on your back, you tend to lean forward more. Last week, I failed on the first of four sets of back squats. I was so mad, and upset, and frustrated with myself. I had squatted the same weight a few times the previous week, no problem, and to fail on the first set was so discouraging. I tried to take a breather, and come back to it, but I couldn't get back up once I did the squat down. Mike told me to go with a lighter weight- and just call that day's back squats a wash. Hilary, one of our fabulous members, and a shadowing coach said something to me that stuck- she said "crossfit humbles you." She is absolutely correct- once you think you can do something- BAM- your body says no, and you have to figure out why. I took that squat day as a loss. Two days later, I did the second day of weights- which were a little lighter, but still close to what I was doing before, and I did it fine. No issues. I don't know- sometimes you have good days- sometimes you have bad days. Thankfully, my good days supersede the bad days! 

I started my iron infusions a couple of weeks ago- everything is going well so far. Being in a room full of sick, I mean really sick people, really puts things into perspective for you. My iron deficiency isn't going to kill me- their cancer might. I have never felt more grateful for my problems that I do when I'm in there. Working with cancer patients is a lot different than actually "hanging out" with them while they have their treatment. As much of an inconvenience as it is, I'll take these infusions any day. I have completed 2, and have 6 more to go! 

I get to see my favorite physical therapist this week to do a strength test before I go back to my orthopedist. I'm pretty sure everything is status-quo- I still can't do some stuff, but I'm getting stronger, which is awesome. I can't wait to see what he has to say about the ole' wrist! :)

So it's good night for now- I can't wait to see what the next few weeks brings! 

-A

My extended crossfit family post beer/tequila mile. Love it. 

One of the selfies taken post WOD- dripping mascara and all. 

John Mayer concert with my bests- Bree and Laura <3

Justin Timberlake concert outfit- I would've NEVER taken this kind of picture before!! I love it! 

Crossfit Cult? So what!

Hey everyone!
It's been a few weeks- a few crazy weeks! I feel like my head is spinning! Well, that could be the remnants of the tequila consumption this weekend, but I digress.

So I had my last physical therapy appointment this week. If you have been following me at all, you know that I'm the only person who would get sad about this. Most people would be pumped to not have to go to PT twice a week, but then there's people like me who were legit sad when it was the last day. I have gotten to know many of the people in the office, but especially my therapist, Travis. He's hilarious. And handsome. And really knows his stuff. Although I'll miss him, I'm excited to be able to really focus on progressing in crossfit!

Last weekend was the Olympics of crossfit- the crossfit games! It was the culmination of all of the amazing athletes' hard work and dedication- a competition spread out over 5 days. They were put through some pretty vigorous and crazy workouts. I don't think I would've survived any of them! haha. But that is why they are the top people in the sport. Our box had a viewing party on Sunday for the final events of the games. We all know there was no question that my favorite- Rich Froning was going to take the crown for the third year in a row. But we watched- just in case things got crazy. The woman who now carries the title of "fittest woman on earth" is Sam Briggs. She's an absolute beast. She dominated the open, the regionals, and obviously the games. It was great to see the best of the best compete. In addition to just watching the games, it was a great time to get to know everyone in our awesome community. I love these events. These people have become like a second family to me, and I love being able to hang out, throw a few back, and share some laughs with the people that I've grown to love. I've heard from more than one person that they think crossfit is a cult. We may be a cult- but we are a pretty awesome, bad-ass cult. We work hard and we play hard. Once you start this crossfit stuff- it become and integral part of your life! Some people don't understand it, and it's okay. It's our job to explain why it's awesome! "Is Crossfit a cult? I'd say we are more like a tribe - a group of people with a common character and goal."

This past weekend, we had a surprise party for our amazing head coach, Mike. His girlfriend, Lauren,(who's also a coach) and I were able to pull it off! We thought it would be nice to have a little surprise party for him to know how much he means to all of us. He has been working so hard to get the box up and running and turn it into a community that people want to be a part of. I say it every time, but he has completely changed my life- and I am forever indebted to him for his dedication to his job. I don't even think he looks at it as a job- it's something that he is so passionate about. The party was awesome. The amount of members who showed up to support Mike was a true testament to the number of lives he's changed. The best part of the night was when his parents surprised him at the box all the way from Louisiana!! Lauren made that happen, and it was so amazing. I've never seen Mike speechless before. His parents are the sweetest- they are so proud of him- you can just tell. And they should be. He's changing people everyday! We love you Mike!!

In addition to the copious amounts of tequila I've consumed over the past two weeks, I have been keeping up with my training. We started a new strength program last week called - Hatch. Basically, you back and front squat different percentages of your one rep max weight, twice per week, for 12 weeks. The program is supposed to help you get stronger, and be able to squat more weight. I don't know how else to explain it, other than the fact that you do a lot of heavy ass squats, and there's a lot of math involved. We are going into week three tomorrow, and I can already feel that I'm getting stronger- especially in my front squats. However, during week one- on day two- I failed at my last set of back squats. I don't know what happened. I just couldn't stand up with the weight. I kind of got discouraged since it was only the second day, but then week 2 came, and I crushed it. I accidentally did the front squat weight for Week 3!! Oh well!

We had another workout this week that included one straight minute of kettlebell swings. Since I have the ability to use both hands now, I thought- great if I can do the prescribed weight with one hand, I can most certainly do it with two hands! Fail. I actually felt more comfortable holding the KB with one hand- and I was able to go faster and get more reps in with one hand! I don't know- It's crazy how much my body adapted to having to only use one arm! haha.

The day after I finished PT, I got a call from my hematologist. Some of you know I have a blood disorder called thalassemia. According to Medline, "Thalassemia is a blood disorder passed down through families (inherited) in which the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells, which leads to anemia." Before I started crossfit, I had to have weekly iron infusions for a total of 12 weeks. I was hooked up to an IV for about an hour or so. Well I went to have my bloods checked last week, and my hematologist told me that I would have to receive at least 4 more infusions, since my iron was so low. I was just kind of sad. I had just finished PT and now I would have to start these infusions all over again. I just want there to be some point where I don't have to be at a doctor's office every week. It's getting old. I'm starting those infusions again this week. Hopefully all goes according to plan, and they don't make me feel too crummy.

But for now, I'm going to get a good night's sleep- this weekend has been crazy and I need some good ole' R &R. I'm just going to focus on the positive things in my life- since there seem to be more of them than negative these days! I'm genuinely happy & I love it. I've never felt this way before. Until next time...

<3 A

Can never get enough of him! 

So. Many. Muscles. 

He's just amazing....

Love my box!!!! <3

Benchmark Week!

Hi lovelies! 

Hope everyone's week has been just as amazing as mine has been! Although, I am cursing Mike for how sore I am!! But luckily, I love this feeling, so it's no biggie. So this week was "benchmark week." That means that we did a bunch of hard, crossfit benchmark workouts and recorded our times/weights/etc. and we will re-test them again in a few months, to see how far we've progressed. These are the workouts we did in consecutive order (M-F): ***If you don't know what these things mean, just google them- you'll find them!***

Monday:  "Karen"- 150 Wall Balls (14lb med-ball throw at 9′ target) For time.

Tuesday: "Diane" 21-15-9 Deadlift (165lbs-rx); Handstand Push Ups

Wednesday: A. 1RM Back Squat
                        Rest 5 minutes
                   B. 400m Run for time
                       Rest 5 minutes
                  C. 2 Rounds:
                  L Sit for time
                    Rest 1 minute
                  D. 1min. AMRAP T2B

Thursday: "Fran"  21-15-9- Thrusters, Pull Ups

Friday: "The Filthy Fifty" 35:00m time cap
50 Box jump (24/20)
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings(35/26)
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press (45/35)
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots (20@10′/14@9′)
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

Needless to say, it's been a pretty rough week at the office. I was so incredibly sore following "Karen." 150 wall balls is the absolute pitts. I was paired up with Christine- the most amazing pregnant crossfit woman ever. She's due in like 2 weeks, and she is still working out like a champ! She kept score for me while I tried to accomplish what seemed like the impossible. I started out strong- trying to break them up into sets of 10, but around 50- I started fading. I had to break them into sets of 5. Time was ticking, and people were already finished. I felt so bad, because I was taking so long to finish- I'm sure people just wanted to wrap up the class and get on with their day. Luckily, I had Sarah O and Jeff B- cheering me on- because they are rockstars and finished so fast!! But the one person who got me through those last 30 wall balls, was Mike. He stood by me and pushed me- counted me down- let me take a break- then forced me to get back on the ball. There was a point where I almost quit- I was so tired, and the thought of having to do one more, physically made me upset & want to cry. Mike broke it up for me- and he never let me quit. The sense of accomplishment following that wod was amazing. It was my first ever RX wod since starting crossfit. That's pretty amazing. It took me 24:05 minutes to complete, but I finished- and used RX weight. SO boom. 

The rest of the week's workouts I had to scale- not ashamed to do it, but I would have loved to get at least one more RX workout in this week. I can't wait until we re-test this week. It's going to be absolutely amazing. 

The other WOD that really got to me this week, was The Filthy Fifty. I remember doing this back when I first started and we were in our old space. My, how times have changed. I was reading back at an old post I made when we did it- I was stepping on a plate instead of box jumps- ab mat situps instead of K2E, 15lb push press, the smallest KB, and an 8lb med ball. While I can't say I've advanced a lot- I definitely have advanced. I used a 16in box to step up (I'm still having box jump anxiety), RX one armed KB swings, and RX wall balls. Amy & Marvin came to the Wod to cheer our class on, and Amy stayed with me the whole time- doing each movement with me, when I looked like I was going to quit. She has no idea what that meant to me- I would have NEVER made it through the wall balls without her. <3 you babe! 

When I looked at the white board and saw burpees were next, I got so upset. How was I ever going to get through 50 burpees in such a small amount of time? I figured I'd just throw in the towel and be happy with my score. But Harrison, Marvin, and Amy were there sitting in front of me- pushing me harder than I've been pushed before to get through at least one burpee. And they kept pushing me to keep going, until I got up to 10 burpees & time was called. This time around in the 35:00m time cap, I got through 10 burpees. I planned to finish, even though the time cap was met- but I went down for number 11, and couldn't really get up. I was extremely dizzy and started to black out. Also, my knees were completely torn apart from the burpees we did the week before. I just started crying. laying face down on the ground- crying. So mad at myself for not being able to finish. Amy had to talk me off the ledge- telling me that I did way better this time, etc. Still, I felt like a failure for not being able to finish. 

But, then she took me to the white board to look at other people's score- and where they ended, and tried to explain to me that I did fine & I should be proud of my score. After seeing the evidence on the board, I believed her, and was proud of myself for even showing up on a Friday after an extremely long and exhausting week to even do this workout at all! 

This week also brought so many PR's for me. I've never felt better about myself at crossfit in a long time. I'm realizing that my body is capable of some pretty amazing stuff. So here's a list of all of the amazing PR's I got this week that I'm so proud of:

1. Front Squat PR- 85lbs- up from 65lbs in April

2. 400m run for time PR- 3:08m. I've never timed it before, so it's automatically a PR, and this was the first time I did the entire 400m run without stopping to walk. So there's that. 

3. Back Squat PR- 135lbs- up from 115lbs in June (woot!)

4. Kettle-bell clean- 62lbs- up from 53lbs just a few weeks ago! So crazy! I tried to clean the 70lb KB- but it wasn't happening- close but no cigar!

5. Completed my first RX workout since beginning crossfit in January. 

I would've had more, had my wrist not been an issue. Before my injury, I could clean and jerk 75lbs. I'll get back there at some point, but I'm happy with my progress for now. That's what's so amazing about crossfit- you think you fail at something, but in a few weeks, you completely demolish it. None of these PR's would have been possible without the amazing guidance and motivation from my coaches- Mike, Eats, Danny, & Harrison; Along with the cheers and claps from my amazing community. 

This past Friday, we had a going away party for Amy and Marvin- I mentioned it last time that they are packing up and moving across the country to California. We had so much fun at the party- I may have had a few too many paleo approved tequila drinks, but it was honestly the best time I've had in a long time. I am going to miss them so so much. More than they know. Amy is my girl- my first CF friend- the best person to have around you when you feel like shit during a wod. I love you Amy- I'm so proud of you for taking this great opportunity that you've been given, but I'm also mad at you for leaving me. Things will not be the same. I'm legit tearing up as I write this- I'm  a mess. Marvin- you're my number one. You have given me more laughs than I can count- let me touch your fantastic pecs & bum more times than I count, and I love you for that. You make the most hilarious faces at all times, and I'm going to miss seeing them around the box. I'm so happy you're joining Amy on her journey, but I'm also mad you for leaving too. Who else is going to let me ogle them while they tighten their lifting belt? LOL. I love you both more than you know- and I can't wait to visit you and skype date with you all the time! xoxoxo

I better hit the sheets- 4:30am comes pretty fast, and I have to be ready to take on "Linda" tomorrow....we'll see what happens! Also, if any of you feel like sharing this blog with your friends, please do- It helps keep me accountable! 

I love you all more than you'll ever know. My life is forever changed, and I'm happy to have each and every one of you with me on my journey. XOXO

-A

I can't believe it's been 6 months...a reflection.

Hey all!
This may get a little emotional and long- just FYI.

So today marks my 6 month anniversary of changing my life. I can't believe it's already been 6 months. I feel like time has flown by. Everything has changed so much since this all began. I can honestly say that I am a different person. A completely different person. I am doing things that I never in a million years thought I would do. There are words in my vocabulary that I never thought would be there. I have friends that I consider an extension of my family. The best part from these past few months, is that I feel like my mentality has changed so much. I'm more confident in my everyday life. I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but I can honestly say that I am getting closer every day.

These 6 months have helped me develop a deep admiration for crossfit athletes around the globe; But mostly for the athletes at my box. I have witnessed so many amazing accomplishments- and continue to see them on a daily basis. From Colleen's first toes to bar, to Michelle's clean PR, these are the people that continue to inspire me daily. I've been at RCFBC since we were in the small back gym. I remember the day that we moved into the new space- and the WOD that followed that. All those burpees. I remember all of the people who did those burpees with me- and encouraged me to keep going, even when I wanted to quit. I remember the group hug following that- people that I didn't even know- rooting for me to press on. That's what keeps me going. Every high five, and "good job" is what carries me through. To some people it may seem like just a small gesture, but to me- it means everything.

From the beginning of my time at RCFBC, my coach Mike was/is an integral part of my new life. As most of you know, Mike is the best. Seriously. I know I say it every time I blog, but it's true! I never had anyone really, truly believe that I could do this. From the first time I met Mike, I knew we were going to be friends. He has such a genuine personality- and the guy remembers everything about everybody. He knows who is having problems with one thing- and who is having problems with something else. It's amazing. I don't know how he keeps it all together. I feel more at ease when Mike is near me during wods. I know it's weird, but I get this sense that it'll all be okay, as long as he's there. He pushes me & motivates me more than I think he knows. I've always had an incredible amount of respect for him, but when I broke my wrist, that amount of respect grew immensely. He sat with me when I fell off the box until I was ready to get up- and then sat with me even more until I was ready to go home. He checked on me and made sure I was okay- and even offered to drive me to doctor's appointments, if necessary. I never expected that from someone who was supposed to just be my coach. And that's what makes him different. He truly cares for each and every one of us. I can't express how much I appreciate and love him. He's like the older brother I never had. I hope that this will help him realize how much he has changed my life- I am thankful everyday for him. I'm seriously tearing up right now as I type- he is such an amazing person- words cannot even explain. Thank you, Mike- from the very bottom of my heart. You have no idea how much everything you do, high five you give, words of encouragement you give mean to me. <3

Our community at RCFBC is a true reflection of our head coach. People are so friendly, and motivating- it's awesome. I am friends with people that I never thought I would be friends with. I have made so many new relationships through crossfit- with people that I would probably never meet otherwise. I know I've said it before, but I never had guy friends. Now I can honestly say I have plenty of guy friends- which is amazing when you need man advice- or just a really strong hug! Probably one of the most unlikely friendships that I have started, is with Colleen Mcd. She is the kind of girl that I would probably avoid in real life- thinking that she would never want to be friends with me, because I'm not pretty enough to fit in with her group. Little did I know, she is one of the most amazing and accepting individuals at our box. She is hilarious- and we are a lot more alike than I thought. Although, she can out-drink me on every level! I'm so happy to have her in my life. Love ya C-dog! Other unlikely friendships that I'm glad to be a part of are with Gareth, Marvin, & Amy. Gareth is awesome. I don't even know him that well (yet), and he is always pushing me to do better and succeed. And make me laugh- Along with Marvin. Marvin is special. My first impressions of him were that he was just a jerk, meat-head. Boy was I wrong. He is one of the kindest people I've ever met. He came from a different box, and fit in with us perfectly. Probably because of his girl- Amy. Amy was my very first crossfit friend! Her and Marvin are moving far away to California soon, and I'm so sad. Our box is definitely going to be a lot different without the two of them there. I'm already so sad to say goodbye. But I was already assured that there is a guest room in there new digs, so I'll be visiting soon! :) When it comes to wodding- Marvin and Amy are like a superstar crossfit couple- and they are both so nice, to boot. I'm sad now. haha. but seriously...I'm so sad.

Since it's been 6 months, I figured I would list the 6 things that I'm the most proud of since beginning crossfit/paleo life:
1. I smile way more than I used to, and genuinely feel more happy and optimistic about life.

2. I look forward to exercising (it even feels weird to type that, but it's true!) I never thought I would find myself refreshing the page to see if the wod was posted yet!

3. I am more confident in every day interactions with people (mostly men). I used to shy away from social interactions, but now I embrace them.

4. I can fit into clothes that I would never even dare try on- and lately, most everything I put on is too big! My scrub pants could fall off at any moment!!

5. I'm stronger than I thought- getting through my wrist injury has definitely proved this. If I were in my old state of mind, I would just quit & blame it on the injury. Luckily, I had everyone in my corner, and Mike concocting one armed wods for me to complete! Also, who knew I could back-squat 115lbs?! That's so crazy.

6. I am way more cautious about my eating habits. I know the way refined carbs make me feel- and it's terrible. I'm far from perfect with my eating habits, but I know that I feel better when I eat real, nutritious foods. Adopting the paleo life has changed everything. My palate has expanded & I'm trying different vegetables that I would never even give a chance to!

7. (one for good luck!!). I competed in my very first crossfit open! I can't wait to see where I stand next year during the open!

So to everyone who reads this- Thank you. From the very bottom of my heart, Thank you. This journey is far from over, but I'm definitely headed in the right direction. I would not be this far, if it weren't for everyone's support and love. I only hope that the next 6 months are as productive as these. With all of you in my corner, I'm not sure how they couldn't be. Thanks again! Love you all! <3

-A

Left photo is today- Right photo is almost 3 years ago. I may look happy in the right photo, but I wasn't.

I've been trying to fit into this dress for 2 years! FINALLY!!!!!

Let's not get crazy now...

Hey everyone!

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post, but things have been cray! Work has been incredibly busy- we went from having only like 10 patients to having close to 20! And each one of them is absolutely crazy. Seriously. I just wonder everyday- How did you even get dressed this morning? I don't know- they are just wacky. In addition to crazy work, I've been seeing my (extremely handsome, amazing, awesome, hilarious) physical therapist twice a week, & trying to crossfit at least 5 times a week!! I feel like I've been abandoning my friends, but I'm not! I'm trying to balance everything- it's getting tough, but I will not give up crossfit- it's the one thing that I will work my schedule around. I never thought that I would find something I love so much, that I would change other plans just so I can make it to class. I guess things could be worse!

So these past couple of weeks have consisted of a lot of strength days & ridiculously crazy metcons. I swear, every day I read the wod, and I think to myself, "How the eff did he come up with this?" Exact thoughts that are running through my head right now, as I just read our wod for tomorrow- appropriately named "Suns out, Guns Out" since it's going to be like 90 degrees out tomorrow.  I guess it takes a certain kind of crazy to come up with these workouts- and Mike most certainly has that kind of crazy- Love you Mike! :)

The most significant WOD from these past two weeks, was the Crossfit Total. According to the Crossfit website, "The CrossFit Total is a strength assessment that is the sum of the best of three attempts at the back-squat, shoulder press, and the deadlift, done in that order." So basically, we had to find our one rep max weight for each movement. Once you find it, you total up the weight from each movement, and that is your crossfit total score. Since the wrist injury, I am having a lot of trouble getting into the front-rack position. Eventually, I'll be able to do it, but it's going to take time & more PT. I'm certainly not complaining about going to PT for an extended period of time! hahahahaha. Anyway, I got nervous with the heavy weight because I didn't know if I would be able to handle it. It has only been a couple of weeks since I've been back on the barbell, but I was feeling like a hero, so I just went for it. One of my very first friends from OnRamp, Amy was working with me. She is a rockstar. She is an excellent motivator, and pushed me well beyond what I thought I could do. We started with the back-squat at 55lbs. I did it- and it was great- and I figured ok- just shut it down- don't do any more. But Amy kept saying- you can do way more- I know you can. So she put 10 more pounds on the bar. And I did that- easy. So I said shut it down. She kept pushing me, until I got all the way up to 115lbs!!!! My original one rep max back squat was 65lbs- with a perfectly working wrist! WHAT?? Are you serious? Mike thought I could have probably handled another 10lbs, but he didn't want to get too crazy. I was happy with that 115! Thank you Amy!! <3
Next came the strict press. I was starting to load up my bar, when Mike came over- just pointed at me and said "NO- I don't want you doing a one rep max press- kettlebell." And that was it. I got mad. Why wasn't he letting me do the press? We had done it the day before, and it wasn't a problem. I knew it was for my own good, and he was probably thinking more clearly that I was at that point. I was on a high from my crazy back squat. Who knows what I would have done, had he let me continue with the press. I probably would have re-injured myself. And that's what makes him an amazing coach. He knows when to have you shut it down- even when you don't want to & you think he's just out to ruin your day. Let's be honest though, I was only mad at him for like 5 seconds- and then I got over it and realized that it would be stupid for me to do that. Anyhow, I got the 35lb KB press- easy. I tried to do the 44lb, but I couldn't do it- it was just way to heavy.
Next was the deadlift. One of my favorite movements. I find myself getting into the deadlift position when I move stuff at work, which is pretty awesome- functional movements! I wasn't sure how heavy I would be able to go with the deadlift. I was using a mixed grip, which is one hand over the bar, and one hand under the bar. It helps you lift a little bit more weight, and in my case, pick up the slack from my weak wrist. I started slow with I think like 65lbs. It was easy, so I moved up- I think it was a quick jump, right up to 130lbs. The key to the movements was being able to perform them with absolutely perfect form. I had already beaten my one rep max deadlift! My original one was 125lbs. So I added some more weight. I ended up with a one rep max dead lift of 165lbs!! A second personal record for the day. I felt like a boss. Seriously. The high I got from that day stayed with me for a couple of days. I couldn't believe that I could lift/squat that kind of weight. I definitely impressed myself. I would have never been able to do anything that day, if it wasn't for the amazing people in my class. Some of the guys in the class completely blew me away. They were lifting the equivalent weight of a decent sized male. Are you kidding me? They are nuts. But I love them.
So my crossfit total score ended up being 315!
These few weeks have also consisted of more kettle-bell swings and burpees than I care to count. But I can't complain- I love that sore feeling. It makes you feel like you actually worked out hard.

I'm seeing my orthopedist tomorrow- I'm hoping that things are going according to plan. Although I'm not sure because on Friday, I got so excited while changing for crossfit, that I got my bad arm stuck in the ceiling fan!!! I felt like such a dummy. How do these things happen to me? It was the ultimate no rep. I need to be put in a bubble. Have a great week- If anyone is going to 9am class tomorrow- get ready- it looks absolutely INSANE.

<3 A

Mike standing by in case things went awry with the back-squat

115lbs!! ahhhh!! 

165lb deadlift- and a horrible face to go with it!