I finally took the leap and attended my first CrossFit class at the CrossFit Danbury box yesterday. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I worked with a personal trainer for about two years and ended up losing close to 40 pounds, which I gained in college (forget the Freshman Fifteen, it's the Freshman Forty!). Working with my trainer Amanda, I substantially increased my strength, endurance, everything. But since I've moved, I've been looking for something to replace that training. Not to mention, for the past four months I've been mainly focusing on my running...and since the marathon, I'm ready for a change of pace.
Thanks to a new colleague who joined my office a few weeks ago and my friend Brian's encouragement, I finally went to my first "beginners" class yesterday. Before diving in, I had all these scary thoughts about what I was getting myself into. All I could think of were all the intense, beast-like photos I had seen of friends lifting insane amounts of weight. I was nervous I'd embarrass myself or not be able to keep up.
Thankfully, all that personal training came in handy. I was able to keep up, despite some of my lingering marathon issues, and felt relatively strong throughout. I think we came on a day with a fairly easy WOD (Workout of the Day), as my friend Brian promises me it's going to be much more intense, but I've decided to commit to going three days a week, starting next week. Brian assures me I'll be a ripped beast in six months, so here's hoping!
Honestly, it was amazing how supportive and encouraging everyone was. These were people I had never met in my life, telling me I was doing a good job and helping me to make sure I was doing the exercises correctly - definitely a change of pace from the typical gym. There is also a level of competitiveness, which for anyone who knows me, knows I love. I think this could end up being really good for me, although I promised Karen (Brian's wife) I won't get too obsessed - we'll see!
I'm looking forward to continuing with it. Not sure if I'll adopt the paleo diet that comes along with CrossFit, but I am pretty confident I'll reach my goal weight through this program, as long as I stick to it. And maybe even make some new friends...which we all know I need to do since I moved.
Here's the WOD I completed yesterday:
1. STRENGTH/ SKILL WORK
5X5
PRESS
REST 60 SECS
5 STRICT C2B PULLUPS
REST 60 SECONDS
2. WOD
4 RFT
400M RUN
12 PP 95/65
So here are my main CrossFit goals:
1. Get to my goal weight
2. Do a pull up
3. Do a full push up (chest to the ground - as of now, I can do a very small one and totally kick butt on the girl version!)
So if all predictions are accurate, by April, I should be a ripped beast. Here goes nothing!
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
26.2
Gosh, who would have thought a marathon would have taken so much out of me, physically, mentally, and emotionally. With that said, I'm happy to report that I completed the marathon! That's right, this body took me a whole 26.2 miles and I crossed the finish line.
And here's all the gory details: The Saturday a week before my marathon, I went on a quick, three-mile taper run...not even a mile into the run, I hit a piece of uneven ground and as luck would have it, I sprained my ankle. After screaming a couple of expletives, pain and disappointment induced of course, I hobbled back to my parents' house. After making my way to the chair and icing my ankle, I just burst into tears. I had trained so long and so far for this marathon and a week before, I sprain my ankle. Go figure.
The following Monday, I hopped on a plane to Orlando for a big work event, with my ankle wrapped tightly, still painful and still swollen. I got through the week, although on very limited sleep and not without some major travel disruptions (including a cancelled flight, waiting on the tarmac for an hour, another six hour delay, lost luggage, etc.). My ankle was still black and blue and still swollen, but I had put in so much effort and just couldn't let this injury sideline me.
So the race began...I felt alright, although my quads were super tight. Around mile nine, I re-twisted my ankle, which was painful. I kept running. At mile twelve, my ankle gave out again. I kept running. By mile 16 or so, I was hobbling/jogging, but I kept going. Around mile 22 I had a mini breakdown, wondering if the race would ever end. I started to tear up. I asked God to just help me through it, and as if he knew I needed it, a song that means so much to me, "Be Still," by The Fray started playing on my iPod. At that point, I just knew I had to keep going...and keep going I did. It took me six hours...should have taken me a little less than five, but with the ankle, I was just happy to cross the finish line. My friends and brother cheered me on the entire way - meeting me at every check point with their homemade signs, screaming for me to keep going, and even breaking out into song at one point - Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." I couldn't have done it without them.
After the race, I could barely walk. My brother had to half carry me to the car and throughout the next few days I can honestly say, I have never been so sore in my life. I couldn't stand up or sit down without incredible pain in my legs. Even as I slept, whenever I turned over, my body would scream with pain. A week and half out though, I'm starting to feel better, although I still have some hip pain and oddly enough, my feet still hurt a bit in the mornings. My ankle is still swollen, although the black and blue has subsided. I'm still debating if it's worth heading to the doctor, because my gut is telling me I might have a stress fracture. I'm testing it out tonight at the gym, for the first time in a week.
Although my plan was to run one marathon and then stick with half-marathons and shorter, I'm not so sure that's the case. I really want know what I'm really made of and knowing my time should have been so much better, I think I'll starting training again come the spring. I can honestly say I'm not looking forward to the sores all over my back, the endless long distance runs, the gu chomps and gels...but there's nothing that compares to crossing the finish line knowing you just ran 26.2 miles - no one can ever take that away from you, no matter what the time was, no matter the circumstance...I proudly display my 26.2 sticker on my car, despite it all.
Until the next race . . .
And here's all the gory details: The Saturday a week before my marathon, I went on a quick, three-mile taper run...not even a mile into the run, I hit a piece of uneven ground and as luck would have it, I sprained my ankle. After screaming a couple of expletives, pain and disappointment induced of course, I hobbled back to my parents' house. After making my way to the chair and icing my ankle, I just burst into tears. I had trained so long and so far for this marathon and a week before, I sprain my ankle. Go figure.
The following Monday, I hopped on a plane to Orlando for a big work event, with my ankle wrapped tightly, still painful and still swollen. I got through the week, although on very limited sleep and not without some major travel disruptions (including a cancelled flight, waiting on the tarmac for an hour, another six hour delay, lost luggage, etc.). My ankle was still black and blue and still swollen, but I had put in so much effort and just couldn't let this injury sideline me.
So the race began...I felt alright, although my quads were super tight. Around mile nine, I re-twisted my ankle, which was painful. I kept running. At mile twelve, my ankle gave out again. I kept running. By mile 16 or so, I was hobbling/jogging, but I kept going. Around mile 22 I had a mini breakdown, wondering if the race would ever end. I started to tear up. I asked God to just help me through it, and as if he knew I needed it, a song that means so much to me, "Be Still," by The Fray started playing on my iPod. At that point, I just knew I had to keep going...and keep going I did. It took me six hours...should have taken me a little less than five, but with the ankle, I was just happy to cross the finish line. My friends and brother cheered me on the entire way - meeting me at every check point with their homemade signs, screaming for me to keep going, and even breaking out into song at one point - Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." I couldn't have done it without them.
After the race, I could barely walk. My brother had to half carry me to the car and throughout the next few days I can honestly say, I have never been so sore in my life. I couldn't stand up or sit down without incredible pain in my legs. Even as I slept, whenever I turned over, my body would scream with pain. A week and half out though, I'm starting to feel better, although I still have some hip pain and oddly enough, my feet still hurt a bit in the mornings. My ankle is still swollen, although the black and blue has subsided. I'm still debating if it's worth heading to the doctor, because my gut is telling me I might have a stress fracture. I'm testing it out tonight at the gym, for the first time in a week.
Although my plan was to run one marathon and then stick with half-marathons and shorter, I'm not so sure that's the case. I really want know what I'm really made of and knowing my time should have been so much better, I think I'll starting training again come the spring. I can honestly say I'm not looking forward to the sores all over my back, the endless long distance runs, the gu chomps and gels...but there's nothing that compares to crossing the finish line knowing you just ran 26.2 miles - no one can ever take that away from you, no matter what the time was, no matter the circumstance...I proudly display my 26.2 sticker on my car, despite it all.
Until the next race . . .
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Growing up is hard to do
I graduated college in 2008 and have been a member of the working world ever since. I'm on my third apartment, by myself, and am less than a month away from the big 2-6, which means I've already lived through the first half of my twenties. With that being said, I thought I'd make a list of some of the habits I should probably start breaking, or perhaps the ones I should pick up, because after all, I really am an adult and should probably start picking up some adult-like habits. Don't get me wrong, I'm as mature as you can get, but there are a few college-habits I just haven't been able to break. Here we go:
1. Start eating dinner at my kitchen table, instead of my couch - I bought a very pretty pub-style table when I moved to my new apartment, because I thought as an "adult" I should have a real kitchen table. Despite dropping a significant amount of dough on the table, I still migrate to the couch for all my meals...I guess it wasn't so bad when at my last apartment, I didn't really have a kitchen table, but used the coffee table instead. I haven't yet purchased a new coffee table for this apartment, so I literally use a pillow as my table. Yes, I know...it's a terrible habit, one I'm convinced to cease come April 11th.
2. Start using actual recipes when cooking - I like to cook, but I'm often lazy, so I make the same things, regularly. I throw some spices (usually salt, pepper, garlic powder, maybe some other seasoning) on either chicken or fish and call it a day. I'd like to spice up my cuisine and add to my cooking repertoire, so my goal is to start actually making some of those fabulous recipes I'm always reading about.
3. Buy a pajama set - I've never been a huge pajama set kind of girl. When I was little, I wore an over-sized t-shirt to bed. As I grew up, I started wearing shorts and a tank top...and still do. I find there to be something "adult-like" about having an actual matching set of pajamas.
4. Have a landline phone - Yes, I know it's how we millennials operate - we only have a cell phone, no attached to the wall, need to charge, cordless phone. BUT, with that being said, my new apartment doesn't have the best cell service, and it's really not very adult like to constantly have dropped calls (especially when you're on the phone with work). So, I've decided to call good ol' Comcast and upgrade my double play to a triple.
5. Ween myself off Ranch dressing - Ever since I was little, I needed to have a side of ranch for my chicken, fries, steak, potatoes, really anything. Although I use the low fat version (which is just soo much better), I think this is one habit I should can. But, I won't give up my ketchup, that's just too American.
6. Buy curtains - Ok, so I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but when it comes to my bedroom (my living room is pretty awesomely decorated), I'm more concerned with blocking out the intrusive morning sun, than I am about style...and I have resorted to using dark sheets and blankets as curtains. So not adult like. My goal by April 11th, is to invest in some black-out curtains - I mean really, how un-adult can you get with a snowman blanket as your curtain?
So these are just a few of my goals. I'm sure I'll come up with others, but for now, here goes nothing . . . I may just be an adult with real adult habits by the time I turn 26 after all.
1. Start eating dinner at my kitchen table, instead of my couch - I bought a very pretty pub-style table when I moved to my new apartment, because I thought as an "adult" I should have a real kitchen table. Despite dropping a significant amount of dough on the table, I still migrate to the couch for all my meals...I guess it wasn't so bad when at my last apartment, I didn't really have a kitchen table, but used the coffee table instead. I haven't yet purchased a new coffee table for this apartment, so I literally use a pillow as my table. Yes, I know...it's a terrible habit, one I'm convinced to cease come April 11th.
2. Start using actual recipes when cooking - I like to cook, but I'm often lazy, so I make the same things, regularly. I throw some spices (usually salt, pepper, garlic powder, maybe some other seasoning) on either chicken or fish and call it a day. I'd like to spice up my cuisine and add to my cooking repertoire, so my goal is to start actually making some of those fabulous recipes I'm always reading about.
3. Buy a pajama set - I've never been a huge pajama set kind of girl. When I was little, I wore an over-sized t-shirt to bed. As I grew up, I started wearing shorts and a tank top...and still do. I find there to be something "adult-like" about having an actual matching set of pajamas.
4. Have a landline phone - Yes, I know it's how we millennials operate - we only have a cell phone, no attached to the wall, need to charge, cordless phone. BUT, with that being said, my new apartment doesn't have the best cell service, and it's really not very adult like to constantly have dropped calls (especially when you're on the phone with work). So, I've decided to call good ol' Comcast and upgrade my double play to a triple.
5. Ween myself off Ranch dressing - Ever since I was little, I needed to have a side of ranch for my chicken, fries, steak, potatoes, really anything. Although I use the low fat version (which is just soo much better), I think this is one habit I should can. But, I won't give up my ketchup, that's just too American.
6. Buy curtains - Ok, so I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but when it comes to my bedroom (my living room is pretty awesomely decorated), I'm more concerned with blocking out the intrusive morning sun, than I am about style...and I have resorted to using dark sheets and blankets as curtains. So not adult like. My goal by April 11th, is to invest in some black-out curtains - I mean really, how un-adult can you get with a snowman blanket as your curtain?
So these are just a few of my goals. I'm sure I'll come up with others, but for now, here goes nothing . . . I may just be an adult with real adult habits by the time I turn 26 after all.
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