Farewell for now

Thursday, May 28

I'm heading out. I'm scheduled for my flight to China tomorrow morning. I'm heading to Shanghai for a few days. I'll be there "alone" until Sunday. I wonder if it is possible to be alone in a city of millions??

Then I head to Nanjing for two weeks. I'm planning on working out, but I don't know if I'll be able to post depending on the internet connection. If not, you'll hear from me later in June.

Overhead Squat

Wednesday, May 27;

It's not the squat that's the problem. I love the overhead squat. It requires crazy, core tension and some serious shoulder stability. The tight core is there for me, and the shoulder stability is getting better. For me, the sticking point with this move is the rack jerk. Basically, pushing the bar from the back squat position to an overhead position. I don't have any confidence in the movement, so it's hard for me to be really agressive with it. It'll come with time...

WOD:
Overhead squat
Max - 95lb

I think this was a PR. I haven't done a heavy overhead squat in ages.

Katie pulled a 150lb overhead squat.. literally schooling the men today. I'd post it, but I can't grab the video off of Facebook or our ning site. Boo.

DT in Slow Mo

Monday, May 26;

Took my first attempt at the new Hero workout DT. It's 100lb prescribed for women. I'm just not that strong. I started with 95lb, but went to 85lb after the first few cleans. I forget that my strength isn't where it used to be. Even at 85lb I took forever to do this workout. Deadlifts and Jerks were no problem, but the cleans were the sticking point. Since when have cleans become my sticking point??

WOD:
"DT" at 85lb
12 Deadlifts
9 Cleans
6 Jerks

Time: 22:22

Murph - 'nuf said

Friday, May 22;

We hit Murph. In just a few hours 40 people at CFOT hit Murph. Just incredible. That doesn't even include the people that will go through the workout in tonight's two classes. This morning was wild! People were flying in and out of the door. Pullup bars were breaking, callouses were ripping and all the usual Crossfit crazies were out in full force.









This is a long, long workout. It feels interminable, especially in the 9th round of 5, 10, 15. I was asking myself if this workout would ever be over!!?? One thing about long workouts, besides the toll it takes on your body, is the test of your mind. The danger is that your mind wanders. There's always the possibility of psyching yourself out. With these workouts I like to think about people who inspire me. People who wouldn't want to see me resting on my haunches. People who have done this workout despite their pain. It's how I force myself to get up on the bar or to do one more pushup.

I haven't done Murph since October of 2007. I'll never forget the first time I did it. I was looking for an old post from Jerry back when we did it, but that predates the current ning site. If my memory serves me correctly, I finished the workout in about 50 minutes or so. Back then I was gaming workouts, and the plan was to hit Murph kind of like it was Cindy. Do a round of 5, 10, 15 every minute for 20 minutes and then do two 8.5 minute mile runs. That's a 37 minute Murph. An incredible score for just about any fire breathing elite Crossfitter. Now, I never said I actually DID that, but it was the goal.


There was no gaming Murph today. The goal was FINISH a prescribed Murph. I had a quick first mile run, then a very slow pullup, pushup, squat portion. The pushups were the sticking point. I was doing about 5 at a time. The last 5 rounds couldn't be called "chest to deck" pushups. The strength just wasn't there for me, but I refused to go to my knees. I went as deep as I could, then kept a tight core and pushed up as hard as I could. They weren't pretty by the end, but I'm happy I did it.

I threw on a 10lb weight vest for the last run. Finished in a decent, but not stellar, hour and change.

WOD:
"Murph"
1 mile run
100 pullups
200 pushups
300 squats
1 mile run (w/ 10lb vest)

Total: 60:57

Some extra kudos today (I know I'm missing some and sorry for that):
-Christine, one of CFOT's super moms, she did Murph AS PRESCRIBED today.
-Gar busted butt today. He was the first to finish all his pullups, pushups & squats in our class and booked it out of the door. High five brother.
-Grace, the lady who pushes me to do better every day. She finished all her squats first and then fought through pullups and pushups. Yikes!
-Danya where do you get your speed from? Where?!
-Caitlin, I'm glad you got to do Murph as a final farewell... I hope it's actually just a farewell for now. -Katie.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

-All the guys and girls who put on those nasty weight vests and kept them on for nearly an hour!

The Crossfit Community Grows

I've been trying for literally years to get some of my coworkers to join Crossfit. I've searched long and hard. Who is tough enough? Who would want to do this to themselves? We all know that it takes a certain person to not only enjoy being a Crossfitter but also embrace it!

I was thrilled a few months ago when my roommate started. I thought my mission had been completed. I had brought someone into the cult!

Then the unexpected and unthinkable happened this week. I found out that another C-SPAN'er was also drinking the Kool-aid. A guy who works in the programming department recently started at Crossfit BWI. He said his first visit to the affiliate was a little intimidating. There were all these military types there and skulls and crossbones plastered across the wall. Sounds like my kind of place! He had been doing olympic lifts and decided he wanted to add a little more cardio in his workouts. Crossfit was a perfect fit.

Then the truly shocking happened. I learned that not one, but TWO C-SPAN'ers have been partaking in the WOD, and this person has been sitting literally feet away from me for over two years. My BOSS has been Crossfitting! It's a little different than what we do at CFOT. She's been working with a trainer who buys into the Crossfit philosophy. Yesterday, she came up to my desk and proudly announced, "I did Cindy last night." Now, if she had said that to anyone else they would have stared at her with shock and confusion. Not me.. I knew. She had been converted! Her trainer had told her to tell me that she had done the workout during her training session. I was in awe!

A third member I'd like to welcome to the CFOT community was a solo Crossfitter, who started coming to Old Town just this week. He found out about us through my blog, and decided the Old Town family was something he wanted to be a part of. He joined the 6am this morning for Murph and he seriously represented. He was the first back to the room after the mile run, and he fought through some bloody callouse tears to finish Murph with a sub one hour time. Nice! He'll fit in well at Old Town. Welcome.

Saying Farewell to a Friend

I've been dragging my feet on putting this post up. It's probably because I hate it when good people move away. Last week, someone who I place pretty high on my list of good people moved out of town. I was totally shocked when Jenn told me she was leaving. I'd been keeping up with her on Facebook, but I hadn't been speaking to her as much as I would have preferred.


She told me last Thursday that she was having a going away party Friday evening. What?! I had to get caught up on a few months of catching up. It seems like the move had been in the works for a while, but she had just finalized the details and started letting others know. She's actually heading up to Connecticut (my old stomping ground). For those of you who want to keep up with her, she'll be coaching at Crossfit Watertown.

I'm really proud of her for making the decision and making a big move, but sometimes you just have to do big things to make changes in your life. Jenn's really been a big part of my Crossfit story. I met her way back when I was working out at Crossfit DC. She was the first girl I ever saw do a muscle up. I thought she was incredible! Her strength and energy floored me. She was always so good at getting in my face and pushing me to go harder, because she knew I could.

When I was looking for a new Crossfit affiliate, Jenn mentioned CFOT. I'll never forget it. She said, "they're all psychos over there." I knew I'd fit in. I was thrilled when she started popping in on classes in the blue room after her shoulder surgery. I was amazed watching her recover. I'll never forget this one workout she did. She was subbing out all of the movements we were doing, but she added jumping slamballs to her WOD. She took that ball over her head, made a huge arch with her back. Her feet and arms were way behind her. She slammed that freaking ball down like it made her pain go away. I couldn't believe she was doing that so soon after surgery. After having similar surgery on my shoulder, I really couldn't believe she did that! Every time I do slamballs I think of her, and I try to make myself jump higher and slam harder. I can never quite match up to Jenn's gusto. Not many can.


Farewell Jenn. I'll miss you a ton. Good luck, and get some my friend!

A Good Old Sweat Out

Wednesday, May 20;

I've been saying how much I've been missing those good workouts that really make me sweat. Well, I got what I was asking for. This morning we had a good old fashioned burner. No barbells. Just kettlebells and pullups.. oh, and massive box jumps. God, I love these workouts.

WOD:
5 rounds
400 meter run
15 KB swings - 35lb
12 Box Jumps - box + 45lb plate
9 Pullups

Time: 20:56

WOD II:
3 rounds
30 Double unders
30 situps

I can actually do double unders. Finally.