WODs & Well-Being

May 9, 2013 Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day!! I was really really excited to see the WODs released last night and read about the standards. Of course the terrifying feeling of not having a muscle up has passed through my head over and over... and that is one BIG fish I have to learn to fry... and quick! Now, the way they have structured the WOD's this year for teams is  little different. There are two WOD's every day. Each of the 6 teammates will have to complete at least one WOD a day that will also include the rest of the 5 teammates. The second (or first) WOD on each day will be just one man and one woman from each team. All three of each gender have to perform one of the 2 person workouts and all three of the 6 person workouts. It was pretty clear that of the three, day two was right up my alley. I can do Jackie, but I have tough time with pullups. I would be ok with the walking lunges and oh presses... but my double unders and handstand pushup...

May 7, 2013 Here we go again... If there is one thing in life that every "adult" learns over time... its the fact that anything can happen when you least expect it. Those things can be good, but those things can be bad... most you cant prepare for. You just have to learn how to go with what happens in life and deal with it as best you can. I plan, plan, plan... and sometimes... it dosent matter. Live takes over and I find myself in a crappy sutiation that more often than not costs money. Well... I just put on my big girl drawers and suck it up. Que sera sera... Today "life" brought me back tot he dentist. I had planned a few months ago to take care of some dental work that I have been putting off due to lack of insurance. The "plan" was one crown a year... so my dentist (that I love) advised which tooth to do first. We had a plan of attack for the order in which we were going to do the rest. Well... as "life" would have it.  Another too...

April 25, 2013 What would life be like if everything was “easy” or came natural?   What if anything you wanted to try in life was right there for you to try and there was no work involved in getting there? No worry that you wouldn’t succeed when you tried it for the first time. No question of if you will fail. My personal opinion. Boring. Unrewarding. Lackluster. There is something about doing something I have never done before that just lights a fire inside me. This is especially true when I am asked to do it by someone who has the faith in me that I can do it. I may fail the first time, I may even fail the second time, but I know deep down inside that I will never stop trying until I have accomplished what it is I have set out to do. Risk and challenge are scary things for some people. I was there for a long time myself, living in comfortability. Again, my mind is wondering back and forth from the gym to “life” when it comes to this topic. Will I ever lift that 10lb...

April 21, 2013 Whats on the menu? Scallop Florentine (find it HERE ) How easy was it to make?   I have to say it was a little time consuming and a little daunting for me. I have never in my life attempted to make scallops and I was afraid that I was going to under or over cook them... and they would be totally inedible or something. I stopped at Price Chopper (because they have a great seafood and meat section) and got the scallops. The guy at the counter said that they were "super fresh" and had just came in that morning. So, I had that on my side! The "Florentine" part was pretty easy to make and smelled fantastic while cooking. It was mostly a waiting game. Add the onion and wait for it to cook... add the tomato, garlic and mushroom and wait some more now add the spinach and wait wait wait... Thats when I started to get anxious about cooking the scallops. I looked on line to see how to "sear" something because the instructions said to sear each...

April 6, 2013 Ever hear that saying; "reach for the moon, if you miss you will land among the stars?" This is one of my favorite sayings and has ran through my head more times that I can even count since childhood. No goal can ever be set to high... and if it happens to be just out of reach, thats ok. Why? Because if you gave it your 110%, worked hard, pushed to achieve whatever it is... than even if you didnt reach your ultimate goal, you are far more ahead than you were when you started. 13.5 was a workout that made me nervous. Yep, look back in my older posts about if I get nervous before a WOD. With this one, it was amplified by about a million. Now, when it comes down to the Open, I knew that I didnt really have to do this one again. There were already 3 scores that were well above mine but for me it wasnt about that. It was about ME. It was about how I felt I did on my first attempt and how I have to learn to not be afraid of these things that seem to hinder me in...

March 23, 2013 I woke up this morning thinking... "my legs are FRIED." In addition to that I have been constantly thinking about how poor my double under performance was on Thursday and that there was absolutely no reason why I should not have a better split time than I did on. In fact, I have been pretty stressed about this workout since it was released. I knew for sure that my time would be better than last year, but I am just not confident at all in my double unders and that takes a huge toll on my mindset. After my horrid performance at the Love em or Leave em with the double unders and than my 4 minute frustration session Thursday today had the potential to be a disaster. My legs were all jacked up, but as I started moving I had a feeling they would loosen up. However, in my head I was just so nervous about the stress I was putting on myself and the expectations I had on myself... it was enough to make me sick. Here is where the far above average coaching we are so l...

February 4, 2013 I am lucky enough to have two wonderful roll models in my life. I have talked about my parents before, but today I have to honor them by wishing them the happiest anniversary!! They were married in 35 years ago today. I can be 100% sure that they had no idea what type of life they were going to lead together, what challenges they would face and how they would get through it. However, I am also 100% sure that they could not have gotten through the life that has been laid out for them without eachother. They are strong, they are passionate, they love eachother and I could not have been luckier to have them as my parents. Happy Anniversary Ma and Pa!! Today begins the first Paleo Challenge of 2013. We are calling this one Paleo Challenge II. This challenge, in addition to being strict paleo also includes eliminating honey, agave, maple syrup, greek yogurt and some other on the fence paleo foods that have been allowed in challenges past. I havnet done a challenge i...

February 2, 2013 I have been very happy with the new Saturday format. After talking to M and K I have decided to attend both the Oly class as well as the skill/WOD following. I typically spend a few hours there anyway when I can, so this way I have a program for the whole time. Plus, more often than not, the WOD and skill is based around something I need working on (cough cough... everything... cough cough). Snatches were feeling good during the start of the Oly hour. I have been really focused on my form and fee that even though I havent been able to stick my previous PR of 125lbs agian, I have certainly been more comfortable getting up there close to it. My clean and jerks have also been benefiting from this work as well. Of course in conjunction with the few Thursdays in a row that I was working on full squat cleans from the boxes as well as the first pull off the floor. Last week I was amazed when I got up to 185bs... and today I got under 195lbs! I shocked myself that I actu...

January 26, 2013 Today was an amazing day. I feel like I have been saying that a lot lately... which I cant imagine is a BAD thing... ever. For the last few months Saturdays at the gym have become a Oly session for me. I have been working on my clean and jerk and snatch as much as possible than using the rest of the time I am at the gym for other skills that I need to work on; toes to bar, butterfly pullups, handstand pushups, dips... and the list goes on... but really my Oly technique has been on the top of my list. Thursday nights and Saturdays have been dedicated to slow first pull, back on my heels, good bar path, quick elbows, dropping quick below the bar, keeping my core tight... I was told (promised almost) that it would be a very frustrating process, but it would be worth it in the end. Having been told that, I knew I would get annoyed, have struggles and get really pissed, but I also knew that that is how I "roll" that I would push through and work hard and get whe...

January 19, 2013 Keep working, keep pushing... no matter what. I am always afraid, I am always on edge... but I will not let it consume me. I will not let it take over. I can only be who I am. I can only be proud of the person I am.... and I am. I am doing it, regardless of my fears. Go big or go home baby... WARMUP: 2 Rounds - Jumprope Circuit - 10 Spiderman - 10 Shoulder Dislocates - 5 Wall Ball - 5 Toes to Bar Snatch Warmup 2X (1 PVC, 1 Bar) SKILL/STRENGTH Snatch 85, 95, 105, 115, 125 (F 2X) Clean and Jerk 115, 125, 145, 155, 165, 175 (Clean, failed Jerk) .

January 16, 2013 Goals. Its so important to set them. Its important that they are reasonable and achievable in the amount of time you have set for them... oh and you should set an amount of time you want to achieve them in... get it?! The key is there is a difference between "I can do this" and "if I work my ass of, I can do this." There is a difference between setting a goal that is definitely attainable, one that you think there is a small chance you might not reach it in time... and one that is just plain scary. Goals should be all over the map... goals for your immediate future, goals for 6 months, goals for 12 months... 5 years, whatever you need to get the job done. Its important to set them to keep from being content with consistency. They help to elevate life from just day to day to looking forward to reaching new heights and accomplishing new things. Every day we are on this planet we are evolving. We have to... we learn, we grow and we change. Life c...

January 7, 2013 I think its safe to say that I sleep better at night knowing what the WOD is going to be the next morning when I get up for the gym. See... going to the 5:30am class is perfect for me (yes, Sarah we know it is) but that means that there are nights that I am literally waiting for the WOD to go up on the website before heading to bed.  No, there has never been a day that I bailed on a workout because I didnt want to do it... and yes, there have been nights that I didnt seep as well because I knew it was going to be a challenge the next day... but there are also nights (like last night) that I went to be super excited and slept fantastic because I knew what the next morning was going to bring... my favorite Hero WOD, "DT." There is something about this WOD that really gets me going. DT are the initials of SSgt Tim Davis, 23d Special Tactics Squadron, US Air Force who was killed in action on February 20, 2009. He was 28 years old supporting operations in OEF...

November 28, 2012 WARMUP: Row 250 3 Rounds - 10 Grasshopper - 10 Lunges - 10 Shoulder Dislocate - 10 Wall Balls Row 250 WOD: Twister 12 Minute AMRAP 15-12-9-6-3 - Pullups - Front Squat (75) Burpees for the remaining time (5:36 + 75 Burpees Rx) SKILL/STRENGTH Back Squat - 12 Minute 5 X 1 165, 205, 230, 240, 245 <----PR

November 20, 2012 22 Days of Thanks 2012 - Day 22 I am thankful for my body. I think we all have a tendency to take our body for granted. We never really think of the things we have that others dont. We dont really understand that some people live in pain on a daily basis. We try to understand eating disorders and why people can do things to their body that we ourselves might not be able to imagine, but its hard unless you are the one in the situation. Having the mind to take control of your body and teach yourself the things you need to be healthy and strong is the first step and a difficult one if you dont have the eduction or mindset to do do. I have been on all sides of this... and still struggle at times. I had the time when I looked in the mirror and was almost ready to give up, just do whatever and complain, complain, complain... as if that was going to help. I had the time when I worked really hard at the gym, but still pumped my body with crap... again... not going to...

November 19, 2012 22 Days of Thanks 2012 - Day 19 I am thankful for the local food pantry. Tonight I took some time after work to volunteer at the food pantry in Devens MA.My office did this last year and I wrote about my experiences. It was such a eye opening night for me that I really wanted to do it again. This is the same organization that we ran the 5K road race for a few weeks ago. I was thrilled when I found out that I wasnt going to miss the date to volunteer for my trip for Thanksgiving. Again it was one of the most humbling and rewarding things I have been able to take part in. I am really looking forward to heading over there for their Christmas date this year. Already all signed up!   Take a moment to think about your local food pantries at this time of year... and all times of the year.  WARMUP: 3 Rounds - Jump Rope Circuit - 10 Air Squats - 10 Scorpions - 10 Back Extensions - 1 Rope Climb WOD: Open 12.3 18 Minute AMRAP - 15 Box Jumps (20) -...

November 13, 2012 22 Days of Thanks 2012 - Day 13 I am thankful for my boss. I do realize how lucky I am that I can say that. I have an amazing job, an amazing boss and some really great amazing co-workers... WARMUP: Row 500m 3 Rounds - 5 Pushups - 10 Spiderman - 15 Abmat Situps - 10 Shoulder Dislocates - 5 Wall Balls Row 250m WOD: Troth 15-12-9 for time - Chest to Bar Pullups - Clean (105) - Ring Dips (red band) (10:39) SKILL/STRENGTH Push Press 5 X 1 105, 125, 135, 145, 155 (PR), 165 (fail) .

November 9, 2012 22 Days of Thanks 2012 - Day 9 I am thankful for pumpkin! Why not? Pumpkin is fantastic! Whats not to love about pumpkin!! - You can decorate with it - You can decorate IT - You can carve it - You can cook it - You can puree it - You can bake it - You can eat its seeds - You can make a pie with it - You can make a cake with it - You can make brownies with it - You can make pancakes with it - You can make smoothies with it - You can make martinis with it - You can make chili with it - You can make beer with it - You can make coffee with it - You can burn a candle that smells like it - You can make a planter out of it - You can make THESE for your pumpkin loving husband for his birthday!! <----shhhh its a surprise! http://fastpaleo.com/pumpkin-butter-truffles/ I cant let today get by without talking this! I have been thinking a lot about how I am feeling about my workouts and what my mindset is going into and coming out of the g...

October 26, 2012 Why is it that women find the need to treat Halloween as an excuse to slutify EVERYTHING. For crying out loud. I went looking for a costume and Hubs and I couldnt believe what we were seeing. First off... they have everything from skanky police officer (get original at least) to Finding Nem-ohhhhh (I kid you not, I actually saw a slutty finding Nemo costume). I mean I get it, people like to show off... and Halloween is a night you can "show" but holy bageezuz, if you are looking for something that covers your ass you cant even be Harry Potter, because somehow He is a prostitute too... What The Crap! I did find pieces of a costume... and I am pretty happy because I get to wear my gym clothes with it! Hubs also got one. Not his favorite holiday by a long shot... but we have two parties to get to and he is required to dress up! We will have a good time!! Mark this down... I swear to god... if I ever have a teenage girl, I will have some major issues come H...

October 20, 2012 Today I participated in a 5K Hunger Run for Loaves and Fishes in Devens Ma. Loaves and Fishes provides food and temporary support to residents of Ayer, Devens, Groton, Harvard, Littleton and Shirley MA. My company has become more and more aware of things we can do within the community to donate our time, money or services to help those in need and this is one of the organizations we have hooked up with. Last year at Thanksgiving I was able to volunteer to help out at the food pantry and work the day they had the doors open for Thanksgiving pickup. This year I will be away for that, but I was thrilled when my boss asked who wanted to participate in the 5K to raise money for the food pantry!! As we all lined up at the starting line, Patricia (Patty) Stern spoke over the intercom reminding us all who and what we were raising  money for. She reminded us that the people who use the pantry could be any one of us, or any one of the people that we know in our lives. Th...

October 13, 2012 WOD#3 Teams 2k Row All team members rowing at the same time Score is total sum of all 4 athletes (Personal PR, 2K 7:37 - Team Total 29:36:00) WOD#4 Establish team 1 rep max snatch- 10 minute cap Score equals highest score of each athlete combined (Total 650lbs) WOD#5 30 Deadlifts (15 each) 275/185 400m Hill Sprint 30 Deadlifts (15 each) 275/185 (women start deadlift when men take off for run) 10 min time cap (4:57)