I have and am a work in progress

I was going to tease and share and then changed my mind.

But just a hint - we're heading out for about

4-6 weeks on an RV trip and I'm making my journal/album

ahead of time so I can scrap our adventures along the way.

Not close to being done with it yet - the desk is a mess so until

it's done........

Therefore, I shall talk about my other work in progress.

Me.

This is toward the end of my battle of 16.5 open.

It was ugly and hard - ain't gonna lie.

If you aren't into Crossfit - they have games to see

who's the fittest in the world.

Five weeks of the worse combinations that can be

thought of are done by everyone in the crossfit world.

You can pay to play to see where you rank

and if your really really good - you get to go regionals

and compete and then to the world.

Or something like that and

then there's me over here in the box just caring to get through them all.

Without dying or crying

-both were close.

 So the workout was made of thrusters and burpees - just

two of anyone's favorite moves. NOT.

The reps for time was 21-18-15-12-9-6-3.

And didn't those numbers strike terror in everyone's heart.

There was a 30 minute time cap and I finished in 25:14.

Totally not bad.

Those two exercises somehow engage every single

solitary muscle, tendon and bones in the body.

I was the last man standing so to speak - but I didn't get smoked.

I finished and am stronger for it.

So just to recap - ANYONE CAN DO CROSSFIT- yes that means YOU

 - no matter what your age.

The hardest part is starting - find a great box, great coaches

and the rest will fall into place.

As soon as my album is done - there's a page coming on this.

How far I've come - A Crossfit update

And man didn't time just fly.

Of course I had a few months off which caused

some set backs

but all-in-all I it didn't take long to

get back into the swing of things.

I treat my crossfit workouts like an appointment

that can't be missed. I try to keep absences to a minimum

because one thing I learned is that I need to be consistent in

order to keep things in working order

and to improve.

You may remember that I signed up for crossfit

because I was not able to do everyday

movements - like walking, bending, stooping, even sitting and

getting back up - which is important.

These are everyday movements that I took for granted

and these movements slowly eroded

 over time until one day - 

I couldn't do them anymore.

I couldn't squat down and get back up, I couldn't bend my

knees to sit normally so I just flopped down and

rocked to arise from sitting.

And then one day - I was walking, sitting and bending

like a 90 year old woman. And decided 

enough is enough.

I am two years into Crossfit and heading into year three.

So let me tell you what I've gotten out of my two years.

 It didn't take long to get back into shape after my 2 month vacation.

I did run into knee issues by overdoing things right away.

And didn't I learn my lesson.

I did some extra runs after workouts 

that caused my knees to

be seriously unhappy and that's when I learned to row.

I found I like rowing. 

When my knees returned to normal

I started to run again - my numbers are down

presently but they will be getting better.

800M - 6:10

1 mile - 12:57

And THEN since

my knees snapped back to attention

I discovered that I CAN LUNGE.

Lunging is important.

Now when I lunge - MY KNEES TOUCH the ground

and I can arise and lunge again.

I have never been able to do that before - NOT EVEN CLOSE.
This helps with the whole bending down thing.
Weighted lunges are in the future - I have an equilibrium
thing that needs to be worked on I tend to roll around like a weeble.

And I'm not done yet.

I CAN JUMP OVER THE BAR - when its laying flat.

I know I know 

it totally doesn't sound like a big deal but trust me

IT IS.

For some reason - after my brain fired off the command to jump

it rode on down to the hips and then to the feet

where both appendages totally ignored said command.

No matter how hard I tried my little fat feet were glued to that floor.

Well not anymore.

I can jump.

Since all the commands are now being obeyed by the body

and because my hips are now in working order I can sort

of do burpees semi-normal.

Now its just a matter of trusting my arms to get me down

and back up in one swift move.

BUT MY HIPS 

OMG. 

I can throw my legs back

and bring them forward simultaneously- no more 

looking like a crab getting out of the bottom of a boat.

It also allows me to jump rope.

Working on double unders - it appears that

I lack rhythm. Shocking.
Box jumps are in the future now as well.

SQUATTING - 

I have been working on this move for-like-ever.

This is another big deal because its key to 

almost everything. Especially the olympic lifts.

In my head I remembered being able to squat down in heels

and arising like a graceful giselle.

Well the graceful giselle turned into a clumsy camel.

Just bending those knees were a pain. Literally.

WELL.

NOW I CAN SQUAT TO ALMOST PARALLEL AND THEN 

ON A REALLY GOOD DAY or after I've warmed up

I CAN

GET BELOW PARALLEL.
I'm working on consistency now.
So my lift numbers have lowered because I'm
working on being confident to squat down and get back up
and know my knees and legs will do the job.

Back & front squats 55-65#
Overhead squats  & Snatch - PVC, training bar and maybe 25# on a
good day - there's something about these moves
that confuses the back and hips. One day....
Power cleans 70#
Hang cleans 55#
Squat cleans - still tricky but oh so getting better
Deadlift 170#
Push Jerk 60#
Split Jerk - 45# (maybe) I have daffy duck
feet that doesn't bode well for stability

I have to tell you that I'm shocked each and everyday
after a workout - about all the things I can do.
Its not getting easier -  I've gotten better.
It also helps thatn the coaches and
the people are the best -
and no box is complete without them.

With all this improvement -  year three is gonna be so awesome.

On a scrappy note - new Studio Calico kit papers 

that were perfect for Crossfit and 

I added the pink accents to match my sneakers

being girly and all.

I loved those alphas and ended up frankensteining

just a few vowels. 

Looks like greek to me LOL.

Documenting everyday

Which I don't do often enough mostly

because its not exciting.

But this was.

It was a girls only day at the box

that totally needs to be documented

We had a such a blast.

And its been awhile since I did a crossfit update.

I have to admit it was tough

 after 2 months off but I'm back at it - 

I do admit I sort of over did at first 

forgetting

that I'm not a spring chicken anymore but alas I 

did spring back.

And rightly so.......

I had a blast putting together this page.

I hope to show the chaos and fun we have doing the WODs.

This day was snatches for strength training

and a mile run for conditioning.

 I broke out a couple of packs of stamps and used each

and every one of them.

Several times.

I like this look - and I blame it on Kittyscrapper.

If you haven't checked her out its a must - because she's 

a freakin' hoot and an amazing scrapper.

 Putting Basic Grey to good use along with

some Studio Calico and Paper Issues bits and bobs.

 These are my pals at the 9:30 a.m. class.

We rock.

I do protest the fact that they look fresh as daisies - 

I'm the one that looks like I was dragged through a keyhole backwards

several times.

The guys are not so much on the cardio portion

so they tend to skip these days.

Cherry pickers. LOL.

I love how it came together - and these ladies are the absolute best.

They are great to have by your side when sweating and grunting

-always cheering, always helping.

Its one of the best perks about the box-any box- the people 

are amazing.

NOW FOR THE UPDATE......

So the strength and conditioning pieces were reversed.

Normally the weights come first.

On this day - rain was threatening so.....

we ran first and I managed to do one mile in 12:52.

Not bad - I've done better but its been awhile 

therefore I shall roll with this and continue to improve

even though I'm really not a fan of running.

Snatches are not my best lift so I

alternated working on form with the PVC and training bar.

I'm okay with that because just doing the moves

conditions my body and learning them correctly will help

because one day I will add weight.

So today I ran 800m in 6:10 - and that means that

maybe my next mile will have a few minutes shaved off.

And today NO GUYS. 

Again.

We don't need no stinkin' boys.

Accomplishing even more at the box

Me and Tobie relaxing and encouraging others

after finishing 15.3 CF open at the box

of which I worked the Masters (55+) WOD.

Below is the RX left side- Scaled right side.

7 muscle ups - I did ring rows and dips

which mimics the same movements in muscle ups.

100 double unders (jump rope)

or 200 single unders

50 wallballs-10# I used.

My job was to do as many rounds as possible in 14 minutes.

It was a really LONG 14 minutes.

You'll have to read to the bottom to see how I did.

In the meantime an update on some gains I made physcially.

Notice the knee with the blue sleeve?

We're coming up on 2 years after surgery - and look at me sitting Indian style

On.the.floor - with my knee bent.

That wasn't even on the radar when I first started.

As a matter-of-fact, when I first started that puppy wouldn't bend

much less in that direction.

It was frozen in time.

So to speak.

Oh and the tank top says grandma in beastmode.

Bwahahahaha Love it.

AND

Here we are in action!
 Single unders, double unders. 

100 - 200

I do have a rope in my hand - however, back a year ago,

all I could do was bounce gently on my toes.

And you guessed it - I'm doing single unders. Double unders

take a certain amount of coordination that I haven't yet acquired.

I can whip that rope around now and knock out the jumps.

Which is why you can't see the rope I was

going so fast.

 And then the wallballs - 50 of them - were tough - because you 

need to squat down below parallel and heave

that (mine was #10 ball) wallball up to the thin red line.

Manly men need to fling it up to the big red line.

I'm still having trouble hitting that line everytime

but I can bend down and fling.

I'm thinking I just need to be taller.

It was alot of fun and totally exhausting.

I did 512 reps.

Next year it'll be even better because I'll be able to do even more.

Another All About Me page

Since I feel my everyday life is kinda boring

I  just can't seem to get excited about Project Life - there just

isn't enough going on - not even in a week.

However, I did decide to scrap my morning routine and call it a day.

Crossfit is not boring - let me just clear that right up.

What it is, is an important piece of my everyday and 

I want to document it.

 Since CF photos are few and far between

because everyone is busy working out and not worrying about photos

 every now and then......
some photos that come along.....

 And this is so great - especially when its all my peeps,
 and then some,
 all with whom I stretch, 

sweat, and burn in one photo.

Love that.

 And here's my homemade badge with the initials of my box.

Love that too.

Their names are noted on the back of the page because

there are a lot of peeps since there was only one class and it was
a mix of other that come at different times
and it was sooo cool to be able to meet others.
 This was the Christmas Eve WOD before we got all hot and sweaty.

I also have a New Years Eve WOD-after photo after we're all hot and sweaty..
This is my everyday, including holiday eves, and these are my everyday people.
Love them.

----------------------------------------

As you can see by now - I also have square QK cookie cutter dies

(along with circles and stars). 

I have more shapes where they came from.
Beware.....

Here's some old Studio Calico paper I had no idea what to do with

but find it works perfectly because it has all the months on it.

And I am there - every month - M-F.

Then after I burn, sweat and stretch I go home take a shower, 

drink a recovery shake

 and then take a nap - a really long nap.

Its the hot shower that does me in I'm thinking.
Yeah, let's blame it on the shower but it couldn't possibly be
that my entire body has a good ache going on.

#scrapbooking

It's been a little over a year in my Crossfit adventures

And my butt doesn't jiggle!

Scoff if you will but(t) this is a really big deal.

No pun intended.

I have made amazing friends and WOD buddies.

I'm amazingly disciplined.

I'm getting amazing results.

I'm doing amazing things.

Every.single.day.

Monday - Friday.

Everyone needs rest days.

Just sayin'.........

This was the last WOD of 2014 and it wasn't pretty.

I can't explain why I look like I got hit by a train and everyone else looks as fresh as a daisy.

It just ain't right.

I love tanks - especially snarky ones and this one fits the bill and it's fitting for the last WOD of 2014, because I am becoming a badass.

I'm expecting great things for 2015 - because from 2013-2014 made me a Crossfit believer. A believer that if I could do it - anyone can. And not only do it - but do it well. And not only do it well - but I keep getting better.

Just a few stats I can be a tad brag-a-docious about:

1 mile run - 12:34

5K- 36:25 

Hang Clean - 60 lb.

Back Squat - 95 lb.

Deadlift - 140 lb.

Push Press - 60 lb.

Snatch - 40 lb.

Strict Press - 45 lb.

Squat Clean - 70 lb.

Not bad for 60 years young.

And wait until February when I'm 61 years young.

You will be amazed.

Just to recap- Whatever head games you got going on saying you can't - read this post again - and know that you can. All you have to do is start.

Crossfit - After the boot

Sporting my Keith Richards look I was all set to jump back in. However, jumping, squatting and running were taken off the list for 2 weeks. I also have to admit I was a bit  okay alot timid after the boot came off. I was afraid that any sudden move would break the stupid thing and I'd have to start all over again. I found that bones are stronger than my sudden moves.

SO no practicing squats like this one, casually done by one of the grands, and one that could only happen in my wildest dreams, I decided to not focus on what I couldn't do, but what I could.

Therefore, with the exuberance of a 3 year old who knows she's a super hero, I couldn't wait to go to OPEN GYM. woooooo weeeeeeeee! 

Open gym awesome moments.

• Its where the cool kids hang.
• Its also those same cool kids, who are sporting the most improvements, are the ones working after to class to master them. (I am seriously amazed at their energy & fortitude).
• The cool kids also make up WODs they missed.
• Cool kids are totally inspiring and I'm proud they let me hang with them.
• During open gym means you do your own thing. 
• It can also be chit chat time. That's fun too - getting to know everyone while breathing normal.
• I wanna be a cool kid.

I also found:

• that I set up my own WODs and so as not look wimpy I did everything that had nothing to do with running, jumping or squatting. 
• timed WODs didn't happen - mostly because I forgot to set my phone.
• and while I hung in there for 2 weeks, it just wasn't as fun as doing a class.There's alot to be said for having others around suffering the same fate as you.

It's lonely on your own.

After 8 weeks of no crossfitting, I was shocked at how much I had lost.

I forgot the warmup routine. 

How wrong is that.

And then once I did remember I had to omit a few things.

I couldn't do a sit up. They were totally pathetic.

Ring rows. So not pretty.

There was a aerodyne bike and after 3 minutes of riding

I sounded like an obscene phone call.

And I tossed wallballs while sitting on the floor.

 I have to admit the wallballs from the floor were kinda fun.

Shhh!!! Our little secret.

Threw some barbells around and found my arms were in quite the wimpy state 

I'm talking 10 lbs were doing me in and 

modified pushups made me feel like a humped back whale. 

All very disconcerting and discouraging however, I persevered.

And steadily improved each day.

Also true I found - Routine is the enemy.

I found myself doing a lot of the same things everyday mostly because I'm 

not that creative in thinking outside the box. (crossfit joke).

Snort.

And it was boring.

I did become braver going into the 2nd week, once I found that my foot could take it.

I added modified rope climps, leg lifts, and tricep work, along with some strict presses.

I'm glad I worked it this way, boredom and all, because my foot had extra time to get stronger.

And I became stronger faster than I thought. 

None of the above sucked wind after those 2 weeks.

 Although I was still somewhat pampering the ole piglet.

I was so glad to get back to the classes.

Having others around can really affect your WODs.

There's nothing better than rockin' a WOD with others.

http://crossfitmurdock.com/main1/