Month: July 2012

Just Jump.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards…You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever – because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path.” ― Steve Jobs

I went on vacation. And it was awesome. But now I’m back from vacation. And it’s not so awesome. My diet while on vacation was one of someone who is on vacation. I took a vacation from Paleo. I took a vacation from eating totally healthy. The wheels didn’t totally come off, but there were definitely some speed bumps. And that may be awesome, or not so awesome, depending on how you look at it.

Regardless, I made it back to the triple wide today. And that is, yep, you guessed it, Awesome.

WOD:
I. Complete 6 rounds:
1 minute – 15 Kettlebell Swings (70/53)
1 minute – Row max distance

*Alternate 1 minute bouts of KB Swings and max distance rowing.

*You have 1 minute to get 15 swings, the next minute row for max distance. Alternate this 6 times for a total for 12 minutes.

Completed: with awesome partner, Annie. 35lbs Kettle Bell. 2,310k total distance rowed.

II. 5 Sets:
Max Strict Pullups

Completed: 10, 10, 9, 6, 5. scaled to ring dips.

Do you ever feel stuck in a place that you know deep down to your very core is no longer right for you? Do you ever feel paralyzed because you know you’re stuck, and you’re scared to get unstuck? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to change where you are, even though you know its simply not right for you anymore?

That first step in a new direction is sometimes the very most difficult. But you have to remember, just because it seems difficult, does not mean it cannot be done. It only means you haven’t tried yet. And the more looming, the more daring the leap, the bigger the reward once you’ve cleared it. Because you will clear it.

You just have to jump.

Be Grateful

“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” ― Charles Dickens

And so Monday is almost here. A culmination of all my hard work at long last arrives. The finish line approaches, is in site, and it’s time to sprint. I’m pretty sure I’ll be happy at about midnight, tomorrow night. When it’s all over. There’s not much more I can do at this point in the planning portion. It’s 9:25pm on Sunday night, time for bed is fast approaching.

Aside from a 3 hour lifting seminar with the Pendaley Snatch, on Saturday at ACF, I have been working all weekend. Wanted to hit the WOD today, and Strongman, but, just didn’t want to interrupt the momentum at work.

So, tonight, committed to a run.

Pushed to the 4 mile marker. 9:40 avg. pace. Not bad considering I haven’t been sleeping and am simply overtaxed. Mind is slow. Could my writing be any more dry and boring? Probably not. Clearly it’s time for bed. But, did want to record my achievement. Since, running (like Burpees) are on my list of personal SUCK. Did remember to delete my weight before posting. I still have some sensibility.

After tomorrow’s event is over, I hop a plane and fly to MN to visit my very near and dear BFF. We will bake, and chat, and go to the farmer’s market, and drink wine, and walk the dogs, and eat lots of fun things. But, mostly just spend some time together after not seeing one another since over a year ago. She is one of those friends though, you know the ones, that you don’t have to see or spend time with to stay connected. For once you do get together again, it’s as if it was just yesterday. Plus, she’s a wicked fast texter, almost as quick as her wit. 🙂

Last thoughts of the day; I am very grateful. I feel grateful for my strong body, for my totally awesome friends, and my super cool huge loving doggy, and all the many gifts that have been bestowed upon me throughout my life. I feel truly grateful indeed.

extra mental output

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

For whatever reason I’ve been finding it more difficult to post. Am I loosing interest in CF? No. Hardly. But, taking the time after the WOD to post my progress and thoughts, well, dunno. Maybe because it’s just been so busy lately, going from one task to another, non-freaking-stop. Maybe the fun is turning into a task, and that’s rather unfortunate if you ask me. I love to write. I love CF. Merge the two and you have, for me, DoubleUnderDogs. C’ept, not so much recently.

My event is on Monday, one very long Monday. And then it will all be over. Perhaps after I’ll be able to pour all the extra mental energy and focus back into DuD. Thankfully, my commitment to CF, and hitting the WOD’s, including Strongman, has not wained. Thankfully, no matter how busy, I still make it to the Triple Wide, just under the wire for 3, 2, 1.. Go!

WOD:

I. For Time as a Team:

30 GHD Situps

30 Deadlifts (225/155)

30 Double-Unders

30 Overhead Squats (95/65)

30 Pullups

Completed: Scaled to Ab Mat Sit ups at 60 reps. Deadlift @ 115lbs. Single Unders at 60 reps. Overhead squats at 35lbs. Ring Dips.

Wasn’t even sure I’d make it to CF tonight. Was running so behind. First I signed up for the 7am, slept through that. Then the 11am, didn’t make it out of the office for that. Then I just flatly gave up hope and resigned that this would be my second rest day in a row. Which, if you CF, you learn quickly, is very hard to do. Take more than one rest day in a row. You  just have to keep going back. Have to. Keep the momentum of good going. There’s some secret unbreakable thread that pulls you back to the box. Time away equals progress lost.

Glad I finally made it to the 7pm, and with delight saw my new CF BFF, Carmen. She always, always, puts a smile on my face. She calls me a ‘Beast’ (in the most loving of CF of ways) when I load the bar with bumpers for the Deadlift and says, ‘Someday I’ll be at that weight too.’ It’s flattering, yes, but mostly so very positive on her behalf. Because it’s not as if she’s like, ‘oh I can’t do that, I’ll never do that.’ Her attitude is rather consistently one of lightheartedness; ‘I will be doing that shortly. Please proceed. As you were.’ Somehow she doesn’t point out the fact that I’m not even close to RX. She’s also great to partner with, because she works hard, and simply doesn’t give up.

Funneling all possible Scenarios

I’m an event planner. I plan large events. I have spent the better part of the last eight months planning a large gala-type event that will be taking place on Monday. It’s been a lot of late nights and weekends recently. It gets to the point, as the event gets closer, that I start to take things very personally. As if the event becomes and expression of me. My personal choices and preferences, a part of me, hung out there for all 250 + guests to experience, touch, taste, smell and eat from the plate of eight months of hard work.

It’s ridiculously silly that I would take this personally, but I still do.

Right down to the color of the trim on the auction sheets. Taking such things to heart like this only leads to one thing; exhaustion. For it is impossible, to control another person’s experience. With anything. And just because you might think you have selected and presented the absolute best in all possible available scenarios, the fact of the matter is, it simply may or may not be to another person’s taste or liking.

Royal blue trim. Oh, I would never use Royal blue trim in an instance such as this. Never. Tsk. Tsk.

Really? Is this really so important? See, and I there go. Getting all wrapped around the axil again. Because in my mind, the trim, and the flowers, and the font, and the seating, and the napkins and temperature of the Champaign, together, all add up to one very giant picture, a picture that I spent months painting and repainting. And in the end, what if someone simply doesn’t LIKE it?

Meh.

And this is why no matter how busy I am, somehow I magically still make it to ACF. Got to. Because it funnels all the chatter and possible scenarios of what might or might not happen, what I ended picking up and taking with me to the finish line vs. all the other items left along the way, the quality of the food, the guests in attendance, it makes it all simply that; what it is. It is what it is. And another day will have passed, and Tuesday will come, and the event will be over, and the clean up will begin, and it will all be a memory. Ideally a good one, but a memory nonetheless.

Started training with Dean. Using the chains in the double-wide with a back squat. Pretty sure I got up to 1RM. 155lbs. Tried for 165lbs. and bailed. He’s asked me to start recording everything I eat. Oh druthers. If I start writing it all down then I have to be honest with what’s really going on in my diet, with Dean, and worse, with myself.

Wednesday – WOD, followed by Strongman (2.5 hours total at ACF)… glorious…

I. 3 Rounds:

10 Right Hand Kettlebell Snatches

Rest 30 Seconds

10 Left Hand Kettlebell Snatches

Rest 1 Minute

II. Handstand Walk Practice – 15 Minutes

III. 6 Rounds:

As Many Repetitions As Possible in 25 Seconds:

Double Unders

Rest 35 Seconds

Sunday.

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” — Elbert Hubbard

WOD:

I. As Many Rounds As Possible in 10 Minutes:

5 Clean & Jerk – (95/65)

5 Burpee Jumping Pullups – 8′ Bar

20 Double Unders Unbroken

Completed: at RX of 65lbs.  5 Rounds, plus 4.

Then onto Strong Person. Tire Flips and Prowler Pulls. And just general all around fun with all around great people.

Channeling Awesomeness

“Life doesn’t require that we be the best, only that we try our best.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

WOD:

I. Snatch – Build To A 1RM

Completed: I love this movement. Keep telling myself need to practice it more. Worked up to 85lbs. But then brought it back down again to 65lbs. to focus on form. Then fell over. Then got back up and tried again. When you nail the movement, really nail it, it’s like channeling pure awesomeness.

II. Clean & Jerk – Build To A 1RM

Completed: Love this movement too. PR’d at 95lbs. Woot! Was working with a girl visiting from DC.  She was like, ‘Is this place always like this? Everyone is so welcoming, and so strong!’ Then she PR’d, highfived me and said, ‘I PR’d because of the energy in here!’ Word.

Spreading the Love.

III. For Time:

Row 250 m

25 Burpees

Row 250 m

25 Burpees

Row 250 m

Completed: 8:39 or thereabouts. Total suck. Rowing is not the issue, people. I can dig in deep on the rower. It’s those burpees. Slayers. Each and every damn one of ya.

Friday night. Date night. With Cindy.

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

WOD:

I. “Cindy”

AMRAP in 20 minutes:

5 Pullups

10 Pushups

15 Air Squats

Completed: 13 rounds plus 19. 11 squats from 14 rounds total.  Cindy on January 2, 2012: 10 rounds + 5. Cindy on April 1, 2012: 12 rounds + 5. It’s like a gain a round every month or two. Doesn’t seem like much. Patience my friend, patience.