“Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” ― Mother Teresa
I decide to take a day off from ACF and go for a run with the doggie.
It is freezing outside, but the sun feels good as does the fresh cold air in my lungs.
3.2 miles completed. Avg. pace: 9:52 minute miles.
Oliver gives this one a high-paw. He is indeed a faithful friend.
At 7:14am on Thanksgiving morning I picked up a lifelong best friend and headed to Troy for the 65th Running of the Turkey Trot for what was to be my very first 10K. The sun was shining brightly, the coffee was especially soothing. The conversation shared during the short drive to Troy was nothing short of, we got this.
Me: I’m thinking a max 10:30 minute mile. If you want to go ahead of me, please do.
BFF: Don’t be ridiculous, the whole point of today is to spend the time together.
Some things in life are truly priceless. You can’t capture them other than in deep places of the heart and in those bright pockets of your memory from which you will then draw a warm inner joy and thankfulness for many, many years to come.
Completed: 10K. 6.29 miles. In 59:26. Avg. pace: 9:28 per mile. There is the purest joy found in the completion of a goal you’ve long set out to achieve.
Today I ran six miles. At an avg. pace of 10:35 per mile. It is the first time ever in my entire life that I have run six miles in one outing. What an incredible feeling. It was right around mile 4 when I thought, why not just keep going and so I did.
And during those last two miles I remember feeling incredibly grateful for my body. The ease at which it kept going and going. Its strength, its stamina, and its willingness to go. The pace kept me. I was simply along for the ride.
Bring on the Turkey Trot 10K.
I like Goals. Long Term and Short Term Goals. They do well for the individual. Goals are bigger than you. They make you bigger than you are. They keep you focused. And on track. You are not the only beneficiary from working towards and achieving goals, those around you benefit as well.
Right now my Short Term Goal is to eat clean from now until Thanksgiving Day. At 8am on Thanksgiving Day I will be running my first ever 10K, The Troy Turkey Trot, with my BFF, Sandy. Sandy is a thoroughbred runner. I’ve given her more than one out from this, having to run with me at a pace which will most likely be a solid two minute per mile slower than her usual. She sees this as a great opportunity to spend time together. Something we rarely get to do these days. She’s a rock star. Personally I think she’s nuts. Not a legume, more of a walnut, or cashew.
Back to the eating clean goal – I’ve read a lot of books on food. Primal Blueprint. It Starts with Food. Zone. You may already know by now, eating Paleo is a large faction of the Crossfit Community.
I’m 100% Paleo, 80% of the time.
Crossfit did not invent Paleo but it is a well exercised term and way of life in the CF community. The book that spoke to me most: It Starts with Food. In the end, you have to learn your body, what works and does not work for you. Be realistic, listen, see how you feel. In every capacity.
While clothes that fit exceptionally well is a huge reward for eating clean, my primary goal in eating clean is a clean mind. When I’m eating healthy, my mind is focused, open, intensely optimistic, and living as if all the good in life does not wait for me in the future, but actually exists Right Now. This is a great place to be. Borrowing Crossfit’s mantra for the next 27 Days, my diet will be as follows: meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.
I will not be measuring. I will eat when I’m hungry, as much as I want until satisfied. Truth is, when you’re eating healthy, you do not overindulge.
The lovely and glorious jar of Cookie Butter? My reward at crossing the 10K Finish Line. It’s currently sitting on the top of my fridge. Unopened. It looks down at me (eye to eye, really…) and says, I’m here, waiting for you. I say, I will not open you until Thanksgiving Day. Clearly defining your goals is helpful. Apparently having conversations with your food can be too. I’ll keep you posted.
“A change of feeling is a change of destiny.” – Neville Goddard
There’s a lot of talk about Goal Setting recently. A lot of talk. At this point I’m not sure which came first, the deep nagging need I’ve had in the past few months to write down my Goals being very, very specific, or the Crossfit Goal Setting Seminar this weekend with CF Legend, Greg Amundson.
Oprah once said, ‘When you’re on the right path, the universe rises up to meet you.’ I believe it. I didn’t know about the course until days before, and debated whether or not to go. But, so glad I did. Aside from Greg’s dynamic, passionate, powerful presence, this was a day of forced soul searching on a Saturday. It was much needed. If you’re like me and work 9 to 5 during the week, most Saturdays are usually filled with errands and get togethers and other non-goal oriented items. Good or bad, however you view it, these items can be just that, time takers, gap fillers, while perhaps fun and entertaining, nothing that will ultimately get you towards your Goal. That is, if you actually know your Goal. Can articulate it. Which I do not, not specifically. Not down to the wire of execution. And therein lies the problem; you must be able to speak to your Goal in absolute detail, to each exact step you will take to reach it, to the point where you can taste it, smell it, feel it, as if it is happening right now.
“If you would like to accomplish something, you must first expect it of yourself…. Everything that you can experience with your senses was once in someone’s imagination.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer.
“Live and feel as if your future dreams are a present fact.”
Now to only put into writing, those future dreams.
Tonight’s warm up bears mentioning, because it felt just as hard as the WOD. Thought my arms were about to give out. But, then working the arms, upper body strength, is a part of my goal. So, it’s good to work these things.
Warm-Up:
3 Rounds:
15 Wallballs
10 Burpees
Completed: Wall Balls at 14lbs. 2 Rounds before it was time to begin the WOD.
WOD:
I. 4 Rounds For Total Time:
10 Unbroken Fronts Squats at 70% 1RM
Run 400m
*Rest after each round as long as it took to complete the previous round
Completed: in 19:49. Avg. 3 minutes per round. Front Squat at 85lbs. Felt like a good weight, I was working almost to failure by reps 9 and 10. My laps actually grew faster in rounds 3 and finally 4.
II. 3 Attempts
Max Toes-to-Bar
Run 1.5 miles to ACF.
Strongman for two hours, including sledgehammer to tire, farmers carry (110lbs. x 2) and keg carry (75lbs.).
Run 1.5 miles home.
Avg. pace 9:15 min mile. Felt good today. Very, very good.
Because I’m participating in a two hour Strongman tonight, I’ve decided to skip the WOD and run today instead. It’s a beautiful day.
My running time peaked this summer. With 9:06 mi. mile just a few weeks ago at ACF. Alas, today it is in a decline. But, my goal today was not for speed. But to simply get out. Since the Holiday weekend my diet has been less than stellar. Add a three day business trip mid-week, and the wheels really start to come off. But the ship is being righted and slowly navigated back into a healthy direction.
|
Split
|
Time
|
Distance
|
Avg Pace
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | 32:10.4 | 3.23 | 9:57 |
| 1 | 10:22.0 | 1.00 | 10:22 |
| 2 | 9:45.0 | 1.00 | 9:45 |
| 3 | 9:48.0 | 1.00 | 9:48 |
| 4 | 2:15.3 | 0.23 | 9:40 |
Completed: 3.23 miles. Avg. pace 9:57 min/mile.
DoubleUnderDogs 