Bayside Beatdown

135lb deadlifts

35 lb Kettle bell swings

65 lb Cleans

65 lb Shoulder to Overhead

400m Run

55 lb Thruster

55 lb Sumo Deadlift High Pull

25 lb Weighted Sit ups

5 days...

When I was little I would get so excited about vacations and fun events that I would make myself sick. My excitement would turn into anxiety and I would be a big ball of nerves, sick & anxiously awaiting a trip to Santa Cruz. I'm an over thinker, I stress about things that are so teeny tiny. I let excitement turn into stress. We all have our down falls and that is definitely one of mine. So where am I going with this?
If you didn't already know, my first crossfit competition is this Saturday the 8th. The wod's (workouts) were announced yesterday afternoon and my excitement quickly turned to panic. I know physically I can do it. I'm confident and comfortable with all the movements. But I let the time caps totally throw me off. Seeing that there's a limit, a time to be under scared me. It's so silly. Because what each wod comes down to is giving 110% for a few minutes of work. I know I can do that.
Thank goodness a light bulb went on in my head this morning. I can't spend this whole week worrying about a time cap. I just need to be in the gym, practice, rest, and chill the heck out.

Regardless of my results the fact that I signed myself up for all of this is enough for me to be proud. I was so intimidated back in April when I started working out at CFS. Surrounded by so many amazing athletes and thinking jumping into a competition would never be something I was ready for. And here I am.
What an amazing journey these past 2 years have been. Size 12 Sheri had no confidence in herself. I would never have dreamed of something like this 2 years ago. This journey has been all about pushing myself out of my comfort zone, trying something new, embracing things I was afraid of. As I sit here and play it all back in my mind, I feel overwhelmingly happy. So thank you to everyone who has been in my corner cheering me on, thank you for your encouragement and your positive words. And of course, thank you to the haters...

Here are the workouts for Bayside Beatdown:

Scaled WOD #1:

8 kettlebell swings 35/53lbs

8 Deadlifts 185/135lbs

*4 rounds for time. 5 minute cap

NO dropping weights, 3 burpee penalty if you drop.

Scaled WOD#2:

As many reps as possible of:

3 minutes Burpee Broad jump, must start with burpee

2 minutes Cleans 95/65lbs, from the ground

1 minute Shoulder to overhead 95/65lbs

There is no rest between stations.  Burpee: Must touch your chest to the floor, hands behind starting line and clear the 4 foot jump with your feet. Clean: from the ground, must show control at the top. Shoulder to overhead: Must touch shoulders and lock out at the top.

Scaled WOD #3

400m Run

20 Thrusters 75/55lbs

20 Sumo Deadlift High Pull 75/55lbs

20 See the lights sit ups 25/35lbs

400m Run                                                

 *For time. 10 minute cap

And here are my heat times if you are free on Saturday and want to come watch!

Heat 9 - 9:10                      11:20                                   1:40

Dun Dun Dun...

Well I am less than two weeks away (11 days to be exact) from Hercules Bayside Beatdown aka my first crossfit competition. Heat times have been released and seeing my name on that list made it REAL. I'm now anxiously awaiting the release of the WOD's on Sunday. I spent all day yesterday beating myself up for how I spent Thanksgiving weekend (eating and not working out) but I'm back in the swing of things and I'm feeling pretty good in the gym. I've worried for weeks if I was truly ready to jump into this competition. But you know what, it is what it is. When I signed up for it I was doing it purely for the experience, a push out of my comfort zone, to try something new. And I have to remember that. Sure I want to do well but I'm also being realistic. I'm trying to focus on being excited about the experience, about moving forward in crossfit. I've been at CFS since April, I'm not great at every movement, I still hate getting upside down, and forward rolls scare me (LOL) but without a doubt I am stronger, I  am determined, and I am more confident.

Don't get me wrong, I'm scared shitless about this comp but I'm ready to get it done!

Crunch Time

Hercules Bayside Beatdown is getting closer and closer. I'm already starting to get nervous. I mean I'm nervous right before a wod on a daily basis, I can't imagine how I'm going to feel day of the competition. I haven't really been doing a ton of extra work in the gym, and I should probably step my game up in that regard. But I have been trying to push myself harder in the daily wods. Not letting the bar drop as soon as I feel a little pain or fatigued, but push through those moments. Run a little faster, less rest, heavier weight, even if it takes me longer. As much as my body needs to be stronger, my mind needs to be also. I don't always give myself enough credit and sometimes my mind gives up on me long before my body every would.

I'm glad I chose to compete, to put myself out there and be a little more involved. To give myself a goal to work towards. I'm going to have to push myself out of my comfort zone though, I'm going to have to give more these next few weeks than just an hour in the gym each day. Because I want to see myself succeed.

It's the little things that continue to encourage me to push harder. Example, last night I was pulling my hair back into a ponytail so my arms/shoulders were somewhat flexed and Steve said to me, "wow your shoulders are getting big." Best compliment ever! Lol. Its's true though, to be told I look/am strong, muscles are getting bigger, that pumps me up every time. It's crazy to see how my journey has changed over the last two years. My day 1 goal was to lose weight and be skinny. Now I just want to be strong.

"Why do you crossfit?"

One of the main reasons I was uninterested in crossfit before I joined was the cost. To me it was crazy to spend more than double what I was paying at 24 hour fitness. And for what? I had lost all of my weight on my own through home workouts and then at 24. I used youtube and the other online sources to educate myself on nutrition, exercises/movements, muscle gain, hiit cardio, you name it I read about it. I pride myself on that. I'm proud of taking the initiative and figuring it out on my own. The "I just don't know where to start" excuse is ridiculous, there is so much helpful information out there for you if you're willing to reach out and grab it. So here I was a crossfit skeptic, what could it do for me that I hadn't already done for myself? I had even educated myself on the paleo diet before ever hearing about it at through crossfit. I lifted heavy weights in the gym, I did cardio, how was it worth the cost?

To be honest you can't fully understand it until you try it. People can tell you all day long how great it is, but you won't understand what they are talking about until you step foot in a box. Until you do that first workout. Until you attend that first event. It's more than just the training, it's the atmosphere, the people, the coaches.
"How do you know someone does crossfit? You'll know because it's all they talk about." To an extent that is true, but when you do it you understand why. You're in awe of what your body is capable of. Like the fact that I can do pull ups, hand stands, back squat more than my body weight, hell yeah I'm gonna be excited and talk about it.

So what has Crossfit Solano done for me that 24 hour fitness didn't? It has pushed me further than I ever would have pushed myself. It has provided me with excellent coaches, with a group of like minded people who want to see me succeed. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone, made me stronger, made me faster, made me push harder and dig deeper. I feel like all around it has made me a better person. I feel lucky to call CFS my home, I feel lucky that there is such a great group of people there, that we have such motivating coaches. I'm glad I gave it all a chance. "

This is one of my coaches and bad ass athlete, Amber. Over head squatting 155  pounds!
One of the reasons to check out CFS, she's strong and no she's not "bulky"

Barbells for Boobs 10/15/12

THANK YOU!

HUGE thank you to everyone who made a donation and sponsored me in the Barbells for Boobs fundraiser. The event took place last night and I was so pleased with my results. The workout was 30 clean & jerks for time (from the ground to overhead), I finished in 4:08 using 75 lbs. In May I did this workout with the same weight and it took me 6:06, so huge improvement in time. Next time I hope to be able to do it with a heavier weight. I personally raised $240 online plus another $40 in checks so a total of $280. My gym altogether raised almost $4,000!

My shirt says, "Fight like a girl"

So now on to the next, my competition on Dec. 8th. Yes only, 7 weeks away! My goal is to really push myself in the gym these next 7 weeks and to also be doing extra work, not just daily wods. I want to start running more again and focus on doing my lifts correctly and to the best of my ability. 

I'm trying my hardest to be really conscious of what I'm eating right now and making sure I'm eating balanced/enough. I know that I can be stronger than where I am now, I just have to push myself. That's pretty much my goal these days, to just keep getting stonger, better, faster.

New Goals

A little over a month ago I was planning on walking away from crossfit. The time I've been at CFS has been amazing but I told myself that I needed to be saving and cutting back in areas that I could. I told myself that even though I loved crossfitting it would be something I would sacrifice for the time being. And then a couple weeks ago Steve texted me saying that I should stay. He told me that I shouldn't give up something that I loved so much. That spending that little extra a month was worth it because I was so happy. How awesome is that to have him be so encouraging about it?? I never WANTED to walk away from it, but I guess part of me was feeling guilty about the monthly cost. But sometimes when you're passionate about something, it's worth it.
So now I've gone from ending my crossfit membership to staying, and competing. Yup that's right, signed up for my first competition! Hercules Crossfit Bayside Beatdown. I really needed a way to push myself, I needed something extra to dig deep for. So now I have the next two months to seriously train before the event. I'm excited and nervous and ready to just start spending a lot of time in the gym. I let myself have my final cheats over the weekend and now it's on like donkey kong. My goal through this is to be in the gym at least 5 days a week. Sunday's to train specifically for the comp, add extra cardio throughout the week, eat paleo, and cut out alcohol.
I knew the competition would be a good way to push myself to where I want to be and posting my training goals will help keep me accountable.
I'm tired of just coasting along, eating good some days, eating like crap others, skipping the gym because I'm too lazy. I needed a push. So be prepared to follow along with me these next two months as I prepare...

Barbells for Boobs

Monday Oct. 15th CrossFit Solano will be hosting the event Barbells for Boobs. Barbells for Boobs is a non-profit breast cancer organization whose mission is to provide funding for qualified low-income and uninsured women and men who need screening and/or diagnostic procedures in the prevention of breast cancer. We will be doing a workout called "Grace", 30 clean and jerks for time.



The Goal of Barbells for Boobs: To provide funding to breast cancer centers globally through our Mammograms in Action grant program as a "last resort" resource for thousands of people who do not qualify for government funding or other charitable resources. Funding for screenings and diagnostic procedures is not only a necessity, but really does save lives.
Our mission is possible, our message is simple: Save a pair. Save a life.

This is a cause that is so close to my heart. I will be participating in this workout and ask that you take action by sponsoring me and making a donation to Barbells for Boobs at my donation page.

• 232,620 Cases of breast cancer detected in 2011
• 7% of women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40
• 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the US as of 2011

Barbells for Boobs work is focused on "filling the gap" in breast health care as a last resort funding resource for women and men who:

• Are symptomatic and don't meet the current requirements for age (typically under 40)
• Are unable to afford screening service, with or without insurance
• Don't qualify for government funding or other charitable programs

XXVI

I've been MIA from my blog for a while, guess I just haven't had much down time to bore you with my workouts. But since today is my birthday, I'll bless you with a little bday post. 25 was a really great year for me. I feel like I really started to understand who I am and why I am the way I am. Huh? But seriously, I really grew in a lot of ways this past year. Crossfit really pushed me. It helped me look for confidence from within myself, it connected me to an amazing group of people, and it has  allowed me to see myself in a whole new light.

25 also came with some bling. I'm lucky enough to currently be planning my wedding to my best friend. There are days that we laugh and talk about the craziest most random stuff, and I just think to myself, this man had to be put on this planet to be my husband.  

I can't help but look back and reflect and feel extremely blessed. Often times we focus so much on the negatives. We complain when we should be content. I'm so guilty of this. I look at others sometimes and think, how do they have it so good? But the truth is, we all have some sort of struggle. Sure I may not have the money to go on some extravagant vacation this year, and I may not be able to go shopping every weekend for the cutest clothes, but if those are the low's, then I have it pretty darn good.
I used to be so scared of getting older, but my early twenties 
can't even compare to how great the mid's are turning out to be.

Stretchy pants...

I've been maintaining where I'm at for about a year now. Which is a milestone for me. I've lost weight in the past (never this much) but always put it right back on once I stopped working out or stopped caring about what I ate. So seeing my weight stay the same for so long is pretty great. However I have noticed that I've started to learn what I can get away with and still maintain a size 4. I've learned that I can pretty much eat whatever as long as I'm in the gym/working out every day. Which isn't the best thing because while I'll stay the same size, my body composition will change. My stomach won't be as flat and my face will get fuller. I've come to a point in this journey where I've let myself get complacent. I know that what needs to change most is my food intake. I need to be disciplined with my meals to be able to see the results of my time in the gym. Maintaining will no longer suffice, I still have more goals that I need to see myself reach.

Still, even though my diet may not be super clean or 100% paleo, I have seen some gains. I took a detour before grocery shopping last night in the hopes of finding a new pair of black pants for work. I had my heart set on finding a straight leg or skinny pair of pants (wearing slacks all the time is boring). So I take a few pairs into the fitting room and I am immediately frustrated. I can't even get any of these stupid pants past my hips. As much as it made me upset to do it, I went out and grabbed the next size up. They fit perfectly in the legs but were too big in the waste. I threw them off and left. Never in the past did I train my lower body like I do now through crossfit. There is definitely some muscle/power being added to my legs. And I really have no complaints about that, I've never desired bird legs, but now I'll just have to find a way to get away with wearing yoga pants to work.

Apparently I'm not the only one tryin to make it happen!

There are changes coming...stay tuned

Just Keep Showing Up...

It's been 4 months since I first stepped foot into Crossfit Solano and suffered through the first week of onramp (beginner intro classes). To be able to look back on such a short amount of time and see how much I've grown makes me so excited for what is to come. The past 4 months of workouts have been filled with frustration, sweat, sometimes blood, and triumphs. Some days I feel like I can conquer anything, other days I feel like I'm taking two steps backwards, but it's all part of the process. Every day I'm there I'm getting stronger. I have to attribute part of my success not only to Steve who is always supportive, but also to the amazing coaches and members of CFS. There is no way I would have deadlifted 205# yesterday without the girls I was working with and my coach cheering for me to get it up as I struggled through the lift. Having someone there in your face yelling at you that you can do it makes all the difference in the world.
Yesterday was such an encouragement, it made me hungry for more. I strict pressed 75#, back squatted 170#, and deadlifted 205#, I can't wait to see what those numbers are 6 months from now.

Those numbers may not be huge, but they make ME so happy.

Definitely gaining muscle. No bicep curls, no shoulder press. 

Foodie Food Food...

Food is such a huge part of weight loss/being in shape. Abs are certainly made in the kitchen, and you can't out train a bad diet. I could be putting in two a days at the gym but you would never be able to tell if I shoved my face with junk. Working out is obviously important but eating right is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. One thing I come across most often is that when people are first trying to lose weight they are so afraid to eat the wrong things. Grilled chicken and veggies and that's it! A diet as plain and simple as that is what causes people to fall off the band wagon, that's not realistic.
I like to think that every body is different. While my body seems to be at it's best when I'm strictly paleo, that may not be the right solution for someone else. I've shared my food list and recipes and staples in my diet with people looking to make a change, but at the end of the day you're going to have to do some experimenting. My cousin eats pretty much the exact opposite as me, she's a vegetarian. She has lost weight and gotten in shape by eating what is best for her body. She eats a lot of things that my body just can't seem to process as well, which is why I don't think there is just ONE way to eat.
This summer my diet has been ALL over the place. I could have stayed paleo if I wanted but with so much going on this summer I've probably only been paleo 50% of the time. And I notice such a HUGE difference. The grains, the chips, the crackers, the sugar, the dairy, it all makes my tummy so unhappy. I bloat like crazy and my stomach will never be flat when I eat like that. Last week I felt especially crappy. I wasn't eating close to enough and what I was eating wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the things that I know are right for my body and my workouts. I felt weak during EVERY wod, and this past weekend I felt like a huge balloon. So now today I'm back on it, drinking lots of water, ate a big lunch (hoping that will give me the fuel I need for a 5:30 workout), and avoiding snacking on chips, crackers, etc. I already feel a huge difference, just by starting over this morning. Way more alert and don't have that full ate too much feeling.

I feel like I may have shared this link on my facebook page before but it's worth sharing again. I hear women all the time say that they want to lose weight, workout, but don't want to be muscular. "Why the heck not?!" Is usually my response. This blog post is amazing and a must read...
http://crossfitfms.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/the-fear-of-bulkiness-and-crossfit/

Becoming who I was meant to be...

There are obvious health benefits to being fit. Everyone knows it's beneficial to them to keep their bodies in motion and eat clean. Not everyone does it but we all know it's what's best for us. I know for myself personally I'm in the best shape I've ever been in but this new lifestyle has given me something else that is even more important to me. It's given me a confidence and happiness within myself that I don't think I've ever had. Sure I've always been a happy person, but this is different. I spent a lot of years disliking my body, when I was at my heaviest I felt disgusting and hated seeing pictures of myself. I let myself get to a really low place and I felt like I was trapped there forever. I think it will take me a while to fully get over being overly judgmental of my body, but where I am now compared to where I used to be are MILES apart. The self confidence this fitness journey has given me is the best gift I could have given myself. Life is too short to spend it being sad and unhappy, when you have the power to change it.

Obviously trying on clothes is way more fun now, there is so much I can buy and wear that I never would have in the past. But the best shopping trip since I've lost weight was shopping for my wedding dress. Not to sound like I'm totally full of myself, but even the dresses that I thought were ugly and I didn't like, still looked good on me haha. It made my decision hard because I liked the way a lot of things looked on. The dress I ended up picking is gorgeous. I'm head over heals about it and it has all those little details I wanted. It is also something I probably would have never picked prior to my weight loss. I don't even know if I would have been willing to try on this particular fit/style. The new me, feels amazing in it.
It's still a process, it always will be. The inner me and outer me aren't exactly on the same page yet, but I'm so much happier now. And I have myself to thank for it. I made the change, I put in the work, I have chosen to continue on this new road, to challenge myself with my workouts, to eat clean and to live fit.

You get out what you put in...

To say that you need to START eating right and working out implies that there is a finish. For me there will never be a finish line. Someone at work today was commenting on how they had lost 10lbs but gained it all back. They then commented on how I've been doing so good, how I lost my weight and been keeping it off. I replied, "It's a daily chore. I think about my food, every day. I think about when I'm going to get my workout in, every day." It's not an obsessive thing, but a choice I have to make daily. I was never a size 4 in the past because I never took the time to plan my meals and work my ass off in the gym. It has never just magically come to me, and it never will. This person at work had been on a diet plan that worked for a while, I mean they lost the weight, but then what. Because it was a diet and not a lifestyle change it didn't stick. You then come to that "what now" crossroads.
Knowing how hectic my schedule can be at times I really struggle with hearing people make excuses. They want to lose the weight but they have excuse after excuse as to why they can't go to the gym, they can't eat healthy because they love food too much. Unfortunately for them I'm pretty good at finding solutions haha. And I've found people don't really like that. They want to come off like they care, that they want to try but they don't really because they have excuses. So when you strip all that away and give a way to make it happen, they make some snotty comment and walk away. Haha. It's true, it's happened to me before. For example someone was giving me the "I can't afford a gym membership" excuse. Ok well I can understand that but how about working out at home? "Well I can't buy what I need for that, and I don't know how to do the movements." Really? You gotta try harder then that. Do you know how to squat? Do you know what a push up is? How about burpees? Those ring a bell? No joke folks, where there is a will, there is a way. The food excuses are always the lamest. Because they're not even good excuses, you might as well just cop to it and say that you're lazy. Because that is the only reason to not prep healthy meals for yourself.
Do not put off for tomorrow what you can do today. There is no rule anywhere that says you have to start something new on a Monday. Go home tonight and make a healthy dinner, and bam just like that you've made the first step.
The results I've achieved were not effortless and it will not be effortless to keep them. I have messed up, missed a week of workouts, eaten terribly but I never let that derail me. It's easy to mess up and say, forget it. It's easy to have vacations and family visiting knock you off your normal routine, but that doesn't mean you just let it go altogether. It's back to the grind as soon as the dust settles. The bottom line is you either want it or you don't. If you really want it you'll know it, you won't let anyone or anything stand in your way.

More of why I love crossfit...

"Those are some sexy CF legs, they must belong to a strong woman" -Lauren Joseph

So I ate it again, and it didn't look as nasty as the first time I jacked my shin on a box jump, but it's definitely a more painful and gross wound this time around. Anyone that knows me well knows I HATE blood, the sight of my own makes me all "passy outy" and I can't even watch those medical reenactment shows on TV. So when I fell on Monday I got up, looked at the box and oh look, there's my skin! Haha instant woozy feeling and I had to take a minute to pace back and forth to make sure I didn't totally embarrass myself by throwing up. What sucked most was that in this particular wod "Kelly", there were 5 rounds of 30 box jumps (24 inch box), I was in round 2 when I fell. Prior to crossfit if this type of situation would have happened I probably would have either quit or decided to jump on a smaller box for the rest of the workout. But that's not what I did (I thought about it) but I was determined to compose myself and continue my workout with that damn 24 inch box. And I did, I finished that second round, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th. I kept second guessing my jumps and spent alot of time just looking at that stupid box of wood but I never just walked away. I wasn't thrilled with my time, but I was happy with myself for not saying, "I can't."

Crossfit has made me stronger physically but it has also made me stronger mentally. At CFS, "bitchassness" is not allowed. Where you workout do you have someone motivating you through your workout? Do the other members in your gym pass by you and give you a high five or yell out "good job, keep working"? During that wod on Monday, one of the coaches was yelling, "It's supposed to suck!" "Embrace the suck!" "Get jumping" "Get out the door!" Having that constant motivation makes all the difference in the world. Because even if for a second your brain allows you to have a negative thought, they don't! The coaches and athletes and CFS all want to see you and each other thrive and get stronger. I know there are a million different ways to stay in shape and workout and I think every person should do what works for them and makes them happy but if crossfit is something you've heard about and wanted to try, do it!

We Are Different

by Jonathan Heuer

We are a different breed.  We get excited by things most people avoid.  The idea of being laid out on our backs after a workout is appealing.  We strive on performance, deal with the pain, and take pleasure in small victories.  5 more pounds, 2 seconds quicker, an inch higher: these are the milestones we live for.  These are the reasons we come in day after day and do what we do.  We love the suck. We are also a little ridiculous.  We try and explain to friends and family why our shins are always scraped open, why our hands are ripped, why we’re having trouble walking down stairs that day, and then immediately try to convince them why they should come and do it.  We tend towards a cult-like mentality.  (Get more than two of us together and try to have a conversation about something else.  Won’t happen.)  We get way more excited about food than is normal, and we take cheat meals very seriously.  We wear ridiculous looking shoes, or sometimes no shoes at all.  We cheer when someone gets their first hand-tear and then take a picture of it.  We congratulate someone for puking during a workout, and none of this seems unusual to us. Most of all we are a community.  We suffer together and we succeed together.  We cheer each other on.  We help each other push past the pain and achieve things we never thought possible.  Both inside and outside of the gym we are family.  We come from all walks of life to find a common ground: Crossfit.  3…2…1… GO!

Though she be but little, she is fierce.

Today was one of those days that I just wanted to be over. It went to hell first thing in the morning and I was battling a headache and anxiety all day long. The best thing I could have done for myself was head to CFS right after work, and throw all that stress into my workout, and I did just that. I was determined to really do work today. Few weeks back our wod was to find our one rep max clean, and I stopped at 80lbs, which I guess for being newer is decent. Well today our wod was a 10 min amrap (as many rounds as possible) cleans and box jumps 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, etc. Since that day I haven't cleaned that much weight again, until today. I did my cleans with 80lbs, which was my one rep max! I was so pumped when I was done, it feels so great to see yourself getting stronger and I was glad that I had channeled that stress I had building up inside into my workout. Every little gain I see makes me feel more and more confident and leaves me wanting more.

So through the past year and a half as I've changed my body and my lifestyle of taken up some hobbies that I never would have been into when I was heavier. I've been willing to try more and more and really push myself and accept a challenge. I've proved so much to myself and others what I'm capable of and it feels so good to gain confidence from those experiences. One hobby that Steve has always had is mountain biking, and while I pride myself of not being afraid to try something new, mountain biking hasn't really appealed to me. Every time he comes home from a ride he's bruised and cut, with all these crazy stories of falling over, flying over handle bars, etc. LOL. How is that fun? On Saturday I suggested we go hiking at Mt. Tamalpias, my idea to hike got turned into mt biking. Before I knew it we were at the top of a trail and I was flying down this crazy ass trail, ummmm no! I didn't trust the bike, I didn't trust my skills, I didn't trust the trail, or my brakes. The downhill was terrifying. Seeing other bikers just fly down the hill made me feel like such a wimp but I just couldn't find it in me to be ok with just flying down this trail. The uphill was physically hard, but not scary cuz well you're going up so it's alot slower haha. I felt bad because Steve is such an experience rider and I was really holding him back, I knew it was something he wanted to share and be able to do together, but I just could not get it together. I said I wouldn't do it again but maybe if I start off a little slower and get comfortable with a bike, it could be better the next time around. I don't like saying I can't do something, just like with my hand stands, I'll have to keep practicing to get more and more comfortable and confident.

Brave The Run

Running a half marathon isn't just like taking a jog around the block, it takes physical and mental endurance. Make it a trail run and it's a whole other ball game. In early 2011 when i was beginning my fitness journey I learned that I really loved running, it was something I was decent at and so as I started running further and further I began venturing away from treadmill and street running and took to the hills. My friend Ashley knew I had been running for a while and suggested we train for and run a half marathon together. She sent me a training schedule and I stuck with it, making it all the way up to 10 miles. But then I over stretched my achilles and took about 8 weeks off from running. Ashley went on to run the half marathon on her own and did an amazing job. When I had to stop running it was really hard for me. I didn't know what else to do. So that's where weight training came into play. I started taking a spin class for the cardio, but I really enjoyed lifting weights. Once I was able to start running again I was excited but never incorporated it back into my regiment as often as it once was. Still even though I found something new that I loved, and eventually this year started crossfitting, I never let go of that desire to run a half marathon. It just so happens that I work with a realtor who is an amazing distance/trail runner. She is head of registration for the Lynch Canyon Trail Run and suggested that I make my dream a reality by signing up for this years race. Although it had lots of hills, I knew that for me a trail run would be more "entertaining" than a street race and a little more of a challenge. Since the registration was so cheap I couldn't pass it up.
I did a few trail runs here and there leading up to the race, but didn't train anything like I had the year before. But in time, the endurance and strength I had built at CFS gave me the confidence I needed to know I had it in me to finish the 13.1 miles of trail.

Race Day 6/2/12:
I woke up before my alarm even went off (that's how anxious I was) and was ready on time and out the door. I had no idea what to expect when i got to the race. I had never even been to Lynch Canyon before and I had never had to register for a race. I sat in my car for a minute and watched where everyone else was going, so I didn't wander around like an idiot. I got my bib number, race shirt, and headed back to wait in my car because it was FREEZING. The wind was out of control. My mom and dad showed up about 20 minutes after me and my dad registered and my mom got her info for the hike she was doing. The race offered a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and free community hike. My dad was awesome and carried our water and goo packets during the run. He and I started off with a pretty good pace, the first few miles were all climbs but he stayed with me, motivating me up each hill and telling me when to drink and take my energy shots. We were having fun, talking with other runners and dodging snakes. Once we made it through the majority of the hills the next couple miles were a little easier. We made it through those first 6 miles piece of cake! The second half of the race was a different story. The way the course was mapped out you did a 6 point something mile loop twice. So the half marathon runners had to run through the finish line and then continue going on for another loop. Which meant after a decent "easy" couple miles you had to start climbing  up all those stupid hills again. The trails out there are pretty uneven and my feet were starting to hurt from running on the hole filled uneven surface, and my knees were taking a beating from the downhills. Endurance wise my body felt good, I had it in me to keep going but my joints were aching. I knew had I spent more time running on trails my body would have been more prepared for the impact but I just had to deal with it. My dad was feeling it too, his quads and calves were tight and the uphill was getting tough for both of us. We definitely ran the second half of the course alot slower than the first but we kept on going. I just kept telling myself that my feet didn't hurt, my knees were fine and I let my music help set my pace. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world to come up to the top of a hill and see the parking lot and FINISH LINE below. My dad was a little ways behind me and I stopped at the top of the hill to wait for him. He started the race with me and I wanted him to finish with me. I barreled down that hill and I was so glad to grab a cold bottle of water rip off my shoes and sit down! My mom and Steve were waiting for us at the finish and it was really the best feeling to know what we had just accomplished. I spent the rest of the day yesterday napping & hobbling around (because I was and still am THAT sore), then I ate mexican food and drank beer because dang it I earned it! LOL

My dad and I pre race

My mom and I

Finish line!

So happy to be done!