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!