Sunday, October 24, 2010

I LOVE IT!! Mobility WOD

Okay, so last night I was watching Saturday Night Live and during weekend update with the somewhat funny Seth Myers they introduced a new segment called I Love It! with one of the new 'not funny enough to be cast yet' guys. Here's the skit:


So, if you made it through the whole thing I am proud of you. I really didnt think it was all that funny but it did give me the idea to start a weekly blog post called "I LOVE IT". I am what you would call an information junkie and I figured that I might put this passion (addiction?) to good use. Therefore, my plan is to share a source of helpful information, favorite blog or site, good paleo recipe, or pretty much one Crossfit thing to which at the end of the day has got me sayin "I LOVE IT"

For my first "I LOVE IT" post I am going to share with you a new find that is changing my life. Are you ready??

Kelly Starretts Mobility WOD blog... I LOVE IT!!!
www.mobilitywod.blogspot.com

Now, I know all you hardcore crossfitters are like, "shoot, I watch that every day, thats not new". Well, I am happy for you and now you should be happy for all the others who will know about it. I first learned of Kelly from my coach after he attended a Crossfit Mobility Certification. The stuff Russell came back with was amazing! Obviously, I went searching for all things Kelly Starrett online & found this amazing blog. Not only does Kelly present a daily mobility WOD but he is a bad ass dude!!! Here's the deal, I dont really know all the scientific stuff behind mobility work...I just know that my body was fallen apart & now its back in action & better than ever. I would describe mobility work as streatching on crack or massage thats not enjoyable at all BUT what is enjoyable is when my mobility is such that I am PR'ing like crazy and lactic acids got nothin on me!!! Thats enjoyable and "I LOVE IT!!"

So, here is one of my faves from Kellys Blog & a link for YOU to go check it out!!!


www.mobilitywod.blogspot.com

& follow on the Twitter: mobilitywod

Happy WOD'S to all & to all a good night!!
Katie

Thursday, October 21, 2010

my extra rest day

I took today off. It wasnt a rest day and I wasnt incapacitated in such a way that I was unable to workout. No, I decided under my own volition, to not put on workout clothes, go to the gym and partake in a WOD. The timeline is like this:

Yesterday was a rest day... a day when I can freely not workout and know no guilt or fear that I may be lose out on valuable training time. To some, the rest day may seem like common sense while to me it is new revelation of glorious blessing. I had always adhered to the school of thought that resting was week & lazy. Wow, I would love to give a little speech to (or punch to the face) whoever put that idea in my head!!! So, yesterday, when I woke up with cold like symptoms I figured it was the perfect day for me to be under the weather. Unfortunately, my mind didn't tell my body about the timeline I had created for the cold!! As the day progressed, I began to feel worse and though I had several items left on my to do list I decided to head home and to bed. Of course, I was thinking about todays WOD and how I was determined to make it. It was a Team Capstone WOD, specially designed for those of us who want to compete....I HAD to be there!!! But at midnight, not able to sleep,I gave in and made the decision to not workout. Great! Decision made....not so fast, Katie, do you really know yourself at all???

After sleeping in till 8am I got up, feeling better than when I finally fell asleep, and went to work. I found a homeopathic something or other in the "natural" section of Market Street and I began taking it. I felt better, really I did. I worked until 3:30 when I had to pick Shane up at the auto shop because he didnt have a car and thats when it struck me..."I can go do a WOD!!" And yes, I was feeling much better than yesterday and even earlier today and could have completed the WOD. But as I bounced my working out idea off the hubby & began to really assess how I was feeling I began to get the nagging sense that it wasnt such a good idea to go to the gym. And then, like a revelation from God, I said to myself "this is not a sprint, it is a marathon". Honestly, that analogy has never been part of my go to analogy library. I generally thought it was stupid. But in that moment, I knew it wasn't a good idea to workout today. I had been listening to my mind all day, telling me that I was losing ground and being lazy by not working out rather than listening to my extremely soar throat, my nose that cannot be breathed through or the throbbing headache which was yelling "REST!!!!" And in a moment of logic (there are very few, so prepare yourself) I made the decision not react out of my fear but to take an extra day of rest for my body to heal. I would do it for my muscles...why not for my immune system? So I did. I took a shower, got ready and went out for a nice dinner with Shane. And Yes, I have all night fought the nagging voice in my head saying "you could have done that WOD"..."you should have done that WOD"... and in response I remind myself that taking an extra "rest day" for my body to fully recover whether muscularly or from illness is so much more beneficial than a half ass effort on the WOD and a crappy time on the board just because I was too afraid and full of pride to rest when my body was telling me to. Now, as I prepare to go to sleep, hoping that I will get to workout in the morning I am resolving to make a marathon decision when the alarm goes off at 5:15am. Wish me luck!!!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

destroying boxes

When I started Crossfit I never imagined it would reignite in me a fire of competitiveness that I believed was long ago & forevermore snuffed out. Yet over the past 6 weeks I have come to realize that the fire is definitely blazing and it may have only needed redirection & new purpose.

Tonight, as I ponder the 50 Deadlift Challenge and Carey Keplers 1:02 that awaits me tomorrow, I cant help but think of my track days. See, before I was really good...I was average. I remember very well my junior year of high school and running 5:20 after 5:20 in the mile and, though I was winning races, knowing the times were only average. In all honesty, I was content with 5:20...I thought it was what I had to give. My coach, Rick Bishop, believed in me more than I did. Constantly, he would coach me to stay with the front runners and constantly I would look to my watch, see that the pace was too fast & slow down, only to get second or third, running another 5:20. But one day, a very cold February day in Pocatello, Idaho, I decided to take the advice of Coach and stick with the front runners of the mile final. On that day, not only did I win the mile at the Simplot Games but I set a PR of 4:59.

So, what does this have to do with crossfit or the 50 DL challenge?? Well, when I was 16yrs old I had put myself into a 5:20 mile box and it took doing something seemingly crazy to realize & prove that I didn't belong there. That said, It is very tempting to be content with my 1:18- 5o DL time and not even attempt to compete with the likes of Carey Kepler... but I now know better. See, winning is not where the fire of competitiveness is ignited in my life but it is set ablaze through the desire to destroy any box of capability I have created in my mind. Truth is, I was never the fastest miler in the United States but after the box was destroyed I did push myeslf to be the fastest miler I could be. As I am reminded of this tonight, I commit to being the best crossfitter that I can be and never create a box that defines my capabilities. I will deadlift again tomorrow...Coach Rick Bishop speaking in my mind, telling me I can be the best.... and I will perform beyond my percieved capabilities.

so, who needs to break so capability boxes?!?! It starts now!!!

getting started

So, I have been playing with the idea of a personal crossfit blog for a few weeks. First I revamped my old blog by adding a kettlebell background, a new title & editing the list of blogs I recommend reading... but after all that was done, that which was missing, was an actual blog post. I wouldnt say im some classicly trained writer but my degree in communication studies causes me to expect a well edited, organized & influential address if it is to be published. That said, I have been working on an introductory blog for a couple of weeks that shares how I got involved, fell in love and now enjoy, with all of my being, crossfit. And tonight, I realized that I have to stop meticulously analyzing & editing and start communicating all the passion within my heart & mind.

I also had the idea in my head that I could only purpose to write a blog if it would encourage & help others in their crossfit journey. To be honest, I know it is not my sole purpose. Can it not be healthy & beneficial for me to share the thoughts & feelings I am having in regards to training & my overall crossfit experience?? Yes, I do desire to encourage my fellow crossfitters but I also desire to communicate my passion, successes & discouragements so that I may get through to the next WOD.

So, this is my blog. I am sure that I will someday finish my initial CF post & yall can understand how I got here. But for tonight, I have something more pressing to share....