CrossFit Competitions: Battle at the Rock

by crossfitmomm, posted in crossfit competitions

Yesterday, I competed in a CrossFit competition called Battle at the Rock at CrossFit Castle Rock in Castle Rock, Colorado.

This CrossFit competition was all a test of mental fortitude because I had just done Project Uplift the day before. I was sore. I was tired. I was beat.

Let me just stress that I had not planned to do two CrossFit competitions two days in a row. Yesterday, I was a last minute fill in. Battle at the Rock I had planned for a month or so.

Workout number one was just plain fun. It was a 6 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of one clean and jerk and 4 lateral bar over burpees. I chose a lighter weight for 2 reasons:

  1. I wanted to keep moving and minimize my pauses. The heavier I go, the more taxing it becomes, the longer the jerk takes, and the less reps I’ll get. There were 2 scores for this workout: reps and weight moved.
  2. After yesterday, my arms were already killing me. I didn’t want to strain anything. 85 lbs was a safe bet. Heavy enough for points but not too heavy I’d have to strain.

I got one rep short of 15 rounds. It was fun.

CrossFit Dumbbell Push Ups

I did the floater next which was 21 calories on the bike followed by dumbbell squats with 35 lbs in each hand. After the bike, I was wiped. This could have been faster.

After this workout, I felt terrible. I went to my truck and sat and rested.

Workout #2 was okay. It was a 24 calorie buy in followed by 30-20-10 of dumbbell snatches at 35 lbs and box jump overs ended by a 24 calories buyout. Normally, this is my cup of tea (except the row). It was all I had just to keep moving.

I had a 2 hour break in-between before the last workout. I took a nap. I ate. I felt much better.

The last workout was normally my cup of tea as well, but I was so tired it was all I could do to keep moving. It was 15 hang power cleans at 65 lbs, 30 step forward lunges with that bar, 15 toes to bar, 30 wall balls (10 foot target but only 10 lbs) and then 15 pull ups. 2 Rounds with a 12 min time cap.

I stricted all the toes to bar and the pull ups even though it’s slower because my hands were killing me, and I didn’t want to tweak anything from my overworked body. Also, I didn’t want to mess with my grips since I don’t use grips on barbell movements and on wall balls.

Well, I got to the 2nd round of wall balls and wanted to die. I honestly just wanted to skip the wall balls and go to the pull ups.

I made it through this CrossFit competition and finished in 2nd for the masters’ women. It was fun, but I am so glad it’s over. I honestly couldn’t have done any more work.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM TWO DAYS OF CROSSFIT COMPETITIONS

  • This is 90% mental. It’s showing up. It’s doing the work. It’s grinding through it when all you want to do is sit.
  • The rest is overcoming the physical exhaustion your body feels. It’s eating enough, drinking enough, planning it all, so you can perform.

I’m unsure if I’ll do two CrossFit competitions in a row again. It’s physically exhausting. Draining. I feel completely wiped out. I have nothing left.

I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for the CrossFit Games athletes who workout for continuous days as well as other CrossFit competitors who do multiple days. It’s a whole different level I didn’t appreciate until now.

It was fun, but I need a break!

CrossFit Competitions: Project Uplift 4.0

by crossfitmomm, posted in crossfit competitions

Yesterday, I competed in a CrossFit competition called Project Uplift 4.0 (the 4th year of this event). I got placed on a team last minute whose other teammate couldn’t compete. It was a team from CrossFit Miramont, which is where I started CrossFit about 2 1/2 years ago.

This year the teams for this CrossFit competition were 4 person–2 guys and 2 girls. I competed last year (my first CrossFit competition) and it was only teams of 2, same sex.

I didn’t know my teammates. They were nice, however. The competition was fierce. We had a strength challenge of 1 snatch, 2 hang snatches and 3 overhead squats. I did okay in this.

CrossFit Snatch
CrossFit Snatch

The next one was an AMRAP of 16 minutes that did not play to my strengths. Toes to bar, pull ups, dumbbell box step overs, and devil’s press. All the moves were brutal. Add in the 90 degree heat, and it was definitely challenging.

During Workout #2, one of my teammates had to quit the synchronized deadlifts with his partner because of his back, so we came in last in that event.

The Floater was a bike and a run–the only one I crushed.

Overall, fun day and a great CrossFit competition. They had a lot of vendors and a ton of stuff for the kids to do. My son played in the bounce house all day long. I hardly saw him. And he came home and passed out (as did I). My daughter was my official photographer (of which you see her work here). Fun.

Such a fun venue. It’s outdoors at Whole Foods Market, so amenities (and by amenities I mean coffee) is close by. Indoor bathrooms. Definitely do this one again next year. I was a bit sore this morning but not too bad.

Thanks, Miramont, for the last minute nod. It was a blast!

Here are Tips for Outdoor CrossFit Competitions:

  • Sunscreen. Use it often and frequently.
  • Drink lots of water. More than you think you’ll need. Dehydration is a real threat.
  • Sunglasses. The CrossFit competition will be brutal without a good pair of sunglasses.
  • Flip flops. At the end of the day after sweating so much, free your feet! Bring flip flops.
  • Cooler. Cool drinks will be the key to staying hydrated, feeling satisfied, and feeling upbeat as the day goes on.
  • Damp clothes throughout the day to stay cool.
  • A generator if you’re going all out with a fridge, microwave, and fans.
  • Tents. This is a must to stay out of the sun.
  • Chairs. This is an ABSOLUTE must. Sitting on the ground sucks.
  • Food. More than you think you’ll need. This goes for drinks as well.
  • Eat. Even if you don’t feel like it. You have to or you won’t make it.
  • Book. You’ll have usually at least an hour between heats. Having something to pass the time makes a huge difference. I finished my car book finally. It was good.
  • Arrive early. I can’t tell you the difference a good parking place means at the end of the day when you can barely walk to your car.
  • Have fun! It’s not about winning. It’s about doing things you normally wouldn’t do and challenging yourself and having fun! Otherwise, you are wasting your time.

I had such a fun day with my teammates and my kids and all the other competitors. We raised money for Kids at Heart, an organization that supports foster and adoption families. When you combine CrossFit and a cause, amazing things happen. Awesome!

The CrossFit Hero Workouts Will Destroy You

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit Workouts

I told you all I did Manion on Sunday, a CrossFit Hero WOD consisting of back squats and 400 m runs. I liked it and didn’t think it was all that bad.

Until Monday. When it was hard to walk.

And then Tuesday. When it was even harder to walk.

And Wednesday. When I could walk but standing up was rough.

CrossFit Dumbbell Lunges
CrossFit Dumbbell Lunges

It’s Thursday. And I FINALLY feel back to normal. I can walk. I feel good. When I rolled out, my hamstrings were still a bit sore but nothing major.

I don’t think about these CrossFit Hero Workouts until they are said and done, which is probably a mistake on my part.

Doing the numbers, in one round, I moved 2,755 lbs. In all 7 rounds combined, I squatted 19, 285 lbs. Not the most intelligent thing to do. But CrossFit Hero Wods are meant to be hard, and I’d dare say, meant to destroy you.

Tips for Surviving CrossFit Hero Workouts

Just cause CrossFit Hero Wods are hard doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ever do them. They are meant to honor the fallen who have given their lives so we can still workout and do all the things we love doing in this world. Here’s some quick survival tips for CrossFit Hero Wods:

  • Plan ahead. Do these when you have rest days coming up or not a lot planned for the next few days.
  • Crunch the numbers ahead of time. Sometimes this can be detrimental mentally if you look at the sheer volume of reps and pounds moved. However, you’ll want to plan your other workouts around the Heros so you’re not lifting heavy the day before.
  • Increase expectations. I didn’t think much about this CrossFit Hero Workout. I just knew it would be long. That was my mistake. Plan for these workouts to take you out. Just like Bruck, it’s the unexpected that can kill you in the end.
  • Recover properly. Hydrate. Refuel with protein and electrolytes. Plan active recovery workouts in the following days. Keep moving but not too much.

CrossFit Hero Workouts are some of my very favorite. But each are tough in their own way. Some are tougher than others, but if you plan accordingly, these will become some of the best workouts, the funnest, and some of your favorite workouts in CrossFit.

CrossFit Hero WOD: Manion

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit Workouts

Today I did Manion, named after First Lieutenant Travis Manion who was killed in Afghanistan in 2007 serving our great nation.

 

Manion consists of:

7 Rounds for Time:

  • 400 m run
  • 29 back squats at 95 lbs for the ladies

Tips for CrossFit Hero WOD Manion

  • Easy to do from home if you have a squat rack and some weights.
  • At about round 5, my legs started protesting.
  • I broke up the back squats every round just to have a bit of a break.
  • Great leg workout and a good one if your arms are injured or you need a rest from upper body work

Fun workout!

 

Running in Colorado: Fortitude 10k

by crossfitmomm, posted in Running

Today I ran a 10k with my daughter in Fort Collins. Called the Fortitude 10k in its second year, the course ran through Old Town Fort Collins, starting at Moby Arena on Colorado State University’s Moby Arena and ending at the new stadium on Colorado State’s campus.

The weather was perfect for running. Start of the race was right around 60 degrees. It was a flat, fast course. At about mile 4, my daughter passed me, but I passed her at the end to finish 3 seconds in front of her. We ran around the stadium inside and then up the stairs to the vendors.

Tips for Recovery from 10k Race

Fortitude 10k Race Fort Collins, CO
  • Hydrate. This is key. Drink a lot of electrolytes.
  • Rest. Take a nap if possible and go to bed early that night, giving your body a chance to repair itself.
  • Take a bath. Hot water will soothe your sore muscles and relax them.
  • Get a massage. This is a great way to flush out those toxins accumulated during muscle break down. Wait a few days however for optimal results.
  • Eat. Healthy of course.
  • Compression gear can help.
  • Vegetate. You deserve it!

This was only my 2nd 10k, after the Garden of the Gods 10k in June. I PR’ed (personal record) by almost 8 minutes because this course had no hills.

My favorite races are still 5k’s. I feel that’s the optimal distance for my body. This one was fun. It was a good day!

CrossFit: When a CrossFit Recovery Workout Turns Into a Workout

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

I wanted to do a run after my regular workout, and I was thinking an 800 m run would

Summer Showdown 2
CrossFit Assault Bike

suffice.

Well, there’s a workout I have been wanting to do all week that is 2 rounds of a 400 m run and 21 thrusters (a front squat into a push press) at 65 lbs.

Why not do this one, I thought.

Not the best idea. Even though I love thrusters, after DT yesterday (a CrossFit Hero workout that involves deadlifts, hang power cleans, and push jerks at heavy weights), it wasn’t the best idea. Luckily, it was a short workout.

3 Lessons Learned from Recovery Workouts

  1. Make sure your recovery workout is just that: a recovery
  2. Listen to your body: don’t overdo it
  3. Make it light, easy, and fun

The best part about working out is how you feel afterwards. Enjoy the work, but then celebrate the accomplishment!

Nutrition: I Just Want to Be Healthy and Feel Good

by crossfitmomm, posted in Nutrition

There are various areas of our lives that we feel good about: spiritual, physical, mental, relational, financial, and overall quality of life.

Feeling good is a challenge for most of us in at least one of these areas. We struggle with one or more of these aspects every day.

For me, it’s been the physical.

As you know, my hormones have been all over the place, and I’m still trying to figure out what to eat and when and what time of the month, so I feel really good physically.

There are days when I get it right and days I don’t get it right.

And if I’m doing really well with the eating/hormone balance, then I’m usually struggling with some kind of strain or pull instead.

I try to accept that this is the life I’m chosen, but some days are just plain hard to get through.

I keep going. Every day hoping to get it just a little bit more right and praying I discover the secret and balance of eating, sleep, and working out to make it the best day ever.

Image result for nutrition and working out