Hey everyone! Happy Saturday!
I haven’t blogged in over a week, but that isn’t the only thing I haven’t done in a week!
I also didn’t:
- run (with the exception of an 8k road race last Sunday and a 5k run Thursday)
- Crossfit
- do laundry
- go food shopping
- cook a home made meal
- make my bed when I got up
- wake up without hitting snooze or resetting my alarm
- shower
Unfortunately one thing that happens when I am not on schedule is that I feel more stressed out and cranky than normal! I am sure if you asked Jack he would agree that I was probably one tough cookie this week to put up with.
Today I decided it had to end. I had to get back on track with my Saturday morning bootcamp class.
I always liked the bootcamp classes because I am a fan of the circuit type workouts where you do timed intervals for each exercise. Our WOD in a regular Crossfit class includes these types sometimes too but usually is a certain amount of reps for a certain amount of rounds. For a while I thought that because our bootcamps would be outside that we wouldn’t be doing circuits until winter because we had access to a track and could run instead. Tristan never disappoints though, and he must’ve read my mind, because today’s class was what I would consider my dream bootcamp class.
- 1 and 1/2 laps around the track
- 30 jumping jacks
- 20 air squats
- 10 push ups
- (A) jumping jacks
- (A) burpees
- (B) bear crawls
- (B) bicycles
- (C) side steps
- (C) Thrusters with 15lb weights
- (D) kettle bell swings with 14kg
- (D) jump rope singles
- (E) push-ups
- (E) walking lunges
- (F) shuttle runs
- (F) ab mat sit ups
- (G) grape vines
- (G) mountain climbers
Then we did the whole circuit again but for just 30 seconds a piece. I love the 30 second intervals because I can do anything (bear crawls and mountain climbers mainly) for 30 seconds. It keeps the workout flowing and moving at a fast pace, which I LOVE!
It was such a good workout and I felt strong and happy to be getting back at it. The sun got very warm toward the end so I was a sweaty mess by the time we were done. I have got to get myself some unrestrictive summer workout clothes so they only thing that makes the workout hard is, well, the workout! (and not overheating because of clothing thats too heavy).
What haven’t you done this week?
~L
Clif Bars and Energy
Before I headed to Avalon Crossfit tonight (and after drinking my water ) I had a Chocolate Chip Clif Bar. They are pretty high in calories (240) so I don’t eat these babies just as a regular ol’ snack. I save ‘em for pre-workouts and choose Luna bars or Clif Mo-Jo bars as my snackies because they have around 190 calories a bar and seem more fitting for a snack.
These things are my go-to workout fuel (if it’s not broke, don’t fix it!). When I first began my on-boarding sessions with Tristan I had sent him an email explaining that sometimes during the classes I felt shaky and lethargic. While he acknowledged that part of the reason I felt that way was because my body may not be use to such high intensity workouts, he also sent me some really good information about properly fueling for a high intensity workout.
Tristan’s Tips on What to Eat Pre-Workout:
- Try to eat something 1 to 2 hours before your workout (any closer than that, and you won’t have enough time to digest much of it).
- Though everyone is different, try to eat 20 to 30 grabs of protein and 50 to 60 grams of carbs. Avoid fat for the most part, because it will just slow down absorption in your stomach. The carbs should be “simple,” so they digest easily, like bananas, Clif bars (woop woop
) oatmeal, etc. - Post-workout is just as important, because if you wait too long to eat afterward, your body might start “eating” away at your muscle to repair the damage done from the workout. Try to eat more quickly digestible carbs and some protein within an hour after your workout. You can have something small, even like half a Clif bar, to tide you over until you have a real meal.
- Try experimenting a little bit with portions and different foods. If you like bananas, then one day you should add one to your lunch, another later in the day, then eat whatever you usually would pre-workout.
I used the tips and found for myself that having a Clif bar 1 1/2 to 2 hours pre-workout was the best for me. I also love bananas and eat one for breakfast everyday, but one a day is plenty for me.
Tristan and all the folks at Avalon Crossfit are really knowledgeable and approachable about anything that I have ever needed from food to hydrating to modifications! If you are interested you should call Tristan up and set up an onboarding session. In my opinion you won’t be sorry.
Wednesday’s WOD:
Motto: “Steady is fast”
Warm-up:
- 10 Turskish get-ups with 4lb kettle bell
- 10 air squats
Skill/Strength:
- 5 x 5 Squat clean
- 100m run up and back (200m total)
- 5 turkish get-ups with right side (I used 8kg)
- 5 turkish get-ups with left side
Tomorrow is Thursday people, let’s rejoice!
Night
~L
Getting Right Back At It
Last week I took the entire week off of physical activity. I gave my body the rest it definitely needed. Even though my training for the Half didn’t incorporate as much running as it should have, I have been going to Avalon Crossfit 4-5 times a week for the past couple of months. I love Crossfit but since I enjoyed the people just as much as the classes I found it to me more enjoyable than running.
FYI- the Half may have rekindled my love for running.
Regardless, after only a week off (and being able to go home from work and stay home from work and not eat dinner at 9:00 at night) I was both itchy to get back right back at it and wishing I could have “one more day” when I showed up to last night’s class. Ever have that feeling? But I know myself though and “one more day” would’ve been two more days and then another week. I have been a gym-lover for about two years now and I haven’t always (and still don’t) love exercise all the time. But it makes me feel strong and confident and happy so a girls got to do what a girls got to do.
Last night I headed to John’s 6pm Avalon Crossfit class. It was bound to be my triumphant return right?
We started with strength which was 5 rounds of 5 reps:
- front squat (Ali and I shared a bar, began with 45lbs and built up to 65lbs)
- ring dips
- GHD back extensions with 25lb plate
- I didn’t hydrate enough, especially to be working out outside
- I didn’t have a Clif bar pre-Crossfit. These are my go-to energy bars.
- windmills (frontwards and backwards)
- self huggers
- 10 air squats
- 20 jumping jacks
- 10 ledge dips (I modified by bending my knees)
- 20 kettle bell swings with 12kg
- 30 ledge jumps
- 40 walking lunges on track
- run the rest of the track
but he said no anyway.
psyched
Hello! How was everyone’s Tuesday? I was pretty psyched that it was forecasted to be 80 degrees and sunny in the Boston area. I was up and ready to go so early today! Having my lunch packed the night before and a fun math lesson to do with my fifth graders did wonders for my motivation to get out of bed today.
After school I came home, did some blogging, cleaned up the house and waited for Ali to stop in so we could head to Avalon Crossfit Bootcamp at 5:30. I have been taking Marc’s bootcamp class for a while now and really do enjoy the format and his instructing style.
Today we got to go outside to enjoy the weather (with everyone else in Charlestown ). I have begun to realize that a lot of the outdoor WOD/classes are going to involve running, which I am OK with for the most part. I am not very fast but hopefully that can be something that comes with more 400m runs.
Today my legs were extremely tired: my calves are tight and my hamstrings burn when I walk up the stairs. After class today I decided that I need to put anymore Crossfit classes on hold until after the race Sunday. No sense in pushing through to get in a workout, over-doing it can lead to injury. Part of it is definitely because this weekend I ran twice (4.5 miles Saturday and 5 miles Sunday).
Bootcamp Warm-Up
- 0-25 yard line: walking lunges, high knees, butt-kickers
- 3 rounds: 25 jumping jacks, 15 air squats (yeee-ouch!), 5 inch worms
Bootcamp WOD (Crossfit Benchmark workout modified to work outside)
AMRAP in 20 minutes: I did 5 full rounds and a 6th round with the running and ledge jumps
- 400m run
- 10 ledge jumps
- as many chest to ground push ups as possible without stopping (I usually did 10-15)
*wink* and a salad.
Harkey and Pizza
Happy Pizza Monday friends! I hope you all remembered that Pizza Monday gives you a reason to get out of bed after the weekend flies by!
I went food shopping after school today and picked up everything I needed.
Alexa Brand potatoes: parmesan and garlic flavor. They are thick potatoes, less like a french fry, more like a roasted potato. The seasoning was very tasty. These babies are filling!
Salad: 50/50 Spring Mix and spinach, carrots, cucumbers, croutons, Newman’s Own Balsamic vinaigrette.
Pizza: Crust (Pillsbury roll out refrigerated), sauce (Contidina), pizza (cheddar/mozzarella mix).
I LOVED the Pillsbury dough because it was quick and easy. All you have to do is grease the pan with Pam and stretch the dough to fit the cookie sheet. It was way less messy than whipping out the flour and rolling-pin.
I spread some olive oil over the dough and cook it about 10 minutes to let the dough cook a bit before putting the sauce and cheese on. Then you really only need to cook the pizza in the oven until the cheese melts.
The result was extra crispy but soft crust. It was definitely Jack’s favorite so far.
With dinner I drank my newest obsession: Powerade Zero Strawberry. I got a sample yesterday at the Harpoon 5-Miler (I will be writing about that later) and I couldn’t wait to get some more. It was the first thing in my cart at the store today. It tastes just like strawberry jello when it is in liquid form.
Before I had dinner I went to my usual Monday night class at Avalon Crossfit. Marc was subbing for John tonight which was cool because I usually didn’t see him until Bootcamp on Tuesdays. The original WOD was supposed to include 800m runs on the track outside, but since it is raining, they changed it up and kept us indoors. I was pretty sure it would be inside but I was kinda wishing to go out.
Warm-Up:
- Side lunges the length of the floor
- inch worms the length of the floor
- 20 air squats
- 20 mountain climbers
- 20 pass throughs with a PVC pipe
- 50 ab mat sit ups
- 150 jump rope singles (because I can’t double under)
- 50 air squats (SCREAMING quads!)
- 50 Kettle bell swings (12kg)
- make a killer playlist (HELP?!)
- check weather obsessively and decide what to wear
- try to relax and think positive
Stump it Thursday
By last Thursday it took about all I had to give to NOT have pizza. By the time I headed to Avalon Crossfit’s “Kettle bells, Abs, and More” class I thought I had pretty much made it through the day scott-free. Ali met me at class and when she mentioned going to Regina’s I knew that I lost my battle with the Pizza-Gods.
With my mind on pizza I made it through the hottest, sweatiest class ever. I think it was Birkrahm Kettle bells. I hadn’t lifted a single weight and was already sweating profousely.
Warm-Up:
- 30 Jumping Jacks
- 20 squats
- 10 push ups
- 10 jumping jacks
- 10 kettle bell swings (14kg)
- 10 chest presses using 14kg KB
- 20 Russian Twists (using 12kg)
- 10 sumo deadlift high pulls
- 10 KB tranfers
- 10 bicycles
- 10 rows, alternating sides
- 10 full-extension bicep curls
- 10 tricep extensions
- 30 seconds crunches
- 30 seconds knees to elbows
- 30 seconds roll ups
- 30 seconds leg raises
- goblet squats with kettle bells
- jumping squats
- air squats
- halfway kettle bell swing
Photo by Ali
photo courtesy of Ali
What up Wednesday?
What up Wednesday? I am so glad you are over, but before I get to you I got to revisit Tuesday.
Yesterday I woke up to more rain and my toe was still sore. I can’t believe that I kicked the couch and hurt my toe so bad I had to wear flip-flops to school. I was slow-moving I’ll tell ya! My day was pretty uneventful because all I did was work and come home. No Crossfit, no nothing. In a way the rainy week and stupid toe situation worked out perfectly. Who wants to go back out into the cold and rain after they finally got home and warmed up?
The highlight of my Tuesday afternoon (knowing I had time to kill until Glee) was picking up Chelsea Handler’s new book, “Lies that Chelsea Handler Told Me”. I also got a grande skinny vanilla latte. I have read her other 2 and 1/2 books (the half was “Chelsea, Chelsea Bang Bang which I could NOT finish!) and they were a huge source of amusement for many friends and family. I have been DYING for this new book to come out!
Amazon.com describes the author(s) of the book:
“Friends, family members, and co-workers of Chelsea Handler, who are happy to write a new book for Chelsea to promote since she’s feeling too lazy to write one herself.”
It is a collection of stories about the shenanigans and pranks Chelsea has pulled on her unassuming family and friends. I have read the first two chapters and they (especially the second one) are so funny! I can’t wait to read the rest!
Basically my Tuesday night was spent reading and Gleeing. I won’t talk too much about the episode, in case you didn’t see it yet, but I will say that I was sobbing at one point! Sue Sylvester’s softer side was nice to see for a change.
What did you think of last night’s episode? Anyone else ball your eyes out??
____________________________
Today I was happy to wake up to realize that I could wear shoes again! The toe still feels a little tender, and at this point I may be acting a bit dramatic, but I am running Harpoon’s 5 Miler on Sunday and I really want it to feel 100% by then!
Lunch today was left overs from diner last night: BBQ chicken and long-grain wild rice. It was actually better cold the second day than it was last night!
After getting home from school I prepped dinner quickly and changed for Avalon Crossfit. Tonight I wore one of my new Sweaty Bands. I really liked the blue with pink polka-dots and how it was thicker than the others. It actually kept all of the hair out of my face. I love all the Sweaty Bands but if I am to ever buy more I will definitely be buying the thick band!
I loved two things most about tonight’s Avalon Crossfit class.
1) They moved John’s class from 6:30 to 6 p.m. I love going a half hour early and getting out a half hour earlier.
2) Modifications! While modifications are always suggested and demonstrated, it seems like Avalon Crossfit is really making an effort to help us all listen to our bodies and know all the options available to us. They have posted a list of modifications for anyone who feels like they need them. This came in perfectly for me tonight because I wasn’t sure how my toe would react to burpees (the thought of jumping out and landing on the tips of my toes was not appealing).
STRENGTH:
4 x15 ring rows
4 x 15 thrusters (45lbs)
I only had time to do 3 sets. The thrusters were challenging for me because my wrists aren’t super flexible and holding the bar in the way we have to makes them sore! I was happy I could get through 3 sets of the thrusters with a 45 lb bar but kind of wish I would tried the prescribed 65lb for women.
WOD: “Meaghan” modified
*Note- I did this last week “regular” and today with modifications for my toes. I think my time of 6 minutes-ish was the same
21-15-9 reps
- push-ups
- air squats
- kettle bell swings (16kg)
- jump rope singles (63-45-27)
I am glad I made it to class tonight. I am the kind of person who could use the weather and a small injury as an excuse to take a while off from working out. The problem with that is that I really do enjoy it, and it keeps me sane. I also like to keep in routine and feel like I am missing something when I don’t go. Everyone was sore today from Monday’s WOD and I was jealous! Remember back in high school when you stayed home sick and would have to call your friend that night to see what you missed? Same feeling!
Dinner tonight was home-made mac & cheese made with 8oz Velveeta Cheese (I’m a classy lady) and some cubes of pepper jack. On top I crumbled a few Ritz crackers. Super quick and easy.
I am also drinking a mock-tail because I have no wine in the house. Wine makes the most sense on a Wednesday because it really gets you over the hump. Tonight I went for blueberry seltzer water, in a wine glass of course!
What book are you currently reading?? As summer gets closer I am trying to build up my book list!
~L
s
Holding My Own
Tonight I did not feel like going to Avalon Crossfit one bit. I actually didn’t even change until 5:15, and I am usually already there at that time. They are very punctual and start class right at 5:30, not a minute sooner or later. Tonight’s class “Kettle Bells, Abs, and MORE!” wasn’t full at all: just three guys and me You will be happy to know I held my own with those guys.
Warm up was something a little different, which I liked. Variety is always good!
Warm UP
- 75 jump rope singles
- 15 tuck jumps
- 10 weird stretches lying on the floor (they were way to weird to describe)
- 10 “supermans”
- KB swings (12kg)
- burpees/mountain climbers
- KB transfers (12kg for 6 rounds, 8kg for 3)
- air squats
- sumo squat high pulls
- ab mat sit ups
- goblet squats
- leg raises
What Doesn’t Kill Ya…
Good evening peeps.
After getting home from school and prepping m dinner (chicken parm) I debated back and forth wether to skip my scheduled Avalon Crossfit class or not. Now, in another gym I would not have a problem just bailing on class last minute, but at Crossfit classes are limited to 12 people so many times people who want to register for a class last minute don’t have a spot. If you cancel last minute it is kind of like keeping a friend from being able to work out! I don’t need that kind of guilt on my shoulders so I went
Today I thought we were going to be going outside so I dressed in long Dri-Fit Nike pants, a green Puma under tank, and an Under Armour long sleeve shirt (my students would say I was perpetrating!). Since it is kinda chilly out I knew it would be the perfect attire.
Oh, and I wore a new Sweaty Band tonight too!
After buying my first a few weeks ago at the South End Athletic Club and wearing it to every class since, I decided it was time to invest in a few more so I would have a variety to choose from. I ordered the Spring 6-pack which included 3 wide bands, 2 medium bands, and a small band. Not all of the designs are exactly my style, but when it comes to working out you go with function over fashion. If you are an active female (or male) you definitely have to check these out!
Unfortunately because of the rain today, they changed the WOD to avoid us having to sprinting on the wet track. I think everyone in class was just a bit bummed, but we can’t blame Crossfit, we must blame Mother Nature for that one. The new WOD was something I was not a fan of right from the get-go: more kettle bells! Ugh. I tried to psyche myself up by telling myself “what doesn’t kill ya makes you stronger” and in the end this little mantra (and a pep talk from John) got me through 4 rounds in about 14 minutes.
Workout of the Day (WOD):
Strength:
- 4 x 15 ring rows (I focused on using my back for these by picturing squeezing a pencil between my shoulder blades)
- 3 x 15 chest press with 45lb bar (focused on using my glutes and heels to stabilize myself, what a difference it makes!)
- I also worked on my Kipping pull ups today with John giving me some pointers on using my hips and butt to swing myself. I’ll get it eventually!
Met Con (metabolic conditioning) 4 rounds for time
- 15 pushups (I modified on my knees)
- 15 KB swings (1.5 pood (16kg))
- 30 ab mat sit ups
- 15 KB swings as seen above
- First off, I ALWAYS count backwards!
- For a workout like “300“, where you have to do 50 reps of each, I find myself counting in groups of 10.
- For workouts where it is less reps (say 15) I find myself counting in groups of 5 or sometimes doubling up numbers (instead of counting from 10 I count “5,5,4,4,3,3,2,2,1,1″)
- In the cases where we are going for max reps I find that I often limit myself by starting to count at a certain number because when I get to 1 I almost always want to stop even though I should keep going. I have tried starting at a crazy high number and doing my groups of 10 counting but then I lose track of how many reps I did!
- No matter how I am counting reps, I somehow get to 5 and say “I can do anything for 5 reps”. Hey, it works!
It’s 3:00 Somewhere!
There is something that I love about that 3:00pm time period when my students leave my classroom and I can put on my John Mayer Trio Pandora station and sit and do nothing. Absolutely nothing. I am taking advantage of this time now to blog and relax a little bit. I really love being in my classroom after school sometimes. Actually, judging by the mess of a thing I call a desk, I should probably be doing some cleaning and organizing right now…
Last night, while watching Glee, I had a nice little glass of Riesling that I hoped would help me sleep a little better than I have been the past few nights. Unfortunately all it did was make me need to pee a zillion times throughout the night. So much for a good night’s rest!
On top of that I woke up thinking it was Friday, only to panic thinking it was only Monday and ultimately deciding it was OK that it was Wednesday.
I am also a tad bit sore in my lower back region today because of the past two day’s crazy-hard Avalon Crossfit workouts. I immediately want to blame incorrect form for kettle bell swings, but wonder if it has anything to do with me skimping on the stretching the past two days. I am generally not a big stretcher- I don’t regularly stretch when running- so I am very quick to pass it up in favor of just regaining my breath after a workout. I have already decided that tonight’s class is going to be a time to take advantage of the stretching!
Right now I am eating a Chocolate Brownie Clif Bar. It is the perfect afternoon pick me up. SInce I am eating it now (at 3:30) I know that it will be all digested and settled before my 6:30 Crossfit class.
One day real soon I am going to have to go for a run, but I don’t think today is the day. 13.1 miles is no joke!
Do you stretch regularly after workouts or runs? Have you found that it helps decrease post-workout soreness??
See ya later tonight!
~L
