‎"We become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions." -Aristotle

Spartan Shape Up, Day 283, 284 & 285:

BlogLand, this weekend OWNED my body. And by that, I mean I sweated, grunted, pushed, pulled, climbed, and sweated some more, my way through this weekend. It was AWESOME.
Why no blogging? Well. You will understand when I get to the end of this... Let's just say, I passed out like a dead person by the time I hit my bed on Sunday night.

Day 283, Saturday:

Saturday I was up early and excited and ready to head off to my CrossFit WOD. The morning was particularly cool (VT has been having a weird cold spell?), but nothing my giant super-tough Spartan hoodie couldn't handle. You really get some excellent looks, though, when you're pumping gas with the huge (oversized) hood up on this black sweatshirt, gold aviator sunglasses, spandex capris and innovates. All in black. I must've been quite a sight to see. haha

It seemed that Saturday's WOD would be a CrossFit Hero WOD - "Pheezy":
(for time) 3 Rounds of:
5 Front Squats (50#)
18 Pull Ups (with a big black band)
5 Dead Lifts (95#)
18 Toes to Bar (... or knees to however high I could get them)
5 Push Jerks (50#)
18 Hand Release Push Ups (on my knees)


Okay, so this WOD was okay. It combined some things I'm really horrid at (pull ups), with some things I'm not so bad at (lifting heavy stuff). Although, it was a bit tricky. Saturday classes are big at the gym, usually, particularly this 10:30am spot. Thus, with WOD's that require multiple weighted bars, equipment gets tricky to share. As a result, we had some shared Deadlifts, and you had to use the same bar for your front squats and push jerks. The way this worked for me was that I was deadlifting 95#. I should've gone heavier. The prescribed women's weight for the day was 155#... which I wasn't quite sure if I could handle for the whole workout... so... I elected lighter. 95# was too easy though, in retrospect. WAY too easy. Next time, I will know. I did a 50# bar for the sake of the push jerks (an overhead move), as this is a weaker area for me. Plus, I knew that my upper body strength would be tapped by the other movements.

However. I am happy to report that 50# was still too easy. For real. At the end of the WOD, I could still push that push jerk over my head without severe difficulty. Clearly, it should've been heavier. haha. I'm proud of myself. A couple months ago, I could not have handled a wod like this with a weight over 50#. Now I'm sure it was too light. Go me!

The non-weighted movements were my nemesis in this wod, though. Pull ups are always a struggle. I got through the first 10 in the first round in a row (with the aid of a big, thick, gray ban), and then pretty much had to do sets of 2-3 for the rest of the WOD. It was ugly. I was annoyed. Toes to Bar (or knees to wherever you can get them), was similarly as bad, though slightly better. I found it was not my grip strength here that limited me, but the sheer ability to get my feet up.
You know your WOD has gone horribly wrong when Hand-Release push ups seem like the "break."

I did thoroughly enjoy this WOD, though, and came out a hot, sweaty, smiling mess. Signs of success, I would say!

After CrossFit, I went home, drank a protein shake and made some food. I had to power up... it was then time to go for a hike!

Armed with quite a motley crew of an entourage, my Up-the-Hill running buddy and I led the charge up Spruce Peak. It's a 4.4 mile (roundtrip) hike, with quite a decent elevation gain. In true Spartan Training style, Stacy and I brought our rocks. Grover was happy to leave his station as my front-porch decor and get out for our first rock-walk of the season. Stacy and her new find, "Hurley", would be taking their first stroll, Rock style.

It was good times, BlogLand. I actually had to consciously slow myself down towards the beginning. Walking at a good clip, not wanting to die or thinking I was going to hyperventilate, and being able to pick up/squat and throw my 15-16# rock was quite a feeling. I remember doing this last year... and while it was not "easy" today... it was definitely easier. I was able to keep up a more steady pace, and soldier up that mountain.

Admittedly, we were not able to throw all the way up the mountain, as I had hoped. It did turn into a bit of a rock carry... As it turns out, the cold snap had brought quite a bit of ice and snowy slushiness to the upper regions of the mountain. It is pretty tricky to try and hold your rock with one hand/arm/shoulder and navigate a muddy, slippery, wet, etc. narrow path. I am proud to say that I did not land on my ass at ALL (there was one close call...), and I only put my rock down one time - at the top.

Speaking of the top, it is time to immortalize our fearless crew:

At the top, we stopped for a bit of refreshment... I chowed down some homemade trail mix (nom nom nom, nuts and raisins!), and washed it down with some water and chocolate/PB/Banana protein shake that Stacy pulled out of her bag. EPIC. Let me tell you people, never does a protein shake taste so good, as when you have just completed a crazy crossfit wod, then sweated your ass off heaving a rock up a mountain. So good, protein shake. OM nom nom.

The next task was... down the mountain. Hmm. Yes, BlogLand, I think that in this case, up was actually easier. Slightly bad footing (again, carrying a rock), is a bit easier to manage when you're going up it. You can sort of pull yourself up it with the surrounding trees. DOWN and you're really just trying not to slide on your ass, to your doom.

I think I really want a weight vest, after this. It will be a great way to increase the challenge of hikes, runs, etc. but have a more hands-free experience. Although, in some cases, I suppose that is part of the challenge, right?

I did successfully make it down the mountain, and back into my car, and home the the greatest hot shower ever (remember how I said it was a cold day in VT?!). Sometimes there's really something immensely satisfying as just being tired and standing in the hot water. Ahhh.

Day 284, Sunday:
Despite having a little bit of a later night out last night, I was in no frame of mind to let the workouts slack, with my race so close on the horizon (I can't think about that right now. Hello, Nerves!). It was up early and off to 9am CrossFit. '

The WOD:
6 Rounds for time:
6 Left Arm Kettlebell Snatch
12 Left Arm KB overhead lunges
18 Double Unders
6 Right Arm Kettlebell Snatch
12 Right Arm KB Overhead lunges
18 Double Unders

I am pretty damn happy with my performance on this one, considering I had some pretty hefty upper body exertions yesterday. I did this with a 22# KB, and almost could've gone heavier, I think. The limiting factor was definitely my left arm. I have less strength there, for sure, this showed me.
I also can not (yet) do double unders, so I had to substitute 3x the amount of singles... so... 18 double unders became 54 singles. Yikes.

However, again, I feel like my arms MUST be improving, as I was able to do this one without putting the kettlebell down for extra rests. WAHA! T-Rex arms... you are not long for this world.....

There was nothing too notable about this WOD... somedays, it's just about getting sweaty. Which I did. Quite a lot of. Win!

Today, Day 285:
... was all about resting. I thought about going to CF this morning, but honestly, my body was feeling the recent exertions. I'd done 4 days in a row of solid Wod's, and it was time for a recovery day. Sometimes, you must listen to your body.
I got the official word from the GT today.... I will WOD as normal, but make my last WOD of the week on Wednesday... my only tasks on Thursday and Friday (a travel day), will be to HYDRATE.
.... and try and maintain my sanity for the race day.

With that, I need to go commence resting. My mind has been going like crazy with all this race prep..... it's time to shut it off for the night.

"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." -Ernest Hemingway

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 95 & 96:

Woo, BlogLand! It's been an interesting couple of days.

Yesterday, I took my pet rock (...Grover... and no, that was not of my doing. lol.) out for a walk, up a mountain. Grover is (er, was... more on that later) a solid 17.5#, and the mountain was Spruce Peak, in Plainfield, VT. Just for sake of discussion, it appears that this particular climb is 4.4 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 1093 ft.

I managed to wrangle in an enthusiastic potential Spartan, who thought throwing a rock up a mountain sounded like a fun way to spend a Sunday. Here's the before picture of my victim. I mean... recruit:

Grover, Me, and Steff

We look so fresh, and perky. Grover is still intact (*sniffle*), and the adventure begins. Not too far up the trail, Steff acquired her own rock (Peanut), and the real good time began. I think we tried out just about every type of throw one could imagine. There's the overhead hulk-smash, the underhanded granny bowl, the right or left handed shot put, the tricky right or left sided twisting and heave, or the beloved backwards over the head kamikaze...
There did seem to be a real technique onto where/how to throw it on a mountain trail, however... Things to consider: Throw it OVER/past the parts that you need two hands to navigate. What happens if you heave it out there and it goes wonky and now you find yourself on safari through the side of a mountain forest, calling for your rock? Ponder the splash radius of a 17.5# solid object landing in a particular squishy mud area. What about the dreaded roll-back issue?

This was a far more complicated process than just "throw rock up hill".

It was a gloriously muddy, wet, overcast day, with just enough chill in the air to keep us from being puddles of sweat. Which, I suppose, really wouldn't have mattered, as we were covered in mud, anyway.

This is where I would like to take a moment to note that Steff and I, while in the process of Chicking ("What is “Chicked”? Chicked is a racing term that defines when a man is passed on the course by a woman!" - Shawty Spartan) the mountain AND throwing big rocks, managed to totally Chick an entire group of relatively youthful hikers. We got some raised eyebrows, and a few comments to the effect of "What, it wasn't hard enough already?" but on we pressed.
And, 2.2 miles and about 1:45 min later, here we stood - Summit!

Spruce Peak: Summit

I would just like to note that while we may not be "pretty" at this point, we are muddy, sweaty, and feeling pretty damn awesome.

Oh, and because they felt that we were stealing the show, Grover and Peanut insisted on their own scenic moment:

Peanut (L), Grover (R)

Now came the dilemma. There is a fire tower on the top of the mountain. Roughly 4 flights of "stairs" with "railings" that lead you up to a somewhat ghetto-feeling, really high up structure for scenic views. The question became, "do we take the rocks to the top of the tower?" because, had we really reached the "top" of the mountain, if we didn't go all the way up?

Let me tell you BlogLand, the trickiest thing I did all day was carry a rock up those stairs, thus having only one free hand. It was slow going. My arms were tired. My eyes kept looking at the spaces between stairs. Nonetheless, we were once again met with success, hoisting our rocks for scenic pictures from the even-higher height. I'm not even going to discuss the nerve-wracking adventure the trip down those stairs was. I will leave it at the fact that Steff, Peanut, Grover and I survived, in one piece. With most of our sanity.

Thus, after a wee snack, we began our decent... and quickly learned an important lesson. If you value your Pet Rock, you must NOT throw him/her down a rocky mountain trail. Even if you threw him/her UP said trail. Why? Physics, people. When you throw UP a trail, yes, you have some pretty good muscled force. When you throw DOWN the trail, not only do you have your muscled force (albeit a bit less, after about 2 hours of exertion), but you also have gravity on your side. Grover and I found this out the hard way. He is not nicely smooth (he originated in a river bed) anymore, and let's just say I have a nice little Baby Grover paperweight for my desk at work.
So, if you can not throw, you must carry. Carrying said rock proves to be decidedly more fatiguing for me than throwing it. It was a long 2 miles down. Left shoulder. Right shoulder. Front Carry. Overhead carry. 17.5# gets heavy when it stays in one spot too long (my shoulder bruises may attest to this...).
Nonetheless, we did get in a few more throws on the way down, on the softer spots. Here are the obligatory, unflattering, action shots:
 Awesome, right?

And, without injury (except to our rocks) or incident, Steff and I completed our very first Pet Rock Walk. 

Spruce Peak Conquered!

So, there you have the nuts and bolt of our hike (and hey, who doesn't love some pic spam, occasionally?), onto some thoughts. 

WOW. That's what I thought. Why? Because I got to the top of that damn mountain, after throwing a pretty damn big rock the whole time, and I still felt good. I wasn't terribly out of breath, any more so than anyone would be, my muscles weren't jelly at the top (...they may have been by the time we got back down...), and nothing hurt. My knees didn't ache, my ankles weren't screaming. Let me tell you, BlogLand... This sort of activity is WAY more fun when you can just get out and enjoy it, rather than feeling like you're going to die the entire time. If I had lost sight of why I was getting in shape in the first place, this was an excellent snap back to focus. I WANT to be able to do more stuff like this. I don't want to be stopped by my physical abilities... and slowly, I'm learning that I don't have to be. 

Can I just take a moment to say that Steff and I held a conversation the entire way up (intersperse with throw-grunts), rather than just panting, short breaths? Amazing. I had an excellent time. 

This also became a day of reflection, incidentally. A little over a year ago, I had managed that same hike. No rock. I say managed, because I did get to the top of the hill. It was not pretty. I felt like hell. I made it on sheer will alone. And I remembered that, and found a picture that made me stop in my tracks and thank Old Me for having a (life-saving?) moment where I decided to change my life. Here's what made me reflect:

That was startling for me to look at side by side. I'm not going to lie and say that I'm completely satisfied with me on the right... but I am SO proud of how far I've come. Person on the Right almost looks like a fit, athletic sort of individual. She is approaching down right badassness. (It must be the Spartan Race shirt? lol)

It was a moving moment for me to put these pictures side by side (there may have been a watery eye...). Sometimes, in your day to day, it can be difficult to see the changes that your body and mind are making. Between yesterday and today, those things became really real to me. Finally. 

In short, in the last few days I've learned that Pet Rock Walks Up Mountains are my favorite workout (seriously, I had a fun time.), anything can be done if you decide you're going to do it, and one day at a time, one foot in front of the other is the only way to approach a mountain.

Today, Officially Spartan Shape-Up, Day 96, became an inadvertent Rest Day. I hurt in the weirdest places. Just my biceps (not any of the rest of my arms), my HANDS and wrists (from pick up the rock/gripping it). There was some general fatigue in my shoulders and back, but nothing I'm not used to. Oh, and for anyone following the saga, the foot felt good and continues to feel good with the squishier sneakers. Keeping our fingers crossed and taking it easy on the running until Saturday's race. 

With that, I leave you to go and do some more tennis ball-rolling of my shoulder/bicep. This is awkward to do, and hurts like hell, but ultimately relieves a lot of the soreness, I'm finding. 

Tomorrow *drumroll*... I have my first early-morning Crossfit session... 7am. Rocks on a mountain didn't kill me, but being that functional at that time of day, just might. LOL. 

"Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 87:

I can't help but notice the weather lately, BlogLand. Here in scenic Vermont, it's definitely been some chilly, windy fall weather, with a generous rainy contribution. I'm pretty okay with that, as I've determined that I don't mind running in the rain, and I'd MUCH rather run with a slight chill (as that is only temporary) than slog through the heat. However, I ponder what will happen once the snow flies. Yes. I said the S word. It's inevitable... it's decidedly not odd for us to start getting flurries (even a dusting or so) by Halloween. And then what will I do? Being pretty new to running, I suddenly have lots of questions to research (any input, Readers?):
- Do I still run when there's snow on the sidewalk?
- What sort of shoes do I need to acquire to have successful winter runs?
- What kind of different/special clothes will I need?
- What if it's too icy to run, what's the next best workout substitute (a huge concern, as winters are LONG in Vermont... I don't want to be not-running from November-March...)

Hmm. Lots to think about. Although, on the upside, I did just learn that they've put in an Under Armour OUTLET like 35 min from my house.... that means I ought to be able to acquire all KINDS of excellent sporty clothing. Woot! (I feel that winter running is an valid and perfectly legitimate excuse for shopping.)

Anyway, on to today. It was a real lazy feeling day today. I was tired last night and really hit the pillow hard. Slept in late (weekends have taken on a new meaning, now that I'm working M-F again...), and wandered around in the comfy clothes for a while, chatting with the roommate and just generally relaxing and enjoying having no place to be. I DID utilize that off time to update my whiteboard workout calendar schedule, as we're officially into weeks 13-16 now.

It was a WEE bit scary, as I officially put on the calendar the 5K race that I'm going to do at the end of this month. It's one of my milestone goals (see the sidebar to the right) and one so close to being checked off. I'm nervous though... I still have trouble viewing myself AS a runner (even though I run. Often.), and have some anxiety about looking stupid ("What if I'm LAST? What if I'm that slow, fat chick in the back?!"). I know, intellectually, that these are not reasonable concerns. That simply the fact that I'm there, doing it negates many of those... but... still. Body transformations are much easier than mental switches, sometimes. I look in the mirror and still (often) see 284# me, who could not dream of ever being one of "those people" that ran races.
However, I've been reading some really inspiring stories lately - of people getting through their first 5K, or first Spartan race, or any number of other 'firsts'... and I feel reassured. Not to mention the fact that even if I have to run it alone (and I will, if it comes to that!), I know that there are lots of people out there who virtually have my back and are cheering me on. (Secretly, I'm really hoping that my Mud Mafia t-shirt comes in before then, so I can sport that and feel like I'm racing with a whole virtual team!)
Anyway, enough about that. I have two whole weeks more to freak out about that, and/or reach some sort of Zen place. I'm thinking that next weekend I'm going to go scout the course and perhaps run it, so I know what I'm up against. Take away one of the scary 'unknowns', you know?

Today's WOD was a Body weight workout day. I see so much progress in these workouts, but I really do hate them. haha. These are HARD. Hard in a different way than Crossfit, or Running, or lifting something really heavy... I dunno. Weird.

WOD looked like this (all unweighted):

• 5 min: Jump rope w/u (I'm getting good at this and working on some successful double unders... stay tuned!)
• Squats - 80
• Push ups - 50
• Split Squats - 60 (I also figured out how I was getting weird rug burn on the tops of my foot/toes... put your foot on the arm of a couch for split squats and see what happens. lol.)
• Dips - 40 (being mindful to keep my body *just* in front of the chair, not out forward, stressing my shoulders)
• Calf raises - 30
• Lunges - 30
• Scissor Kicks - 40
• Ball Crunches - 40
• Burpees (...of DEATH) - 10

Definitely not my most bad ass workout, mostly because I ran out of time, before I had to get in the shower and head to a dinner obligation. Usually, I'd try and get one more round in there, making sure most of reps were at least at 50-60. BUT, sometimes things happen. Better 30-40 reps than none at all. 

Tomorrow, I think I'm going to attempt my first Pet Rock Workout. I'm thinking Grover (apparently, my Pet Rocks' name, I'm told...) and I are going to head up Spruce Peak - a relatively easy, not to short, not too long, not too steep, but still slightly challenging, and oh-so-scenic hike near me. My rough plan will be to throw Grover most of the way up, then carry him (about 18#) most of the way down. Somehow, throwing him down the mountain just doesn't seem to make as much sense, at this moment. Hmm. We shall see. It's supposed to be a Run Day, but I'm thinking it will still be a great leg workout, and a nice mental break from just pounding the city pavement. 

AND, Note to Self: DRINK MORE WATER. 

“If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?” ~ Joe Namath

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 85:
(Week 13, Day 1)

So, just another day in the neighborhood today... Although I did run across this quote (to the left) that I liked.

Today was a Swing/Lift Day. I kind of love these days, oddly enough. I've missed them, because I've had to sub in my Crossfit OnRamp classes (almost done with those!) for the Lift/Swing days. I've determined that I really do like t-handle and/or kettlebell work though. Swinging just maintains more of an air of "fun" even when I'm working real hard. It is amazing how quickly doing tabata swings can really get you puffing. I was pushing today, to try and work out some of regular work-frustration, while still trying to maintain good form. That, dear BlogLand, is harder than one may think. It's real temping to round your back, etc. when trying to go fast and get in more swings.

Today's WOD:

• T-Handle tabata swings, 22#,  9 rounds
• Thrusters (22# db's), 6 reps, 8 sets

Good times. Although, thankfully, I did the Thrusters first as they just kick my ass. If you do those as straight-through as possible - like minimize the time between sets - you will feel the burn, for sure. My quads say, "Hello!". LOL

Tomorrow, is Rest Day. Ahhh. 

Although, just a shout-out... My thoughts will definitely be with the Hurricane Heat'ers who are Spartan racing tomorrow night in Chicago - under the pink lights! I wish I could be there (damn real job. grr.). I can't imagine the awesomeness. As much as I'm excited to cross my own Spartan Finish Line ("...You'll know at the finish line."), I'm more sad that I don't get to meet up with all the awesome Spartans that I've met virtually in the last few months. The community feeling is impressive, for a international organization. Really, one of the things I'm looking forward to the most as the races get closer to the Northeast, is going - even if only to spectate/volunteer - and getting to meet and put faces to many of the people who have supported me during tough days in workout land, or unknowingly been inspiration to keep me going. 

My heartiest "AROO!" to any of my Spartan's reading!

In homage to the midwest race, I think perhaps I'll have to run around with my rock, or hike it to the top of a mountain this weekend! 

"Everything changes when you change." - Jim Rohn

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 59:

REST DAY! Who doesn't love a good rest day, here and there... knowing you've *earned* it. Waha.

However, I DO have some news and thoughts for today (geesh. Don't I always?).

Today was a momentous occasion. Whilst driving along the Wild Ammonoosuc River, home from the New Hampshire Highland Games (LOVE the Heavy Athletics!), I felt moved to pull over, as there were TONS of happy little stones that just looked like they wanted to come home with me. My friend Holly (who is not a subscriber herself, but supportive of my ridiculousness), helped me make some difficult choices ("but this one's PRETTY... and hard to hold. Damn.") and arrive at a winner:

My Rock, being rescued from it's recently-flooded
habitat, in the Wild Ammonoosuc River.

I am now the proud caretaker of a handily shaped - seriously, it's got perfect hand/shoulder grooves - 17.5 pound Rock of my very own. I even threw it around the river bank a bit to see how it held up and/or flew. I got a beep from a passing car. NOT sure what that means, but I'm choosing to take it as a sign that my new rock is awesome and they were jealous.  Incidentally, I also took viewing this picture as a sign that, holy crap, I need new jeans that fit. Just because they are comfortable, when they are 2 sizes too big (thank you, Running!), you must let go. Those have got to go (saggy-ass is never a good look.).

So, in conversing with my GT yesterday, I have my new, updated workout plans for these next four weeks (9-12). I'll be continuing on my running plan (distances, at this point still, not speed), and body weight workout days, but will be incorporating a couple days of swings (with my newly-crafted T-handle... which I've already decided needs some edits. Grr.). I'm pretty excited to try something new, and challenge myself in a different way. I don't have a ton of experience with swing-related workouts, soooooo we shall see. Seems easy, right?? (famous last words.)

In addition, the GT issued the ultimate challenge: Write down what I eat, daily. Not count calories or anything, just write down what I'm eating. My knee-jerk reaction was the desire to have a temper tantrum like a 3 year old. However, I would like to note that I held it together and behaved like an adult, merely warning him that this is a historically giant mental mountain for me. But, we seem to be in the mountain-moving business these days...
You see, friends, I have done Weight Watchers several times in my life (the last time with 40+ pounds of success), of which the cornerstone is TRACKING what you eat. Being mindful of what you put in your body. I get this. I do. It makes sense. And hey, I can even truthfully say that whenever I actually tracked what I was eating, I lost weight. But, each time, I gradually fell off the Tracking Bandwagon, because it is an annoying pain in the butt, and I hated doing it.

HOWEVER. I will say, that does seem like the me of a Lifetime ago. There are a lot of things that that person had trouble sticking with - not the least of which was a solid exercise program. I feel like I've turned a new leaf in the last year, though, held onto my ultimate motivation and CAN do this now. I did not say I will enjoy it, but I AM committing to doing it. Starting today. Immediately after finishing this post, I'm off to log my food.

Why bother logging my food? Well, because I know that has value. I know that you can't work out like a crazy person (... or a Spartan...), and fuel yourself with crap. Your body needs things, and you must make sure it gets them. And, if you're trying to lose weight (...I've got a significant amount more to lose.), you HAVE to be aware of what's going in your mouth. While you may think you eat healthy (which I generally do, for the past year or so), it may not be in the right proportions, or quantities for you. Which, clearly, mine are not, as I seem to be plateauing in my weight-loss of late, despite noticing the fact that I'm toning up steadily. AND, I can't ignore the fact that I've been craving protein like mad (Hello there, new muscles?). Clearly, something is out of balance and needs to be addressed.

So, my blog-peeps... I'm tracking. I won't tell you I want to. I don't. I *will* tell you that I'm going to, because I understand the value and need for it. It's no different than doing burpees, right? No one enjoys that... but it's just got to get done.

Until tomorrow, all... where I tell you whether the toe that I just jammed in the doorway is really broken, or just feels like it, and how that effects Run Day.... da da DA... (Oh, the suspense. I Know.)