“There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” – Alexander the Great

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 374 & 375:

Ow, BlogLand, ow. My legs are so beyond done right now, I can't even begin to express it in coherent words.

So, today is Monday, and as part of my updated training regime until the Amesbury Spartan Race, it was Sprint Night, Part 2. Sprint Night Part 2 means I do my usual sort of sprints (200m or half track), but I do 6 of them... instead of the usual four. In my head that seemed like it was going to suck, but would be a manageable level of suckage. After all, it was only two additional sprints.

I felt a twinge of worry when I set out for our warm up jog with the ladies. As we commenced a bit of chatter, I trotted down the sidewalk, assessing the fact that my legs did not feel "fresh" in any way. I hadn't run or sprinted since Thursday (400m sprints)... I was really expecting my legs to be feeling a little more up to snuff. I convinced myself I just needed a warm up and continued along our path.

The first sprint wasn't too bad. While it wasn't pretty, I had enough power in my legs to get a respectable time, in keeping with my usual times at 200m; Lap One: 38.67

Then, BlogLand, the slight sense of doom kicked in. The feeling in my legs that I had after that first sprint was typically the feeling I have after the 2nd or 3rd sprint, usually. No matter, I thought, I was just a little stiff from working hard on Thursday night. I'd just need to power though. Power through I did, as best as I could, to a Lap Two: 40.61 Again, not my greatest time, but since I was sprinting on tired legs and the fact that 40 is still within my "consistent" time rage, I was satisfied with that.

My legs, on the other hand, were feeling like completely empty vessels. Like, I was trying to eek out more energy than was in there. While you can run on mental energy quite a long time, sometimes, your body does have physical limitations. I felt like I was finding mine, today. Lap Three 42.54. I was sensing a quick, downward spiral, so I did what any rational human would do to stave off a freak out: I texted the GT for some on-the-spot workout advice. After this lap, I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it to six sprints, without some crazy slow times. What to do?!

On the GT's advice, I tried one more... pushing as hard as I can, but checking the time at the end. Lap Four: 44.59. HORRIBLE in comparison with my usual 39-40 range. Clearly, my legs were blasted still from the other day, and something had to give here. New plan on the fly, before I got too caught up in the fact that there was no way I was going to make six of these sprints... The GT prescribed a longer recovery period for the next couple of minutes, to give my legs a little more time to get themselves together between bouts.  And then I attempted one more lap (Spartan up!).

Lap Five: 43.62. So, clearly the little extra recovery time helped, but BlogLand, my legs were spent. I wrung every last iota of energy out of those screaming quads and informed my hamstrings that there was no other option. Still, it was a fight to improve my time below 44 seconds. My body fought me the ENTIRE way on this one. I felt uncoordinated, ungraceful and not too powerful.

For a little bit of a bonus round (... did I have *any* more left?), I decided to try a 100m sprint with my Sprint Buddies. Yeah. I was powerful for the first 10 seconds, then I gracefully bowed out and trotted down to a barely-a-run. I had found the threshold of being able to push. As the three of us attempted to sprint that 100 (so short, right?), I saw them both pulling ahead of me and activated my competitive spirit. Even that couldn't save me. I had no afterburner, no secret stash of energy... nothing. Although, I guess I did it right, then... it means I left it all out there?

I was a little disheartened, BlogLand. Usually I can bang out 4 solid sprints at 200m with a consistent time. I certainly could not, today. Expressing the difficulty of this to the GT, I was told to remember what it was like when I was first running 3 miles, and how hard it was to stay running for the full 5K. I guess I certainly have graduated. While I should always be working at 110% for sprints, the GT advised I take a sense of accomplishment away from the fact that I CAN run a 200 and 400m sprint at all. There was a time that that wouldn't be possible. I remember when I jokingly tried a 400m sprint and thought I *would* just die. On Thursday when I did them, I just for real, *wanted* to die. haha

So, Lessons to be taken from this.... You are a work in progress. You'll never be "there" wherever that is, so it is good to appreciate what is smack in front of you. Like 5 completed 200m sprints (not 6.. but soon!), a regular workout night with friends, support through the most difficult workouts, accountability to get them done, regardless of how you think you are doing, and the fact that I'm healthy and strong and still progressing forward in my quest toward a healthier life.

Tonight's Sprint are not to be looked at as a "fail" because I couldn't do my WOD as prescribed, but merely feedback. What the GT and I discovered is that I will need a little more recovery time between sprints, when I am doing two sprint wods in a week. I have a new goal to reach (six sprints!). I have a new challenge to beat into the ground and overcome. Who doesn't like that kind of motivation, here and there?

Really, BlogLand, it's your perspective that ultimately determines if you succeed or fail. If I chose to stay in the negative mindset, where I look at tonight's sprints as too hard and a failure, where does that get me? The fast lane to quitting. If I choose to look at this as a "learning experience" or feedback as to the place I'm in with my training, it gives me a positive hold to stand on. Yeah, I'm not satisfied with my performance, but that means I have something to work towards.

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Now that we got the serious WOD out of the way, I have to back up and tell you about my active recovery Sunday shenanigans. STILL on Sunday, my quads were stiff from sprinting the prev Thursday and in need of some movement to get the blood flowing again. PLUS, it was a really beautiful day out. New Me really likes to get out there and soak up every last bit of sunshine and outside that I can, whenever I can. (Never take this for granted!)

So, after a quick pow wow of options, the CG and I decided we would do some kayaking, snorkeling and swimming on the lovely Lake Champlain.

While I'm a pretty competent kayaker, I'd never been snorkeling before, which certainly put a new spin on things. Let me tell you, BlogLand... as graceful as divers and snorkelers look when you see them on TV, you do not magically turn into a dolphin or a graceful mermaid upon donning fins. I nearly drowned myself a couple times because my brain couldn't figure out how deep was too deep when swimming, before my air tube was underwater.... and maneuvering those fins definitely takes some muscle and practice. However, I will say that despite the fact I was flopping around underwater like a wounded whale, I had SO much fun. We got to poke at the zebra muscles that are rampant in our lake, as well as see all sorts of random stuff. Granted, where we were was a little cloudy thanks to a recent algae bloom, it was a great practice ground. Next time, I graduate to bigger fish and rocks and debris! Wee!

 I would also like to take this time to note how much I have found I like the sit-on-top style kayaks! I managed to get myself out of the water, and back into my floating kayak even, without flipping it over! AMAZING. (I'm not sure I'd say it was graceful to watch me, I'm sure, but... ehh... it worked!). The paddle around was nice, too... as it turns out, there were quite a few waves and a bit of a current at times that provided a bit of an arm workout (active recovery day, yay!).

Annd.... I won't lie. My Spartan was showing, at one point. We were swimming around in the waist-deep-ish water, and joking around pulling our boat anchor, which was only 5 pounds. Feeling unchallenged, one thing led to another, and this spartan chick was running around in the water, with the drag of two kayaks, one 5 pound anchor and one very good-humored partner-in-crime. Never miss a chance to get your mini-wod's in, BlogLand! Recovery days do not mean sit on your couch. JUST sayin'.

With that, I leave you with some happy-faces for the day. Nothing like some sunshine and wonderful company to refresh your mental state and prepare for the week ahead!

Confidence comes from hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication. - Roger Staubach

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 313:

I spent some time on my floor this evening, in the infamous "starfish" pose, in a puddle of my own sweat, with ice packs on both knees, pondering all the things I wanted to tell you about tonight, BlogLand. It is a glamorous life I lead, I know.

I rolled out of bed this morning, ready to feel hit-by-truck syndrome, but thanks to some well placed Tiger Balm (seriously, I should buy stock in this company) and a few Ibuprofen, my feet hit the floor and I was in minimal discomfort. My ankles (old injuries) were a wee bit stiff from yesterday's time road-running, but loosened up after wandering around my house for 10-15 minutes or so. I think I've figured out how to best "recover" my body from unusual exertions.

Being Memorial Day, there was a lot on my list of things to do. Not the least of which was CrossFit's Infamous Memorial Day Murph WOD. I didn't make it to the class this morning (I genuinely needed the sleep), but promised myself I would get it done before the day was out. Memorial Day is about something much bigger than a BBQ, and I intended to honor that, at least in this small way, by committing to this WOD of remembrance.

However, being such a beautiful day, FIRST I decided to set forth on my inaugural kayak voyage for the season!

Not my most photogenic moment, but hey, you get the idea. I made a couple of interesting observations during this experience. First, learning how to do a Clean & Press in CrossFit does, in fact, have a real world application: ever gotten your kayak from the ground, to the rack over your head? Yep! Let's just say it was significantly easier this year, than it has been before. ALSO, with 50+ less pounds than I had the last time I went kayaking, it was really interesting to see how much easier it was. Getting in and out of the kayak I had more mobility, I didn't feel squeezed in when I was in the kayak, and the whole experience was just more pleasurable - not riddled with little discomforts. Yay for unforeseen benefits!

A lovely meandering paddle upstream (against the current!), then a jaunt back downstream clocked my buddy and I in at around 2.5 hours. I admit, I was grateful to see the shoreline at this point - my rusty kayak muscles (which seem to be my traps), were getting pretty fatigued at this point. It had gotten to the point, in the last 10 minutes, where I employed the same mindset I do with running sometimes - just getting lost in the mindless rhythm of left, right, left, right... to get through it.

Back to my Paternal Unit's house to drop of the kayak for storage, snag a 20 minute before-dinner nap and have some food. Finishing dinner, I remembered that I had promised myself I would Murph before the day was out. I better get a move on.

Getting home and preparing to Murph, I noticed I had made a stellar accomplishment today. While I had sunscreened my face and arms, etc. I apparently did not sunscreen my legs. For any of your veteran kayakers, you'll understand when I say that it can leave you with the weirdest sunburn known to man. My crowning accomplishment looks like this:

What that is, is a raging sunburn covering my inner knee/thigh, and making a very dramatic line down the middle of my knee and down the side of my calf. I have a matching one on the right leg. Here's the best part: if you look closely at that picture, you can also see the ridiculous results of wearing the same pair of capri pants for two sunny races in a row.

I think I have already won the contest for most outrageous tan lines. Stop trying people; my inability to do anything but burn in weird ways over the summer makes me a clear shoe-in victory.

However, it was starting to get that stingy-ouchy feeling. Slathering on some Aloe, I ignored it as best as I could and got to work on the Murph.

The Memorial Day Murph WOD:
1 mile run
100 Pull Ups
200 Push Ups
300 Squats
1 mile run

It's a doozy and one of the longer WODs in CrossFit. The movements are relatively simple, and you're allowed to break up the maneuvers however you want, as long as you complete them all and start/end with a one mile run. Simple, right? SO WRONG.

I was determined to get through this one, this year, because last year at this time, CrossFit had just popped on my radar. I had taken a tour of the gym on memorial day and seen all the crazies getting after this WOD. I was horribly intimidated and 100% sure I could never do it. Today, I would do it.

My game plan was to rotate through them in sets of 20, until the pull ups (my weakest link) were done, then get through the push ups and squats as best as possible. I know, it was a highly technical plan.

I was doing pull ups at home, with the aid of a stool (I only put one leg on it to make it a little harder on myself...). I got busy. 10 with help from my right leg, 10 with help from my left. Down for the push ups. Up for the squats. So far, so good. Round 2. Round 3.

Then, it got hard. BlogLand, my upper body is crappy. There is a reason several people jokingly post T-Rex pictures to my FB Wall. I struggled hard through the last set of pull ups. 100 Pull ups. Done.

... but I was still left with something in the neighborhood of 100 push ups, and a 160+ squats.

I got back down to my knees for push ups. The sunburn on my knees felt like battery acid when I knelt on it, and a creeping burn with every squat. I plodded forward. 2/3 of the way through, I was not stopping now, but I sure as hell was no longer having any fun.

At pushup #124, my arms failed. I got to the bottom of my push up and Up wasn't happening at that moment.

I will be honest here, BlogLand, I cried a little bit. I know this is a particularly hard WOD that exploits a lot of my weak areas. However, it is even more difficult for me for my mind to be strong, but my body to *still* not be willing. I have spent the last year making a lot of changes and overcoming a lot of challenges, and committing to a new lifestyle. To be part way through a WOD and seriously have to consider whether you are legitimately physically able to do it, is the most frustrating thing in the world, after you've spent 6 days a week for the last year training your body so that it can. Hence, I was face down in my ugly brown carpet, sweat dripping into my eyes, while tears poured out of them.

With that frustration, I rotated through some more squats (which I can do, even those they were getting sore), and back to the push ups. I was bound and determined that even if it took me all night, I was finishing this WOD.

Angry tears trickled down my face during the last 20 push ups, as I was doing them in sets of 2. Literally. Down, Up. Down, Up. Rest. Repeat. It hurt. My muscles were protesting, my arms were wobbling. It was like trying to use jello to push my gigantic self off the floor. But finally, I was done. 200 push ups.

With only 30 squats left, I stood up, and went to work.

Counting out that last squat was the most beautiful moment of the day. I promptly marked it in my book, then grabbed two ice packs and starfished on the floor, as it was the coolest place in my apartment.

The ice packs were for the sun burn on my knees. Who knew that would be the ouchiest part, immediately following Murphing?!

Nonetheless, I was done. I finished it. 58 minutes and 30 seconds. Complete with crying breaks. LOL. (Sometimes, it is challenging being an emotionally centered human.)

I am also happy to report that while I detested every last second of it, I also completed my food log for the weekend - accounting for the post-race beer and pizza, as well as the cookies I ate today. I hated it. I hate detailing that. But I WANT to lose the rest of this weight, and I will. If I need to detail my food in order to figure out how to make that happen, so be it.

It was a day full of angry successes, I suppose.

Now, I'm off to slather on some more aloe and get some sleep....
Happy Memorial Day, All... and remember as you go to sleep, safe and sound in your comfortable beds, all those who have given their lives to allow you that privilege.