GROWTH

So I haven’t updated this blog in a while...sorry! Since I’ve stopped blogging I have attended and received my CrossFit level one certification and have begun coaching at the fort! : ) I have been taking on a couple of classes a day and am truly enjoying every moment of it.

Today I had the opportunity to coach all of the morning classes which meant I was up at 4:30am for the GYG. It is quite early but I do have fun working with that group of athletes! After my 5 hour stint at the box I headed home for some breakfast; bacon, eggs, and an orange was a perfect post fort meal. I had a chance to WOD between the GYG & the 8am class. I started with three sets of five reps on the push press. I worked at 65%-75%-85% of my single rep max; 35kg-41kg-47kg. The last set was definitely tough to get up but I felt strong overhead today. The WOD was a 15:00 AMRAP of 10 pushups, 15 wall balls (14), and 20 kettle bell swings (16). Going into this WOD I wanted to get 6 rounds. After the first 3 rounds I figured I’d reach my goal easily since there were still 8 minutes left. However, I started to slow down during the 4^th round. After the fifteen minutes were up I ended up getting 6 rounds plus 3 pushups. I was happy with my score and was impressed with my pushups today. On the other hand, my wall balls were less than stellar.

About 9 months ago I set the following goals for myself:

·        45kg snatch

·        10 consecutive kipping pullups

·        110kg deadlift

·        60 double-unders in a minute

·        Sub 13:00 ‘Helen'

·        Sub 8:00 ‘Fran’

In May I achieved all of these goals. Not only did I accomplish them…I pretty much blew them out of the water.

·         snatch went up to 50kg

·        strung together 15 kipping pullups mid WOD

·        deadlift is at 122kg

·        73 double-unders in a minute

·        new ‘Helen’ time is 12:49

·         new ‘Fran’ time is 7:46

The reason I’m reflecting on my goals today is because I was surfing the web and came across my CFWC Olympic weight lifting competition scores from last summer (July 2010). My snatch topped out at 37kg and my clean & jerk was at 50kg for a total of 87kg. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the yearly meet this summer. However, if I was able to I think I would have improved my score by 29kg (50kg snatch & 66kg clean & jerk).

CrossFit can be a bit daunting and your weaknesses are often highlighted. Consequently on a daily basis it is tough to see how much progress you’re making as an athlete. It’s important to allow yourself to see how far you’ve come and be proud of your personal progress. Coming across these numbers today brought a smile to my face and encouraged me to set new goals. I am ready to become the CrossFit athlete I’ve always wanted to be. I am going to buckle down, clean up my diet, and focus on my training.

I have signed up for the Life as Rx US Tour Competition that will be coming to Chicago on September 30^th. Not making the Affiliate Team at CrossFit Fire was a huge disappointment and I was unhappy I didn’t get a chance to compete at Regionals. However, I am looking at this competition as my own opportunity to contend and show myself and others I am a competitor.

I will be setting new goals by the end of the week & I promise to consistently update my blog to keep myself honest, accountable, and open to friends and family. Wish me luck as I embark on this journey, I will need the support of my loved ones!