Toys For Tots : FRAN

Today was the Toys for Tots fundraiser at the local Derby City CrossFit. What is great about CrossFit is that even though all the gyms in the area are not owned by the same people we all still manage to come together like one single community at any given time.

The WOD that we chose to do today was Fran. Now if you are not familiar, CrossFit has a few special WOD's that they have named after people. Some after men and some after ladies. Fran is a workout that goes like this:

21 Thrusters (95/65)
21 Pull-Ups
15 Thrusters (95/65)
15 Pull-Ups
9 Thrusters (95-65)
9 Pull-Ups
FOR TIME

This is without a doubt one of my least favorite workouts. It only takes me about 6:15 to do it, but when I am done I am on the floor with the urge to vomit. Each gym, Derby City and CrossFit Louisville East, had there own elite team consisting of two females and three males that went head to head in the very last heat. Now that was interesting to watch. As I suspected out team killed them. But it was all done in good fun and we raised tons of toys for the local children.

This is why I love CrossFit. Always coming together for some good friendly competition and always changing it up. My trainers are always pushing me to do my best and making sure I don't slack. I am stronger then ever and confident this will take me far, keep my life happier, and keep me strong. Its a lifestyle and I love what it is doig for me.

3 Days In

AND ITS ALL OVER

I think this was a bad idea.. upon further consideration I have decided to wait till after the holidays to begin this cleanse. I don't have the will power to turn down my mothers home made cookies. Plus I went bowling last night and ate some springs rolls. Not exactly on my plan. If your gonna cheat you may as well not play is what I always say. This is a venture I was not mentally prepared for I quickly discovered. So I guess we will need to wait till the new year to see if I can stick to it. Yes this is me bowing down and bowing out. But I am going to use the next two weeks to practice I guess. Sticking as close to there meal plans as I can.

Day 1 - 20 To Go...

Today was not as bad as I thought, although broccoli and chicken is going to get really old really fast. At 5'7 I am weighing in at 140.4 lbs. Not a bad weight. But lets see where I am in 21 days. I already miss peanut butter and cheese. This is going to be no walk in the park.

A friend of mine called me up and asked me to come out for dinner. I had to opt to stay home and study. See I have been feeling a little "jiggly" lately as seeing as how I work out 4-6 days a week I am contributing this annoying jelly roll to my bad eating habits. Now yes, some may argue that these subtle curves I posses are "womanly", I don't deny that. I also do not wish to get rid of them completely, but I wouldn't mind just toning up a little bit.

Since there is no way to fault my workout habits I was left with no choice but to start really be conscious of my food intake. That's when I came across this 21 day raw cleanse diet. So I figure why not give it a shot. I surprisingly made it through day one with not a single issue. The recipes are not that bad. I just don't know how I am going to feel on day three let alone day 21.

Is a three week raw cleanse diet something you would ever consider doing. I got 20 more days to go.

The 21 Day Cleanse

Tomorrow I am starting my 21 day cleanse diet designed by personal trainer and bootcamp instructor, Bryen Pinkard. I was on schedule to start today, but didn't have time to go to the store last night and pick up the 900 eggs I am going to need for this thing. I have been reading through the required meals and I do not know how this is going to go. I do foresee it being quite hard for me as I have been quoted before as being the "Fat girl trapped in a skinny girls body." I will be updating my blog from day to day to try and help keep me motivated and honest through the next 21 days. I have heard mixed reviews on this cleanse and will most likely be making some rather slight changes. But will post those as well. So tomorrow is the first day of a very long three weeks. Wish me luck.

Tough Mudder Pointers

Just recently me and my girl Renee participated in the Tough Mudder, said to be the toughest event on the planet. If you are not familiar with the Tough Mudder it is a hard core 10-12 mile obstacle coarse designed by someone from the British Special Forces. It was made to test your strength mentally and physically, your stamina, and your camaraderie. All the while raising money for the wounded warrior project. This race was amazing.

Word to the wise, I recommend being prepared to completely freeze. There are a few things you can wear to make it slightly less brutal. To start, think less is more. The more clothes you pill on the more water you will carry in them around the coarse. There is no way you are going to keep your feet and hands dry so focus on keeping them as warm as possible.

For the hands I recommend neoprene gloves. 3mm diving gloves will do, or for the cheaper route I may suggest neoprene fishing or kayaking gloves.

For the feet lets try and find some wool socks. Ski socks are good. The higher the percentage of wool they contain the better. They wont keep your feet dry, but they will help to keep the heat in as much as possible. Absolutely no cotton, wearing cotton is almost worse then running naked.

Upper body: I prefer to run in a clima-cool tank top as long as I can, but if it is absolutely to cold to withstand I recommend a cold-gear long sleeve compression mock. Under Armour makes a good one. But any quick dry moisture transfer top will do.

Lower Body: The Cold Gear Frosty compression tights from Under Armour are also a good idea. They are good at keeping your body warm and pushing out sweat as well. My favorite are the CW-X Insulator Expert Tights. They are a little more pricey but I find them to be the best.

My favorite accessory: The shoes, Inov-8. I recommend either the Inov-8 X-Talon 212 or the Inov-8 X-Talon 190. Both have great reviews and I speak from experience when I say they are a must have. While everyone else is slipping and sliding around the coarse you will find yourself gliding through with ease. They were 100% the best purchase I made for my Tough Mudder race.

If you are running The Worlds Toughest Mudder this weekend, I recommend you bring multiple pairs of fresh socks, I would change them every few hours. Maybe even a second pair of shoes if you have them. Cold Gear head wear is good as well. Just remember you will be completely submerged in water on more then one occasion.

Good Luck!

CrossFit Has Changed My Life

So I am on a new health kick. Day by day my life is changing and I owe it all to CrossFit. I began the CrossFit program back in October of 2010. I had a hard start at it but soon fell in love. I quickly began to see that I was getting stronger, that I could do things I never thought possible. The great thing about CrossFit, is that like me, any average person can start the program. You don't have to be a gymnast, olympic lifter, or an elite athlete.

I began at CrossFit the Ville in Louisville KY. Like I said, the begining was not easy, but my trainers and fellow CrossFitters kept me coming back for more. Once the initial soreness went away and the results quickly began to show I couldn't get enough. Not only am I physically changing on the outside, but mentally and on the inside as well. I have more endurance and stamina then ever before.

I love being active and my party life has been cut down, almost cut out. My circle of friends is also gradually changing. Instead of looking for the next person to hit up a bar or club I find myself looking for whos going to partake in todays WOD with me, or whos interested in training for the upcoming adventure race with me.

I find that when you feel good physically and mentally then everything else in your life seems to change for the better. This marks a new beginning for me and I can't wait to share it with everyone.