A Fine week!

Annie: 50/40/30/20/10   Double Unders, Situps.
I had more fun doing Annie than I think I ever have.   Me, Tricia, Melissa and Cheri with her Kettlebells were all in a race against each other, which, with Double unders can be a bit comical.  None of us are experts at the silly things, we can string together as may as 6 or 7, but in most cases it's 2 maybe 3.   We all finished within about 30 seconds of each other....Melissa was the big winner, finishing at 13:42.  I finished
13:49, which took a full minute off of my last time, so I was happy with that.  Strangely enough, I had a harder time with the situps than I think I have ever had.  Perhaps it has to do with residual lunge pain from my Saturday Lunges......hmmm???

Overhead Press/Front Squat 3/3/3 -My press is right where my bench is.  Stuck....perpetually stuck.  I did the first round at 105, second round I went a bit aggressive and tried 115 - Ummmm..nope, nothin!  Not a chance in hell. So much for wishful thinking!  Last round I went down to 110 and got 2.  Kind of sad.  Front Squats on the other hand, I did first round at 135, second at 155, and last round I went a bit more aggressive, at 175.  I only got 1 in. Not stellar, but the 175 was a PR.  My previous was 2 at 165, so at least that's something.

Heavy Helen: 200m run, 15 KB swings 24 kg, 9 pullups weighted.  I've never been a Helen fan, so this was a good change.  I would much rather go heavy with the weights and reduce the running.  It's just a running thing - hate it with a red hot passion.  The Kettlebells were heavy - much heavier than the 16 kg that I'm used to, but still not bad - I didn't break them up at all.  They weren't quite as high or pretty, but it's really the first time I've used the "boy weight" Kettlebell, for more than a swing or two.    Pullups were not weighted. They can't be weighted until I can actually do one.  So, I was in a red band and a mini, and kipping.  I ended up finishing in 10:27, I believe it was.  I think I'm a Heavy Helen fan - but she would be better without the running, just gotta say.    Afterwards we did Handstand practice - not handstand pushups, just doing the handstand.  It was uber fun. I have to admit, the most intimidating part is actually getting into the handstand position from standing.  A gymnast, I am not.  However, today, unlike last week, I was able to squelch any reservations and just do it.   My positioning was off, and I never came close to the wall, so I was kind of free-standing - with a bit of help to stay balanced.  Cheri R kicked butt!!!  She did not want to do this.....was in near panic mode, close to tears, shaking, giggling hysterically, to the point, I was afraid she was about to hightail it the hell outta there.   She didn't - and she actually overcame her fear and did it.  Of course once she did that, she was enamored, and wants to keep working them.  Way to go Cheri !! That was AWESOME!!

I FINALLY have my appointment for the Endoscopy, to find out once and for all, whether I have Celiac or not.  It's not until Sept. 8, but it's on the books.  The annoying part, is that I have keep eating gluten food until then, so breads, pasta, etc. are all good.  Well, tell me something is good, anything, and for me it's a free-for all.  I'm just ready to go back to eating the way I've determined I need to.....no bread/pasta etc...UGH! I guess it's only 10 days away.

Yes, the glutes have been activated!

Strangeness.....Tomorrow I have my preliminary appointment with the GI doctor.  Basically to see if they think I need to have the endoscopy or not to get the Celiac diagnosis.  At this point, I just want the yes or no, so I can get back to eating the way I need to.   Hopefully soon!

Saturday, Poppa Joe, Patty and I decided we were going to head to the park and do our own workout.  Jonathan was out of town, but we were going to do it anyway, after all, we are addicted aren't we??
So, silly us, we decide to go, and come up with a plan.  100m lunges, 21 pushups, 21 situps, decrease the pushups and situps by 3 each round, until you get through 6.  Poppa Joe was going to run the hill, while Patty and I lunged away.  Great idea, right?  Well, we aren't quite good enough to figure out exactly what 100m is, so I estimated it at 50 lunges.  25 each leg.  After round one, Patty and I looked at each other, and said, how about 40.  After round 2, we looked at each other and said...how about 30?  I guess the plus side is, that we didn't go down from 30.  The workout wasn't bad while we were doing it, but let me tell you - I am feeling every single one of those 210 lunges today!! Jonathan was talking about gluteal activation or some such thing, I'll tell ya what, my glutes are activated something fierce!  Of course, it's disappointing to look back and not see the firm round ghetto booty that I feel like I should have after something like that, but someday it will be there.  Maybe when I'm 60.

Today, we did the "Dirty Dozen" YAY!!   I was really disappointed when this first came  up, and I couldn't do it.  It's a doozie!  Here's what it is, and the play by play.  Keep in mind, it sound deceptively simple - 12 of each exercise, for time.
1.  Pull to inverted hang.  I started with these, because I figured once I got tired, the element of danger increases exponentially. I'm not fast, and in reality, they are a jump to inverted hang.  So, not exactly the full core workout for me that they are supposed to be, but someday, I'll get to the pull rather than jump part of it.  These were slow and methodical.
2. Power cleans - 95# - The first one or two were way off, I don't know what the heck I was doing, but it  sure wasn't a good power clean - then Jonathan said something like "stomp". Oh yeah - I forgot the stomp!! The last 10 were much better.
3. Thrusters - 95#.  These sucked.  With my butt and thighs still sore, these were not happy things for me, but I wanted to get through them as fast as I could because the 95 lbs was feeling uber-heavy.  I did them in two sets of 6.  Simply painful.
4. Handstand pushups - These were with Foot assist on the bar.  I did them 6/4/2.  Not sure why I know that....I just do.
5. Pullups to chest - I kipped these in 2 red bands.  I don't know that all of them were to chest - but J said at least the first 4 were.  Wonder if I'll ever get an unassisted pullup....??  That just seems to be a pipe dream.
6. Wallball 16# - These were fine -the only odd thing was the ball.  The weight in it was off center, and it was softer and cushier than I'm used to, so it was going all over the place, my throws were highly inaccurate, and I missed the catch more often than normal.
7. Ring dips - These were assisted with the red band.  I can't lie - I kind of sucked at these.  I was tired enough, I should probably have used the blue band to make sure I got the full range of motion. I was not getting my arms anywhere close to locked out at the top.  I think I was most disappointed in the way I did these more than anything - they were just ugly.
8. SDLHP 95# - Strangely enough, these feel really weird with 95#.  I got through them, 2 sets of 6.
9. Push Jerks 95# - These were the easiest of the barbell lifts.  Again, I did these with 2 sets of 6.
10. Burpees - blech.  Full range with the pushup. Well, I wasn't breaking any land-speed records with these, but I got through 'em.
11. KB Snatches - 16kg - I am super glad I saved these for the end.  These were actually the easiest thing we did, and it was nice to have a slider at the end.  WOO HOO, all those KB snatches we've been warming up with were good for something!!
12. Deck squats 12kg - Ok, I've only tried deck squats once before today, and that was close to a year ago, unsuccessfully.  Deck squats are these funky things where you hold a kettlebell, and act like a pill bug.  Basically curl into a ball, roll on your back, then extend your arm with the kettlebell and pop onto  your feet.  The key that I learned was momentum.  Once you get them, they are actually quite fun!

So this whole mess took me 27:40 to complete. Not exactly speedy, but first time through, and not having done much metcon recently, I'll take it.


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BAWK, BAWK, BAWK!!!

Monday was a Functional Focus type day, we worked on Box Jumps and Tire flips. I started with the 16" box - no problem, but I did NOT have on my bouncy shoes!! Then the 20" box, ok, again not too bad. Third round - Holy CRAPOLA! My mission was to try the 24" box - the big, whomping, huge box - you know the one - it goes all the way up to your hips. A very high surface for a lead-footed mid-westerner to pounce on! First jump, I walked up - jumped on the 20" to be sure I could do it, then strolled on up to the 24" and jumped. I actually landed it - yep. me. jumped onto a two foot box!! Woo-Hoo! Oh, wait, I have to do 4 more?? In order to land these, I did a weird mini-hop before the big leap....I did it 3 more times...then balked. Not once, not twice, but over and over and over. To put it one way, I "pulled a Patty". Although, I must say, the way Patty knocked out the 20" box like it was nothing, that phrase needs to change, she doesn't "pull Patty's" anymore!! In the end, I let that box get so far into my head, that I had to go back and do the 20" box again, before I could do it again...but, at least I did it. Next, we went out back to play with the tires. First round was 2 flips each way on the girl tire. I tried to make it look as easy as the boys do, which in retrospect, may have been a bit of an error in judgement. Next two rounds were on the boy tire - the big kahuna. 3 up, 3 back. I did it - but that is one heavy sucker. Usually, after tire flippin', everyone else gets these big glorious bruises all over their arms and thighs. I have never gotten them...until now. I must say - they look rather silly. One bruise on each arm - in the exact same spot. It looks goofy.

Tuesday - 3/3/3 Power cleans from hang, Power cleans from floor, Full Oly Squat cleans.

Yay - cleans - that's sarcasm in case you didn't guess. Cleans are a bit of my nemesis - if the weight gets close to a respectable level, I just pull the thing with my arms - I lose the vast majority of hip drive. I can't figure it out. We started with power cleans from the hang. If I'm doing all of my math correctly, I started at 85, 90 95. For the first time in.... I can't tell you how long, I didn't hear the "too soon" "pulling too soon" . I don't think I knew how to react to that. So, I continued on up for the power cleans from the floor. 100/105/110 - still nothing...perhaps a bit too soon - but not like I have been doing. Hmmm.....well, now let's move on to the full squat clean....115, for the first time, I heard it - "you're pulling too soon". I knew it, I felt it. But I got one good one in. So we move on - and here is where I believe I made my mistake. I got greedy. Rather than moving up 5 lbs at a time, as I had been doing - I moved up 10. I went to 125. I did one sloppy one. Then it happened again....I suddenly got in my head and couldn't even do a single thing! I tried to do that same clean about 6 more times, but aborted each one. It was ridiculous. I ended up having to go to Cheri's bar - which had 95 lbs on it, to get in some good ones, before I could start round 3 - which was back down to 115. UGH! Why can't I do cleans without getting uber-frustrated?? Cripes, the worst is, that I know in my head, rationally, I am strong enough that I should be doing at least 150 lbs. Freakin' cleans!! They're as annoying as pullups!

Wednesday - Heavy Fran - 95# Thrusters/Pullups - 15, 12, 9. Well, after the last two days, I needed something to kick into gear. I think this was it, although while doing Heavy Fran, I didn't think I was doing that well. Turns out I completed this in 10:02, taking 3 minutes off my previous time. Who knew?? The thrusters felt heavy and messy. I did the pullups with a red band and a mini - last time I used 2 reds. Next time, sounds like I'm down to a single red band. ZOIKS! Overall, I was happy with this, especially considering I hadn't done many met-cons in the last 6 weeks, while getting ready for the competition.

Thursday - Bench Press - 5/5/5/5/5. I have decided - I need to go heavier, earlier. I did this one, 115/125/135/145/135. When I did the 145 - I only got in 2 or 3 (can't remember for sure). I suddenly have this goal of getting to 200 sometime in the ......semi-near....future - which means, I have a long way to go!!

Now -looking back, what the heck happened to me this week?? Seemingly out of the blue, I suddenly couldn't control the normal reservations and fears that I have - but can usually squelch, and carry on. I think it was a combination of things. Hormones?? perhaps, I am a woman after all. Lack of sleep?? good possibility, the family's in town, so I'm not getting my usual amount of beauty sleep. Now, comes the part that I really hate to admit....but I am becoming convinced alot of it is food. UGHH! Did I really say that out loud??? Here's the thing, the last couple of weeks, while getting ready for the competition, and trying to duck under that terrible thing called "the heavyweight division", I have been eating super-uber-healthy. Probably better than I ever have in my life. Of course, then the family comes in town, and the looming possibility of a definitive celiac diagnosis...and my diet loosens a bit. First of all, I can't take the gluten out of my diet completely until I get the diagnosis - otherwise the test can be incorrect. I hadn't been eating alot of gluten, and I probably need to get a bit more in my system for the test. So, my diet changed a bit -not horribly, but definitely not what it was. Much as I hate to admit it, I felt it. Overall, I just have seem off, mentally, emotionally, and even a bit physically. Ironically, I think I'm looking forward to getting the diagnosis part over with, so I can just do what I need/want to do. Much as I have been kind of fighting the whole 30 day paleo thing that's all over the place, after the last week or two, I may try it, because I am becoming convinced that what you eat makes a difference in how you feel. The one thing I really can agree with, is that you don't know how something makes you feel, until you take it out, and live without it for a while. I guess, I'll have to wait and see, hopefully in the next week or two, I'll know for sure about this whole thing.

The Big Day!!

The culmination of the past several weeks took place yesterday. It was my first Powerlifting meet. Something I never thought I would do - not in 100 billion years! I have never been an athlete, or even really athletically inclined. ....and yet, at age 42, I find myself in my first powerlifting competition, and actually winning my first trophy.

I've been living the last several weeks in denial that this was really gonna happen. Silly, I know, especially since I was doing the training for it, but it's just a game I play in my mind - and most of the time it works fairly well.

Yesterday, morning, I got up, showered, got dressed, then made myself a spinach, egg and feta scramble, then packed up some jerky and blueberries. A pretty typical morning....although, today, Patty picks me up. For the most part I was calm about the upcoming shenanigans, well, at least calm, until we got there. While we were waiting for this whole thing to start, Jonathan took Patty out, to distract her......I sat for about 5 minutes, then suddenly had to move, the nervous energy had popped into gear and I just couldn't sit there. Walked around a bit - then looked into the audience - there was the family. Mom, Dad, Paul, Mary, Mike, Sean......everyone. I went up to talk them, then suddenly, the whole thing overwhelmed me - nerves, the fact that they were all there to see me...(?), I just don't really know what all popped up, but it manifested itself in tears. Yep - there I was - tough girl. Standing in my ridiculous singlet, getting ready to lift a whole lotta weigh, and I was suddenly weeping. Sometimes, it sucks being a girl - and even worse, a girl that weeps when her stress level hits a certain point.....OY! Talk about feeling like a complete boob! (and of course that makes it even worse...so it's just an ugly, vicious circle!)

Finally, it's time to start. The squats were starting. Patty went first. Unfortunately the first round or so, I wasn't exactly what you would call uber-supportive of my fellow first timers - this was primarily because I was afraid if I said anything, the tears would start again (once they start - there is a certain timeframe that speaking is off limits if you ever want them to stop). Patty walked right up there and just rocked it, the Melissa nailed hers, and JC got his. My turn. Amazingly, once you get up there, it wasn't bad. It was far easier to tune out the whole world watching than I ever would have thought it would be. I did my first squat - 215. Apparently the depth was very borderline - possibly even, not quite quite there, but they gave it to me anyway. Second time up, I did 225. This time was better, although, I almost got redlighted again - this time the judge warned me to wait to rack until he said rack. DUH! Last round I went with 235, my current PR. This time, I hit my depth and actually waited for the judge to say rack. I realized I did this, and kind of wanted to give him the ol' high 5 - because I actually remembered. I wanted to - but I didn't actually do it, instead, I leaned over, with a big old shit-eatin' grin on may face and said "Woo-Hoo, I remembered to wait!!" I think this was about the point that I finally started to relax and actually enjoy myself.

Bench Press came next. We warmed up a bit, not as much as usual, and my highest warmup weight was 95. My starting weight was 140. I wasn't 100% sure on this one. I knew I shouldn't have any problem with it, but I didn't really feel warmed up by the time I got up there, and I just wasn't sure how long the pause would be. Silly me. Once I got up there - the 140 wasn't a problem. The pause was nice and short, much shorter than we'd been practicing. It actually felt good. Next round we went with 155, which again is my current PR, should be able to match it - and I did. Not too bad! It must have looked pretty strong, because when having to give the weight for round 3 - we upped the ante. Went to 165. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What was I thinking?? Actually, I think that was the problem, on round 3, I thought about the weight. That pretty much set off a chain reaction. My set up didn't feel quite right, then I brought the weight down - tried to bring it up - moved it maybe an inch - if that.....and nothing. It didn't drop back down, but it sure didn't go up! Drats! That's ok - at least I matched the PR, and I was going for 10 lbs more, which on bench is the equivalent of about 50 on anything else.

Deadlifts came up next, and these were the the most fun. I'm not certain why - but it was definitely a good time! When I got up there forthe first round, they called for another bar - and proceeded to put on the big gold plates. ZOIKS! That's only for super heavy things - the gold ones weigh 100 lbs each!! For some reason, I just didn't think I was gold plate worthy - apparently I was wrong. I started at 265, which was no problem. Second round 285 - again, it was pretty darn easy - shockingly so, for what really is alot of weight. Then round 3. As we were up trying to decide on the weight for this one, we were looking at the sheet and one of the judges recommended 140kg. - I looked at the sheet, and thought it said that equated to about 315 - but I wasn't sure. 315- would have been a big PR but I had that number in my head. Because the weight was 300 or more, I grabbed the weight belt. As it was time for me to put it on, we were suddenly notified that the person who was supposed to go ahead of me wasn't going to do a last lift. Jinkies, I better hurry!! I grabbed the assistance of Jonathan - I thought we were going with the first hole - nope - he said let's go with #2. Ummm..ok - is it ok if I can't breathe?? I walked up to the bar, and my eyes must have been bulging as much as my belly on either side of the belt. The judge looked at me and just said - take in all your air before you start....so I did. I don't know if it was the belt, the need to take the belt off, the awareness of the blub hanging over and under the belt, or just the need to breathe, but that was the easiest 300 I've ever lifted!! After I set the bar down, I went running over to Jonathan hands high in the air, running through my head was "I can't speak, get this thing offa me!!" Jonathan high 5's me, then realizes what I am really trying to say, and proceeds to help me get out of the belted contraption. This was actually, a very funny moment - at least I think so. As it turns out, 140 kg - is actually only 308 - so 3 lbs over my previous PR, and not the 315 that I thought it was, but that's ok.

In the end, and overall - this was a great experience - despite the stress and tears in the beginning. It's something I never thought I would ever do - and yet, I did it, and did it pretty well, I think, for a first timer. A big thanks for the help and encouragement to Jonathan, Patty and the whole DEFY! gang....and to my family, it turns out it was pretty cool having everyone there! Have I mentioned that I have a pretty darn great family?? The whole experience was good enough that I would consider doing it again - although next time, I will NOT be in the heavyweight division, if it kills me I will be outta there!