Weekend Rollout!

I was pleasantly surprised with the route I mapped out to the box this weekend.  Low traffic and a few scenic sections...

I only got turned around twice on the way there because of some sneaky subdivision streets, but in the end the Paragon and I made it to the box in time for the Oly Class and a second attempt at WOD1.

It might have worked out in my favor to try the double unders while on my bike instead of off!  My second attempt was not as productive as my first and maybe even a bit more painful since my arms and legs were screaming throughout the workout.  Several of my boxmates were able to improve their scores and/or get themselves on the board (remember that positive energy we discussed!), so in the end it was a great day of "getting some" for everyone involved!

After wrapping things up at the box I made a little detour to visit one of my favorite chiropractors, Dr. Justin Berlin, for a quick adjustment.  After two hours on the bike and two hours at the box, that adjustment was well received! 

I have to say, if you've ever been on the fence about the benefits of what chiropractics can do for you, you need to go visit Dr. Berlin and Dr. Passalacqua.  Not only will they explain exactly what they are recommending, they will take the time to listen to your concerns and questions until you feel comfortable.  Tell them Zuul sent you!
 

When I returned home I found a certain Ninja Cat that was intrigued by my bike and my lunch...

I think maybe he missed me!

In Itself Some Greatness

There is one commander over the disbursement of mental energy over the past 3600 minutes.  You can attempt to dilute the CFO's potent blend of mind control with day to day activities, but the question of what your greatest delivered performance will still be gnawing at your temples.

Since there are several days to get the work done and several opportunities to obtain your best performance, the mind can play some fantastic chess with your game plan.  There were plenty of distractions to keep me away from the game board this week.  Between work, getting time in the saddle and a few unexpected bumps in the road each day was it's own contest.

Today's daily (non-game) WOD consisted of thrusters and pull-ups.  At first I wasn't going to bite into it and instead allow one more day of rest to cash in for tomorrows second attempt at WOD1.  The longer I thought about it, the more anxious I became (I enjoy having some work to do) and eventually I went for a lighter version of the prescribed weight. 

It felt good going through the motions of the workout, there's something cathartic about it being "just another day at the box" it's practically a sedative in a way.  With so much focused energy on bloody double unders these past few days, hitting the bar was just delightful.

Tomorrows a big day for several of my box mates.  Whether they're going for one or they're going for ten rounds, they will be bringing everything they have to the floor.  No one's counting their chickens before they hatch, but every single member of our team is willing each other to "get some" tomorrow and that there in itself is some greatness.

Got Skills!

The next few weekends will be filled with long training rides (yeah camp!) or racing, so this weekend was all about getting things in order around the house and spending some quality time with some very important people.

In between the fun stuff (waffles and sleeping in), I did manage some training time...

As you can see, one of my coaches was present to keep me on track...

During my netflix surfing while on the trainer, I came across an interesting movie.  I have to say, time on a trainer tends to drag, but while watching this movie...not so much.  In my life, I have been privileged to come into contact with several individuals that have a gift when it comes to "dance", a skill that I will never have because I lack the ability to find rhythm (anyone who's witnessed me trying to put together a kipping pull-up or t2b can atest to this).

Either way, this is the trailer from the movie itself and I highly recommend checking out the full movie if it peaks your interest, there's notable strength and skill here...

I Name This Burrito Ron Burgundy

            After several days of double workouts, today was a day of rest,

                                                        recovery

                                                   and my favorite...

What made the day even more FANTASTIC was a surprise pair of socks that arrived with the afternoon mail (thank you Miss Nancy)!

CrossFit - What are the CrossFit Games?

March Madness

There are officially nine days until the Crossfit Open begins and something like nineteen days until my first scheduled race of the season (Barry Roubaix).  To say this month is exciting is an understatement of monumental proportions (EXCITE)!!!

A glimpse at "Big Mama Miss Berlin" almost put back together...

Both items on the agenda will be without a doubt painful and humbling.  Nothing makes me shudder like thinking of those sneaky hill climbs at BR and I would be a fool not to have heart palpitations contemplating what exactly might be the assigned WOD's for each week of the CFO.

One of the best things that will be coming out of both events will be living through the pain with friends and fellow competitors and then talking about the events, rehashing the tiniest details, over the days that follow.

In the meantime, it's one day at a time, one battle at a time in preparation.  Number one battle today was the battle of the paczki.  They were, of course, everywhere (Tim Hortons, Work, Home, Grocery Store), definitely not a part of my training plan in any shape or form. 

I spent the better part of the day commuting with the offenders in my passenger seat (keep your friends close and your enemies closer) and it became a true test of mental fortitude as the day wore on to not devour the little devils (particularly after finishing my workout at the box). 

I'm reporting that this particular self-proclaimed WOD tallied a total run time of 16 hours and 20 minutes (and it was a PR).

A Beautiful Relationship?

Last year was my first real "race" year on my mountain bike.  I loved it and couldn't figure out why I hadn't found the world of mountain bike racing sooner...

I dabbled in time trial, cross country and endurance events (even a little road racing).  Overall it was a great season and I loved being a part of the Wolverine Racing Team!  By the time October came to a close, I was already devising my winter training plan on how to make myself a better rider for the 2011 season. 

After researching multiple options, I settled on a little thing called "Crossfit" to help get my body in a better place for spring.  I was so enthusiastic about this plan, that I started it the week before the Iceman Cometh race...and found that starting a new workout plan during the race season is not always the best idea (even with the best of intentions)!

So now a few months have passed and while my trainer has been collecting a bit of dust in the corner of the bike room, my self proclaimed "guns" are starting to take on a new shape.  In addition, I have developed this completely random obsession with trying to overhead squat things for no apparent reason other then seeing if I can...

Now the race season is creeping up around the corner and I am starting to tailor my training to blend my new found friend "Crossfit" with my old lover of yesteryear "The MTB" in what I hope will be a beautiful and harmonious relationship!  One thing that has transferred nicely already are my socks...

Another item that has also transferred between both is the common question people ask me when referring to either sport..."Why in the world would you want to do a (insert 100 mile mtb race or 100 pull-ups here)?"  I think the answer to this question is very different for any athlete...for me, it's not a question so much as to "Why" would I do it, but a question of how far can I go?

Twenty eleven marks the eleventh anniversary for me being free of thyroid cancer.  I find it's very easy to let each day pass by maintaining normal day to day functions and if I can incorporate something into each day that might "suck" a little, but also remind me that I'm alive...well...I'm okay with that...you just never can tell what tomorrow may bring.

So now, like so many that started before me, I am blogging in an effort to show those that may be diagnosed with a thyroid issue that you can get past it, regulate and do something outside the box (or in the box for that matter)!  I've been on the fence about putting my personal thoughts out there for everyone to see, but having just gone through my annual thyroid scan, I remembered first hand how alone it can feel to be in a hypo world...so here it is...my blog!