WOD=Word of the Day

Thumper Footing [thuhmper foot-ing]:  The involuntary act of leg shaking.  To shake ones foot/leg severely after extreme exertion or during duress, such as when performing a workout.

Use it in a sentence:

"It seemed like her rope climbs were going well until she began thumper footing.  We didn't know if we should catch her or give her a carrot.  Then we remembered, carrots are for ugly people."

Stick Out That Belly!

It was after lunch period in fourth grade, I was standing in line waiting to go back to class daydreaming about climbing tree's after school.  My older brother had recently embarked on an all encompassing effort to build the first of many Ewok forts in the woods behind our house.  I was determined to stake out one of the floors for my friends and I to use as we pleased.

Suddenly, I was snapped back to reality by one of my friends pointing at me, "Look at how your belly is sticking out!"  Congratulations...it was the beginning of the end of innocence regarding personal body image.  I was absolutely crushed.  It was one of my favorite sweatshirts, grey with different colored balloons on the front.  Apparently, after having a bit of lunch my kid belly was full and friends were noticing. 

I don't remember what excuse I made up to explain why my belly was sticking out, but I'm sure I shirked it off in some way.  From that day forward I learned to "suck it up".  That's what you do to look...good.  Suck in the belly and pull on your pants.  Suck in that belly and wiggle into a dress.

Well...today...I let it out...

And achieved the first of hopefully many flat backed dead lifts.  I'm not sure exactly what made it click, but through several discussions JD walked me through a description that suddenly made sense.  "Stick that belly out!"  I didn't realize that I was intentionally sucking it in when I was lifting, but once I intentionally pushed it out...SCORE!

There are things that I've always wanted for my body (who hasn't day dreamed about six pack abs?), but what's even more important to me now is being able to use what I have to be healthy and happy.  I wish I could go back in time and visit little Zuul in the lunch line.  I would pat that belly and tell her not to worry...that one day, when she's grown up she won't be standing in line worrying about sucking in her belly.  She'll be outside, running, climbing and perhaps even squatting trees.

Twitch of the Lips

Before I became an endurance mountain biker I was a runner.  It was a sport I picked up after many years of walking for exercise.  I was in search of something that would be an adventure, something to get me out the door.  I was constantly looking for a "something" that would give me back a little bit more then just exercise.

I remember reading a quote in one of my running magazines that said, "Keep a smile on your face while you're running so others will think it's fun to."  When I was a child, my mom said I used to smile at everyone, all the time.  I suppose that's why the smile comes naturally when I'm having fun or when I'm in pain.

There have been several occasions in the past few weeks where I was in the middle of a workout and extremely uncomfortable.  I rolled through the usual internal banter about being an idiot for doing the workout in the first place and then I crested the hill where I could just about see the final rep.  I started smiling, it still hurt, but it also felt exceptionally fantastic to have won another battle with those demons that tell you to throw in the towel.

I'm not sure if it makes me less of a competitor to have a smile on my face, but to be fair, I think there's also a lot of other expressions that parade across my face when I'm in pain.  I think the smile stands out because it's the least grotesque. 

I've decided that when I don't want to smile anymore during a ride or a WOD, that's when I'm going to throw in the towel.  That's when the pain and/or the exercise just won't be worth the price of admission.  I like the crossfit quote, "Do something that sucks every day...", but I think I'll add to it and say, "Do something that sucks and makes you smile every day..."

Drum Roll Please For the MCCF Summer Open

The sock drawer said no...no more socks for you Zuul...today you will take a rest day.  So here I sit completely happy to be sandwiched between Mickey and Danni on the couch, updating the blog and sipping a cafe mocha from my Keurig magic machine.

Over the weekend I participated in the Motor City Crossfit Summer Open, a most wonderful event hosted by my box.  There were five WOD's scheduled for all competitors and a sixth for the glorious few that qualified.  EXCITE, EXCITE, EXCITE...that's what led me into the weekend...what could be better then having an event on your home turf?

Coming home from Lumberjack last weekend I was a little on the tired side.  I should have expected that to be the case after how grueling that race was for me, but sometimes my reality isn't really reality.  That being said, I put myself on an early bedtime to help the body along with recovery and toned down my workouts through the course of the week.  Each evening I coated my hands in bag balm and slept with them in socks...if nothing else...I was determined not to tear...

Saturday morning I was up and moving before the alarm.  EXCITE, EXCITE, EXCITE (remember?)!  And then...it was night and I was back on the couch...groaning and whimpering intermittently.  The day without a doubt had flown by...

One minute I was shamefully trotting through the second lap of the 4k run...afraid to look at Gunny and Mummy on the street corners because I was sucking so bad...

And then I was clinging to the handle of a 53# kettlebell...praying to the pood gods that I wasn't going to drop it on my head in front of my judge the WOD killa himself Bradley Berlin.

Stepping up to the bar for WOD 4 I was feeling a mixture of things...and as the clock started ticking and I started working through reps, I remembered to yell at myself (internally of course) to just suck it up and get the work done.  I chose to be here, to put myself in this position and noone else was getting me out of it or completing the reps for me.  So what if my legs were tired...they could rest tomorrow...and if I started jumping the bar up like I was supposed to my legs wouldn't be so tired...would they?

And then...

There were tires!!!  I cannot explain why I think flipping tires is so much fun, but I have been wanting to flip a tire ever since I started Crossfitting and this was my first opportunity to do so!  You can almost see the smile of delight on my face here...

After the tire workout the final six athlete's were posted for WOD six.  I sat just out of the money in spot seven and immediately felt relief that I wouldn't have to participate in another workout.  This feeling was short lived, as the next feeling was disappointment that I wasn't participating in another WOD that day...can you say rollercoaster!!?  Once I slapped myself around a bit and regained my grip on reality I went to chat with my parents (aren't they awesome for coming to watch?) and congratulated The Karhoff, Donna and Stema for making it to the finals.

Of course, this workout did not disappoint from a spectator point of view.  It was a taxing monster compiled of rope climbs and front squats.  Just enough of both to blow out your arms and legs.  Now, if you weren't present to witness this workout, words will not put into perspective the determination embraced by these athletes.  One athlete learned the technique of rope climbing just five minutes before starting the workout, another learned the importance of using legs, legs, legs and of course the importance of proper taping!

Through tears, exhaustion and appendages that just don't want to work anymore they fought to complete each rep and each round.  Some walked away pleased, some walked away knowing what they would need to work on come Monday.  Those that watched stood and applauded...!

JD, Vinny, Matt, Hippie, Jo and all those other hands that put this event together...gigantic fist bump for being so awesome!  And another special thank you to Danielle Zelasko Krozek for taking such bad ass photo's!



Regionals!

Let's travel back in time to the weekend of June 10th...a time when I was still in my twenties...a time of glory shrouded in a cloud of awesome!

The Motor City Crossfit team traveled down to Columbus for the Crossfit Regionals from the 10th-12th of June.  Being a crossfit hatchling I wasn't exactly sure what to expect for the weekend, I knew there would be WOD's and athlete's galor...what I didn't realize was that this weekend would be like going to camp!

There was bacon in the air every morning, delicious paleo dinners every evening and a healthy dosage of adrenaline and inspiration each afternoon.  Our team was able to advance our placement from the open from 28th to 14th in addition to creating a few memories that we won't soon forget!

I want to thank my boxmates for making my 30th birthday a memorable occassion...it meant alot to me to have such wonderful people around me on such a big day!



Full Race Results

To view the complete Lumberjack race results check out this link here:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/national-ultra-endurance-nue-series-lumberjack-100-ne/results

Why Can't I Just Play Ping Pong?

Why can't I just play ping-pong?  Why am I breathing like darth-vader?  Toes ache, back hurts, eyes burn...and I'm not even going fast...

Thirty five miles in to my first Lumberjack and I yacked.  Wasn't expecting this development, but after the first loop my body just couldn't get settled.  Might have been the elevation or the humidity, but as soon as I cleared that debris I felt like gold.  The remaining miles back to the pit went by rather quickly.  I even felt spunky enough to catch and pass a few of the ladies that had passed me on the first lap.  It almost seemed like my inner Zuul had come out to finish the race...

Then I entered the third and final loop...four miles in and I started feeling like shriveling up into a whimpering pile of Zuul.  Poor me...poor little Zuul out on the trail on a beautiful sunny day in northern Michigan...hating her choice of sport. 

Keep the bike moving dumb ass...don't give in to your demons...enter the pain cave (maybe sit down in that cave and build a little fire), turn the cranks...

I'm not going to deny that I may have been whimpering when I hit seventy-five miles, that at eighty I saw a beaver that was really a log on the trail, at ninety when I usually feel like I've hit the home stretch I wanted to spit up again.  With four miles left to go another rider came up behind me and we commiserated about our pain and agony.  That little bit of company helped me pull us in to the finish.

As soon as I was finished and as the fabulous D2 team helped me put my belongings away, I immediately started feeling the glow that follows finishing something that was unbelievably hard (that's what she said) and once again I was reassured about why I love my sport!

I want to thank Danielle Musto for allowing me to pit under her tent, to Josh for looking my bike over and to Eric, Chris, Rachel and Ben for helping me with the various aspects of this race!  And of course, thanks to all of you who sent good vibes my way!