Spartan Shape-Up, Day 235 & 236:
WOW, it was a crazy-time sort of weekend, BlogLand. It was one of those non-restful weekends, where you just run from one thing to the next, hoping that it all gets done. However, I am happy to say that I prioritized my workouts, and managed to get them done. What's that quote - if it's important, you'll find a way... if not, you'll find an excuse.
NO excuses this weekend, BlogLand.
Day 235:
Crossfit morning! It was nice, too, because the usually crowded class was only 6 people today. Yay! We did a little partner med-ball tossing to warm up, and then came the WOD... It was a partner WOD, meaning between you and your partner, you had to complete a total number of things. However, my partner and I agreed on equality, so we split it straight down the middle. Here's what I had to do:
A half "Angie":
- 50 Pull ups (with a BIG assistance band)
- 50 Push Ups (who thinks this is a good idea, after finishing 50 Pull ups?!)
- 50 Sit Ups
- 50 Squats
THEN: Lift a total of 5,000 pounds over head.
Here's how this went. Pull ups were first, thank god, because those are my arch nemesis. Even with the major assistance band, I struggle to get out 10 at a time. However, my partner was beasting through hers, so I struggled to do my very best and keep up. This is frustrating for me. I internally yell at my t-rex arms to get their act together, but I guess there's only so much you can do.
Even more fun was the 50 push ups AFTER doing pull ups. I got through the first 30 without too much effort, and then thanks to the cheering, encouragement of my partner, I slowly pushed through the last 20. My arms were on fire, and the last 2-3 push ups were complete muscle DONE.
On to sit ups and squats... ahhh... you know you're a weirdo, when those are "rest" time. 50 squats, done in two quick sets of 25 - no problemo! YEAH tree-trunk legs!!
Then, onto the interesting challenge. How would I lift a total of 5,000# over my head. Initially I thought I'd do 50# clean and jerks, 100 times. And then I thought about that. 100 times. That's a whole effing lot. Finally, I settled on 40# x125. Yes, more reps, but with 40#, I should be able to keep picking that up and putting it down at a steady pace, so as not to be there all day. Off we went, in sets of 10. The deal was that you had to rest when your partner worked, and one of you HAD to be working at all times. Sadly, my partner was a BEAST. She busted through her 10 with no problem. It was an amazing motivator, though... I did those reps WAY faster than I thought I could, with WAY less breaks. Buddy's are seriously the way to go people - they will challenge you in ways you aren't aware of. The last 15 reps were pretty unpleasant, and I was pretty sure my arms couldn't push it over my head any more. But then I dug deep, reminded myself I had some burly legs for something, and used the power in my hips and legs to put more power into the bar - making pushing it overhead easier. RAWR.
I am happy to report that we were the first pair done ( BY 5 MINUTES!), in a time of something like 34 minutes. It's not about the time, really, but the fact that I pushed myself today. Or my partner did. It was good to have someone I had to concertedly keep up with. Awesomesauce workout.
Day 236:
So, I woke up today feeling a little stiff... and then, as the day has worn on, I am pretty sure I got repeated run over by an invisible Mack truck, and then beaten by tiny gnomes with clubs. I HURT. Yeah, CrossFit. My entire upper body is REAL angry. Stupid t-rex arms; if they could get on board with this whole operation a little bit more, I wouldn't feel like my entire shoulder/back area was on fire.
Hey, so you know what area you can't successfully rub Tiger Balm on, by yourself? Yeah. Your back. OW.
Thankfully, I had a date to go run with my long-lost college roommate, who is getting into running, and aiming for a 5K race at the end of the month. I was relieved that a) there was nothing going to need to be done with my unhappy upper body, and b) it was a WONDERFUL, sunny SPRING day out and a great day for a run - even BETTER with a buddy!!!
Abby and I set off through the neighborhoods of the greater Burlington area. It was a really nice change of pace; being a slightly more well-off area than I usually run in, the sidewalks were flat and well-maintained. GREAT for a run. We did an easy 5K, and it was exactly what I needed today. Great for the mental health, and good for the body to get moving, but not have to push too hard, while it recovered from CrossFit death. haha
Just when I was feeling really alone in my pursuits, lately, the universe has thrown more people at me that are willing to go the next mile with me (pun intended). People are learning to run, willing to sign up for races, and take the next steps with me. It is WONDERFUL beyond compare to think that maybe, as the nice weather comes on, there will be more people to hike with, run up mountains and cross finish lines with. I will do it alone, if necessary... but everything's better with people by your side.
Now, I really need to sleep, as I have another CrossFit class in the morning (OH my, that may hurt).
However, I do need to share a funny lesson I just learned. You know what you can't successfully do on your own? Rub Tiger Balm on your back. Or, I should say, my t-rex arms can't do that EITHER. LOL.
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