Double WOD??

A. 4 rounds of 10 OHS (rx, 65#) / 30 DU / 10 box jump (rx, 20")
9:30

B. 10 min "easy" row: 2119m

Resting sore stuff

Thanks Rudy for the big toe article. That is how I jammed my toe so I'm almost sure that's what's wrong with it. I still have flexibility though and not a lot of pain regularly... only soreness when I run/jump. I think it's improving but it's not quite there.
On top of that, I think my body is punishing me for eating badly lately... neck is stiff, groin still tender, and right knee is stiff and clicky. As a result, I have decided to bail on FGB this weekend since I don't want to risk further injury of my toe or start any other injuries resulting from these sore spots.

Monday:
Tabata row: max: 87, min: 84 (84/87/87/86/85/84/84/84 = 681m)

8/3 tabata (post wod): max: 84, min: 78 (84-84-83-79-79-78-78-80)
3/23 tabata:
Round 1: 84/83/82/80/80/80/80/80 = 649m
Round 2: 81/81/80/78/78/77/79/80 = 632m

Wednesday:
4x500m: 2:05.4 (damper 7)/2:07.0 (damper 7)/2:19.6 (damper 6)/2:16.7 (damper 5)

Ew... what are those last two sets all about :(

Sigh... that's it from me this week

Wednesday's WOD
Metcon (double purple for strict pullups): 5:40
Trip ups in the 50 round of DUs, tripped at 37 on the 40 round, the rest unbroken! Could have used "less band" given my time but when I tested out just one purple pre-wod, I wasn't sure I could make it. Mixed grips through the 8 round, underhand for the rest... no fails.

Post: 5x200m (3min rest): 47.3, 45.5, 46.5, 47.0, 46.6
My butt hurt after this :(

Was planning on getting another WOD in today but apparently, I pulled my left groin from running last week and during the warm up yesterday. I am not quite sure what is wrong with it but it was painful enough to stop running. Acts up anytime I try to propel myself forward (walking fast included) so it needs rest. On top of that, I am about 90% sure I fractured my big toe about 2 months ago playing tennis. Bruising under big toe nail doesn't appear to have improved and after last night's DUs, it's definitely not 100%. It's time to bite the bullet and lay off it... no running/jumping/etc... though right now, I am still planning on doing FGB...

8/30-9/4

Tuesday: 8 x 1:00/1:00r on C2: 237-240-239-240-240-240-241-243
Average pace was 2:05/500m at 32s/m. Looks like I paced a bit too much in the first round.

Wednesday's WOD
Metcon rx’ed: 18:18
First round of PUs were 10/5. Then some 5s in the second and third rounds but mostly singles. Fourth and fifth round runs were slow but tried to pose throughout and it felt okay. Popped blood blister about 3 PUs in the last round and tore hand another 2 PUs later. Last 10 PUs probably took 2 minutes... ugh. Thanks to Karen for suggesting deadhangs!

Friday's WOD
PC&J Int: 1×103# and then 2×93# to work on dip and jerk stance.
Smaller and more upright dip instead of trying to dip lower and end up folding forward. Back leg heel out for more stability. Stance has been a little narrow in the past as well.

Metcon at 80# and purple band: 7:01
Tried to get in sub 7 but couldn’t lock out the last two reps so I had to break. Unbroken FS on the 20 and 5 rounds but broke once on the rest.

Post – 4×8 JM Press with 5# DBs

Saturday: 2 hours of rock climbing at Vertical Endeavours
Sunday: 18 miles on the bike (9 miles one way) to the Chicago Botanic Garde

8/24-29

After FOUR days off to rest up my quads, they finally felt ready to work out again despite some lingering soreness. Seriously needed some mobility work on the hips before I took on Wednesday's WOD
Pre: 15 min of hip warm up that I reeeeally needed.

Power Clean 4×3 @ 95#
Worked on form a little more since I am still not coming in contact with mid-thigh. Kurt’s tip to stay in heels a little longer during the pull was helpful.

Metcon with 9 pull-ups/9 plyo push-ups on knees: 15:20
Sucking wind halfway through third row... pace dropped off pretty bad. Need to get back on that rower at home and do intervals, possibly once a week.

Post – Pendlay Row 2×8 at 42#, 2×8 at 45#
PostPost – 1 strict ring dip!

Monday's WOD on Thursday
OHS 65(5)-75(5)-85(5)-95(5)-100(3)
Hmm... I wonder what my 1RM is...

Metcon @ 55#, 24″ box: 18 through all 10 rounds
My goal was to stay pretty consistent through all the rounds. I had like 3 seconds left in a few rounds... just not enough to pick up the bar for another snatch and I had a couple of rounds where time was up after I clapped on my last burpee.

Post: 3×5 deadhangs with red band. Lats were complaining so I stopped.


Topped off the week with a 20+ mile bike ride from Morton Grove to the Botanic Gardens along the Chicago North Branch Trail on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.

FGB rx'ed baby

Weekend was fun with a trip to Granor Farm (pictures to come!) and 2 hours of rock climbing on Sunday!

Starting off my week right with a FGB rx'ed
WB: 15, 7, 8
SDHP: 20,12,10
Box: 32, 22, 23
PP: 13, 10, 10
Row: 14, 10, 11
Total: 94+61+62 = 217

Okay, I really didn’t expect much out of those WBs since this was my first time doing a WOD with a 14# but no looking back... rather fight through that. PPs could have been better across the board if I wasn’t so winded from the box jumps but they did feel much better than the SDHPs. I've never rowed 14 cals in 1 minute during an FGB before... did I go too hard in my first round?

8/8-11

I didn't make it to the box on Monday so I played with some KBs at home (12kg, 16kg, 20kg, 24kg). Worked in random sets of 10 through the weights up to:
24kg: Russian swings, SDHPs, and single-leg DLs holding it out front.
20kg: goblet squats
16kg: single-leg DLs, holding it from the side (jug carry style)
12kg: one sit up haha. Also attempted a TGU with this but 12kg is too heavy for me.

Tuesday's WOD
Ring Dips (toe assisted) 4×10 @ 40×1 tempo ish
Ring Rows (straight leg) 3×10 @ 40×1 tempo ish
Jacked up the right rhomboid so cut it.

Metcon rx’ed: 16:17
Pullups all singles (as planned). 16″ box was too high... use 12" box or plates next time. Rowing and pullups in a wod are definitely not my favourites.

Post: 1x400m (1:50ish). Right calf close to a cramp so cut that too.


Wednesday, JJ worked with me on pose running for about two miles. Focused on cadence, tempo, breathing, the pull (hot coals tap tap), and the lean. Afterwards, I got my Killer Kage on (messed around with the monkey bars at the kids playground).

Thursday was a hodge podge of strength work:
Snatch Pull 4x4 at 83# (101% of Snatch 1RM of 81#)
FS 5x3 at 123# (<73% of BS 1RM of 175#)
3x10 GHD sit ups and 3x10 back ext
Messed around with a 14# and then a 20# WB haha

8/1-4

Monday's WOD
Snatch 6×2 at 63#
I can’t seem to chain these as I needed to reset my feet each time.

Metcon (subbed 20# DBs strict presses for HSPUs / 24″ box / 1 pood): 9:01
Sub due to wrist. Kept presses strict throughout. Left shoulder is weaker than my right… resulting in a bit of back arching. Quite happy that I managed to string some 24″ box jumps. KBS broken only once in the 4th round.

Post – Snatch Grip RDL 4 x 8 at 65#
Not 110% of snatch but had some trouble gripping the bar. Hamstrings could have handled more weight though.

Sweet! I got an article posted on the blog! Yay!

Wednesday's WOD
C&J 6×2 ish at 83#. Did a couple at 105#... felt good. Per Bryce, don’t pull/bend arms before bar hits upper mid thigh.

Metcon at 55# and regular pullups: 6:57
Blood blister on my right hand... every time!! :(

Post: tabata row max: 84, min: 78 (84-84-83-79-79-78-78-80)

Burning quads

Ow... hurting after a double tabata on the rower!
Round 1: 84/83/82/80/80/80/80/80 = 649m
Round 2: 81/81/80/78/78/77/79/80 = 632m
3 min rest in between

84m: 1:59 pace at 34s/m. The 77m was a 2:10 pace at 27s/m. The rest were pretty much hovering 2:05 pace at 30s/m.

Tuesday's WOD: 5 rounds and 15 pwb (10# WB, red band pullups)
Adam pointed out the red band was getting too easy for me. It's probably true but the goal is to make it in consistently and stay injury free. I definitely like PWBs over regular WBs... that would only change if I grew a few inches!
Also, happy to press 65# yesterday. 70#, a former PR, was close but I didn't do my sets properly so I tired myself out early.

Oh and I never posted about last week's WOD but notably, I did Jackie for the first time. It is probably one of the WODs I hate the most since it includes everything I suck at (row, thrusters, and pullups). I did it in 12:24. Haha... 4:40 on the 1K row! Damn I'm slow!

Watching the CFCers get after Open WOD 1 on Saturday was so much fun. Over the past few days, I thought a lot about getting in on the action but I am coming back from a 3 month hiatus and all I want is just to get in consistently and focus on getting stronger and staying injury free, and taking it one WOD at a time. I think it's the right choice to skip the Open this year since I seem to be injury prone when I'm not careful. However, I will do my best to try to make it in on Tuesday nights to get after the Open WODs with everyone else. Baby steps! Haha okay, I am done rambling for now. Looking forward to making up today's WOD tomorrow!

Catching up

Sunday:
Was supposed to go climbing today but I had a freak accident and bent back my big toe nail pretty bad on a vent cover. Yeah, crazy.
20 min row: 4,210m
Pace was anywhere from 2:15-2:30/500K. Not good...

Tuesday:
Clean/Burpee WOD
Shoulder to overhead: 110# split jerk from in front. PR!
I didn't really want to try the behind the back jerk since it would have meant a wider grip and I thought it would be easier on the shoulder to do a narrower grip.

Metcon @ 60#: 6:54
Burpees at a good pace with some focus on breathing. Quads burned a bit so that slowed me down on the cleans.

Post: 48 PUs on knees with elbows in. It's for the shoulder but even this was tough on it. Just not back at the strength I was before.

Post-post: 3x5 ring rows. Felt strong. Hoping to get in the pullup WOD tomorrow so I took it easy.

12 min row

Since I did an interval workout of sorts yesterday, thought I'd go for something longer even though it's not exactly what the CFCE program has for this week.
12 min row: 2522m

I didn't really have a goal in mind so this is good to know for future CFCE WODs.

Traps, hamstrings, butt, biceps are all kinda sore from yesterday but nothing hurts too too bad. Feels all right as I think that means I scaled to what my body can do without destroying it.

Ate okay today.
Breakfast: 2 eggs in butter, Canadian bacon
Lunch: #11 unwich from Jimmy Johns and a handful of almonds. Let's be honest, I don't think there's a whole lot of calories in that unwich even with the cheese and mayo!
Dinner: Was supposed to eat at Cafe 28 but understandably, the expiring-Groupon mob shows up. My friend and I went half a block to Katarina's. Could have been bad news but escaped just having mildly cheated (1 beer, 2 small slices of baguette, whatever they put in the meatballs). Souvlaki platter was good.

4 x 800m row

Awful. Hated it. Wanted to quit after the second round so bad but glad it's over. Failed to get within 10s. Lots of muscle fatigue in the quads.

3:27, 3:36, 3:42, 3:43 (3 min rest between intervals)

Breakfast: 2 eggs, salami, onions, 1 americano with cream
Lunch: Potbellys Farmhouse salad w/ potbellys vinagrette, no blue cheese
Snack: handful of almonds (honey roasted...)
Dinner: something clean... must get to it soon

In line for Potbellys, I was getting pretty hungry. Had to fight off any cravings for shakes, cookies... and I don't normally want cookies...

A week ago, I hurt my head... like something popped when I did heavy deadlifts and it feels like a painful headache. Every time I exerted myself after that day, that same spot would hurt. Today, I felt some residual head pain but seems to have gone away for the most part. Weird.
Foot still the same. Hoping to get that Mobility WOD in later tonight.

Time for a row

Yesterday, we had our beach volleyball championship double header. Man, it was an epic battle with us falling in the last 5 points. Tough loss but great game. We really pushed it when it came to close games but we were getting it together in the end, in the dark. I want to blame it on the poor lighting that didn't turn on until around 8pm but that's not everything. I mean, the other team did have better lighting where they could actually see the ball sometimes.
Oh well. It's over. We came in second.

Lats finally pain free today. Left foot still feeling bruisy. I've been picking back up on the fish oil intake so maybe it's helping.
Sectionals WOD week at the box and I just wasn't in any condition to do any of it. Didn't want to risk aggravating anything so I made up mod CFCE WOD on the rower tonight.

8 x 250m (60s rest)
1:02.7 / 1:02.5 / 1:03.1 / 1:03.4 / 1:04.1 / 1:04.8 / 1:04.6 / 1:03.9

I could have easily pulled below a minute on the first round but decided to slow down b/c I needed to pace. Worked out pretty well. Quads got pretty sore around the last 150m of the last 4 rounds. Lungs and legs burning in that last round to keep it under 1:04.

I only did 8 rounds in order to compare against my time from July 6 when I had been off the wagon and before I got back into CF.
1:01.8 / 1:00.4 / 1:02.3 / 1:03.0 / 1:06.6 / 1:08.7 / 1:09.4 / 1:07.5

You might say I did a bit better with some consistent crossfitting (about 2-3 times a week) and better eating over the last 3 weeks :)

Hopefully, foot's ready for the 5K tomorrow!

New year!

5th month at Crossfit Chicago now

Rowing form:

- make sure arms straight at catch before pushing out with legs again.
- use back/arms after legs straight from push.

Clean and Jerk @ 78# (4min AMRAP: 12 rounds)

- pulling bar too early... wait until bar position so bar is much closer to body to prevent from falling forward.