April 20 & 21, 2012. Chicago prep work!

Sleep has been less than ideal.  Staying with a friend which is great, but most 29/30 yr old individuals do not go to bed before 9p.  :)  Something around 10-5/6a each night.  
Food is good though for being on the road.  There is a Whole Foods just around the corner!  :) 

Friday 20-Apr
A. Hang squat clean 2 reps x10; rest 1 min (55% 1rm, fast and tight)
B. 10 min DB snatch practice worked up to 55lbs.  Heaviest DB Windy City had.  
C. Amrap sets of 2 unbroken muscle ups in 10 min (failed attempts are
mandatory 60 second rest penalty)  Lost my paper on what I completed here.  Something like 5 sets of 2 before failing on the 2nd rep.  Then about 4 sets of two and again failed 2nd rep.  Switched from regular grip to false grip and ended up ripping my wrists with about 3 minutes left.  Had two misses at that point.  Completed something like 22/24 total reps.  

21-Apr
prep work
Snatch practice: built quickly to a single. 35kg, 40, 45, 49, 51, then three misses at 53kg.  
One set of hang cleans at 60kg
light run + some touches on lifting 3x30s row @ 1k pace with 30s rest.  5x30s run @ 3k pace, rest 20s.  Felt smooth.  

maybe practice a few of the wod movements for regionals...



22-Apr
OPTathlon!!

Training 4/18/12 Travel to Windy City

Sleep not nearly as ideal as I was a bit wired getting excited to travel. 9/10p-4a  I was opening this morning so didn't have the leisure to sleep in.  Eyes burning a bit, but felt decent.

Coached 5:30-7:30

8AM fasted except for coffee

@97% effort:
7 min amrap:
10 box jumps 20"
6 chin ups


14 rounds  Was hoping for 12+.  
I did all the math on the splits at the airport and now I can't find my paper.  Started out 22-26/28s fell off to around 32/36s and then picked it back up the last couple of rounds to mid 20s again.  Felt like I could have kept rolling with this for 10-15 minutes, but was glad that I didn't have to.  :)




Female cycle started mid day, but thankfully cramps were better than I ever remember them.  My stress must be lowering!!  Took two tylenol extra strength before leaving for airport and one Alieve when I arrived in Chicago.  


5:30PM CST @ Windy City CrossFit.  Not feeling super motivated for this one.  
@97% effort:
For time
50 push press 65#  30, 11, 9
500m row  2:05 blah
50 burpees  UB and tried to move quick.  Overall time 6:58.  Sub 7 was my goal so I just made it! 

Training 4/17 & 4/18 200lbs Back squat & 62lbsC2B

Sleep has been super recently.  Corey & I decided it's worth the extra time/gas for us to drive separately to the gym over the next couple of weeks which allows me to sleep past 4am when I don't schedule myself to open.

Sunday 8:30p-6:30a, Monday night 9p-6a,

Tuesday training: 
Coached 7:30-noon
Training @ noon

A. Back squat 5, 3, 1, 5, 3, 1; rest 2:30
5x175lbs, 3x185lbs, 1x195lbs
5x185lbs New 5RM (old180lbs), 3x190lbs 3RM, 1x200lbs 1RM 5lb PR and HUGE mental barrier.  I EVEN knew what was on the bar.  :)  

B. Weighted supinated chin up 2, 1, 2, 1; rest 2 min



2x45lbs, 1x24kg (52.8lbs), 2x24kg, 1x62lbs c2b+
10 min amrap...
10 muscle ups buy in
then...
2 squat clean 135#
3 hspu



MU were good in warm up and then I got off to a rough start with the workout. 
F, 1F, 1F, 1F, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1.  Happy that I was able to start hitting doubles again after so many misses. 
Completed 10 MU in under 3 minutes and then completed 11 rounds +2 cleans. All squat cleans touch n go. 
Splits were: 
3:07, 3:45, 4:20, 5:00, 5:40, 6:20, 7:00, 7:45, 8:25, 9:00, 9:40+2 cleans
My goal was 10 rounds so I was pleased.  Need to figure out vid editing on my new computer, but until then here are a few snippets. 
The start: 

Training catch up April 14-17

14-Apr
A. Speed back squat 3x12 @58% 1rm; rest 45 seconds (rest 75 sec bw
sets 4/5 and 8/9)   Done @ 115lbs. Felt powerful. 
B. 10 min muscle up technique work: no fatigued reps all perfect reps
(maximum 25 reps)15 total reps.  one set of 3 and 6 sets of 2. working various grips. 
C. Amrap 1-3 unbroken hspu ladders in 10 minutes (everytime you
complete a round {1, 2, 3} complete 10 toes to bar)
7 Rnds + 2 HSPU
Rounds completed at 1:05, 2:10, 3:25, 4:55, 6:15, 8:05, 9:43.    
15-Apr
Sleep up at 6am and not sure what time I fell asleep as Friday night was less than ideal.  Was a bit fired up prior to bed & tossed/turned for awhile before I decided to take a melatonin.  Well, I should have made this decision sooner, b/c it was probably going on midnight (never checked the clock after went to bed around 8:30) and I had major melatonin hangover for the workout Saturday morning.  Good learning. 

3 rounds for time:
20 wall balls
20 1.25 pood KBS
20 GHD sit ups
20 pull ups
Rnd 1 3:10    UB everything except pull-ups were 15/5 
Rnd 2 7:30 (4:20)  WBs started to get sloppy (see vid) & pull ups broken again (11,4,5)
Rnd 3 11:30 (4:00) WBs a bit better than 2nd round.  pull-ups broken into 12/8.  
16-Apr
Sleep 830p-7am! 



Training @ Noon3 rounds for time:
Run 400m
10 burpees
40 double unders
400m was a bit long.  Did it on the rolling gravel road that is at the base of my driveway then did burpees/double unders on pavement strip at base of driveway.  More uphill on the run out and then mostly downhill on return. 
Splits were: 
Run out/run back, DUs, total round
1:11/2:17 trips @  3:25 See above. Camera fell over during run of round 2. 
1:16/2:31 tripped 3x in first 20. 7:00 (3:35) 
forget run splits on this last one, but Corey was watching from house & said I did 11 burpees. That is the 2nd time this wk I've made that mistake!  Finally went UB for last set of 40 DUs and it ended up being my fastest round 3:22 for an overall time of 10:22.  
HR 200 at finish, 160 1 minute later. 


PM hike of 60 minutes at Max Patch

17-Apr 
off

Training 4/11/12 Double Day

Sleep First time in a long time that I struggled with sleep.  My blame was towards my husband's last minute suggestion to switch over to the guest bedroom as the windows face south instead of west and much less day light shining through at 7:30.  He mentioned that he wasn't tired just before going to bed and I was.  Yet moments later he is snoozing away and I'm off & on relighting the candle to read and tossing and turning for the next couple of hours.  Probably fell asleep b/w 9:30 & 10p.
When the alarm went off at 4am my eyes were burning.  I wasn't on the schedule to work until after my 9am haircut so we decided to drive in separately.  I didn't fall back asleep until after I did a bit more reading and heard Corey leave the house around 5.  I had set my alarm for 7, but woke up at 6:15 and felt awake so I got up.  Felt a bit off all day, but good practice for competition scenario as there is always the chance for poor sleep the night before.

After my hair appointment and coaching I did my "AM" workout at 12:45.  I felt myself want to get all pissy about how my day was totally off, but then I decided to embrace the fact that I got to rest a bit extra this morning and that it's good to do workouts at various times of day even when you feel less than ideal.  My focus is to do what I can at that point in time.

AM
@97% effort:
6 min amrap
5 squat clean thrusters 65#
10 burpees


6 rounds + 3 squat cleans & one extra burpee on round 2.  
First round was right around 45s and then each round after that was almost exactly on the minute.  Main limiter was my brain and burning sensation in my lower legs.  Otherwise felt good.  
 


I thought about cutting the rest time short and knocking out the second, but again I decided to make it more like a competition setting.  Hung around the gym about an hour after finishing and then took the dogs back to the same spot Corey & I hiked on Monday.   It turned out to be about a 30 min hike out/back and I spent close to an hour in the sun on the rocks.  Finished reading "The Big Leap" (highly recommend it!) and closed my eyes for another 20 minutes or so until Hoka was literally pawing me to leave.  By the time we got back to the gym it was 4:45p.  
I took down a pre workout shake of 1 scoop protein, 1 scoop refuel and shop vacced the gym for 30 minutes to pass time during digestion/warm up.  No afternoon caffeine, but energy levels feeling good.  I was even feeling positive about the row! 
530 class was rolling by the time I got started.  Very foreign for me to be working out this time of day, but again I saw it as a good practice opportunity to have energy for the end of a competition day.  


PM
@97% effort:
20 hspu 
10 power clean 115#
10 box jumps 24"
1,000m row
for time. 
6:10
I was hoping for sub 6, but was a bit slower in the hspus than I anticipated (45/48s when I was for a misjudged my pacing on these thinking 30s).  Had hoped to be heading to the rower in 1:30, but turned out to be 1:48/1:50 by the time I was first pulling on the handle.  
Was catching the power cleans more forward than normal, but don't usually do this weight of power cleans in my racing flats.  I was happy with how the box jumps felt.  Haven't lost my rebound even though I have not put much emphasis into it.  

The row was one of my worst 1k splits in a long time (4:20.9), but it was an improvement in that I finished stronger than I started out.  For whatever reason I struggled to get into a rhythm or find any effective "drive" with each of my pulls,  I don't think it ever ready faster than 2:08 for the first 500m.  However, I got it together by the end and finished strong with  2:03.7 average the last 200m.  Managed to get a couple pulls to read 1:58.  Also found that I'm more effective at a slower stroke rate as at 34 strokes per minutes by 2nd 200m split was a 2:17 average (yikes) but with 28 S/M is where I hit 2:09 and 2:03 the last two 200m splits.  One of these days my row is going to come together.  I believe in me!  :)  



 

Got home at bedtime (7pm) and ate my first "real" meal of the day.  Salad mixed greens with beef tenderloin, sweet potatoes mashed with coconut milk, shrimp salad with green & red peppers, about a tablespoon of cashews, goat cheese and EVOO.  Was able to finish most of it, but felt full quickly.     Around 9/10am I felt fairly hungry early, but energy levels good with pre/post workout shakes.  So I'm feeling confident as far as food (or lack of the need for food) for competition.

Training 4/10/12 Back squats, pull-ups, snatches!

Sleep 8ish-4

Training @ 8:30
A. Back squat 6, 4, 2, 6, 4, 2; rest 2:30
6x168lbs, 4x178lbs, 2x188lbs, 6x178lbs, 4x188lbs (tough!) 4 rep PR!  2x193lbs F on 2nd rep. 2 pounds off my all time PR.   Whew!  My legs have never shook so much as they did during the last set of 4 and 2.  I mixed lbs & kgs and added the numbers at the end to not psych myself out.  Seemed to help not knowing exactly what was on the bar.  

B. Weighted chin up 3, 2, 3, 2; rest 2 min
These felt especially strong today. 
3x35lbs C2b
2x45lbs C2b
4x45lbs C2b
2x57.5lbs 2nd rep C2B I thought this was 60lbs until Corey says, did you have a 2.5lb plate on the other side?  Nope!  I was in the frame of mind of adding weight to a barbell.  Duh!

C. Amrap squat snatch 105# in 8 minutes (for every missed rep perform
2 muscle ups)

No misses!  I'm not sure if I should be excited by this or acknowledge that I didn't push hard enough if I didn't miss.  29 reps total.  I thought it was 30, but the video doesn't lie.  The last rep was cut off in the video as a call came in at that time.  

Min 1: 4
Min 2: 4
Min 3: 3
Min 4: 3 (14 at halfway)
Min 5: 4
Min 6: 3
Min 7: 3
Min 8: 5.  15 2nd half. 29 total Felt good. 

4/9/12 Rest Day Hike

Sleep 7:30/8-4

Corey and I took an afternoon hike at WWC.  Walked out about 25 min, chilled out in the sun on the rocks for about 40 minutes and headed back.  Beautiful day!

Training 4/8/12 Leg burner

Sleep 9p-6am  
2 afternoon chocolate PB eggs.  Isn't there a law about eating chocolate on Easter?  Honestly, they were the good chocolate eggs, but not even all that good.  The bag is back in the freezer.  

They tasted as good as they look!  Thx Meg!

The Parkway in the spring. 

Training @ 11am
I don't normally go into the gym/town on Sundays as the drive gets a bit much over the week, but Kate was in town from Charleston visiting her family for Easter!  I won't see her again until she competes at the SE Regionals in 3 short weeks!  


Hand stand walk and a bit more triple jump practice for warm up. 





3 rounds For time:
100 double unders
40 sandbag walking lunges

2:25ish/5:30ish/8:09  


Hit 98 double unders to kick it off!  That's gotta be a 20 rep or so PB.  Now I know I have 100+ in me.  Focused more on relaxing the heels down which I have been neglecting to do in some of my recent DU sessions.  Helped the legs to not tire out as fast, but when I do start to tire I find it more difficult to stay relaxed through the lower leg & you can see me staying on my toes in later sets.  
After the first round the next best set was low 30s.  I wasn't tripping all that much, but kept stopping and restarting.  I definitely started giving up a bit on the 2nd round of DUs but stayed more positive during round 3.  I need to work on fighting through a bit more with these.  Walking lunges got the legs burning but able to move consistently throughout.  


4pm: Solo hike with dogs on Blue Ridge Parkway.  35min out/mostly up & 22 min back...ran majority of it with some 60-90s breaks.  Legs feeling good despite all the lunging this morning.  

Training 4/712

Sleep: 8:30/9-5:30ish.  Another tough day to get out of bed.
Stromboli for dinner on Saturday.  (Nope, not gluten-free.  :)

7:30am
Struggled a bit to get motivated for this one, but turned out OK.  All UB except for 15 T2B.  Dropped at 9 & rhythm was totally off on 10-15.  Should have dropped and quickly reset my kip rhythm when I lost it.  I think it would have been worth the seconds.  Was happy with how snappy the HPCs felt.  For the 21s I felt like my elbows were not getting around in front of the bar, but I have a tendency to sometimes over exaggerate full range movements and it can cost me seconds when others are flying through.  Hence, I'm focused on moving as fast as possible in training as I have the confidence that if reps do get called in competition I can easily adjust.  But if I'm going slow the judge doesn't tell me to move faster.  :)
Along the lines of moving faster I could certainly move a bit faster on those burpees!
I was a bit shocked but please to be able to knock out the first set of 21 T2B UB.  7 was the most I was hitting in warm up.
Grip was the main limiter.

21-15-9
Hang power cleans 75#
Burpees
Toes to bar
5:26  
I think I have a sub 5 on this next time.  


2:30pm 
70 minute hike at Bent Creek with Corey and the dogs. Beautiful day! 

Training 4/6/12 Squats, MUs, HSPUs!

Sleep 8:30-4a. Not enough.  Tired upon waking, but energy OK once I got up and moving.  

Training @ 9:30


Warmed up with some standing triple jump practice in prep for the Opthalon on the 22nd of this month.  Noticed I'm taking off with my heel of the left foot off the ground. 




A. Speed back squat 3x10 @55% 1rm; rest 45 seconds 
I based the percentage off 200lbs b/c I KNOW I can and will back squat 200+ very soon! Ended up being 110lbs. Felt great! 

B. 2 muscle ups on the minute for 6 minutes (stop if you fail)
Have been wanting to practice muscle ups without the false grip and I did all with regular grip today successfully.  Also feeling good here.  Went for an AMRAP on the 6th min and completed 4 reps there.  
 
C. 30 HSPU for time kipping; everytime you break perform 20 double unders

22/4/4 2:14 overall
Whew, that burn out happened quick with the HSPUs! 

Fuel on double training days

This is the first season in 5 years of CF that I am using any kind of pre/post workout drinks.  It should be good for competition as previously I've never known what to eat and end up picking away at bananas, dates, sweet potatoes and usually chicken b/w events.  My stomach can handle food pretty well with exercise, but I have had issues with blood sugar balance at past events so it's exciting to get my fuel narrowed down.  One step at a time! 

Food on days like this is always a bit strange.  It's now 2pm, I've been up since 5 and this is what I've eaten thus far: 

5:30a MaxFibre drink with VMG and Max energy vitamins

6:15am Drink w/1scoop goat protein, 1 scoop Refuel

6:30am about 4oz half cup coffee with whole cream

8am Post workout drink w/2 scoops goat protein, 1 scoop Refuel 

9:30am about two bites of packed food which was salad with ham, goat chz & EVOO 

12:30p Pre workout drink w/1scoop goat protein, 1 scoop Refuel

1:00 workout 

1:45 Post workout drink w/2scoops goat protein, 1 scoop Refuel.  
2:30 Couple more bites of packed food, but mostly leaving it for Corey as his day is longer than mine. 
3-3:30 Short hike with the dogs until the rain hit!
5:15 Made it home and first "real" meal: Salad with about 6 varieties of greens, ham, cheese, pineapple, avocado, EVOO.  +2VMG vitamins
7:00 One more bowl of food before bed: Salmon, avocado, greens, red peppers, cheese, EVOO.  I almost finished it all but was a bit too much salmon.  
8:00 2VMG vitamins & in bed. 

Training 4/4/12

Sleep 8p-5a 


4-Apr
7AM
@97% effort:
5 rounds for time:
12 thrusters 65#
21 double unders


I was excited to see this first workout largely b/c I have felt like I wanted a redo at 65lb thrusters ever since 12.5 and I gave up on myself with my original goal of UB thrusters in that workout.  Today was my chance.  Despite how I felt in that workout I was still a bit nervous for this one.  "Can I do it?  What's 5 rounds of 12 going to feel like?"  


First round was about 46s. 
2nd round about 59s (tripped on number 20 here)
3rd round 59s (no trips)  
4th round ~59s
5th round ~50s  
Well, the approximate rounds come out to 4:33 and my overall time was 4:39 so the estimations are off.  I had to go off sound of the DUs in my video after end 2 as the camera fell flat.  
HR 180 immediately following, 144 60s later. 


Lots of positive self-talk went on today.  Focused on my breathing, staying relaxed.  Going into the third round I said, "Ok, middle round, let's do this!"  4th round was simply, "you're doing great, stay with it."  5th round was then, "You've got it, finish strong!"  My goal was UB thrusters and sub 5.  I'm happy.  
 


Coached 8-9:30 did some admin stuff then updated this blog and definitely drug my feet going into this last one but certainly not as much dread as last Wednesday's row/hspu workout.  So I'm in a better place with thrusters but still struggling to get excited about the urg. URG!  :) I'm cautious to say this as that typically means I'll get thrown a bunch of it until I do get better with it, but hey that's why I have a coach.  I think part of the problem with me and the rower is that I don't know what to shoot for when it comes to pacing and you have that screen staring you in the face the whole time.  I never enjoyed treadmills when I was a runner. Yet when I was a runner I understood pacing each pace meant something to me.  I don't have that same understanding with row splits.  


1PM
@97% effort:
3 rounds for time:
Row 250m
10 burpee box jumps 20"


Rnd/Row/Burpee bx jump split
1/58.0/41s
2/59.1/39s
3/59.2/38s
Overall 5:37 
HR at 180 immediately following, 156 60s later. 

Training 4/3/12

Sleep 8p-4a

A. Back squat 10, 8, 6, 4, 2; rest 2:30

10x150lbs
8x160lbs
6x170lbs
4x180lbs
2x190lbs PR!B. Weighted chin up 5, 5, 3, 3; rest 2 min

5x25lbs (c2b)
5x35lbs
3x45lbs
3x50lbs

C. Amrap OHS 95# in 10 minutes; every time you break perform a 200m run
14, 10, 11, 10, 11
Felt super slow on runs.  I should have warmed up some running.  When I got back from the 4th end I had about 1:20 left so I chilled out until there was about 45s left on the clock and then started the squats.  I knew I wouldn't do squats and get back in for more so I tried to make the most of the remaining time. During the workout I was thinking, "what's wrong with me?  I used to do "Nancy" OHS x 15UB.  And then I remembered that was 65lbs.  All in time.

Training 3/31 & 4/1/12 & 4/2/12

Sleep for both Friday & Saturday night was about 11p-6:45a.  At Landmark Forum this weekend so sessions do not let out until around 10p.

Saturday morning I did 2 rounds of 1 lap around the hotel 50 UB DUs.  No trips today!

Sunday morning I did 50 strict HSPUs in my hotel room.  About 3 minutes slower than when I did it in the gym a couple months back.  But situations are not ideal.  Good practice.

Monday I slept in until about 7a and then drove home and met Corey for a hike. I practiced some reverse shot throws with a mens & women's shot and a 15lb med ball while I waited for him to get to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Training 3/30/12

Sleep: 10:00-5:45

In Atlanta at CF HD.

630 AM

6 sets:

4 tough thrusters from ground - build per set

10 CTB chin ups

25 double unders AFAP

rest 5 min b/t sets - add thruster weight per set

Set 1: 95lbs/25UB/44s

Set 2: 100lbs/25UB/44s

Set 3: 105lbs/Trip @8/48s

Set 4: 110lbs/Trip@9/52s

Set 5: 115lbs/Trip @5/53s

Set 6: 120lbs/Trip@5/51s

Super stoked about the C2B butterfly pull-up.  First time for these!

Training 3/29/12

Sleep 8-4a

2pm:  60 min run @ 70%   temp around 80 degrees which I am need to adapt to with regionals in N. Va in May.

Felt good.  My upper body was more fatigued than my legs and had to focus to keep posture.  Ran around downtown which means HILLS!

My name is Lloyd & I like to carry heavy sticks. 

Training 3/28/12

Sleep 8:30-4a

28th:

10:30 AM

7 rounds for time:

Run 200 m

10 kbs - 20kg

5 burpees

Rnd 1 1:27

11:10 overall

2PM: struggled to get myself to do this one.  HSPU felt solid.  Wasn't feeling it on the row. 

for time:

row 1K (4:09)

10 HSPU

row 750 m (3:15)

10 HSPU

row 500 m (2:09)

10 HSPU

row 250 m (56/57?)

12:48 overall 

Training 3/27/12

Sleep: 8:00-4a 

A. back squat - 3,3,3 - 90%; rest 3 min

5x95lbs, 5x135lbs, 3x165lbs, 3x175lbs, 3x180lbs, 3x185lbs

B. OHS - 2 on the minute tough for 6 min

2x115lbs, 120, 125, 130, 130, 130 F on jerk, 130

C. 30 muscle ups for time - only in sets of 3's - perform 1 squat snatch @ 95# b/t every set of 3

When I read this workout in my email all I could think was, "What is James thinking?  I can't do that."  It wasn't in a oh poor me sense, but based upon past experience I have struggled to hit muscle ups consistently recently and particularly that many sets of three.  I have attempted 30 MU for time in the past and the farthest I've ever made it is 18 before I start failing miserably.  Today was one of those workouts that I was certainly shocked with how great I felt.