Hotshot 19 Memorial WOD and Fundraiser

 

This week my son and daughter participated in a fund-raiser selling raffle tickets to support the families of the 19 firefighters who were killed in the Arizona wildfires. Members of the CrossFit community pitched in to help, and to participate in a memorial WOD to remember the men who lost their lives. Unfortunately my daughter could not do the WOD because she was under the weather with a cold, but my son completed the entire WOD.
"Hotshot 19"
6 Rounds
30 squats
19 power cleans (Rx was 95#, he used 55#)
7 pullups
Run 400 m
time: 54:13
I am so proud of his determination and commitment to completing a very difficult WOD which, practically speaking, was not scaled for the kids at all. They did the same moves and the same number of reps as the adults.

It was amazing to see such a well-organized community effort go towards helping these families who are mourning the loss of husbands, fathers, brothers and friends. Our CrossFit Kids raised $2,200 to support this cause, and you can still donate at the website here. CrossFit corporate broadcast the community workout that was held in the hometown of these men. You can watch it here, but be forewarned, you will need a tissue or two or three.

White Challenge

Ready to go!

Warming up

Warm-up climb

I hope I never do this WOD again. I did what I set out to do. I joined the class so that I could learn to climb the blasted rope. I did. Here's the WOD I did in 90+ degree blazing sunshine and lived to tell...

White
5 rounds
3 rope climbs ( I got 1, did walkups the rest of the way)
10 toes to bar (knee raises)
21 walking lunges @25# (15#)
400 m run

Time: 42:08 (it took me 7 minutes more this time due to the heat. I ended up walking almost the entire 3rd lap)

3-2-1 (Sorry, Jen, I tried to crop it!)

Getting it done... 

So glad my family was there to cheer for me...

bar work... 

my nemesis...running...

one of the many painful moments

My friend Emily, who has been affectionately nicknamed "Gymily"

I wish I had the picture that my friend Candace took of all three of us, Emily and Candace and myself all together, because we really did this TOGETHER. It was so very hot out there today--the redeeming quality of it all was having such great people to do this with, not to mention those who just came out to support us in this effort.

Here's a shout out to all the people who I appreciate today:

Candace and Emily--I love WODding with you girls.

Glen, Matty, and Molly--I love you--thanks for cheering and for being proud of me.

Jen, Allison, Lindsay, Amanda, Donna, Erica, and all the other ladies who suffered with us...

Michele for running that last hateful lap with me--you are a star!

Rachel--thanks for dragging me into this mess.

Paul, for talking to my hubs today and winning big points for the community.

Sara, for appreciating the small successes along the way, and really helping us to learn new skills.

U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ashley White, 24, of Alliance, Ohio, assigned to the 230th Brigade Support Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina National Guard, based in Goldsboro, North Carolina, died on October 22, 2011 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked her unit with an improvised explosive device. She is survived by her husband Captain Jason Stumpf, her parents Robert and Deborah, brother Josh, and sister Brittney.

It's All In Your Head...

So please remove it from your patootie...

Throughout the six weeks of this White Hero WOD challenge I have (as I have posted before) been struggling with rope climbs. I have felt completely silly even when doing the drills, pretty much unable to coordinate the movements or find the strength to do certain things like jump and then hang on the rope. In last Saturday's class, however, things started to click for me. I was sure that I was the only one around feeling like a failure, struggling with these skills, while everyone else around me was scurrying up the rope like lizards up walls.

Today's WOD was very good for us, as tomorrow is the final White challenge. Here it is:

3 rounds for time:
8 front squats (Rx 105, I did 85#)
1 rope climb
8 back squats (Rx 105, I did 85#)

score: 13:01

There are about 5 blog posts I could write from what I learned, observed and felt about today's class, so this may be lengthy, I'll try to be concise.

First of all, one of the top athletes (Shannon) at our box was in the 9:00 class this morning. These girls are such amazing athletes, so strong, so cool. Each one of them has an energy and a vibrance about them, and they have every reason to set themselves apart and act like CF snobs...but they do not. For me, those 85# squats were tough today. I was fully able to do them, but it took everything I had to get through 8 front squats. Shannon parked herself in front of me and cheered me through my most difficult reps, and I could not have been more grateful. It truly helped me to dig deep and find the strength that I needed.

Several girls from the White class were also there at the 9:00 WOD this morning, and we had the chance to practice a bit more and encourage each other as we prepare both physically and mentally for tomorrow.

As I looked around, it wasn't just I who was struggling to get up that rope. Somehow I had never seen it before. There were people there who are younger and stronger and still--the rope was a bully for them. We were there giving each other advice, hi-fiving each others' successes (even the small ones) and cheering for the big ones. I had been so intimidated, so self-absorbed and cranky about this whole thing that I forgot that everyone struggles from time to time, not just me. CrossFit is the perfect place to be reminded of this, and the folks there are so encouraging, you might even be reminded gently, in a good-natured way.

So here's to getting your head out of your patootie, setting aside your fears, and cheering on a teammate. Get up that rope! It's all in your head, and if it's in the wrong place, well...

Oh, and by the way...I achieved two whole rope climbs today. One before class when I was pondering the rope with the other girls, and another in the WOD. I got another 1/2 climb in during the WOD but didn't feel strong enough to continue, so I finished with walkups...Tomorrow, White Challenge final test.

Better than Yesterday

Today was Hero WOD "White" skills class, the last one before the actual test WOD. This class has been by far the most difficult thing I have done at CF, but not only because the skills themselves are difficult, but because of the mental toughness that I have needed to face it. Through most of it I have suffered with a debilitating lack of confidence, mostly due to the rope, though I have struggled with kipping a bit as well. 

I have climbed the rope successfully once before. It was after the kids' class and their coach saw me head over to the rope and start to climb and she (in her very subdued manner) strolled over, and talked me through every pull. Before I knew it I was at the top. I thought for sure after this I would always be able to climb the rope, but it was not so. Every time since then I have failed miserably. I would be unable to catch the rope between my feet, I would lose strength, my grip would slip and slide uncontrollably down the rope. I felt like such a dork, and even though I knew that the other women in the class were not in any way judging my efforts, my lame attempts felt so conspicuous. 

Something was different today, and I'm not sure what it was but I'll try to unpack it...

First I had a profound realization when I wrote my last post about kayaking with my kids and the newfound freedom I experienced in that. I realized that I am not doing CrossFit to impress any coaches, classmates or even myself. I am doing CrossFit for life. This is not a competition for me, it's a lifestyle, and if I allow myself to be discouraged by comparison, it won't last.

Second, I was encouraged just walking into the box. I am getting to know more and more people, it was friendly and noisy with people chatting and laughing, and several people came up to me and commented that they were enjoying reading my blog. If you are one of those people, THANK YOU! You should know how much that matters! In addition, both my kids had great WODs and were pleased at the end of their class with their work. This made me want to do work that would make them proud of me, in return. 

I did struggle at first with the rope, but then something clicked...I jumped up, locked my feet and got a couple of pulls. I was able to do this several times. When it came time for the WOD, Sara said we had to make an attempt to climb the rope every round before doing walkups. In the first round I got a pull, then did walk ups. In the second round I jumped up and got my feet hooked, and Evy (the kids coach) strolled over and started talking me through again. Something in me clicked into gear and I got within one pull of the red line, then slipped. I managed to catch myself (sort of) but Sara was waiting at the bottom to break my fall! Even so, I was so happy to have made it that far...happy, and utterly exhausted by the effort. 

These things take practice, plain and simple. They take time to build up strength. It takes humility to keep trying and not quit. I have improved, there is no doubt. In spite of feeling really anxious before every class, I am really glad that I did it and stuck it out. I will absolutely, positively thrilled to be done with that final WOD next Saturday. I will post my results!

Today: make an attempt at climbing each round, then 3 walkups for every climb to scale

4 rope climbs 

20 walking lunges

10 T2B

5 burpees

Ladder down rope climbs 3, 2, 1, all else remains the same

time: 22:34

Hitting a Wall...

Summer is here, folks. The reason I know this is because I have been on one week of beautiful, incredible beach vacation and I am back home, looking at my LIST of things I need to get done before I resume lessons with the kids. My CF schedule is all whack as a result. I did a WOD on Monday--LOVED IT! Rested yesterday because I knew I would have to do a Hero WOD training class at 6:30 p.m. and those are invariably tough, not to mention I do not prefer working out in the evening. I am going away this weekend to visit my mom, and so my normal Friday schedule is also off. I don't like this kind of disruption to my routine, but what is interesting is that in the past, the exercise would always be the first thing to go, but not only would it go, it would stay gone along with a truckload of excuses. For the first time in my life I'm seeing that I will rework the schedule to make space for my workouts, and unless I'm sick, refuse to accept less than three per week.

On Monday we did a lifting WOD

3x3x3x3x3 front squats. I PRed at 105#.
5x5x5...bench press. I PRed that at 95#.

I worked out with two great friends and we had fun!

This hero WOD training, though, is kicking my butt. Sometimes I feel as if I am taking steps backward. The last time I did the class I utterly failed at something I have actually gotten the hang (no pun intended) of, and that is kipping. The WOD included toes-to-bar (in my case, knees to elbows or as high as I can get them) and for some bizarre reason I could not kip. I was flopping like a fish on the bar. Tonight's WOD had this also, and in the first round of ten reps I experienced the same thing! As I ran the track I prayed, "God, I have lost my kip--I need your help on this" and in the next set I turned my back to the coach, jumped on the bar, and kipped out 10 knee-raises.

There is something very psychological going on with this hero-WOD class and challenge. It involves rope climbing. I have successfully climbed the rope before, but for some reason when I am in the class, I  feel completely inept and cannot get up the rope. I have no doubt that I will conquer this, but at the moment, I feel stuck.

I remember getting my first box jump. I felt so confident and proud going into the next WOD that had box jumps. When I got there, though, I just stared at the box. I did a few, then when the coach called 3-2-1 I only had the courage to step up. I have only recently broken through that mental barrier, nearly 6 months later, when I can face a box jump WOD and actually jump the reps instead of stepping up.

I don't expect that I'll be doing the 15 (no I'm not kidding...it's 15) rope climbs in this WOD on July 6. I'll be really stoked, though, if I can manage one, and then do walk-ups.

I will be so glad when this is over. I am absolutely sure that it was right to push myself with this challenge. I know that there is a certain amount of mental pressure we must face sometimes to push us past our comfort zone into a new level of performance. It's just that at the moment I feel as though I am beating against a wall and wonder how much I can improve...

Tonight's WOD:

5 rounds for time
1 lap around the track
10 toes to bar (scaled to knee-raises)
10 wall-balls (I used 10 lb. ball)
10 hand-release pushups

time: 15:40

Hero WOD: White Challenge.

Lord. Have. Mercy.

What have I signed up for?

I plopped down my $45 for a "Hero WOD Challenge" at The Box which includes an extra day of skills classes each week for the month of June. I really wanted the skills classes. The WOD--not so much.

All during vacation I had nightmares (literally) about doing this WOD. I would wake up at that miserable 3:30 a.m. time thinking of how I could get out of it. I had a wave of understanding today that told me that I just didn't have to go. I wouldn't show up. I just need to stay home and avoid the stress.

I showed up--the sign of a true addict. I went to what I thought was going to be a skills class and Sara said, "How was vacation?" I was lulled back into jellyfish mode, smiling, relaxed and happy, without a care in the world. A second later she asked me, "Have you done the baseline yet?" and I was reduced to a groveling, begging, Gollum, pleading with her not to make me do the WOD tonight. You think I'm kidding? I am dead serious. She stood there with a smile on her face and said, "Everyone has to do the baseline. It's cool tonight, it won't be that bad." Mentally I was swearing at her and I'm not given to swearing as a general rule. And now, to make matters worse, I was responsible. I had talked good ol' Rachel Rae into doing the "skills class" with me instead of the WOD, which was hideous. She thought she was getting off easy. Turns out she hadn't done the baseline either. (Sorry, friend!)

Here's the WOD:
5 rounds for time:

3 rope climbs (in my case, 9 rope walk-ups)
10 toes-to-bar
21 overhead walking lunges
400 m run

score: 35:56

I couldn't even look at my BFF for encouragement I was so mad. I told another good friend that I felt like I was in hell somewhere around round 3. I came home and told my dear husband what happened and he burst out laughing...but then said how proud of me he was. He poured me a glass of wine and I told him that I felt like a real "badass" as they say around CrossFit. There really isn't another good word for the feeling, truthfully.

I guess I'm glad I did it. I'm surprised that I don't feel worse than I do. It is hard to shake the belief that I am weak and out of shape, but the truth is, I am no longer weak and out of shape. I just did three freakin' WODs in a row this week, and I am still upright, and not in agony. We'll see tomorrow...

My son said when I came home, "You know how Staples has the "That Was Easy" button? CrossFit should have one that says, "That Was Painful!" LOL...oh, how sincerely I agree with you, Son!