Rebuilding Myself

Hello Again (with Photos!)

2010-01-22T22:09:00.008-06:00

Wow, it's been forever since I updated this blog. I'm too tired to post much of anything substantial, but I've taken various pictures since I got my new phone, so I'll share some good ones.
Some people in Wisconsin still haven't gotten over the whole Favre to the Vikings thing.

Great way to get fit. Seriously!

A treadmill for your abs! Finally!

Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin...mmm...

My post-Thanksgiving setup in the Outer Banks

Traveling

2009-10-16T22:53:00.002-05:00

I've not updated in ages, but having a little downtime while traveling means I can finally update this blog...

Today (Friday) I took the day off work to fly to Boston to watch my alma mater (Boston College) play a football game on Saturday.

I decided to sneak a hotel room WOD in, despite getting in both a regular WOD and a rowing workout in yesterday. There's no gym in this hotel in the South End, but hey, there's floor space and a wall. I decided I hadn't worked squats nearly enough in the past few weeks, so the on-the-fly WOD was:

7 rounds for time of:
-10 pushups
-15 situps
-15 squats

Result: ~13 minutes (not really sure, just glanced at the clock a few times).

Was able to knock out all 7 pushups sets unbroken; can't say the same for the situps or squats, at least not as smoothly as the pushups.

For dinner I went to a place called B Good's, which looks a lot like a Chipotle, both inside and out. Turns out it's more of a burger place. However, it wins huge points in my book by allowing you to substitute steamed veggies for the bun on the burger. So I was able to order the "West Side" burger, which is your basic burger with guacamole, cilantro, salsa, and tomato, along with some steamed carrots and broccoli. I also had sweet potato fries with the burger, which are a great substitute for french fries.

Had dinner and drinks with a friend from college and law school. He looked at me a bit askance when I ordered a paleo margarita after a couple light beers, even going so far as to call me "high maintenance" (jokingly...I think).

Hopefully I will be able to squeeze in a run around Boston tomorrow morning...

Frustration

2009-09-23T10:50:00.005-05:00

Yesterday's WOD was not particularly daunting at first glance. However, I was starting at a disadvantage from my running jaunt on Monday. I must've been pushing it too hard or not focusing enough on my footstrike, because the inside of my left arch, near my instep, was hurting most of yesterday. Add to that I slept funny on my back/shoulder Saturday night so my upper back and shoulder blade have been hurting for two-plus days.

The WOD was:

Power Snatch
3-2-1-1-1

then

AMRAP in 6:00 of:

-25 Double Unders
-10 burpees (minus the pushup)
-100m sprint
then rest 1:00

3 rounds of that.

Power Snatch:
I need to continue being diligent on my squat therapy and hip work, because my trouble came from not getting under the bar fast enough and resetting my knees before locking out. The weight didn't feel like it was too heavy, but I was having trouble nonetheless. Bill reminded me of the squat therapy stuff, so it's just another thing I need to be sure to hit before every WOD and at home when I've got a few spare minutes.

Result: 30-30-30-35-35

DU/Burpee/Sprint:
Ah yes, here's where everything came unraveled. I generally suck at burpees, and my double-unders are getting better, but I still can't rip off more than 15 in a row with any consistency. Running is usually my forte.

So on the first round, I got through the DUs okay, nothing special, though it's easy to feel pathetic when Jennie is next to you ripping off 25 DUs before you can blink. Burpees were slow, as per usual. Then came the first 100m sprint. Well, my foot and ankle were sore, but I figured I could get through this. About 50m in, I realized I was going to regret running, period. I hobbled back and managed to complete the 6:00 round, but my frustration led me to screwing up my DUs every rep or three. So when the round was over, I stalked into the Fort (this part was outside in the parking lot), ripped off my shoe and sock, and threw them down in disgust. I probably used some non-family friendly language too. Okay, not probably.

Bill came over asked what my deal was and I explained. He asked if I could still do the DUs and burpees, which I didn't want to do, but saw no reason not to. I simply let my frustration over my foot get the best of me, so I only did about 4 minutes of the second round instead of sucking it up and figuring out how to modify the workout and get something out of it. I continued to screw up my DUs, enough so that Zach and Bill had to repeatedly tell me to stop letting them get into my head.

I finished the workout, but all in all, it was a pretty big disaster. The physical problems were bad enough, but letting myself get overly emotional about it and hurting my performance even further was just plain stupid. If I hadn't had two of the coaches reminding me, I probably would have quit entirely after round 1.

Lesson Learned: Better to modify a workout than stop completely, if the injury allows.

Tuesday 9/15

2009-09-15T21:40:00.002-05:00

WOD:

Overhead Squats (OHS)
3-3-3-3

Results: 20-25-30-35

Comments: OHS squats are easily my weakest movement. Squats have always been a weak spot for me, but they're getting better overall. But keeping that heavy bar overhead while trying to squat just makes me feel weak as a kitten. I felt okay about my strength and depth of the squat today until I hit the 35 kg weight.

then

"Karen"
-150 wall balls (20#) for time

Result: 12:15

Comment: Not happy with the time. I went almost two minutes faster last time (July 30), but I guess there are two things I need to keep in mind.

1. Bill says my squat depth is much better than it used to be, so I'm likely getting much deeper (and doing so more consistently) than even two months ago.

2. Doing the OHS before this probably taxed my hips, as did the extensive running yesterday.

As a general matter, I need to keep an eye on my caloric intake. I was very hungry on the way to the Fort tonight, which is a sign I'm not eating enough. Which is a perfect segue to...

Food:

Lunch:
-12 oz. round steak covered in salsa

Dinner:
-Chipotle fajita bowl w/ double chicken, double guacamole, peppers and onions, salsa, and some lettuce. (Thanks Dave)

Running! (said in Jennie's purposely mocking high-pitched tone)

2009-09-15T11:46:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I decided I had let my running get way too far down my list of priorities. I joined Crossfit originally to get stronger and learn how to do real weightlifting (i.e., not Nautilus machines and quarter-squats on a rack), but it was still with the idea of getting healthy and improving my running.

Warning: Lengthy, boring injury history ahead. Feel free to skip the next two paragraphs.

My long-standing leg problems are likely a result of my years of running thousands of miles and never really paying much attention to stretching, especially in college. Part of the appeal of Crossfit was to strengthen my hips and posterior chain so as to eliminate the weaknesses that were contributing to my problems. I am naturally not the most flexible person in the world to begin with. Additionally, all the years of running caused my hips, IT bands, and hamstrings to become so bound up with adhesions in the fascia that I did not have full range of motion while striding.

The problems began in the winter of 2005, when I had taken a long break from running after my aborted fall 2004 senior season of cross country at Boston College.
These factors caused me to make my stride longer to compensate, which led to major heel-striking. This, as any kinesiologist or biomechanical expert will tell you, not only slows you down, but puts a tremendous amount of force on your legs. That force manifested itself as pain in my soleus and weak, inflexible ankles. I've used a foam roller, trigger point therapy (at home, no provider is close enough to matter), massage, and various kinds of stretches. One thing I've heard is effective, outside of treatment, is focusing on mid-foot striking.

Whether it's using Vibram Five Fingers, Nike Frees, racing flats, or plain barefoot, there are plenty of options out there for retraining your foot-fall. I have been trying to walk around and work out in my Five Fingers as much as possible, and run in my Free 5.0s.

I ran about 35 minutes yesterday in the Frees, mostly on grass, and really focused on my stride and where I landed more than time. I definitely noticed that I would heel strike when I got tired and had to remind myself to make sure I was almost kicking myself in the butt when striding. This made it a lot easier to midfoot strike without having to focus on a landing point. I used to think a long stride was the be-all, end-all of being fast, but reading the growing literature on barefoot running and injuries related to heel-striking, I've found that a shorter, more compact stride is just as fast and leaves you less prone to injury. I found that my ankles are still not where I need them to be in terms of flexibility or stability, as I noticed them roll on uneven ground a few times.

My feet, ankles, and calves were fatigued by the end of this little jaunt, but I did not have any pain in the soleus region that has been my constant running companion for almost 5 years now. Hopefully I can continue getting this kind of running in a couple times per week, in addition to whatever shorter runs are part of the WOD at the Fort. If I can someday be able to run a half-marathon at a respectable (for me) pace, I'd consider it a success. If I can keep this up and continue using the therapy techniques and stretching my hips, low back, and hamstrings, I like to think that is possible.

Better Body Challenge

2009-09-15T11:21:00.003-05:00

Well, I guess I need to start posting what I'm eating for this BBC thing.

Yesterday, my consumption was:

Breakfast:
-energy drink

I woke up about 5 times during the night, I think due to eating some decidedly non-paleo foods during the Bears game and drinking a bit. All around bad morning.

Lunch:
-salad with grilled chicken from BK.

Their salads have shrunk considerably from the last time I had one, which was probably 6 months ago. I was not amused and not full.

Dinner:
-3 fried eggs w/ mild chilies
-3 scrambled eggs w/mild chilies
-4 strips of thick cut bacon
-6 oz of orange juice (I know, I know...but it was in the fridge and I hadn't had any in months. Sue me.)

Sleep

2009-09-12T00:30:00.003-05:00

It is really quite important. You can find study after study linking lack of sleep to things like higher cancer rates, depression, weight gain, slowed muscle growth, etc. I love sleeping and am notorious for sleeping anywhere, anytime. So you'd think I would be one of those people who gets at least 8 hours every night. You'd be wrong. (And just stand there and be wrong and embrace your wrongness!)

I consistently let myself stay away reading or watching TV until midnight, then realize I need to be up in 7 hours. I really need to get a handle on my sleep discipline (I think I just invented a phrase). My goal is to get to bed by or before 11 p.m. on Sunday-Thursday nights for the rest of the Better Body Challenge going on at the Fort. That's until October 31. I'm not saying I'll be able to do it every single night, but it's a reasonable goal and one that I think will definitely improve fat loss, muscle gain, ability to focus at work, and my mood.

With that in mind, I'm going to bed and sleeping until I wake up. No Team Saturday for me tomorrow.

Caleb

2009-08-30T21:20:00.002-05:00

Friday's workout was Caleb, chosen by Brittany for her birthday. (Everyone gets to pick the workout on their birthday at the Fort.) It consists of:

8 rounds (for time, natch) of:

-400 m run
-8 lunges
-8 box jumps

I haven't been running a lot lately, although with my new magic shoes and a renewed effort to improve both my flexibility and my stride through stretching, balance work, and some barefoot running, I hope to get back to it. (yikes, I hope Brit doesn't mark up that last sentence with a red pen...)

Anywho, I got out to a nice start, but I still don't quite have the explosiveness or hip function to hit the box jumps in rapid succession. Another good gauge of athleticism, I feel, is your ability to jump, land, and quickly "re-jump." Guys like Garth, MattyLo, Tom, Pete, Kilo, and Bill are amazing to watch, as it seems like they hit the ground and automatically spring back into the air. So, that slowed me down a bit. I felt like my runs were okay, especially rounds 1, 2, 7, and 8. I didn't feel so fast on rounds 3-6, but I think I stayed well-under 2 minutes for every run.

Time: 19:11.

Good enough for third on the day at the Fort. Garth blazed the damn thing, getting 17:40, and MattyLo got 18:25 (I think). I know I can run a lot faster now that I'm not feeling bloated everyday with milk. I just need to get consistent about running some intervals every day, along with spending a couple days working on my stride and some longer running. It's always been my strength and despite focusing a lot on adding muscle mass and working on adding weight to my lifts, I don't want to neglect what makes me a slightly less sucky athlete.

Additionally, I want to knock The Garth Show off the top of the 5k record board. His time is just over 21 minutes. Okay, actually, I don't want to knock that time off the board, I want to crush it. I normally don't write these kinds of things for public consumption, but it's a point of personal pride for me and if it's out there in the open, I'm more likely to stick to my schedule of getting my running back where it should be.

Coke and a...meh

2009-08-30T20:59:00.007-05:00

Lately, as in the past month or so since I cut the GOMAD out of my diet, I've tried to adhere to drinking only black coffee when I need caffeine. This isn't to say I haven't cheated; after about 4-5 hours of sleep on Wednesday night, I indulged in a "low-carb" Monster energy drink. However, other than that, I think I've had something other than straight black coffee once in the past month.

So, today, I decided to try a regular Coke (with good old HFCS) to see how it tasted. I've tried the new-old-new real sugar Pepsi before and didn't like it. So I poured myself a glass with ice and...I really didn't like it. Not that it was too sweet, as I've heard some people say after going sans-sugar for a while. It just didn't taste like I remember Coke tasting: satisfyingly sweet and refreshing.

I was sort of torn over this for a minute, but I've decided it's a good thing. I know now that I don't enjoy sugar in coffee or soft drinks now, so I'll be far less tempted to have CABs (crack-added beverages).

P.S. As far as the pictures go: I found the squirrel first and thought it was amusing. And do I really need to explain the other picture?

My Magic Shoes

2009-08-17T23:08:00.001-05:00

...Mama said they'd take me anywhere.

Yoga and Stretching (updated)

2009-08-17T13:14:00.004-05:00

I just read Brit's post over at her hilarious (movie quotes and Simpsons references abound) and educational (equanimity...even I had to look that up to make sure I remembered what it meant) blog.

I am horrendously inflexible, especially in the hips, lower back, hamstring...okay, just about everything south of my diaphragm. After visiting this wonderful gait analysis clinic at the University of Virginia a couple years ago, I discovered that my hips were inhibiting my natural stride and causing my crippling lower leg pain (soleus, gastroc, ankle). I started to use a foam roller and do some yoga. I found it goes a long way towards alleviating my leg pain (that and relearning a proper running stride--subject for another post). This ain't a touchy-feel yoga kind of yoga, either. See what I wrote in Brit's comments box for the details. In short: I have a lot of work to do to break up adhesions and get more flexible.

I have a solution. Well, I think so at least. Not all yoga is about inner peace ("It's the Tony awards! Urge to kill...rising") and feeling the floor and namastes and all that.

I give you Yoga for Athletes (http://www.yogaforathletes.com/index.asp?). I've been doing it on and off (mostly off, if you've seen my flexibility) for the past couple years. There's not much of the spiritual side of yoga in the hour-long video and it does, in fact, kick your ass if you're inflexible. Lately, I've been focusing on using a foam roller or my Trigger Point Hip Therapy kit (http://www.tptherapy.com/) for 30 minutes, then doing the first 30 minutes of Yoga for Athletes, which really focuses on the hips. I have to see how it works doing both of those on a regular (3-4 days/week) basis, but having just done it last night, I feel much better this morning and think I slept better.

Updated to include the links for the two products mentioned and to note that the Yoga for Athletes website has a tagline: "No chanting. No granola. No sanskrit." My kind of yoga!

Selling Crossfit

2009-08-17T12:43:00.001-05:00

I posted this on the Crossfit Fire website as a comment, but figured it was relevant to my blog, so here 'tis:

I think there's a fine line between espousing the positives of Crossfit and ramming it down people's throats to the extent that they get sick of hearing it and think we're all part of a cult.

My parents are a good example. At first, when I started, they thought it was a bit odd that I spent 45 minutes driving each way to the gym, radically changing my previously high-carb diet, and basically throwing away 12 or so years of one way of training (distance running, little to no weight lifting) for Crossfit. The transition to paleo and the periods of 5,000 cal/day were met with raised eyebrows and a few comments, but overall, they've seen the positive changes Crossfit and diet have made in my life and they accept it. They don't act surprised that I don't eat grains or that I eat a couple pounds of meat a day. I like to think it's inspired both of them to start going to the gym a bit more consistently (or in my mom's case, to start going).

I don't preach about eating clean or working out to my parents, or anyone, really, unless they ask. I just go about doing it and try to always learn more about refining my workouts and diet from the other people at the Fort and the literature I've found or been recommended. It's hard not to talk constantly about something new and great in your life (like getting Nintendo for Christmas when I was 6), but eventually, you realize people don't want to constantly hear about it because:

A. They already know they should be working out and eating healthy, and this is a constant reminder of the fact that they aren't doing so.

B. You're taking on a moralistic tone about the diet, which, even if the science really backs up what we say, nobody likes being wrong and nobody likes being condescended to.

C. People are generally resistant to change and we've been conditioned to believe that any change in lifestyle has to demonstrate visible results within 7 days or it just isn't worth doing. Crossfit and the diet, be it paleo, primal blueprint, zero carb, or whatever, is hard, it takes time, and results don't show themselves in a week.

Besides, there's the old Abraham Lincoln/Mark Twain line: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." We should be constantly learning and on guard against the notion that we’ve got all the answers because, invariably, we do not.

This post has gotten unintentionally lengthy, but the point is, be glad you’ve found it and explain the benefits of Crossfit to people if you think they’ll be receptive. Then shut up, eat some (a lot) grass-fed beef, throw some heavy weights overhead, and get down to the business of selling yourself on Crossfit every day. Your results will be a better selling point for Crossfit than any lecture or scientific study that makes everyone’s eyes glaze over after one paragraph (Bill excluded).

Update

2009-08-15T00:48:00.003-05:00

Haven't posted in several days. Not sure why, but I'll try to get back on task this weekend.

Of note:

Good
-35 lb of grassfed beef in my freezer

Bad
-lost my last two trials

Ugly
-the Cubs season

Twitter!

Monday 8/3/09 Workout

2009-08-03T22:51:00.003-05:00

Warmup: run 800ish meters at moderate pace in VFF (Vibram Five Fingers for the uninitiated), 4 pullups (one set, no assistance), 20 pushups.

Workout: Squats

Result
5 x 45 lb bar

5 x 95 lbs

10 x 145 lbs (x 2)

Comments: Trying to get one set of 20 in per week without putting the bar down, going up a little in weight each week. Did 135 lbs two weeks ago and got the 20. Missed last week due to benchmark week. Just didn't feel strong enough to hit 20 reps on this, even with resting the bar on my back. Not sure if that's being sans milk unlike two weeks ago, being cooked from benchmark week, lack of sleep, or some combination of all three.

Positives:
-watched my form in the mirror...lost my flat back a couple times, but mostly it was good
-knees stayed out for each rep
-didn't feel overwhelmed by the weight
-hips are feeling very good from the stretching the past week and yoga last night. Those warrior poses really get into the hips.

Monday 8/3/09 Diet

2009-08-03T22:49:00.004-05:00

Note to self: Eat. More.

At just over 2,000 calories today. If I want to keep the lean muscle mass I gained with the milk, I need to eat a third meal, preferably bacon and eggs in the morning. Two meals just isn't getting it done, unless it's 2.5-3 pounds of ground beef. I do not want to resort to protein shakes to get more calories in.

Positive: I did manage to get in 210 g of protein today, mostly from the 1.5 pounds of chicken breast I had for dinner.

Breakfast Does a Body Good

2009-08-02T13:22:00.003-05:00

This was brunch at 1:00 today.

5 extra large eggs
5 strips of bacon
8 turkey sausage patties

1,180 calories, 107 g protein, 78 g fat, 9 g carbs.

Delicious.

Saturday 8/1/09 Food

2009-08-01T23:56:00.000-05:00

Breakfast: Went to breakfast with Tommy Mo, Pete, and Stacy. We all got the 10 oz skirt steak, and I had 5 eggs, some sliced tomatoes and 6 strips of bacon with it. Good, but not really full. Not sure if this is a good thing. Also, I think they kind of stiffed us on the eggs. I don't think I really got 5 eggs. Too hard to tell since they were scrambled. I think we all got 3...

Dinner: Jar of extra large olives. Three 6 oz. chicken breasts, 6 strips of bacon, fresh tomato slices. There was also homemade potato salad and corn on the cob, in which I didn't partake.

Dessert: Yesterday was my dad's birthday, so there's the traditional yellow cake with chocolate frosting around, testing my willpower. I managed to keep my defenses up and had several canteloupe slices instead. Delicious, though the chocolate cake is sitting in the kitchen right now, mocking me.

Special Comment: You'll notice I eat a lot of bacon. I own a shirt that says "Bacon Makes Everything Better." I believe this is true. So, get used to see lots of bacon mentioned around these parts.

Saturday 8/1/09 "Fight Gone Bad"

2009-08-01T23:15:00.000-05:00

This week was one of benchmarks at the Fort. This morning, in lieu of the usual Team Saturday (it is what it sounds like) we did Fight Gone Bad. It consists of:

3 rounds of:

Row (calories)
Wall Balls (20#)
Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (SDHP) (35kg)
Box Jumps (20")
Push Press (35kg)

You do each of the movements for 1:00, then rest for 1:00. So the workout takes 17 minutes, no more, no less. You count the total number of reps (plus number of calories on the rower) and add them all together for your total.

Today was my first attempt at doing FGB as Rx'd. The past two times I'd done this workout (October and November of 2008), I used 25kg for the SDHP and Push Press, and 14# for the wall ball.

Result: 225.

I didn't beat my time from November, but this was at higher weights, plus I'm still adjusting to fewer calories from cutting out the milk.

My reps on the row and the box jumps were far higher than my past times doing FGB, so I think that indicates my overall fitness level is at a much higher level than it used to be.

SDHP: Quite simply, death. My form sucked and I had to be continually be reminded to use my legs more explosively and not just pull the weight with my arms and shoulders.

Push press: I definitely noticed the increased weight, as I could not rep through 10+ without having to put the bar on the rack. Pressing things overhead is one of my better movements, though, and I hope I can break through a plateau soon with that.

Wall Ball: Meh. Again, I noticed the heavier weight. I did a workout called "Karen" on Thursday, which is just 150 wall ball shots, with the 20# ball. I think it may have taken something out of me for this workout, as I felt I struggled more than I should have this morning.

Row: Felt pretty good and strong, but I need to be more focused while rowing. I tend to get tired and let my form go to pieces. I need to make sure I make a strong pull as far back as I can manage, then get the handle returned before my knees come up. In the past, I was getting at most 10 calories on the row, usually between 7-9 on rounds 2 and 3.

Box Jumps: These make everyone dizzy during FGB. For the longest time, I have had problems with hitting the floor after a jump and immediately getting back off the ground. Today, I was able to knock out several in row, although I need to make sure I get my hips opened up when doing so.

Overall, I'm relatively pleased with my performance. I know I can get a significantly higher score when I get my SDHP above pathetic levels, get used to a heavier wall ball, and get my push press more consistent.

I Was Raised on the Dairy, Bitch

2009-08-01T23:06:00.000-05:00

So I'm 6 days into my own "no grains, no dairy" challenge. I've been trying to gain lean body mass (LBM) since I started doing Crossfit, but really got serious about it in April.

I started drinking whole milk and trying to get 5,000 calories in per day. Otherwise known as the Dairy Challenge (skip to 2:56). I did it for about 6 weeks, then had to lay off the milk because my work clothes were fitting a big, er, snugly.

"All the dairy products is done. And we realized...nobody wins in the dairy challenge."

So I went off the milk until the beginning of July.

However, I did not keep my diet as clean as I should have, and thus did not lean out too much. So I went back on the whole milk train for another 3 weeks until last Monday.

I was at 191 pounds when I cut the milk out and told myself I would begin the no grains, no dairy challenge for at least 14 days. As Wild Bill always says, you have to do something for at least 2 weeks to see if it works. I'm definitely stronger than I was last year, and my goal is to keep my strength gains while losing some body fat.

Introduction Post

2009-08-01T22:32:00.001-05:00

I've started this blog now because the first of the month seemed like as good a time as any. Gnome sane?

Anyhow, I'm a former distance runner who's dealt with hip and leg problems for the past 4+ years. I found Crossfit last summer while studying for the bar exam and made my first excursion to an affiliate in late September. Unfortunately, my leg problems flared up on my very first workout, and the people at the Fort (http://www.crossfitfire.com) probably thought I'd never go back. But the idea of gaining some actual functional strength, especially in the upper body, was intriguing, so I've been hooked on Crossfit ever since. The people there are insanely strong and athletic, as well as being some of the most humble, hardest-working, and funniest people I've been around.

Check some of the links on the sidebar over yonder for other Crossfitting bloggers. Good stuff.