North Central WOD 3

3 Rounds for time:

Row 500m

OHS 115lb, 12 reps

50 Double Unders

I tried my hand at this one today around noon. Did 10:12. I went hard- but I know I can- AND WILL- push harder in the heat of competition. I'll be looking to get in the vacinity of 9:15-9:45 this weekend. I kept the row to about a 1:45-1:55 pace and transitioned pretty slowly to the OHS and from the OHS to the DUs. All OHS I did unbroken and through strict ROM. I broke sets on the 50 DUs: 1st round= 0 times, 2nd round= once, and 3rd round= thrice. So...3rd round I'll need to find the fortitude to NOT STOP THE FRIGGIN ROPE!!!!! I'll do a light WOD tomorrow of pull ups and running- just something to keep myself moving- nothing crazy. Other than that...my training for regionals is DONE! Thursday's our travel day. Friday I'll register and catch some of the master's and affiliate team competition. Saturday I CRUSH. Thank you to everyone who has pushed me during my training, coached me, encouraged me, wished me well, and also to those who have prayed for me throughout this whole process. I'm gonna give it my all! I hope to make you proud!

Psalm 28:7

North Central WOD 2: "The Lift"

The North Central Regional WODs have been announced: WOD 1: 1400m Run, WOD 2: 25 min 1 RM Ground to Overhead (basically Clean & Jerk), WOD 3: 3 Rounds of Row 500m, 12 OHS @ 115lb, and 50 Double Unders. WOD 4 will be announced on Saturday evening. I like'em. I've always said, "The simpler the WOD, the smaller the margin of error...they also tend to suck more." These workouts will be simple and straight forward. Since we're still a few days out, I took a stab at WOD 2 today. I got a 5lb PR (not much but I'll take it anyday) and managed to mess around with some technique things. It was definately a productive workout. My progression was 135, 185, 205, 235, 250 (previous PR), 255-PR, 265 failed on the jerk overhead.

Here's the 250lb C & J:

And here's my PR @ 255lb:

Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1

165-175-185-195-200-205failed-205PR. This one was more a mental victory than anything else. I've been working to crack 200 for a while. I actually think I could've gone up another 10-15lb but I had a client show up so I had to stop there. Here's a video of the lift...

Sinusitis Cindy

Team Mhire, being the hardcore CrossFit training camp that it is, fakes these rarely seen smiles in a clever scheme to make all their adversaries think that team Mhire is softening up their game. Puh-lease. We gangsta.

Went to bed last night around 7:30 cuz I was feelin like crap. Woke up this am and not much felt like it had changed. I think my allergies are getting to me. Whatever it is, I had a headache and sinus/coughy throat thing going on all day. Still managed to push though "Cindy" this afternoon just for the heck of it. I figure "why not?" at this point. I tied my PR with 22 rounds. It felt good to sweat- but overall I still feel a bit run down. Guns and Hoses Challenge this weekend should be good. It'll be nice to be around athletes competing right before I go to regionals next week. I'm thinking about trying out WOD 2 for their challenge sometime tomorrow.

The Final Push, Jerk

Today I did a hybrid of WOD 1 from the Florida Sectionals: Every 2 min for 4 rounds perform 150m sprint, 7 Burpees, Max reps of 70lb KB swing. Your score is total KB swings. I have to admit, I'm not at all pleased with my performance- I got 65 KB swing reps. This was one of the most mentally challenging WODs I've done in a while. I started feeling sorry for myself around 3min in and kind of punked out a bit.

Yesterday went a little better. In the AM I started by working up to 1RM Push Jerk. Got to 250lb (tied my PR)...

...then worked up to 1RM Power Clean. Got to 250lb (PR is 265lb)...

If I would've done power cleans first, I'd have probably done better on them and worse on the push jerks- so I'm just gonna call it a wash. I finished up yesterday in the afternoon with the CFS daily WOD from today:

Row 500,400,300,200, and 100m each for time- rest 2-3 min between efforts. My times were 1:30/ 1:13/ :53/ :35/ :16 . It's down to the wire now with regionals coming up next Saturday in Denver. Tomorrow I'll take an active rest day and just move through a WOD like Cindy or Chelsea. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I plan to hit it hard. From there I'll begin my taper into the competition. I feel mentally and physically prepared. For whatever reason (at least right now) I feel less pressure than I did a couple of months ago going into sectionals. I'm sure the anxiousness will start to hit next week...

Filthy 50

Previous Filthy 50 PR on 11/11/09: 22:16. Today's time: 21:47 for a 34 second PR. Tried to find a steady pace and not burn myself out on the first 4-5 movements. My strategy definately helped me plow through the wall balls, burpees, and double unders at the end.

I felt fresh coming off of a nice Sunday rest day spent marinating with the family at the park. The weather was georgeous outside so we decided to get out and enjoy the day. One week out from Regionals...I'm feeling ready to rock!

Vin and Daddy enjoying a little stroll in the park.

Got V.S.B?

Friday I did 21-15-9 BW Backsquat (205lb) & HSPU. It took me 10:09. I rested about 5 min then did 3 rounds for time of 15 Ring Dips, Run 400m. I did that in 7:35.

Saturday I did the CrossFit Springfield daily WOD with CFS coach and all-around bad-A, Chance Potts. 21-15-9 Snatch Balance, Hang Power Clean, and OHS. All movements with a 95lb bar. My time was 9:21.

Very. Sore. Butt.

Yesterday: CFS WOD, Today: Rest Day

At the CFFB cert with Coach Grant, CFFB creator John Welbourne, and the owner and coaches from CORE CrossFit in Pheonix, AZ.

Did the CFS WOD yesterday to see how it would be. I had a little bit of reservation going into it because my hands look like someone took them to a meat grinder. But I gave it a go...AMRAP in 15 min of: 10 Pull Ups, 7 HPC @ 135lb, 5 Burpees. 9Rds. Ok, I guess- had a hard time pushing through (despite Jessi's constant barrage of, "Come on, J- you can get another round, but you gotta GO!") My freakin' fangers needed a rest day, dang it...but I wouldn't listen. Ready for a good one tomorrow...

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Mid-pull with 485lb. I made the lift for a 35lb PR. What you can't see off to the left is the 10lb bumper that fell off during my lift. That's what I get for not clamping. I'd have gotten 495lb today otherwise. I can-and will-get 500. I made a couple of conservative jumps early in my progression that wasted my mojo. Live and learn. I'm SO getting 500. FYI-for anyone perceptive enough who'd question- those aren't straps on my hands (straps are for weiners). I've got'em taped up because twice in the past two weeks I've torn massive callouses from my hands. The good part is both times were on PRs (3 min Fran & 46 max consecutive pull ups).

Regionals Tune-Up: Take 2

On Saturday, we had our final installment of our mock competition series...uuhhhggg. I say "uuhhhggg", but it was well worth the effort. Jake and David (9th and 11th at the Midwest Sectionals, respectively) came down from St. Louis and got after it with us. Around 10 other athletes and coaches from CFS participated in our one day only, 3 WOD fiasco as well, making it a great competitive atmosphere. The WODs were as follows:

WOD 1

Against a continuously running 25 minute clock, rotate through the following 5 movements (5 min/movement):

1) max consecutive reps of OHS, 135/85lb

2) max consecutive reps of Pull Ups
3) max consecutive reps of Push Jerk, 155/95lb

4) max consecutive reps of Double Unders

5) max consecutive reps of KB Swings, 55/35lb

You may take as many attempts as you wish within the 5 minute period but only your best consecutive rep efforts count towards your total score.

WOD 2

3 Rounds for time of:

10 Muscle Ups

Row 250m

10 Squat Cleans, 155/95lb

Run 250m

WOD 3

"The Mule"

For time:

30 Pull Ups

Prowler Sled Push, 150ft @ 255/185lb

10 KB Front Squats, 2 x 55/35lb

Prowler Sled Push

8 KB Front Squats

Prowler Sled Push

6 KB Front Squats

Prowler Sled Push

4 KB Front Squats

Prowler Sled Push

2 KB Front Squats

30 Pull Ups

All 3 WODs were very challenging. By the 3rd one, we were all feeling the fatigue of the day. On WOD 1, I finished 2nd with a total score of 232. I think everyone was surprised with how quickly the workout became increasingly difficult as the movements progressed- at least I know I was.

WOD 2 I finished 3rd with a time of 20:55. I'm not completely happy with my time on this one. I don't think I managed my work and rest very well. We did the muscle ups to games standards and they got me...yet another reason to practice the same way you're gonna have to play.

WOD 3 I also came in 3rd with a time of 9:25. This was just an absolute gasser.

Of all the footage we got of the competition, the following clip best sums up my thoughts on the events of the day...

Backsquats & "DT"

Strength WOD: 7 x 3 Backsquat. I worked up to 300 and stayed there for the last 3 sets. I rested around 5-10 minutes and then took on the mainpage WOD: "D.T." It's 5 rounds for time of: 12 Deadlift, 155lb; 9 HPC, 155lb; 6 Push Jerk, 155lb. Dangerously decieving WOD but I loved it. It was, without a doubt, a bit slower than I would have done it if I'd not done the backsquat work prior, but what I liked was the practice of getting through those times during the WOD that I REALLY wanted to put the bar down yet I didn't. Those are the small victories that add up over time. Today, my time for "DT" was 9:34.

Now...on to more serious matters: Yesterday Jessi got video of Coach B and Seabiscuit playing a game of "Look what I can do!" What happened next was hilarity. In the words of the great Chaz Michael Michaels, "Your welcome, Stockholm"

Back on the Wagon...

Feeling much better today, I tackled a WOD at noon with coach B. We did: Row 500m, 15-10-5 of Power Snatch and OHS @ 115lb, then row 500m, 5-10-15 of CTB pull ups and SDHP @ 115lb. Great grinder of a WOD. We didn't keep time...but of course I'm happy to report that I finished before thunderchicken (which is rare, so I have to gloat). It felt awesome to get a solid 20-30 min warm up in prior to the WOD. The warm up was a major point of emphasis at the Cfit FB cert last weekend. There's definately something to be said about the way that a good dynamic warm up can prime your body's mental and physical readiness to tackle a tough WOD.

Here's to tomorrow!!!

In sickness and health...

On our way out to Vegas for the CrossFit Football Certification Jenny looks at me and tells me she's got a sore throat. Sore throat? I'm like, " I don't plan on gettin' no sore pipes." Unfortunately, on Friday night, I forgot to bring my toothbrush and was left with no choice but to share with the infected one: Jenny. Jenny ended up wiped out by strep throat and spent all weekend in the hotel room. Her face and throught looked so swollen that you could see the inflammation just by looking at her neck. So...of course, I'm really just now starting to feel the aches, chills, and throat pain associated with strep. Sucks. We'll just keep prayin' for a quick recovery.

As for the Cfit FB cert- it was excellent- I'm very glad this strep junk has waited til now to rear its ugly head. Learned a ton in the way of football strength & conditioning programming, athletic development, warm ups, speed drills, and agilities. John Welbourne and his crew (Raphael Ruiz & Max Mormount) are LEGIT through and through. It made for a very well informed cert and a great time. I can't wait to get this thing off the ground here at CrossFit Springfield.

"Well-I hear that train-a-comin', it's rollin' round the bend"

Tomorrow we're off to Vegas for a CrossFit Football Cert hosted by CrossFit Las Vegas. Myself, Brian, Grant, Chance, and Jay will all be attending the certification seminar. We're all excited to delve into the programming, movements, methods, and modalities used by CrossFit Football creator John Welbourne and his crew. While we're there, I'm sure we'll find time to get into some mischief as well. I'm guessing the wives will determine how much mischief time we may be alotted. I do say, hopefully it is alot, Ted.

In preparation for an active weekend I took today off. I rested some but mainly played with Vin all afternoon. I had to go to the pet store to get dog food for our shitzu, gizmo. We went to the petsmart over near best buy and vin just freaked out the whole time because petsmart and best buy sandwich Vin's two favorite stores EVER: "CHeeeeyuckeeeeCHeese" & "De Deetar center"

So spoken like a true ignoramous father, I said I'd give him 2 choices..."Vin, you wanna go with daddy to get gizmos dog food and then go home and we can play?" OR "Vin, why don't you just come help daddy take gizmos food to the car and then we can go play the deetars?" My plan was to sabbatoge him once we got the dog food in. I'd just wrestle him into his car seat and off we'd ride to the homestead...Apparently my 2 yr old son has been lifting weights and training at this CrossFit Springfield strength and conditioning place for bad-A's for a year...2 hours later after banging on every drum, plucking on every piano key, and strumming every junior black guitar in Guitar Center, we said bye, bye to the drumsticks, bye, bye to the piano, and bye, bye to the deetars. Bye, bye Daddy's sense of Alpha.