Not very lady-like WOD hands

So after yesterday's WOD my hands are feeling it.  I have blisters and I now feel official as I have what I am dubbing as WOD hands.  It doesn't feel pleasant at all, but I luckily did not rip them open.
I am realizing that I will no longer have feminine hands.  Breaking nails, splitting nails, blisters, dryness, and calluses will be a part of my life now.  I must accept that.  However, I don't have to accept bad hair.  So in lieu of another WOD at the gym that will tear up my already tender hands, I got my hair done.  I did not skip working out all together though.  I did my own little thing before work.
20 air squats
10 push ups
10 sit ups
6X
This allowed me to work on the core strength that I am lacking.  I would really like to be able to do some of the gymnastic type WODs but I don't have the core or upper body strength to really work much on the rings.  I have a hard time with being able to stabilize and lift myself.  I am actually thinking that since this did not take that long to complete that I may add this to my day.  Well maybe not 6 rounds every day, but a version to work on some extra stability.
I also want to say a big thank you to everyone that is reading the blog.  I cannot believe the stats on my homepage!  Any support or suggestions that any of you would like to give to me is welcome.  Thanks again for reading.

Important lessons learned

I learned a few important lessons today during my workout.  The workout was 500m row and directly to  55lb bench press reps until I failed x4.  I completed 4 500m rows and then a total of 26 55lb bench presses.  (this is much harder than it sounds.)  I also found my max bench press which today was 75lbs.  

Lessons learned

1.  Do not eat pork for a snack an hour before a workout.  You will feel like puking during and after the workout is complete for about an hour.  (I didn't, but really thought it was coming)

2.  Rowing can cause your hands to blister if you hold the bar really tight.

3.  Always wash the days make up off your face before a workout.  You will wipe your face on your shirt at some point and end up with makeup smeared across your face and shirt.

I will have to learn from my lessons today.  All of these things I will not do again!  However, I seem to love the pain and oddly enough the nausea that I received from my workout today.  I think I am a little insane now.  It was not that long ago that I was afraid to even walk into a gym and now I really like it! 

I missed a little bit due to ear infections (yet again) and the other "Utilitarians" as they call themselves at my Box actually asked where I was and if everything is ok.  They genuinely care and want me to be there next to them working out.  I feel like a part of the group for sure.  Dare I say that I too am a Utilitarian?!  Not really sure about that yet.

Open Gym time

Sunday's are open gym time at the box.  This means that I can 1.  go in and complete a workout that I may have missed earlier in the week or 2.  work on something that I need to improve upon.  So I took the opportunity to have my husband/trainer work with me on back squats.  I was only using 55lbs and we were working on keeping my chest open because I am afraid I am going to fall on my face when I do them.  I also worked on assisted pull ups.  I really want to be able to do unassisted pull ups.  Even if it is only 1 at a time.  
After that I went for my first run with my new app called ease into 10K.  This is a 10 week to 10K training app.  It actually tells me when to run and walk, warm up and cool down right along with my music.  It makes running a breeze!  No looking at a stopwatch.  I can just run!  I love it.  I have 14 weeks until the 7.5 miles so I should be fine.  That is only about 1.3 more than a 10K.

CrossFit Regionals! Awesome!

So no workout today.  Instead I went to the CrossFit Central East Regionals for the CrossFit games.  I totally LOVED every minute of it!  CrossFit Utility had a team that kicked butt today.  Women's 70lb dumbell snatches and men's 100lb!  They sailed through the workout.  The rest of the team did a ridiculous number of squats, pull ups and shoulder to overhead, again with insane amounts of weight.    Then one of the trainers made the individual men's and also kicked butt in both workouts!
I also got to see Rich Froning 2011 Fittest man on earth, Graham Holmberg 2010 fittest man on earth, and Dan Bailey who broke 2 world records while I was there.  Not to mention Julie Foucher who is crushing world records for the women.
This has shown me that it is all about being the best me that I can!  There was so much motivation in that room.  The competitors were cheering each other on!  It was so awesome to be a part of possibly the best regional competition there is.
I also got a new CF tank top that says "getting stronger everyday"  This is my reminder that it is all about continuing to try.  As long as I am doing my best I will be successful at all things in my life.
So today I took away...find your motivation everyday and strive to be a better you every chance you get!

Day Off and Gardening

Today was an off day.  I did spend almost 2 hours in the yard getting my garden box ready, moving stones to widen my flower beds and shoveling up dirt and grass.  I felt awesome out there!  It was a beautiful Ohio spring evening!  The best part??  In 2 weeks I will have a garden planted. Fresh tomatoes, squash, green onions, broccoli and herbs will be on my plate in no time.  Oh and I won't be sore tomorrow because my CrossFit workouts have helped strengthen my squat, my stamina, and arm strength.
So I have no fear that I will wake up sore from yard work tomorrow!  YEAH!!!
Relay training will be taking a drastic shift next week as I have committed to the 7.5 mile leg now rather than the 4.8.  I do believe that CrossFit will help me reach this goal!  It is constantly varied functional movements.  This will help with the strengthening of the legs and core.  I am excited to push for a goal that just months ago seemed unreachable!  I hope that yo all will continue to follow my journey and cheer me on!

Feeling like a kid again.

Feeling a little silly tonight at the gym.  I felt like a little kid on the playground with pulls to inversion.  In this move you pull yourself upside down on the rings.  I needed a little assistance from the trainer to get myself upside down.  It was really fun to try something different!

Then in between working on that I had 4 rounds of 500m row.  My best time 2:12 worst time 2:21.  I feel good about both of those since this is only the second time I have gotten on the rowing machines.  

It feels so great to be getting to know some of the other members and feeling like I am a part of the group rather than just the new girl.  They remember my name and cheer me on to be successful!  I am actually enjoying the madness I put my body through.  I feel strong!  

On a side note the non smoker that I have become is an amazing feeling!  I am officially over what experts call the hardest time.  I am officially smoke free 25 days.  My Quitometer that I started states that I have already extended my life by 3 days and saved over $150.00!!  AMAZING!!!  Loving life right now.

Girl WODS will always suck...

So tonight's WOD was Kelly....
RX: 400m run
         30 20inch box jumps
         30 14lb wall balls
Repeat 5X
I am still scaling this stuff!  I swear I will never be able to do a complete WOD as prescribed ever!  But I guess that is what keeps me going.  I wonder if I will ever be able to really do it.
So my scaled back version wasn't much better.
   400 m run
   15 14 inch box jumps
   15 10lb wall balls
Repeat 4X
I am so glad I quit smoking!  My lungs were on fire during round 3!  However today I realized something...I have increase my box jumps by 2 inches,  I increased my wall balls by 2lbs, and I was there while my husband was helping to instruct the class!  This is real progress for me.  So maybe I am not doing a workout as prescribed, it doesn't make me weak.  I am getting stronger and more confident every time I walk in for another round of CrossFit insanity.
I wonder what I have in store for me tomorrow...