Daily Archives: February 25, 2011

SINS Challenge and my goals

Stronger, faster, leaner.

Those words have been echoing in my head for the past 7 weeks.  Probably longer.

What do I want this year?  To be stronger.  To be faster.  To be leaner.

Seven weeks ago I set a number of goals for Crossfit Central’s I Am Crossfit Challenge.  I’ve reached a few, and while there is only one week left in the challenge — and I may not reach all of them — I WILL reach my goals at some point in the near future.

After all, they’re MY goals.  And MY quest to be stronger, faster, leaner does not end with this challenge.  I already have plans to do as many challenges as I can that my Crossfit gym offers, but what do I do until then?

I will rest up for a couple of weeks.  Let loose a little.  Have some wine.  But my goals will continue to be in the back of my head.

For several days now, I’ve contemplated joining the Strong is the New Skinny Challenge.  And I have finally decided to jump in.  I already blog about my workouts, food and goals — so why not continue to hold myself accountable?

I realize that my story of transformation from this point on my not be as dramatic as others.  I don’t have much weight to lose.  I have gained strength and endurance.  But many of my friends don’t realize how far I’ve come.  I decided to pull out a few old pictures to give you an idea of how much I have changed.

Cindy poses in front of the St. Paul skyline in 1997 or 1998.I can’t remember whether this was 1997 or 1998.  Andy and I were in Red Wing, Minnesota for a wedding, and we trekked up to St. Paul for the day.  It seems like I’m looking at a totally different person.

Close up of a young CindyI was 20 or 21 when this was taken very early in my relationship with Andy.  I was still in college, because I recognize the balcony.

Andy and Cindy dress up for dinner in 1996Wow.

I hope my sense of style has changed as much as my weight and appearance.  And yes, that is Andy.  This was the summer of 1996.  Nearly 15 years ago.  That is one chunk o’ love.

There are so many more.  Andy and I were laughing at all of the old photos last night as I tried to pick out the ones to display in this blog.  They are pretty hilarious.

Needless to say, I’ve come a long way:

Cindy holds the barbell at the top of a hang power cleanBut I’m not satisfied with just looking skinny.  I want to be strong.  I want to feel lean.  And I want to run fast.

And with I AM coming to a close, the next week is a great time to reassess my goals and set some new ones.  In the meantime, I’m going to finish this challenge out strong.  I’m still practicing my handstands and pushups.  My shoulder press goal will be tested on Tuesday morning during Crossfit Total.  And I can celebrate what I’ve already accomplished — pushups on my toes, jumping on the box, and running 400m in under 2 minutes — consistently!

I will be strong enough to write RX on the board next to my name most of the time.

I will be an athlete.

 

 

A WOD ‘sandwich’

I had a feeling Wednesday evening as we chose the workout with the 800m runs that, somehow, the fates would get together to make me run 800s again on Thursday morning.

Afterall, it’s been a week of running 800s.  Why stop now?

And damned if I wasn’t right!

For time:
800m run
30 pull ups
30 R-armed DB Thruster (M 35# / W 25#)
30 L-armed DB Thruster
30 pull ups
800m run

Zach, who was in a particularly peppy mood Thursday (what the hell was that about?!), described the WOD as a kind of sandwich.  The 800s were the bread; the first set of pull ups was the lettuce; the thrusters were the bread and cheese; and the other set of pull ups was the condiments.

Someone pointed out that we don’t eat bread, so Zach told us it was Whataburger and we had just been at the bars, drinking.  Oooo—kaaaaay.

Despite my attempt to sleep more the previous night, I had been foiled, and I was still really tired.  I got off to a slow start on the run, and by the time I got back someone had taken my pull up spot.

“Dude!”  I yelled.  The thief explained there weren’t enough pull up stations, but he moved anyway.  And I finally got started.

Someone also took my dumbbell, but Zach quickly pointed me toward another one.  I used the RX weight, and we were not allowed to switch arms.

Our assistant coach pointed out how I was losing form and getting inefficient with the move, and suggested I work on keeping my core tight.  I always laugh when people say stuff like that to me, considering how weak my abs are still, but I always try.

Anyway, this WOD was brutal, but I pushed through.

Time: 20:38

It wasn’t RX because I’m still using a band for pull ups.  One day.  One day.