Back again

Another morning on the water. My dad is feeling better so we are optimistic that we will be able to do the race. 60 min of water time.

Also completed 47(17/10/10/10) burpees for the burpess challenge.

Change in plans

I have been avoiding putting it down but it looks like I may be missing this year's 90 miler. This puts my previous post in 'that doesn't make sense' category. My dad and training partner is injured (back problems over the last week) and might not be ready to paddle next week. This leaves me with the option of doing it solo which I don't mind but I need to find a C-1 or K-1 really soon. Hopefully it will all work out and I will still be able to race.

On the Water Again

I can't think of any other way to title practices on the river, so I am sticking with the basics. My dad and I were back on the Christiana this morning for an hour. Average practice. Did 46 burpees when we were done.

Crossfit 080827

For time:
30 Handstand push-ups
40 Pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 poods
60 Sit-ups
70 Burpees

23:21
30 Handstand push-ups (5:34) sets of 6-4
40 Pull-ups (3:03)
50 55lb Dumb-bell swings (3:15)
60 GHD Sit-ups (3:59)
70 Burpees (7:31)


Finished with 19 more burpees to catch me up on the burpee challenge.

As the times show the Handstand push ups (down to the top of my head) and the burpees were the hardest to complete. Very tired at the end, the last few workouts have really zapped me. Fortunately tomorrow is only canoeing.

Crossfit 080825

Murph

For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run

29:55
1 mile run - 5:57
20 rounds of cindy (5 pull/10 push/15 squat)
1 mile run - 6:56

Compare to 080502:

33:52
1 mile run - 6:00
20 rounds of cindy
1 mile run - 6:55

I was shocked that I was able to drop 4 minutes off of my time but I guess the last 3 months of Crossfit has helped with that. The push-ups slowed me down some. Next time I want to work on my squats, I feel like I should be going a little deeper than I am. I attempted to do my 44 burpess afterwards but I only got in 4 before my arms said 'wait till later'.

Crossfit 080821 & 080823

Crossfit 080821

Helen:

Three rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
1 1/2 pood Kettlebell X 21 swings (or 55 pound dumbbell swing)
12 Pull-ups

8:41 (2:48/3:04/2:49)

Compare to 9:02 on 080729

Crossfit 080823

Run 800 meters
95 pound Shoulder press, 21 reps
Run 800 meters
95 pound Push press, 21 reps
Run 800 meters
95 pound Push Jerk, 21 reps

17:28 (7:00/5:16/5:12)

Finished with 43 burpees

Helen was done all out and I think I might be able to get it to 8:30 but can't imagine much lower. The only place to make up time is to shave a few more secs off the run/transitions and to get the 2nd and 3rd round of pull-ups unbroken(right now done in 2 sets). So maybe 8:15 if I can do all of those things.

The second WOD was paced and I did the runs at a very manageable 7 min/mile pace. The times went down for the second and third sets because I had to break the shoulder press into more sets to get them done. If this was done fresh I think I could easily shave 2 - 2:30 min off the time.

The burpees were tough with the WODs but got through them just the same

Body Weight Bench Mark:
160.0 lbs, 8.5% body fat.

My goal for my weight is 165lbs/8% bodyfat

Still around

I haven't completely dropped off the workout scene but the last 4-5 days have been sporadic. I have been keeping up with my burpees(up to 43 today) for the burpee challenge but other than that and lots of walking around NYC I haven't done much else. I hope to make up the Crossfit workouts of Helen and Murph today.

Crossfit 080818 & 080119

080818

"Tabata Something Else"

Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

pull:6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6 - 48
push:15/15/15/15/15/12/12/12 - 111
sit:15/15/14/13/11/11/11/11 - 101
squat:20/20/20/20/20/20/20/21 -161

Total = 421
Tabata Total = 49


Compare to 080105:

pull:6/6/6/6/4/4/4/6 - 42
push:15/15/15/12/12/12/12/12 - 105
sit:15/15/14/15/14/14/13/13 - 113
squat:19/19/19/19/18/18/18/19 -149

Total = 409
Tabata Total = 47

080819

Deadlift 1x1x1x1x1x1x1

Only completed 5 sets of 1
225/245/265/275/275

Finished today with 38(13/13/12) burpees for the burpee challenge.

The Tabata beat me up pretty bad. Shortly after I finished I felt completely empty of energy, hence the lighter than max deadlifts. The burpees were particularly brutal and it was a fight to get them done. Hopefully my energy level will pick back up tomorrow. As far as the tabata goes I was please with everything but the sit-ups. I haven't been focusing as much on my abs lately but it looks like I will need to start again. I don't think a total of 450 is that far out of reach.

On the Christiana Again

Another early morning practice. It reminds me of my college days rowing on the Susquehanna river near Bucknell. We did our typical route this morning although the current was quite a bit stronger than on Thursday. Last week the water was dead and we spent as much time going up river as coming down, but this morning we spent about 2/3 going up and 1/3 coming down. We are going to try and practice again tomorrow AM to get more distance in before the race - only 16 days left! I probably won't post the course today because it hasn't changed much.

After practice I did 37 burpees for the burpee challenge, 20 pull-ups, and worked on BW bench press.

This past weekend

Well between canoing and other tasks my Crossfit workouts have been suffering over the last week or so. I hope to get back into them once the canoe race is over. In the meantime I have been keeping up with the burpee challenge - up to 37 today. I also knocked out about 70 pull-ups on Saturday.

Morning Practice on the Water

Today was another practice on the Christiana. We got out early and were on the water at 6:00 AM and got in a good 80 min practice including our run. Despite dealing with the wash of two power boats going by without slowing down, it was an un-eventful morning. The water was calm with limited current, I think we caught it between tides. I will post the course later today.

32(20/12) burpees done for the Burpee Challenge.

My shoulder is starting to feel better so I am hoping that by Monday I can start lifting again, till then I am avoiding work-outs that put too much strain on my shoulders and focusing on legs.

Update: Here is today's course, 6.6 miles on the water and .5 miles on land.

Crossfit 080803

"Griff"

800 meter run
400 meter backwards run
800 meter run
400 meter backwards run
800 meter run

Done on a treadmill: 14:39 runs were at 10.3mph, backwards at 5.1

Compare to 080609: 14:57

Completed 31 (16/15) burpees for the Burpee Challenge. Also practiced overhead and front squats with just a bar, and some light ab work.

Preacher Curls 10@60#, 10@70#, 10@80#, 2@90#.

Today was tough because my left shoulder has been bothering me. I tried to avoid and WOD with a lot of shoulder strain, hence the reason I went back to 080803 to when I missed 'Grif'. Happened to notice that Griff is actually only 800/400/800/400 but since I did the extra 800 the first time I figured I would stick with it.

Crossfit 080810

5k:

On a treadmill @ .5% incline: 18:35. I started at a 10.1 but after 2.25 miles I couldn't hold the pace so I dropped to a 9.6 and slowly came back up. After I crossed 5k I dropped the pace and ran till 4 miles and finished in 26:01.

I couldn't maintain that pace outside but still a nice benchmark on the treadmill.

Compare to 080623 18:36

After the run I did 30 Burpees for the burpee challenge 2:22 seconds 15/5/5/5.
Before the run I did a few benchmarks for the fitness standards link to the left, including 30 push-ups, dip with 1/3 BW(60lbs), pull-up with 1/3 BW(60lbs), high pull with 1/2 BW(80lbs).

For the fitness standards I think I am going to create a webpage or Google Doc to track them all .

Crossfit 080811

For time:
10 GHD Sit-ups
10 Back Extensions
95 pound Thrusters, 30 reps
50 Pull-ups

30 GHD Sit-ups
30 Back Extensions
95 pound Thrusters, 20 reps
35 Pull-ups

50 GHD Sit-ups
50 Back Extensions
95 pound Thrusters, 10 reps
20 Pull-ups

24:51 (7:53/9:06/7:53)

Pull-ups slow me down. Hard to do that many dead hang pull-ups and I just can't seem to get kipping down. Finished with 29(12/9/8) burpees which were brutal after all of those thrusters.

Weight Bench Mark:
158.5 lbs, 9.4% body fat.

Between vacation and a light 10 days of workouts my body fat crept up. Hope to get it back down by next time.

Water Practice

We were back on the water today down at the Christiana River in Wilmington, DE. Today was a shorter day on the water but we got in some good miles against the current and wind. We were lucky the weather held for us. It stormed before and after our paddle but cleared up during our practice. The only weather we dealt with was the wind.

Burpee Challenge Update

About all I have been doing the last few days is keeping up with the Burpee Challenge. I am up to 28 today. I should be heading back on the water this afternoon if the weather holds and hopefully back to a normal work out routine next week. The burpees are getting tougher. I am trying to keep it to two sets until I reach 40, then I might need to start 3 sets.

Crossfit 080801 and 080805

080801:

30 Muscle-ups for time, subbed with 30 pull ups and 30 dips with 40lb(25% BW) belt

6:48

080805:

Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5 reps

245/245/245/255/245(dropped weight to work on form.)

Compare to 080605: 235/235/245/245/255(4)

Finished with 25 Burpees

Triathlon Done!

Well I did it. I finished one of the Lake Placid Mini Triathlons on Monday and here are the results:

0:10:27(swim) 0:43:00(bike) 0:22:24(run) 1:15:51(total)

Second to last in my age group but still a finisher. Here is my commentary broken down by discipline and the overall is at the end.

Swim:

I knew going into this that the swim would be my weakest link and I was right. As we were standing knee deep in Mirror Lake waiting for the start I saw two bouys in the water. One was yellow and further away and the other was bright orange and about 50 yards closer so I asked a woman next to me which one we were to swim around. I was secretly hoping it would be the closer one but when the woman replied it was the yellow one I wasn't surprised. I stayed in the very back of the pack while waiting for the start since I had no intention of getting caught up in the swirling mess in the front. Once the leaders were about 20 feet out I started in at my own pace. I quickly discovered that since I hadn't practiced swimming I should stick with a stroke that wouldn't kill me - the side stroke. Not very fast but it got the job done. I was able to pass a few people out on the water and I also got passed by a 12 or 13 year old just be for the finish.

Bike:

I was looking forward to the bike since I had been practicing a little over the past two weeks. I had borrowed my dad's bike since it was lighter than mine and it had a speedometer. As I started the bike leg I felt good but it felt difficult getting into a rhythm to hold my speed above 18mph which was my goal. About 2 miles in I was able to find a good rhythm and kept the pace where I wanted. Here I made up a little ground on others but was also passed by a few guys. One guy on a mountain bike passed me and I decided I wasn't going to let him get to far ahead. I was able to stay with him and later pass him in the run. The bike course was fairly flat considering it was in Lake Placid. There were two hills to contend with but I felt I was able to handle them well.

Run:

This is the segment I was most looking forward to since I run quite a bit and was prepared for it. The first mile to half mile was tough on the legs as I worked out he lactic acid from the bike but I felt really strong the rest of the run. I passed a lot of people on the road and at this point no one else passed me. In fact I am pretty sure that I caught everyone who passed me on the bike.

Overall:

Overall I really enjoyed it and I came very close to my goal of 1:15:00. If I had done a little better on the swim and bike I think I would have come close to my big goal of 1:10:00. One thing I didn't take into account when guessing at my times was to include the transitions. I don't know exactly how much time I spent on each transition but it was probably about 1:30 on the first one and 1:00 on the second one. I would definitely like to try a few more mini-triathlons and maybe at some point try a half-Ironman. Beside overall preparation I would definitely like to train to improve my swimming stroke.

Random Activity

Today was lots of random activity. We are in Lake Placid for vacation and we took the kids up Cascade Mt. We didn't make it to the summit but the kids did great and we made it about 2/3 of the way up before the rain really started to come down. My three year-old did fantastic walking almost the whole thing and my older two did a great job as well.

Two important notes are my 19 and 20 burpees for the burpee challenge. I did the set of 20 un-broken in 1:03. I keep thinking I won't make unbroken the next day but I have been able to keep squeezing out that last one for now.