Kat's Training Diary

Chad and I are leaving tomorrow for the Qualifiers in Calgary. Getting really excited!

We found out the workouts late last night... can't say that I was pumped up, excited, or even pleased what they chose. I feel as though it doesn't test the 'elite' elements of CrossFit. There should have been something like an overhead squat, met-con clean and jerk, handstand pushups, double unders, etc. Right now, in my opinion the workouts are designed to allow alot of people to compete required. The only limiting factor is pullups for chicks... and even with these standards it makes pullups alot easier for those who barely have them.

Oh well... all I can do is work my butt off and hope it's enough to qualify. And if not then I guess I'm going the video tape route that Games Officials just posted today, or our Affiliate Team.

Saturday, May 2nd
WOD #1 - AMRAP 20 min of: 10 WB shots (20M/14W), 10 Box Jumps (20"), 10 Deadlifts (205M/145W), 10 Burpees)
Location: CrossFit Calgary
8:00am - Chad
9:15am - Katrina

WOD #2 - 1km Run
Location: Talisman Center
5:00pm - Chad
6:00pm - Katrina

Sunday, May 3rd
WOD #3 - Pick it up and Put it Overhead
Location: CrossFit Calgary
8:00am - Chad
9:00am - Katrina

WOD #4 - "Jackie" = 1000m Row, 50 Thrusters (45#), 30 Pullups
1:30pm - Chad
2:10pm - Katrina

Closing Awards Ceremonies
4:45pm

OPT WOD for April 29, 2009:
Complete 3 times for total reps:
20 sec Double Unders (40/43/44)
40 sec Rest
20 sec Situps (20/20/20)
40 sec Rest
20 sec KB Swings (16kg) (11/12/12)
40 sec Rest

Total = 222

WOW! Boy am I pumped up! I rocked those double unders this morning... I was cranking out between 2 - 2.2 double unders per second!!! Wishing I had done the CF Lethbridge WOD yesterday with speed like that. Very pleased with these numbers.

Now I'm just waiting (un)patiently for the WODs to pop up on the website for this weekend. I'm getting prepared... I went out and signed up for a new cell phone plan with Bell and got the Blackberry Pearl. Hoping I can just figure the thing out quick so I can use it for pictures, short videos, website updating, etc. Look for tons of pictures to be posted over the course of the weekend if I do in fact figure it out.

Once we find out the workouts, Chad and I are planning our meals and preparing them for the entire weekend. We found the BIGGEST cooler you will ever find at Walmart. It's so big it has a pull handle, which will come in handy since we will be packing ALOT of food. Look for me to post our meal plans and some pre-Calgary pictures.

Rest Day Discussion:

3-2-1 Shoulder Press = 75#-80#-86#

10 sec on, 20 sec off Sprint Row x5 for Total Meters = 332m

40 Burpees to a 12" target for Time = 2:15

My rowing is getting better I can tell. First time EVER I have seen the 500m split at 1:42! Whoop, even if it is only for 10 sec. Burpees were a little disapointing... didn't have an even surface to do them on, so my hands were staggered and much more narrow than I would have liked. Stopped twice as well. Oh well, I got it done regardless. Pleased with my press weights, last 3RM weight was 65# and 2RM was 70#, so large improvements there. Only .5# off of my 1RM weight so I'm staying on track.

Rest day for me tomorrow!

OPT WOD for April 26, 2009
3-3-3 Overhead Squat 110#, 121#, 121#
3-3-3 Power Clean 110#, 121#, 110#

8x 5 C2B Pullups; 20 sec rest between

Tabata Mash
- Situps 25/19/19
- Pushups 18/12/12

Had to workout at the U of L today. Got to the CFLA gym and it was rented out to baseball umpires and they weren't done until 3pm... So Chad and I made the trek to the U of L. Very different atmosphere! I felt slow and lazy just watching all the guys slowing walking around the gym taking 10 min breaks inbetween their exercises. The elevator music didn't help much either.

Chad was getting quite a bit of attention from all the older people he used to train when he worked their. I'm sure his appearance in the gym made their day. One fellow made a point of going up to EVERYONE (no joke) and letting them know Chad was there working out. It was great to see the smiles Chad put on their faces.

WOD #1 (6:00am)
3 Rounds:
5 Power Snatch (65#)
20 Pushups
20 Knees to Elbows
20 Double Unders
8:12

WOD #2 (12:00pm)
For Time:
500m Row
30 SDHP (65#)
30 Chest to Bar Pullups
5:57

I always learn alot when I watch a video of myself attack a workout. My arms felt like they were going to fall off in those pullups, yet on video they look pretty darn easy. Same with the SDHP. Kept the row at a 2:13/500m pace so I wouldn't gass out for the rest of the workout. Coming off the rower I felt like I attacked that part just as needed.

Down to single digits!

CF Lethbridge WOD for April 22, 2009:
A1.) For Time:
10 HSPU
20 Ass to Grass Squats
8 HSPU
20 A2G Squats
6 HSPU
20 A2G Squats
2:07

B1.) Tabata Double Unders
34 for all sets

Great work out with most of my strengths. Didn't stop in the first WOD. Had enough time in the tabatas to stop once quickly each time and still maintain a 34. Could have pushed a little faster in the squats. A sub-2:00 time is within reach on this one.

CF Lethbridge WOD for April 21, 2009:
5 Rounds:
20 WB Shots (14#)
20 Pullups
12:04

Pleased with today's workout. Could have pushed the WB Shots a bit harder in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, but keeping up with the WB monsters of our gym was pleasing enough. Watch out fellas I'm rocking the WB Shots lately! Focusing more about rhythm/timing of my jump and landing when I throw the ball helped to keep my mind off of the difficulty.

CF Lethbridge WOD for April 20, 2009:
4 Rounds for Time:
200m Run
20 Pushups
30 Box Jumps
10 Deadlifts (155#)
20:57

I had to stop in the middle of round 2 and almost called it quits. My heart was pounding abnormally out of my chest. I wasn't tired, I was just in pain and everything looked silver. Not cool. Didn't drink enough water after yesterday's workout and ate alittle later than I should have. Learning experience.

OPT WOD for April 19, 2009:
Part 1:
For Time:
50 Back Extensions
75 Double Unders
100 Anchored Situps
75 Double Unders
50 Back Extensions
5:28

Working on my arm drive
Part 2:
2x 400 meter Sprints with 2 min rest
1:18
1:14

Wicked workouts. Motivating to watch Chad push hard in those runs dispite the bad food we ate all weekend and huge hamspring cramps. Nice work!

My day in Brooks yestereday was successfull... one of my little nine years olds, Alyssa Fraser, became the P2 Argo Provincial CHAMPION! Congratulations to her, it's a huge accomplishment to be the best in the Province.

Can't train tomorrow because I have to drive to Brooks for my athlete's Provincial Championships. They'll do great, like always I can feel it!

2-2-2-2-2 Snatch Grip Deadlift
135#-135#-155#-155#-155#

Image taken from http://www.therazor.org/

Got home from taking my cat to the vet (it's their time to get their parts chopped off), and was greeted my my wonderful boyfriend who wanted to talk about CrossFit. Cool. I love CrossFit. Except he had one thing to say about his late afternoon sessions with clients... "what's wrong with Kat?" I guess that's what they had all been asking him after seeing my time on the whiteboard for today's WOD.

What's wrong with Kat!? Seriously? Just because I put up a time that's 2 or 3 minutes slower than the guys there is something wrong with me? Sure I love kicking the boy's butts, and do it on a regular basis, but why must something be wrong if I don't. You want to know what's wrong? I kicked butt in "Angie" yesterday (one of the 4 times below 20 min, out of over 40), I fell down and hurt my wrist, and I wasn't in the mental space going in today. And if you add my times from today's WOD to my time from yesterday I'm still kicking some serious butt.

I don't know whether to be flattered when people ask these questions or pissed off. I can't be the best at everything everyday. And when I get a workout that is filled with my weaknesses (rowing, and anything with a med ball), I don't think it's fair to expect me to excel.

I was, and still am pleased with my result today. I chose to push it on the row and keep that time low, which I did. It was just those darn WB shots that gave me trouble. So what. I met the goal I set out beforehand and that is what matters. Could I have been faster? Heck yes! But this workout would have had to be under different circumstances to do so.

I gave all I had in that single point in time.

CF Lethbridge WOD for April 14, 2009:
For Time:
1000m Row
30 WB Shots (14#)
50 Double Unders
30 Ball Slams (14#)
50 Med Ball Presses (14#)
13:22

Sort of funny thing happened to me yesterday. I was downstairs watching some TV, phone rang so I got up and started running to get upstairs. Slipped on our cement floor IN BARE FEET and fell HARD on my hand/wrist. It hurt so bad! The only thing that I could think about was that I sure hope it's not broken because I don't have enough time for this. Not broken, but sore. I can move it fine, but throwing that ball around kinda hurt this morning.

I'm starting to feel more confident in these workouts with rowing in them. Joining this rowing challenge with Concept 2 was probably the best thing for learning how I need to approach these rows for workouts. I'm consistantly getting 4:22-4:26 for 1000m rows without pushing too hard and able to continue a workout afterwards. Hoping this will bring down my 2000m time now too.

Seeing the workouts for the Great Basin Qualifier really pumped me up yesterday! I think those are some of the best workouts that will find the best OVERALL CrossFitter. The posted workouts didn't gear towards any athlete that specializes in one thing. Sure the small guys have the advantage in the squats and HSPU, but the heavy deadlifts kill them. And then those guys with great technique will fly through the snatches, but for the beasts that just muscle around the weights will probabaly get pretty sore doing so. Excited to find out the end result of that qualifier!

CF Lethbridge WOD for April 13, 2009:
"Angie:
100 Pullups
100 Pushups
100 Situps
100 Squats
15:52

Took 3 min off my previous time. Was hoping for something closer to 13 or 14 min, but the fact that I didn't shave my calluses off (almost teared in the pullups) and the fact that I suck at pushups didn't help me at all. I did the situps straight through (those are easy for me), which could have had an effect on my mid-line stabilization during the squats. I can normally bust through those in one or two sets, but not today. Pleased with the end result none the less.

Only 19 more days... OMG!

OPT WOD from April 12, 2009:
For Time:
15 Full Squat Snatch (65#)
9 Burpees
12 Snatch
12 Burpees
9 Snatch
15 Burpees
7:52

First time doing snatches in a metcon. I thought it would be similar feeling to overhead squat... NOPE! I guess I just need to practice them more in metcons, because 65# is wicked light for me and I SHOULD be tossing it around. Did the first 8 unbroken then paused because of the blood rushing to my legs. I shouldn't have stopped, because it just felt worse to get started again. Learning experience that's all.

Full day of painting at our house today. We're almost done our basement renos! YAY! Hope to have it completely done by the end of the day, so we can actually enjoy it and spend our time doing something our than putting up drywall or painting :)

1-1-1-1-1 Power Clean
120#

Need more work on this movement. Doesn't quite feel as fluid as the snatch for me. Kind of awkward almost. But I haven't worked on cleans for a while so what can I expect.

Push Jerks and Ball Slams!

CF Lethbridge WOD for April 9, 2009:
1000m Row then:
20-15-12-10-9-6-3 of:
Push Jerk (75#)
Ball Slams (20#)
16:40

I chose to use the weights prescribed for the men today, because I know I could bust out the push jerks with the ladies weight. This one fried the shoulders! But I hit a PR for the 1000m row (4:23) and I wasn't even going all out.

CF Lethbridge WOD for April 8, 2009:
AMRAP 20 min of:
5 Knees to Elbows
10 Situps (anchored, no abmat)
15 Box Jumps
17 rounds + 5 K2E

No stops, just a steady pace the whole way through. Could have maybe pushed it a little harder the last 7 minutes, but the K2E and situp combo was starting to get difficult. Those box jumps provided JUST enough time to recover the abs. Nice little gymnastic WOD.

Yesterday I also put in 12,250m of rowing for part of our World Rowing Challenge that CrossFit Lethbridge is participating in. On par to hit the 100,000m mark in one month to be entered to win a free Concept 2 rower. Next week we're having a Rowing Movie Night. Hop on a rower turn on a movie on the projector screen and just ROW! That should rack up the points for our team!

CF Lethbridge WOD for April 7, 2009:
21-15-9-6-3:
BW Deadlift (110#)
WB Shots (14#)
Pullups
13:10

My back is still pretty tight from my last workout. I had to do the WB Shots in singles mostly because I couldn't keep my chest up to catch the ball it is so tight. So I just went through this one nice and slow and used it to warm up and loosen off my back. It would be a good one to do again when I can actually try to go fast.

Just posting the workouts I did while in Edmonton...

Friday, April 3, 2009:
"Nancy"
5 Rounds for Time of:
400m Run
15 OHS (65#)
Previous Time 17:29
New Time 15:31

Took nearly 2 minutes off my previous time. Should have squatted faster... I was trying to be in too much control. Did this one at CrossFit Lineage in Edmonton. Nice big gym, still fairly new so there wasn't much personality to the place. Rocked this workout with another vistor from PEI... no locals :(

Saturday, April 4, 2009:
5 Rounds for Time:
4 HSPU
8 C2B Pulluos
12 Deadlifts (135#)
16 Box Jumps (22")
This workout was posted on the CF Journal last week with Jolie Gentry and Caity Matter. We chose to make the WOD 5 rounds instead of the 3 rounds the girls did, but I attacked the workout as if it were 3 rounds and then just finished the last 2 "just because". My time after 3 rounds was 5:01 (beating Jolie's time of 5:14) and final time was 11:59. I could have gotten about 4:30 I'm guessing for 3 rounds, BUT after the first round of box jumps I was going to piss my pants!! I was seriously debeating running to the washroom mid-WOD and thinking if it would be faster do take a fast pee break to have to stop in the box jumps everytime. Each round I was doing like 4 or 5 box jumps and then stopping so I wouldn't pee my pants. Then after I desided to keep going the thought entered my mind to not stop and actually just pee my pants. OMG... seriously I want to know how I would do in this WOD if my mind was actually thinking about the WOD and not everything else.

Taught me a lesson... ALWAYS pee right before the workout even if you don't feel like you really have to!
PS Lauren... no chick competition. I checked their boards... I was beating all the guys :)