Kat's Training Diary

When Chad and I pulled up the workouts late Wednesday night last week, my heart sank and I got extremely nervous. So bad that I sat on the couch shaking for over an hour. To me, my goal was impossible. None of the events had any components that I felt were my strengths. Every single workout was a weakness of mine and was going to be a struggle. I'm lucky if I can string together 20 wall ball shots when I'm fresh, let alone 2 or 3 at the 10 min mark of the first workout. I struggle with deadlifts at any weight in metcons. Burpees suck. OMG 1km of running. I just learned how to clean and jerk properly like 6 months ago. And my short little arms and legs can only pull so fast on that rower.

I can remember my thoughts from that Wednesday night and Thursday morning... "Why am I even trying!? Is this really where my CrossFit path is suppose to lead me? Am I even ready for this?" Thank goodness I have Chad to turn my perception around. Throughout Thursday and Friday we discussed my game plan, how to go into it, and how to end each workout. Without him I don't know that I would have made that trip to Calgary this weekend.

We got to Calgary early in the afternoon on Friday, checked into the hotel and then went to see the new Wolverine movie in the IMAX. It's worth it, great movie. Plus it helped us to keep our minds off of what we were getting ourselves into over the weekend.

WOD #1: "Every Rep Counts"

AMRAP 20 min:

10 WB Shots (14# to 10' pole)

10 Box Jumps (20")

10 Deadlifts (145#)

10 Burpees

I have NEVER felt that bad after a workout in my entire life!!! I thought I was going to throw up my entire stomach! That was the worst workout by far. A couple of my wall ball shots didn't count in the last round, but I just kept throwing that ball so I could get to those box jumps. The box jumps were the saviour of this workout. Jumped up, stayed on the box for a breath or two to show full hip lock out and make sure my entire foot was on the box, jump down and immediately spring back up. Deadlifts were horrible... I need work on those BAD! I must have dropped the bar 3 or 4 times not even thinking about it. And once the bar was out of my hands I knew... DAMN IT YOU CAN'T DROP THE BAR KAT! Oh well... first workout in my first ever CrossFit competition. I had more in the tank, but that's the learning experience in this whole process. It was still good enough for 6th place and 7 points.

Now for 5 hours of hanging out in the hotel before our next event. I ate a large post-WOD meal and then immediately fell asleep. I had the best 2 hour nap ever! Woke up and getting "pumped up" for the next one. I say "pumped up" because those of you that know me know how much I suck at running which leads to my displeasure when I see that's what I have to do. I'm getting better, but usually 10 paces into the run I'm exhausted. Can only solve that with practice... and you better believe I'm going to be doing ALOT of running in met-cons this summer.

WOD #2: "The Kanadian"

1km Run on a 200m track

I was pleased with that one. I had no idea what time or pace I should be running. James said to me before, "just make sure you're out in front at the beginning to scare the rest of your heat, but not too far that you can't hold onto it". I felt that I executed his advice well. I got out infront off the start and held the lead until the 3rd lap. Two girls passed me, but I didn't allow them to stay too far in front. The last straight stretch I put on the high gears and motored passed one of them and nearly caught the other. That last lap I had to pee so bad!! I must have peed like 3 times before my race and I still had to go. I told myself that I better run ALL OUT and if there was ever a good time to pee your pants at CrossFit this was it! Chad was alittle embarassed by this comment, but hey that's what it took for me to get it done! In the end it was good enough for 9th place in this event and 5 points.

Left Day 1 tied for 8th place with 12 points.

After that I knew I had a war ahead of me in Day 2. I wasn't completely out of the race for the top 3, but it was going to be the most gruelling task I have ever embarked on.

WOD #3: "Pick It Up And Put It Overhead"

3 attempts for max weight

Just got off the scale for the weigh in and even before we started warming up I had Chad Williams (one of the head judges) come up to me and ask if I had lifting shoes. "Not real Oly shoes, just my usual Five Fingers why?". I guess there was talk the day before about Five Fingers not constituting as shoes and shoes are required for all events. Since when are Five Fingers not shoes? What are they then? And how can one of the sponsors of the 2009 CrossFit Games not be considered legitamite footwear for CrossFit activities. That question had me worried. I told Chad Williams that I had my Five Fingers or Crocks for footwear, so I hope they would allow me to wear the shoes I had been all weekend. I didn't hear back from anyone regarding this so I guess there were no more issues.

Warmup up to 130#. Went with the 125# on the first attempt to "feel good" and get that first lift in the books. Well it dodn't exactly go as planned. The judges loaded the bar with 124#... I stepped up and got ready. As my hands were on the bar I realized my foot was right on top of the seem of the rubber flooring mats that were unlevel. I shouldn't have performed the lift, but my hands were on the bar and it was go time. Didn't get my elbows up and wrists turned over to catch the clean. I couldn't believe I missed that lift! My 1RM is 135# power clean and jerk. So for me to miss a 125# was was very clearly rattled! Chad called me over and we talked about snapping my elbows high and getting aggressive with the weight. JUST DO IT! My second attempt was perfect. The bar was lined up over top of the crack again and I had the judges move the weights so that my feet were not on top of the seem. I felt like that lift happened in slow motion. It was great!

What to do next lift? Do I go up to 130# or go for my 1RM of 135#? Chad told me to go for it and do it for him. Do it like I do in our gym and pretend no one else was there. That was easy for him to say. He wasn't the one to became known to the Big Dawg crew as "the little girl with the big lifts" or the one with all the eyes and cameras staring at. I lined up got set and went. Caught the bar a little deeper in the squat than I usually do and just couldn't squat it up. Disappointing to be 10# under my best, especially since I lifted the 135# on Thursday. But it was meant to be and was good enough for 2nd place and 13 points in that event.

Chad and I left right after my lift to go back to the hotel. They announced that the WOD #4 heat times would be changing so that the top 8 athletes after the 3 workouts would perform in the final heats of the afternoon. We decided to get back to the hotel as soon as we could since we had to check out by 12:00pm and go back to CF Calgary once we were out to find out our workout times. Chad was sitting in 18th place out of 40 athletes and I was tied for 3rd out of 24 athletes.

WOD #4: "Jackie"

For Time:

1000m Row

50 Thrusters (45#)

30 Pullups

The wait was brutal. I went over my game plan in my head over and over and over again.

Steady pace on the rower. Let those girls get ahead of me since rowing is not my strong point. And then attack the thrusters and pullups with full force. That was the PLAN.

James did not make me any calmer before he said go. He made an announcement to the audience, while looking at Katy Josephs and I: "Before we get started I want everyone to know how tight it is for the top 3 spots. We have two athletes tied for 3rd place. So we need everyone's energy focused on these athletes right now." My game face was on I'm sure! 3-2-1 Go... 300m into the row I had dry mouth already! I was trying to move my toungue around to get some saliva going in my mouth. No luck. All the girls got off the rower and I still had 200m left. Thank goodness I had Chad right in my view telling me to stay calm and maintain the game plan. Got off the rower and went right into the thrusters. Took more breaks than I would have liked but my legs were jacked up!! Got on the pullup bar... ok Katrina this is it, if you ever had a chance all workout the chance in NOW! I caught up but it wasn't quite enough... finished 2 pullups behind.

I was devestated. I couldn't move my arms or my legs. I laid on the floor completely defeated both physically and mentally. I wanted to get up and congratulate the girls... they earned it. But I couldn't move. Chad had to literally pick me up off the floor and sit me on the box. I must have sat there for a good 5 minutes just trying to get the strength to move. After I left that competition floor I tried my hardest to hold it in, but I just couldn't. I finished 6th place in the last workout just behind Katy. Based on the point system we got the same number of points for our performance in that workout, so we finished the competition tied for 3rd and only 3 girls get to go to Aromas. The tie breaker rules go to the fastest Jackie time, which was Katy so she earned her spot on the team.

So close. I couldn't have been any closer. In one hand I feel sad and disappointed in missing out on that team, I wanted it SOOO bad. But on the other hand I am so extremely proud and happy with my performances and ranking considering the events and what I managed to do. This was suppose to happen for a reason. I'm suppose to train harder than I ever have before and be back ready to KILL it next year. Nothing can stop me know. I have unfinished business and now have 365 days until the 2010 CrossFit Games Canada West Qualifier! Watch out Canada West... you have no idea what you are in for!!

Special shout out to all Chad and I's supporters from Lethbridge! You guys represented the true spirit of CrossFit Lethbridge and helped push Chad and I farther than you would have thought. It meant alot to us seeing everyone's smiling faces before and after every single workout. A special thanks to Sean for video taping my entire 1st workout! And to Jo, Brandie, and Lenee for counting the reps and knowing there was a scoring issue. Your continuous discussion is what make me watch the video 3 times before bringing it to the results committee. Thank goodness for that round!!