Excuses? She Ain't Got No Time For That

photo courtesy of Crossfitter and future Crossfit Games Winner Megan Burdine 7/22/13

 

 

Have you ever said, "I can't"?  Of course you have. This little pistol of a woman is my inspiration.  Take a look at this pint-sized powerhouse.  She's a ginger, and she's got the edgy spark in her personality to support it.  She's 125 lbs, and she lifts more than a lot of adult lifting men.  She's a relentless competitor, and one of the friendliest, most easy-going people you will meet. 

 

Sharon is smack dab in the middle of the 2013 Crossfit Games - she's no stranger to it, she was there last year too.  But this year, she's got her eye on the winner's stand, and she's only a few events away from stamping her name all over it.  Crossfit, Shmossfit you say... This competition represents the fittest "normal people" on Earth.  Ok, most Crossfitters aren't exactly normal, but that applies to our general thought processes.  I'm talking about parents, co-workers, brothers, sisters and friends.  Not olympic athletes, not athletic prodigies, just people that go to a different gym.  Sharon is a realtor.  She helps people buy and sell homes for a living.  When she's not driving a home buyer around to find their picket fence, she's clean and jerking, pulling, pushing, jumping or climbing. 

 

She also celebrated a big birthday this past year.  She's 60.  Think of the 60 year olds you know.  Ok, forget that, think of the 50, 40 and 30 year olds you know.  She defies any number, allowing strength, power, and dedication to rule out agey aches, pains, fat, muscle loss, and weakness.  How does she do it? She dedicates herself to her workouts, has excellent trainers in Amanda, Dave, and the other coaches at Crossfit Frederick, and kicks up the serious factor when competitions get close.  She doesn't live like the Amish.  She has a boat and enjoys that life when she can.  She has a cocktail or two with her friends.  She eats well most of the time but might have a cheat here and there.  She just keeps everything in check and pushes, pushes, pushes herself.

 

I admire most that she makes a decision to compete and does not give up.  She has a wonderful husband, Ted,  who supports her and is always right there at her events. 

 Look at that other beasty handsome husband in the background - who does he belong to?

 

 As she started this journey to the games, in the Crossfit Open, I had the [pleasure?] of doing Open 13.5 RIGHT. NEXT. TO. SHARON.  Needless to say, she advanced, while most of us, err, did not.  The Open starts with 10s of thousands of Crossfitters around the world, and narrows it down to the best of the best, allowing only the strongest and fittest to head out to California to compete.  She's there right now, with two more days of competing ahead of her.

 

So, Sharon, Go Get IT!!  You make all of us Crossfit Frederick proud. Even the live announcers said, "Like a Boss," as you pulled that 70 lb. sled across the grass and back like it was a bag of feathers. We are humbled by you yet basking in your success right along with you. You have a great group from CFF out there supporting you.  Next year, I hope to be another screechy screamer in the actual crowd for you - I'm confident that the hollerers there for you this year are loud enough without me. 

 

If anyone hasn't seen her events, go to www.games.crossfit.com  or you can watch the video of the push/drag/pull event here: http://games.crossfit.com/video/push-drag-pull-women-60-heat-1-2.  Sharon, you continue to inspire me - now I'm gonna get off my computer-staring butt and go do some thrusters and runs.  



Freedom Isn't Free

Murph.  Every Crossfitter has a love/strong dislike relationship with this Hero WOD.  First of all, it's a benchmark.  Crossfitters will ask each other what their Murph time is, because in this WOD, time measures, and in this case, yes, the measurement matters. 

The  "Murph" WOD is actually named in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y.  He was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.  His story was described by Marcus Luttrell in "The Lone Survivor," one of the most compelling accounts of the war in Afghanistan that I have read.  This particular workout was one of his favorites and he called it "Body Armor."  The workout is a grueling 30-45-60 minutes, depending on your skill level, and consists of:

1 mile run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
1 mile run.

Here's why I love it: I remind myself that it's actually a privelege to do his workout.  He can no longer do it, and I am able to, along with so many others.  This suburban mom, who never served in the military, is aligning myself with a true national hero, one who received the Medal of Honor, and honoring him by doing the workout.  I remind myself that he gave his life for freedom, so a little bit of discomfort and exhaustion on my part is a small price to pay. 

So, after all the groans and the complaints about the heat, (Hmm.  Maryland heat in a jogging bra and shorts versus Afghanistan heat in full Navy Seal gear) we lined up and waited for "3-2-1 GO!" This was my 5th Murph, and while I'm still not Rx on it, I'm getting closer.  And today, it was just me and the Big Boy Rx Club.  I said goodbye to them on the first turn of the mile, and watched them fade into the morning sun - far ahead of me.  My caveat is the dang pull-ups.  I can do 10.  Once.  Then I can do maybe 4 or 5.  And then I'm done, not from quitting but for being the longest student on earth of Pull-up class.  I'm in quadruple remedial pull-up class at this point.  Therefore, I did chest to bar pull ups using the box.  To compensate for my compensation, I got all ballsy with the big boys and decided to grab a vest -  of the 20 lb variety. 

Here's what I would like you to know if you aren't a firefighter, police officer, or military person before you don that vest.  It's heavy, and it wreaks havoc on calves and quads.  My calves were mini-cannonballs after the first mile.  I came to my senses and removed the 20 lbs - I got to watch one of our trainers wear the vest the entire time and complete Murph in a beautiful 32 minutes. 

My time was my slowest yet, 54 minutes, which clearly was not my intention.  But, I pushed myself further than previously because my push ups were Rx when before they were on my knees.  I wore the vest, which I'm really happy there isn't any photo evidence, and I pushed myself onward when it was hot, tiring, and nauseating.  These workouts are an opportunity.  Murph is an opportunity to see what you are made of, and to realize that you are doing something not only for yourself, but ultimately out of respect for someone else, just a 29 year old guy who believed in saving our country. 

Lemony Squares. A Series of Unfortunate Events.

I'm one for one.  I tried two new things in the kitchen today, with results that negate each other.  Basically, what I'm trying to say in a delicate way, an act in and of itself that goes against every fiber of my being, is that one recipe gets a giant "FAIL" stamp across it, and one gets a big fat "YES!!!!" on it.

Let's talk about the Fail.  Or, as I usually tell my kids when they blow a game on the field or bomb a test, it's an opportunity for growth.  Well, this is a giant opportunity for growth, because anything tastier than sawdust will be better the next time.  You know that family recipe that you aren't ever supposed to mess with? The one your mother says, "You have to do it exactly like this or it won't work."  Well, she's right, and my kitchen karma's butt had a big ol' bite taken out of it today.

Lemon Squares.  These are typically a summertime favorite, and my mother-in-law's recipe is simply the best.  They are easy, made traditionally with ingredients in the average American's pantry and refrigerator: butter, flour, sugar, lemon, baking powder and eggs.  So, I grabbed the lemons and the eggs, and set out to make a Paleo-friendly version of my Mom in Law's party favorite.  First, I mixed coconut flour, coconut oil, and honey to make the crust.  Then, I mixed the eggs, a little almond flour, honey, lemon zest and lemon juice to make the lemony filling.  The lemon part was just fine, less sweet than the normal recipe but very good.  The coconut flour crust tried to kill me by forming a giant solid lump in my throat, and it tasted like sawdust mixed with cardboard and maybe some concrete powder thrown in.  I now realize I need to do a little further paleo cooking research and revisit the Lemon Square transformation task. 

The "YES!" recipe is 1. Convenient.  2.  Easy.  3.  Perfectly Paleo.  Broccoli Slaw is my newest summertime BFF (Best Food in the Fridge).  I bought 2 bags the other day, and had it first raw, with the sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and real bacon pieces that came with it.  I tossed the soy-filled dressing in the trash.  I added a little olive oil and cider vinegar, and I will give that a firm "Meh" rating.  But today, I STEAMED it - delicious!  Purple and green cabbage, broccoli, and the nuts and fruit, along with a slab of leftover wild Alaskan salmon, and my lunch was satisfying, guilt-free, and delicious.  Plus, I have 3 dogs to blame all the farts on. 

No one wants to be spending hours in the kitchen in July, which is just a few days away.  We are looking for lighter foods, less heat from the stove, and more time to spend outside.  Go get these bags of pre-julienned veggies.  Cabbage and broccoli are filling, and when steamed they soak up apple cider vinegar like George Hamilton soaks up UVB rays.  I'm going to retry the dang lemon squares.  hopefully they will fall into the Yes! column before the fall weather. 

Crossfit Confident

I really should be more consistent.  We're all working on things, I'll move consistency further up my list.  I could come up with a lame excuse and say that my last post about George was so good that a worthy follow up eluded me... but I'll just take it on the chin and say, "My bad."

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to bring a friend's nephew to the Box with me.  He was visiting from out of town and wanted to do Crossfit while he was here.  She volunteered me to take him, so after a few probing questions on how qualified he was (yeah, that turned out to be a joke, the boy had skills) we signed him up and brought him to the Team WOD on Saturday am. 

Saturday Team WODs have no instruction.  It's assumed that you know what you are doing and can hold up your side of the team.  Everyone works hard, sweats a lot, and teams are competitive with each other - to the point of mocking the other team as you pass them (this is not for the beginner, unsure Crossfitter - it's sibling rivalry on crack.) He assured us he was up for it, and he did great in his team and overall.  It's what happened in the car, chatting on the way home, that inspired me to write this - I've shared this with his aunt, and several other people because what he said is so true.

On that day, post-workout, Chris and I were headed out of town to help with a hospitalized, sick family member.   Our visitor was telling us about challenges he had recently faced in his own life.  At twenty years old, he had recently experienced his young stepfather dying suddenly in front of him.  And now, just a week earlier, his mother found out she was facing a life-threatening disease and would be starting treatment. (The nurse in me is keeping the specific private details out - you are going to have to accept the generality here.)   Remember, he's 20 years old.  What he said next floored me: "Yeah, I have had a lot of really bad things happen.  Many people live their whole life and don't experience what I've had to in 6 months.  But, I know that somewhere, somehow, this will all become a positive experience for me.  I can't let it remain a negative experience.  It will have some sort of a positive spin to it eventually in my life."  Wow. 

He went on to say that he believes the power that Crossfit gives someone provides an unforeseen confidence.  He felt that this confidence helps him cope effectively with whatever life hands him - and he's had quite the handout lately.  Unlike other gyms, Crossfit is much like our own families.  Members encourage growth in other members, supporting them, pushing them, and not only helping others build physical strength but emotional and mental strength as well. Quite simply, doing Crossfit helps you face life differently. 

By going to the gym and pushing himself, he left his frustrations and anxiety somewhere between box jumps and burpees.  I always equate it to the working dog.  If the dog is working, doing something close to what it's been bred to do, the dog's mind is at ease.  When it's held back from doing its innate job, the dog gets frustrated, anxious and downright batshit crazy.  We are also animals, and pushing ourselves physically allows our minds to focus with new clarity on the correct target.  He pushes himself every day at his gym, and even found his way to an out-of-town Box.  When he goes home, this 20 year old kid can deal with very grown up issues, and not sweat the little things that clutter our anxiety closets. 

This young man made an impression on me 2 weeks ago.  I've thought about the things he said, and couldn't believe they were coming from such a young mouth.  If someone questions, "Why Crossfit?" this, among many others, is a substantial, life-altering example. 

By George, He Did It!

I would like all of the Paleo Doubters out there to meet George.  I asked George if I could share his story, because he is a remarkable example of what a clean, healthy diet plus hard work does for a person.  Everyone loves Before and After stories, and our one gym alone produces a bunch of them.

This is George at Christmas 2011.  32 years old, 325 lbs with high blood pressure.

 

George came to Crossfit Frederick 4 1/2 months ago in the end of January. Before that, he had been doing Crossfit-type (yeah, whatever) workouts for 6 months.  I still remember his first week.  Starting Crossfit and coming to the noon class may put you smack in the middle of The Chris and Angela Show, which on many days is loud, annoying and shocking but just might possibly be entertaining.  There are few boundaries to our competition, and if one of our classmates chooses to get in the middle of it, they become fair game in the competition as well.  But George was quiet, observant, and persistant.  We all gave him the high-five welcomes and chitchats that are normal for the Box.  If there's a new person, they are definitely not ignored.  He smiled, and quietly kept working. 

Those first couple of weeks, George finished behind everyone, but he always completed the WOD.  "Did Not Finish" is clearly not in his vocabulary or character.  Gradually, I could see his confidence building.  He was getting stronger and more proficient at the workouts.  And then the Paleo Zone 10 week Challenge began, and he signed up to participate. 

The 10 Week Challenge is a tough one.  The requirements sound simple, but the challenge requires unending discipline and hard work.  Many members took on the challenge.  Some dropped out after a few weeks when they recognized and felt the discomfort.  Others persisted, and their very hard work paid off in inches, lbs and body fat flushed down the drain.  How did they do it? They measured their food, every time.  They ate 4-6 small meals per day, equally balanced in protein, carbs, and fat.  They ate REAL FOOD only.  Nothing processed, no additives, only the seasoning they used with their home cooked meals.  They abandoned sugar and alcohol - (alcohol was the bitch factor many used over and over again in the gym.) They journaled and submitted their meals for evaluation, every week.  They waterboarded themselves with water intake.  And they hit the gym, often.  George worked out hard 58 out of 70 days.  That's pretty much 1 rest day per week, with only 2 extra days off (I know, don't hate on my math skills - you can just refer to me as a Beautiful Mind...).  Like Jessica, Megan, Dan, Rudy, Julia, Jenn and Bob, George persisted, sucked it up, and kept at it. 

Stretching is our social hour, okay, our social 10 minutes.  During this time, we all talk about parties, trips, social events, food, or whatever.  George and the others would eat their measured-out post-workout snacks, and listen to how we Dietary Heathens were misbehaving while they kept their focus.  There was a period of about 2-3 weeks when I didn't see George.  Oh, he was there, notching away his 58 days, we just went to different classes.  When I saw him again, I did the cartoon double-take.  I couldn't believe how much he had changed.  In such a short time, he was transforming himself into a smaller, leaner, stronger, healthier version of his old self.  He was becoming a Paleo Poster Child.

Meet ROCKSTAR George! This is what losing 15 inches, 10.3% body fat, and 97 lbs looks like!!

In the end, we celebrated the awesome results of several members.  If people ask you about "That Crazy Diet," send them to this link, where they can see the Before and Afters -  Challenge Winners/Results.  Eliminating the garbage from your diet gives results.  Amanda and Dave always say, "The Numbers Don't Lie," and they are right.  If you take in the right amounts of good food, and burn off what you can, the numbers follow.  And, after the 10 weeks, they embraced their new lifestyle.  It's not a way of eating that's easy to abandon.  Processed foods taste different when you try them again.  Dairy and Wheat wreak havoc on your gut.  And sugar, sugar... the teaniest bit of sugar tastes like a cup of it, almost too sweet to tolerate.  I took a bite of a Zone Bar yesterday, and promptly spit it out because of the sweetness overload. 

So, take a good look at George.  Let him serve as a reminder that good health hopefully gives us all the chance to be around a lot longer, to give us more, better days ahead. 

Good For You.

Box Jump Muscle Ups.  Check.  Chin-ups.  Check.  And it's only taken nearly 3 years.  Unfortunately, it happened on kind of a big day, my son's graduation day, so I couldn't drive everyone nuts around me by reminding them over and over, and allowing them to shower me with accolades.  I had to put the focus where it truly belonged, on a much more important success attained by my first-born son. 

Look, as a kid, I was not a major athlete.  I played some volleyball, ran a little track and played what we called intramural football (college sorority teams on friday nights - more like cheap, B-movie entertainment), but I was not all-county, all state anything.  One of the things I LOVE about Crossfit is that it gives adults of any age a chance to understand what it feels like to be an athlete.  I'm much more of a sprinter, a climber, a lifter and a jumper than I have ever been in my life.

There are a handful of challenges on my fitness and strength list.  Pull-ups, double-unders, and handstand pushups - in that order.  I can do 1-2 pullups.  I can do 1-2 double unders, and I can do handstand pushups, just not all the way to the floor.  This past week, I crossed Box Jump Muscle Ups and Chin-Ups off the same list!  WOO HOO!!  I actually "woo-hooed," very loud, several times, at the gym.  Before I did both, my brain was running through back-up plan scenarios.  In fact, even after I had done 1, 2 and even 5 of each, I kept thinking the next one wouldn't happen, that it was just a fluke.  However, I got through 30 of each.  30!!!! On previous attempts, I had gotten a big ol' Goose Egg. 

Good for her, you're thinking.  By the way, did you know that "Good For You" typically, 99% of the time, means "F-Off," or "I don't really give a crap, it's just a way to get you to shut up."  Think about that the next time someone says, "Good for You."  Before you go all "Good For You," I'm trying to say PERSIST.  PERSEVERE. KEEP TRYING.  DON'T GIVE UP.  One attempt, one single possible failure out of many, will be your success.  What the heck will make you get it one time when you've had 973 other attempts that didn't work? Who knows, but it happens.  I look like I'm doing a seizure dance when I try to kip.  Straight, jumping chin-ups worked for me.  Now, I have to learn to string them together somehow, but I have a little more confidence in myself than I did previously. 

You have something.  Everyone has something.  It's the thing you see someone else attempt and conquer, and you know you're capable, you just don't understand why the stupid thing hasn't clicked in your brain.  I've seen people terrified of the box jump.  I've seen people, okay, my husband, get 2 feet off the floor on the rope and go no further.  I've seen people like me, spend minutes whipping themselves as they attempt to do double-under jump roping.  I've seen others go into the handstand and fall over sideways.  They all, however, put themselves to the test, and continue to do so. 

Do not ever, ever, ever Cherry Pick.  Don't avoid the gym a particular day because it's hitting on your weakness.  Don't try to sell a medical reason simply to avoid the difficulty.  Lately, when the WODs have involved my weakness, I've decided to start out trying to do it.  I can always move over to the rings or do tuck jumps instead - but I'm giving myself the opportunity to fail.  Or succeed.  Leave your insecurities with your car keys, and remind yourself that you have become an athlete. Athletes get stronger, better, and faster.  And they learn new things.

Stay Thirsty, My Friends

Now that the hot weather is FINALLY upon us, it's more important to focus on hydration.  I know this, because yesterday's workout required a mop to clean up after ourselves from the rivers of sweat, and I pretty much felt like dog poop the rest of the day. 

Normally, I drink 5-7 liters of water a day.  I try to drink my body weight in ounces every day, then I add another liter or so to replace coffee and sweat.  Water isn't enough, though, when you're sweating or peeing all of your electrolytes out.  Coconut water is a great source of potassium and sodium, and if you're working out, running, or even just doing a lot of yard work in the heat, you need to be replenishing your electrolytes.

There are some easy signs to recognize that you are suffering from mild to moderate dehydration.  First, if your mouth is dry, drink.  That's the earliest sign that you are getting out of a normal fluid balance.  Second, look at your pee.  Oh, come on, don't make that face, we all look at our pee.  Even my 11 year old can discuss his hydration status based on his pee.  You should be going, often, and it should be very light to clear.  This is especially important the hotter it is outside.  If it's dark amber or gold, your kidneys are working too hard and your body is trying to hang on to its scarce water supply.  The next symptoms are headaches, increased heart rate, dizziness, lethargy, and general weakness. Your heart is beating faster, because it needs to get less blood volume around your body, so it races to deliver the nutrients to your tissues.  Your head hurts because the blood vessels are locked down trying to deliver a smaller volume to your brain.  If you load up your blood volume with more fluid intake, your heart won't have to beat as fast, and the pounding in your head will stop. 

Electolyte imbalance goes hand in hand with dehydration.  With heavy exercise in the heat, you can lose up to 2 liters of sweat in an hour.  2 LITERS!!!! Your body sweats to cool your core temperature.  Dogs pant, we sweat.  Once your body heats up, your brain signals your sweat glands to cool it down.  Sweat takes mostly sodium and chloride out with it, but also a little bit of potassium as well.  Potassium mostly leaves the body in your pee.  If  you aren't peeing, you're potassium is probably too high.  If you've sweated it all out, then it's too low. If you've vomited, then it's even lower.  Muscle cramps, nausea, stomach cramping are all signs of potassium imbalance.  Dizziness and confusion or lethargy are signs of low sodium.  Either way, you need to get the fluids and the electrolytes back in. Drink coconut water, and follow it up with a LOT of water. 

If you're like me, you might be getting tired of waterboarding yourself.  There are some paleo-friendly daytime drinks you can use to give yourself a little variety.  My favorite in the summer is what my kids call "Weed Water."  It's actually herbal infused water, but that sounds too fancy for me.  I take my gallon pitcher, throw in some mint and sliced cucumbers, and keep adding water to it.  The herbs and cukes last for about 3 days.  You can also add ginger, lavender, strawberries, or really anything you can think of.  Heck, throw olives in and you'll almost feel like you're getting away with a martini.  Kombucha.  Fun to say, interesting to drink.  Kombucha is a fermented tea, and it bills itself as a homeopathic, ancient treatment for all kinds of ailments.  It's an aquired taste, but comes in many flavors, from fruity blends to spicy ginger.  Unsweetened tea is also great, but be careful, because tea is a natural diuretic, so you will have to replace it with extra water. 

I MUST be out in the heat.  I love the sunshine, the heat, even the humidity.  Stay hydrated.  The warnings aren't just for the elderly or kids - it's for everyone.  Now, bottoms up!