32012 Open Placing

At this point with a day left for any scores to be adjusted I'm sitting at 22nd in the region at the end of the Open.  The goal was to train through and be in the top 60.  Accomplished.  

I learned a good amount about myself with each week.

Placings for each week in the region were:

12.1 AMRAP 7 min of burpees 26th.  First week and I was clueless as to what to expect.  Thought moving at a steady pace was going to become tough and wasn't mentally prepped to push for next gear.

12.2 AMRAP 10 min of snatches: 30 @ 45lbs, 30@ 75lbs, completed 22 @ 100lbs 71st. I was a bit surprised to see that this was my worst finish in the region, as I was most pleased with my performance in this workout.  However, it goes to show that this workout played least to my strengths and the fact that I did have a good showing allowed me to hang in with the larger more strength based athletes.

12.3 AMRAP in 18 min: 15 box jumps, 12 push-press, 9 toes to bar.  66th.  This was the week that I totally fell apart mentally.  Not my worst finish in the Open, but a place where I had the potential to place significantly higher.  I wasn't mentally ready for the "hurt" of this workout and the negative thinking took over.

12.4 AMRAP in 12 min: 150 WBs, 90 DUs, completed 8 muscle-ups. 30th. To do it again I would break up the wall balls differently...resting sooner in the beginning and keeping breaks shorter.  More aggressive through double unders as that clock clicks fast at the end.  My MU technique & efficiency in general needs work.  It will come.

12.5 AMRAP in 7: Fran ladder 19th. This was my best week.  I didn't dig and get after it like I wanted to, but I showed more consistency with getting back to the bar better sticking with it.  Generally, I feel good coming out of the 5 week Open.  Like I said week 3 was definitely the toughest for me, but it's good for me to go through that now and learn from it for positive experiences when it counts!

Will be competing in the Optathlon 2.0 in Chicago April 22nd. Looking forward to have this competition as a refresher prior to my regionals just under two weeks after.
Then traveling to West Palm Beach to watch the SouthEast Regionals and support Kate Carson and other Big Dawgs April 27/28th. Plus my mom lives there so I'm going to make it a low key event with some beach time.
Then the next weekend it will be my turn as I'll be at the MidAtlantic Regional doing all I can do be in the hunt on Sunday!

Onward!

3/25/12 Rest Day Hike

Sleep: Have not been noting it, but last week on travel days it'd be about 6 hours and then otherwise it's more like 10-12 hours that I'm in bed.  Have been waking up in the middle of the night and after laying there for awhile will read again before falling back asleep.

Spent most of Sunday morning catching up and getting ahead for this coming week with programming and emails. Then later in the afternoon we took an 1:20 hike at Shining Rock.  It was a rainy day, but it is beautiful with all the spring blooms happening!

Salmon dinner over several greens with goat cheese crumbles, blueberries, avocado, EVOO & sliced olives.  Yum!

3/24/12 CF Open 12.5

With travel back from NY on Friday I waited until Saturday morning to do the workout.
Thursday I played around with some reverse shot & reverse med ball throws.  I started to get a feel for a more appropriate trajectory.  I tend to hang onto it too long and it goes splat straight into the ground behind me.

12.5 @ 8am


Goal was 130.  This was a bit high reaching, but I want to start pushing myself.  My plan was to go UB on the thrusters and break pull-ups as needed.  I watched Clever's video of 12.5 the night before and when she started breaking up the thrusters round 12 or 15 then I started questioning myself.  With this out I put the bar down after the 8th rep of the 15.  And again on the 8th of 18.
Looked like this:
UB for rounds 3, 6 (done in 50s)
9 (done in 1:40)
UB thrusters on 12, pullups were 5, 5, 2 (done in 3:10)
Thrusters of 15 were 8 & 7, pullups were 5, 4, 3, 3 (done in 5:20)
Thrusters of 18 were 8 & 10, about 30s left for pullups into the finish 4, 3, 3
HR of 176 at finish.

Correction: Video has a typo at the end.  This was 118 reps NOT 119.

Training 3/21/12

Training @ 10am

The road

3 sets @ 100%:

Power Snatch - 5 tough one TnG

5 Power Clean - same weight TnG

15 CoVP chin ups

Run 400 m

(rest walk 15 min b/t sets)

Stayed fairly light as the space was limited and the bar didn't spin much.  Used 85lbs for all sets. Run distance was estimated in warm-ups.  Out the garage, down the driveway, road has a slight downhill to start and a slight uphill to finish at neighbor's mailbox. Thankfully there were many shadows from the tress along the way that I kept pretending was the finish line.  It kept me surging throughout the distance. 

The 15 min felt like a long time.  Both for the 2nd and 3rd set I started to feel a bit woozy around the 11/12 min mark.  

Ceiling was too low for any BF kipping & even grazed my head on the ceiling with rep 3 of the third round. 

Split inside/run split/overall for round/HR immediately after/ HR 1 min after

57s/1:19/2:16 188/132

54s/1:19/2:13 200/136

56s/1:18/2:14 196/156 

3/20/12 Front squat 3x3

Sleep Up "late" (9:30) tearing my house apart looking for either my license or passport neither or which I have seen since our return from Jamaica.  I obviously had them to get back into the country so evidently I lost them on the return flights b/c they are nowhere to be found.
Up at 4am to pack and get to the airport extra early and ensure they let me fly.  My social security card and utility bill in my name did the trick.  :)

Left our house at 5am and pulled into my in-laws in Canton, NY at 5pm.  An hour of the travel was stopping to eat at Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse.  Yum!

Training @ 5:30pm
Motivation was hard to come by here.

A. Front Squat - 3,3,3; rest 4 min - harder per set

135lbs, 145lbs, 150lbs

B. EMOM - 3 TnG squat cleans - fast out of bottom - 8 min

Used 115lbs for all of these.  The bar I was using didn't have a spin and it felt very odd. 

C. Ring Dips - 10 sets of 5 unbroken for time
1@ 10s
2@ 35s
3@ 1:00
4@ 1:32
5@ 2:04
6@ 2:40
7@ 3:14
8@ 3:58 starting to get tough
9@ 4:54
10 @ 5:33
Didn't miss any sets just started resting longer.  I don't feel coordinated with the kip on the dip. 

3/18/12 60 min run

Sleep 8:30p-6:30a

1pm Run @ Bent Creek

Big toe blister & bruised foot

Run 60 min

(in the last minute of every 5 minute split, pick pace for 30 sec, then walk last 30 sec)

vary terrain as much as possible

This was a bit of a rough one.  Breathing and everything felt great and could have gone for hours, but my feet are not used to this distance. 

Went to the trails so wore my Vibrams.  Tripped over some rocks about 5 minutes into the run and bit it.  Cut up my knee and left a good bruise on my left elbow.  

Felt good until about 30 minutes in my right big toe started feeling like it was rubbing.  After 5 minutes of trying to favor it I decided to take my right shoe off.  I ended up nailing some rocks mid 30s pick up and today the bottom of my foot is bruised today. 

3/17/12 Clean & Jerk Galore!

Sleep 9p-6a woke up a few times, but stayed in bed til a little after 6

Training @ 1p
 97% effort

In 10 min on a timer build to a clean and jerk 1RM

137lbs 55s

147lbs 2:20

152lbs missed jerk @ 4:00

152lbs @ 5:40

157lbs missed jerk @ 7:30

157lbs @ 9:40

2lb PR but watching video I see that I didn't quite bring me feet together at the end.  By myself while Corey was doing an assessment so I'm quite happy.  I tend to depend on a crowd for PRs.  

Also, I think I'm ready to accept that my squat clean is better than my power clean.  This is also a 2lb power clean PR but I almost missed it forward.  Time to lift like a real weightlifter.  haha 

rest 10 min

In 10 min AMRAP:

90% of 1RM clean and jerk   (142lbs)

Complete 15 reps with 1 miss around 3 minutes.  Was on pace for 20 reps at this point, but then dropped off a bit with this miss.  Felt good although I don't know why I kept recovering my back foot first in the jerks.  

rest 10 min

AMRAP rds:

7 knees to elbows

7 burpees

6rnds @ 4 min
10rnds @ 7 min
14+9 reps total 


The start:

3/16/12 12.4 Double Day

Sleep 8:30-4a

5:30 am 12.4
AMRAP in 12 minutes:
150 wall balls (14lbs, 9')
90 double unders
30 muscle ups

Wall balls
34 (1:12)
36 (1:20)
46 (1:46)
55 (2:17)
65 (2:48)
75 (3:20)
85 (3:50)
98 (4:38
110 (5:11)
120 (5:44)
136 (6:32)
150 (7:18)

Double unders
A few random reps & trips early on then hit a good set and some smaller sets from there. Was some miscomm with my judge regarding what number I was on at the end.
47 (8:18)
66 (8:48)
90 (9:15)

Muscle-ups
3 (9:49)
5 (10:16)
6 (10:49)
7 (11:21)
8 (11:45)
Couldn't hit the last rep.
248 total

I'll take it.  I think I need to work on getting away from the false grip.  I was doing them without the false grip a couple summers ago and then I got away from it...well, away from MUs in general for awhile.  These need to become more of a strong suit for me.  In time.


1pm
400m sandbag run 75lbs   (3 min)
400m run      (1:56)
40 KBS @ 1.5 pd  40 straight & felt great!  (6:35)
400m run  (8:55-2:20ish  posterior dead after swings)
400m sandbag run 75lbs
11:54 overall.  My legs were back under me by the last carry.
for time.

Surprised that I could do the 40 straight and felt strong doing it probably had another 10-20 if needed.  And to think that going into the workout I thought to myself...4 sets of 10???

Training 3/14/12

Sleep 8/830-4a   Not enough.  Challenging to go to sleep when the sun is still fairly high in the sky.

AM Training 9:30
Protein & refuel drink beforehand at 8:45.  Quite hungry around 8a.

For time @ 97%
10 muscle ups
100 push-press @ 50lbs
1000m row

Muscle ups went: 4,F,1,1F, 2, 1F, 1 complete @ 3:54
100 push-press split into : 20, 10, 10, 10, (6:35) 15, 12 (8:06), 12, (8:50), 11 (9:31)
1000m row took about 30-35s to turn it on, program the 1k and start
Had my eyes closed during most of this, but was holding 1:57/1:58 for first 300m or so and then it started to suck.  Thighs burning and reminiscent of the 1k row at the end of the 1k run, HSPUs 1k row at regionals last year.  I think I pulled a similar split as well.  
Here is what the 5 200m split paces said: 2:01, 2:02, 2:09, 2:11, 2:08.  4:13.2 blah

Overall time 14:15
Learning: I was pulling 1:57/1:58 for bits during the first minute.  Felt fine during the time, but then thighs started to burn and it sucked.  Whereas 2:05 pace for a 2k or at least 1500 of it last Friday felt fine.  Next time I"ll shoot for 2:02 rather than jumping under 2:00.


2pm
3 rds for time @ 97%: 10 power clean - 95# 10 jerk - 95# 20 CTB chin ups

Had a tough time getting motivated for this one.  Was expecting the overhead to be quite fatigued, but that felt pretty good.  Made it through all 10 the first round and then that became my goal for the the next two rounds.  Was more like an 80% effort.
Splits for each round were: 
Rnd 1: 9/1-10 8/6/6 (2:02)
Rnd 2: 5/4/1-10 5/5/5/5 (5:32-3:30)
Rnd 3: 5/4/1-10 3/3/3/3/3/3/2 (8:48-3:16) 


Was pleased that I completed the 3 sets of 10 jerks @ 95lbs.  Now I know I can. Probably had 12-15 in me if needed. 

Training 3/13/12

Sleep 7:30-4a

AM Training @ 9

A. Clean - build to a tough single in 8 min from 95# bar after warm up - you may only go up 10# each time

95, 105, 115, 125, 135, 145, 155 (shocked at how easy I stood this up), 165lbs breath was off and too soft in bottom-I think I was shocked it was on my shoulders.  Only had about 30s left in time.  Think I would have had 2nd if I had more than 20s to rest b/w attempts.  Next time! 

B. 1-10 unbroken thruster ladder for time @95lbs

Set of 5 done at 2 min
6 @ 2:50
7 @ 4:00
8 @ 5:10
9@ 7:05
10 in 9:01
Ugh, but done.  

Drug my feet for a long time for this part B.  Struggled to be excited for it, but then cleared my expectations and decided to get through it and move on.  I wasn't even excited for my heavy squat cleans this morning with the dread of thrusters to follow. But despite my attitude I almost ended up with a PR.  I had thoughts of taking a week of no training (except Open workouts) to get myself excited to touch a barbell again.  I was over myself by the time HPC & deadlifts came around in the afternoon. 

12:30PM

3 sets:

HPC tough x 3 - add per set

Airdyne 20 sec max effort

rest 3 min

1) 123lbs 11 cals
2) 133lbs 10 cals
3) 143lbs 10 cals

+

3 sets:

5 TNG DL moderate and fast

5 burpees AFAP

25 double unders AFAP

rest 3 min

183lbs 38s
203lbs 37s
213lbs 38s tripped on DU #24 Argh! 

Training 3/10/12

Sleep 8:30-4a

A. Front Squat - 3 x 3 @ 80%: rest 90 sec

113lbs, 123lbs, 128lbs

+

4 sets @ 95%:

6 tough swings russian

6 burpees AFAP

run 100 m 

rest walk 6 min b/t sets

51s 32kg
49s 32kg
47s 32kg
47s 36kg

3/9/12 12.3 and 2k row

Sleep 7p-4a  Sleeping well these days.  Falling asleep with ease which is nice.

Originally warmed up at 5:30am and then that didn't work out with coaches to count and other clients going and I was happy to bow out.  I hadn't done any visualization for this one as I did for the first two weeks so I took 18 minutes during the 7am hour to lay flat on my back in the office.  I felt ready to go at 8 and warmed up with the class.  However, about 5 minutes in I realized that I had greatly under-estimated the hurt that this workout was going to bring.  I was ahead of my goal pace the first two rounds and fell off on the third round and during the box jumps of the fourth I cracked.  I stood at the bar for about 15/20 seconds after the box jumps and then said, "forget this I'll do it later".  One of the problems for someone who has years of bad habits as a procrastinator and a workout that you have this open window of time to complete.  But then I remembered I had other training to do later in the day and wasn't going to want to do this workout any more then than I did at that moment.  So I went back to the bar and finished the workout.  My mind wasn't happy about it and I didn't reach my goal, but it's done and I've learned.

What have I learned?  Primarily to have a better understanding of what a workout is going to feel like and not be afraid to dig in and embrace the hurt if you will.  Lots of CFers out there like to talk about how horrible and hard various workouts are.  I've avoided those workouts and or approached them in a less aggressive way in order to avoid the "pain cave" if you will.  So this time I finally went out aggressively and quickly found out what happens when I don't get my mind right to deal with the discomfort.  One day...

8am
Open 12.3
AMRAP in 18 minutes of:
15 box jumps (20")
12 push-press (75lbs)
9 toes to bar

Rnd 1 ub 1:12

Rnd 2 ub 1:19 (2:31)

Rnd 3 9/3 6/3 1:53 (4:24)    

Rnd 4 UB w/36s mental breakdown 2:03 (6:27)

Rnd 5 8/4 6/3 2:14 (8:41)

Rnd 6 9/3 6/3 2:08 (10:49)

Rnd 7 12 6/3 2:14 (13:03)

Rnd 8 8/4 6/3 2:20 (15:23)

Rnd 9 8/4  ?   1:54 (17:17)

15 box jumps and 5 push-press 

If you know me at all you will know that I was not excited to do this 2k.  I felt horrible after the first workout, as I was quite disappointed in myself and felt like I was on the verge of tears all day.  I'm usually more composed, but sometimes
1pm

Row 2K and Max DU's in 10 min - 2 scores
8:24, 95 DUs

Have not rowed a 2k since Regionals 2009 where I rowed 8:27.  Today my goal was primarily to better that and secondarily 8:20.  Was on pace until the final 500m.  I didn't know how much I should push to get off and do double unders.  I could have pushed harder and been fine.  Always learning.

Training 3/7/12

Sleep 7:30p-4a

Training @ 10a

5 sets @ 100%:

5 tough HPSnatch

rest 10 sec

AMRAP weighted dips - 25# attached

rest 10 sec

Airdyne 15 sec max effort

rest 5 min b/t sets

(build per set for HPS, drop weight to ground b/t reps, then reset and hit)

I completed all five rounds before I realized that it was hang POWER snatch.  I read it correctly at one time and then when I grabbed the bar to warm up I forgot. 

Feeling better, but experienced a good amount of dizziness b/w lifts and transitioning to dips/AD.  

Set 1: 83lbs 1.1.1.1.F, 7 dips, 7-9 cals

Set 2: 88lbs 1.1.1.1.1, 7 dips, 7-9 cals

Set 3: 93lbs 1.F.1.1. F, 8 dips, 8/9 cals

Set 4: 98lbs 1.1.1.1.1, 7 dips, 7 cals

Set 5: 98lbs F,1, 1, 1, F 8 dips, 8 cals

Training 3/6/12

Sleep 7:30-4a

Throat was sore in the evening on Monday and again upon awakening Tuesday, but energy is improving.

Training @ 10am

A. FS Cluster @ 30X0; 1.1.1.1 x 4; rest 4 min - fast out of bottom  125/135/145/145 

B. weighted chin ups mixed grip @ 22X0; 2-3 x 4; rest 3 min +25lbs, +30lbs, +35lbs+40lbs all by 3 

C. 100 lunges easy pace to finish 1:18/2:38 overall easy 

Hiked an hr ez with the muts.  

Oh!  And....I'm out of my muscle-up slump.  Did 4 sets of 3 today in about a 5 minute period.  Felt powerful & turn out felt better too. No misses! Corey said there was no one to show off for on Saturday afternoon.  :)  

Double rest days

Saturday night sleep: 9:30-5:30 woke up Sunday with sore throat.
Sunday night sleep: 6:30-5:30  I wasn't asleep at 6:30, but in bed reading & relaxing.

4 dogs on the trails this wkend!

 40 min hike on Sunday...legs felt really fatigued particularly hamstrings I'd imagine from 400s on Saturday. Generally a really lazy day.  Throat is still a bit sore today-glands only slightly swollen, but should be better by tomorrow.  

No hiking on Monday.  Throat is still sore, and body still feels generally fatigued, but I think I'm on the upswing. 

Training 3/3/12 Muscle ups, 400m runs

Sleep 8:30-4a   Awake, but quite tired.

Noon   Started A & B at noon & then my assessment showed early. Part C happened around 2p and then went to a track on the way home for D. Long day. 

A. hang power clean - 3 x 3 @ 80%; rest 2 min   103,113, 123lbs. Didn't have a whole lot of "pop" after yesterday, these were solid lifts. 

B. split jerk - work on speed under bar, not load for 7-10 min  83/103/113/123/123/133. Felt solid. 

C. muscle ups - 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2 for time unbroken  Only able to get 2 sets of 2 UB on rnd 2 and rnd 4.  Took me 14:20 to complete 15 reps with 10+ misses in there.  Perhaps I should start randomly doing these throughout the week to grease the groove a bit...3-5/day or so?  That's what I've done in the past when I've gotten rusty and had good success.  Also, struggling to hit a solid turn out in the bottom.  I just generally feel weak in that position.    

D. Run 400 m @ 95% effort; rest 4 min x 3

3:15 by the time we left the gym.  Tired and a bit unmotivated to say the least.  There was lots of excitement at the gym all morning and I think my adrenaline was quite tapped. Quick warm up and went into it: 

39s/1:18

37s/1:14

37s/1:15 

I was concerned I wouldn't be able to break 80s the way I felt so I'll take it.  Turnover feels rusty.  

3/2/12 Open 12.2 Blood, Sweat...No Tears!

Sleep 7p-4a feeling good

5:30am:
I got off to a rough start this morning when I totally bit it on my warm-up by tripping over a speed bump.  I was jogging along (obviously NOT picking up my feet) and suddenly I was sprawled out on the ground.  I ripped through two layers of pants and skinned my knee, elbow & thankfully there wasn't much gravel for my palms to eat.  It more freaked me out/woke me up than anything else.

I had ripped my hand on the 2nd round of Wednesday's snatches.  So I taped my hand from the start and had already started to bleed through the tape by the end of the warm up.  I narrowed my grip for the 45 & 75 and by the time I got to 100lbs my hand was the last thing on my mind.

Open 12.2
In 10 minutes complete as much of the following sequence as possible:
30 snatches @ 45lbs
30 snatches @ 75lbs
30 snatches @ 100lbs
30 snatches @ 120lbs
Completed 22 reps of the 100lbs.  Had 1 miss with 20s to go and then hit 2 in final 10s.  Felt good.  My goal was 90, but I knew that was a bit ambitious.  I like to dream.  In time...
Here is the video.   My phone isn't good at uploading more than 60s at a time so parts are edited. 



Felt good soon after.  It was a fine balance to push my limits and having the confidence that I could hit the lift.  


2PM: Quite tired by this point.  Didn't even make it to the shower since my first workout.  Busy morning coaching. 

for time - fast and unbroken @ 100%:

10 toes to bar

20 wall balls

20 double unders

8 toes to bar

16 wall balls

20 double unders

6 toes to bar

12 wall balls

20 double unders

4 toes to bar

8 wall balls

20 double unders

2 toes to bar

4 wall balls

20 double unders

5:36 overall.  T2B & WB UB...DU sucked.  Starting to question my decision to change ropes.  Still have time to work out the kinks. 

Training 2/29/12

Sleep 730-4a

Training @ 6am

5 sets @ 97%:

run 200 m fast and efficient

10 burpees 

10 power snatch - 75#

rest walk 4 min b/t sets

Set/run/overall

1. 45s/1:50

2. 46s/1:46

3. 49s/1:50

4. 47s/1:48

5. 53s/1:51

Finally was able to TnG without slamming the bars against my thighs on the final set.  I tried a couple reps in prior sets and kept getting pulled forward off my heels.  My mind hasn't totally recovered from yesterday's disaster, but I'm getting there.  Legs felt heavy on the last run and had to start immediately upon getting to the 200m mark.  (would walk/run out 200m before each to have less turns during the run).  I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do all 10 pwr snatches UB, but that was a non-issue.

Hamstrings were quite fatigued the rest of the day & felt generally drained following this one.