Qualified

I recently competed in the Carolinas mid-am qualifier, and even though I shot 3 over par (34/40) I qualified for the tournament.  I haven't been practicing as much as I normally would have.  The CrossFit workout has put me in better shape and allowed me to not be as rusty between practice sessions and rounds.  Another reason to continue with CrossFit.

15lbs down, more to go

Its been a little more than a month of CrossFit and I have lost around 15 pounds.  the workouts kick my ass on a daily basis, but the results are definitely worth it.

I definitely could be down more weight, but I am still eating too many cabs and indulging in the occasional soda here and there.

Shin Splints are my achilles heel

Todays workout included 2-800meter runs.  I haven't run anywhere since I ran 3.22miles 2 weeks ago.  Apparently that did it to my shins, or 217 pounds of man running were too much for my shins to handle and they were barking during the workout.

I can say that I didn't stop, I slowed but never stopped, and this was the best running I have done since I started CrossFit.  I am not shedding the pounds like I did with p90x, but my whole body is getting stronger and fitter.  I also must admit my diet has not been great these past 3 weeks, and after my night at bonefish Saturday, I am going to crack down on my carbs and my sugar.

Feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders

The last 3 days have been very intense CrossFit workouts, and my body is feeling the burn.  My shoulders are so sore I can barely pick up my two year old, and my 5 year old has to help me pick him up by jumping.  We have been doing great workouts that have made me stronger, and hopefully the soreness will go away soon.

I have 1 week to practice for my first golf tournament of the year.  My overall ball striking is fairly accurate, and as long as I don't over read my putts I should be ok.  I would like to qualify because it means I finally didn't let the pressure get to me.  I also would like to put up a good showing because my ultimate goal is to try and qualify for the usopen.  I have played Olympic Club before, but I have never played in the biggest tournament in golf.

On top of being sore, preparing for my first golf tournament of 2012, and work commitments (which are many), I am also struggling mightily with my diet.  I haven't had booze in 2+ months, but my bad eating habits have resurfaced.  I have had the far too often occasional coke.  I have had cookies and deserts.  I have had a carb heavy meal.  The only thing in the last 6 weeks I have stuck with is consistently making it to workouts.  If I can continue this, work on appetite suppression/will power, and keep practicing my golf game, I can hopefully reach my goals sooner rather than later.

Told I need to rest

I showed up for 6am CrossFit and was told by my instructor I am doing too much.  I need to take the break days, 2 days of workout, 1 day off, 2 days on, 1 day off.

I think since I was trying to loose so much weight I was willing myself to come in and not allowing myself to take any breaks.  Today was a hard workout so at least I have that to work off of.  Not going everyday will probably be a good thing, we'll see.

Preparing for a 5K Run

I got my dates mixed up and I thought today was the day I was supposed to run 5K for my CrossFit workout.  Last night I found a loop that is 1.66 miles.  I figured I would run the loop twice this morning and that would be my cross fit workout.  I ran it to find it last night, 13min/mile pace.  Pathetic I know, but at least I put forth effort.  This morning I was really tight, but i ran 2 loops, the only problem was my pace was slower, 14min/mile.  Now I was feeling good that I completed the run, and didn't quit, but my real victory was completion.  My CrossFit trainer called me today, and it turns out today was a snatch day, so now I am behind in that workout, and to make it better;  Every time we have a max weight workout day, the next day murders me.  The only good thing about the murder days are they have immediate impact on my body, Wednesday i will be a little sore, but also a little stronger.  Icing on the cake is Wednesday is 5K day.  Ahhhhhh

Running is not like riding a bike

My CrossFit workout for Monday is to run 5k, 3miles.  Tonight after dinner I downloaded an app for my iPhone to track my running and also mapped out a 1.6 mile track from my house.  In the morning I will attempt to run this distance in a 10min/mile pace.  Fingers crossed !!!

I have been living a very sedentary lifestyle since college.  I haven't run any type of distance for almost 15 years.  I have played sports that required me to run short bursts of speed for short intervals, such as intramural football and pick up basketball at the YMCA or church league softball, a few times over the years; but i haven't run anything greater than a mile since high school.

I have been playing golf for several years, and occasionally I will walk the round while carrying my bag.  I know this is 6-7 miles per round but it is a leisurely pace.  I have taken several golf trips that required me to walk 2 rounds a day,  and those rounds haven't really amped up my cardio, they did however make my feet hurt.

CrossFit is changing me, not just at a molecular level, but a mental level.  It is making me stronger every day, both physically and mentally.  I am more determined, I am less lazy and I am eating better, when I don't fall off the health wagon and drink a soda or have desert.

Now that I have mapped out a nice 1.66mile track near my house, I am going to try and run this a few times a week, along with continuing my CrossFit training.

Today was a failure

Todays workout was supposed to be 15 Handstand Push Ups, 1 L (Position) Pull Up, 13 HSPU and 3 L's, 11 HSPU and 5 L's, 9 HSPU and 7 L's, ... 1 HSPU and 15 L's.

I can't even do a handstand, much less handstand push ups.

This is the first workout I have left where I didn't feel as though I made any progress and I didn't get any stronger or in any better shape.

I must also admit that the last few days I have overindulged with larger than normal portions of food, and I have had a few soda's lately.  Saturday is a 8:30 workout, and the rest of the day is nothing but healthy eating and rest.  Sunday is a 6am workout.  If nothing else my determination and willingness to get better are getting a workout.

Where did those 5 pounds go?

As I previously explained I took 3 days off from CrossFit to rest a pulled left bicep, I worked out today and did 7 rounds of:

1) Standing Jump to a 20" high box - 7 times
2) Squat 95 pounds - 7 times
3) Throw a 10 pound medicine ball to the 10' high mark on the wall, catch it, squat and repeat. - 7 times

I had a 8:30 workout with no breakfast, then after the workout I immediately went to a meeting to discuss and chose light fixtures for my new house, then I went home and showered.  The funny thing was I weighed myself and after starving all morning and sweating, by 12pm when I got on the scale I was 5 pounds lighter than when I weighed myself Friday.

I didn't have the healthiest of diets this weekend, in fact I indulged myself Friday and Saturday with the full intention of working out Sunday.  I ended up getting stuck out of town Sunday and missed the workout.  I took Monday off because the W.O.D would have exaggerated my injury; and here we are.  Worked out today and was 5 pounds lighter.

CrossFit is a body changer!  I was able to do ring work without the rings being lowered to 3' off the ground, my ring pull ups are coming easier and my wife thinks I look slimmer.  When I was doing p90x, it also changed my body, but I was sore all the time, and too tight to fully swing a golf club.  My soreness goes away sooner now when I CrossFit on a daily basis, and I'm hardly tight at all so I can swing away.

Thank you CrossFit.

Took the weekend to rest, played golf

I pulled a muscle in my left arm which kept me from completing my Crossfit workout friday.  I decided to rest from having my ass handed to me for the weekend.  I went and played my first round of golf in over a month.

I shot a 3 over par 74, missed 7 birdie putts, and 5 of them were legitimate makable distance.  I have a tournament at the end of the month, full swing isn't so rusty, putting is going to require a lot of practice during lunch hours the next few weeks.

the dreaded return to CrossFit starts at 6am, I rested this weekend, and even indulged in carbs and a soda over the weekend.  Diet and pain start again in 8 hours 20 minutes.

Injury can only keep me down for so long

Well, it finally happened.  I hurt myself.  It wasn't due to any carelessness or horseplay, I over used my left bicep to the point where I couldn't use it anymore.  I am taking Saturday off from CrossFit to rest my bicep, and to work on my golf game, if the rain holds out long enough.  I have my first tournament at the end of the month and I haven't played but 4 rounds all year.  I need the practice round.

CrossFit has definitely made an improvement in my life; I have lost a little weight, I have some more clearly defined definition in my muscles, and my determination and will power have improved enough that I don't totally hate getting up at 5:15am to get ready for my 6am workout.  It will be 3 weeks of CrossFit Sunday.

Usually someone will end the post hopefully in 3 months I will be ripped, but with the results I've seen so far.  I don't have to wish and say hopefully, I know that in 3 months I will be ripped and in 9 months; by christmas I will be a different man.

My only deterrent is diet, and not because I have a tremendous sweet tooth.  My problem is when I travel I don't have a lot of healthy options available to eat.  I haven't had but 3 cokes in 3 weeks and no alcohol in over a month.  When I am home for the week my diet is fine and my portion control is better, but on the road a "healthy" 6" Subway isn't always the best option.  Whats even worse is sometime a Subway isn't an option and all I have are fast food and fried fast food options.  I travelled heavily this week and put back on 2 1/2 pounds.  That is why my Diet is the only things against me now, but as I get better at CrossFit, my diet will also improve with time.