The Challenge, Part III : Track (and rowing)

I was siked about the 400m after setting a PR, 1:04, last weekend. It was completely different his week because I had to time trial and turned in a 1:08.

Feeling Strong, Good Form, But All Alone

I rested and refueled for the 800m. It was decidedly slower, but Matt was my rabbit for last 400m. After I finished I felt like the day was beginning to be a Birthday Challenge.
2:41 = painful & slow

Feeling Weak, Bad Form, But With a Friend

I went back the UCSB recreation center and threw down a 500m row. The time was okay, 1:39.

My legs were tore up, and it was time for the 1600m. Matt was my rabbit for the last 800m. It did not help that he ran the first 100m backwards because my pace was so sadly slow, 6:21.

This is my official recovery position.

Kicking and Screaming

WOD

run 400m (1:04*, 1:24,1:27)
kettlebell swing, 1.5 pood, max reps (15, 25, 35)
rest 5:00
3 rounds

* PR by 8 seconds, finally ELITE!!! It was crazy. Thanks Ben for coming out the gate fast and keeping it close.

"Go out strong, not slow. Then put the hammer down."
Larsen Jensen, 400m freestyle American record holder

Notes: Another Crossfit Ventura jem. Last day of workouts, I'm starting the taper for my challenge. I don't have records from high school Track days, but that might be my fastest 400m ever. I ran the first 100m not super fast, picked up the pace for the next 100m, and kicked like a bastard mule for the last 200m. 5:00 mile is possible. BELIEVE.

Another Day in the Office

WOD

1) dips, 3X3, 100

2) shoulder press, 5X3, 135
Light for me but still big wheels overhead

3) 200m run
40 ring push-ups
200m run
30 ring push-ups
200m run
20 ring push-ups
200m run
10 ring push-ups
time : 7:52

Notes: 4th day on. I "unracked" and 1/4 dipped my challenge weight, 175. The presses felt hard, but it was the most weight on my right wrist lately. My right wrist is no longer completely jacked, only a little tweaked. No "wheels" in the sprints. The ring push-ups greased the groove nicely.

Date with Michael

WOD
"Michael"
800m run
50 back extensions
50 sit-ups
3 rounds
Time: 16:05

Finishing the last 800m. 800m is a "not fun" distance.

50 unbroken "back" extensions is an interesting sensation.

Semi-submerged truck tires

Notes: First time with this WOD. It is a good one. Technically, I did hip extensions. Next time: shave 1 minute and sub GHD sit-ups. Shout out to Brand-X, great scaling for my friends.

Taking it to the 'Yard

WOD

100m run
5 burpee box jumps (highest box)
15 sit-ups
max rounds in 20 minutes : 13

Notes: Worked out with Crossfit Ventura. Lots of people and energy. Still unbeaten in the Saturday WODs, but had very stiff competition. Since my challenge has very few traditional Crossfit metcon demands, I'm only doing this type of metcon once a week. (That is right I used the words traditonal and Crossfit in the same sentence.) The rest of the time I'm training to be stronger and faster. Crossfit will make you stronger and faster up to a point.

Punching the Clock

WOD

1) 200m sprint (:34,:36,:34)
rest 1:30
3 rounds

2) 275m minute row (1:00)
rest 1 minte
5 rounds

3) pull-ups, grease the groove

Notes: Just showed up today. Chipping away at my challenge.

Tigger Thinking

WOD

Team Murph
Person 1 : 400m
Person 2 : 400m
2 rounds

100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
split between person 1 & 2 as needed

Person 1 : 400m
Person 2 : 400m
2 rounds
time : 39:13

Notes: Another workout with Crossift Ventura today. Hardest by far. I have never done Murph, by myself or as a team. I thought "Murph" sounds hard, but I could finish it in 25 minutes, a 6 minute mile, 13 minutes for the calisthentics, another 6 minute mile. Complete Tigger Thinking. Here is some insights into Tigger Thinking:

1. Tiggers like to bounce around.
2. Tiggers always have fun.
3. Tiggers can do everything.

I'm trying to be less Tigger and more Pooh.

adapted from the Te of Piglet

Dropping the Hammer

WOD

1) 100m sprint X 5, (sub :15,:15,:15,:16,:14*), rest as needed

2) Tabata row (meters : 99, 100, 98, 97, 96, 98, 98, 96)

rest 15:00

3) Tabata row (meters : all 100+)

The shoe of champions

4) L-sit, 10s on 10s off, 6 rounds

"Let fury have the hour, anger can be power
Do you know that you can use it?"
- The Clash

* PR!!! That might be the fastest 100m I have ever run, including my 4 years of high school varsity track

Notes: Something click in the last 100m sprint, a combination of anger and desire. I forgot to switch to All-stars for the first row intervals. Once I switched, it was a cake walk. By cake walk, I mean I couldn't see and felt like puking at the end.

Playing the Sun

WOD

1) Muscle-ups, Grease The Grove

2) 400m, run*
50 sit-ups
50 squats
400m, run
40 sit-ups
40 squats
....
400m, run
10 sit-ups
10 squats
Time : 14:32

* PR - 1:14 !!

Notes: Muscle-ups felt great. I joined Crossfit Ventura for the workout. The PR in the 400m is only by 1 second, but I'm taking it. I said no more air squats, but it is impossible to say no to Colin & Huff. There are rumors of an affiliate gym opening mid-Aug. That would almost be cheating for my challenge.

Forgetting to Disengage the Emergency Brake

WOD

800m X 1 (2:40), rest 5:00
400m X 2 (1:18, 1:21), rest 1:1
200m X 2 (:38, :41), rest 1:1
100 X 1 (:18)

Notes: The poor air quality from Gap Fire has finally improved enough to resume outdoor training. It felt like I forgot to disengage the emergency brake and I was wearing a 20lb vest. I suck at running. Part of the problem was my "warm-up", which including jumping rope. Jumping rope is suppose to make you more athletic, i.e. improve coordination, agility, balance, blah, blah, blah. If is not part of challenge I need to stop doing it. I am banning myself from jumping rope and air squats until after my challenge. I had planed on more 100m sprints but my left knee became unstable. I tore my meniscus 5 years ago mountain biking. The muscles around my knee make up for the slack but when they get tired my knee becomes unstable. Time to stop training for the day. I have been overtraining lately but I am hoping for some Supercompensation .

Trying to be Flash Gordon (or Hans Florine)

WOD

10 DL, 225
10 dips, 25
3 rounds : 4:10

Bench, triples, 175, 175, 195, 195, 195

100m sprint every 30s for 8 rounds, aka Tabata run

Notes: Feeling the effects of third day on. Speedy on DL and dips. Hopefully, speed work carries over for the dips because it is hard to go heavy. Good to get under the bench. The reps were quick until last set. The sprints suck because running sucks. Congratulations to Hans Florine for regaining the Nose speed record (off the couch).

Semi-submerged truck tires

WOD

1) max HSPU : 12 *

2) bench, 3X1, 215, 225, 235(f)

3) bench, 3X3, 195

4) 200m (and change) sprint
15 GHD sit-ups
14 GHD back extensions
4 rounds : 9:42

* PR by 3 !!

Notes: The HSPU felt easy. All the shoulder pressing helps. I had MC hold my legs, instead of doing them against the wall which resulted in less stress on my lower back. Every rep was nose to ground, i.e. almost full ROM. Need to get parallelettes. I suck at bench in general and specificially now since I haven't been doing it. I created a checklist of exercises and plan going through the list before repeating (unless I have a glaring weakness). WARNING: Another Crossfit criticism/poopstorm. There is not enough bench in crossfit. It is a good movement, builds muscle, and makes people stronger. There are many good movements that never/rarely appear in WODs, e.g. farmer's walks and TGU. Most crossfitters need more muscle and all crossfitters need to get stronger. Having more muscle and being stronger usually makes met-con easier. I have a former "bodybuilder" working out with me now. He has lots of experience with bench but not going heavy. He gets plenty of going heavy working out with me. The circuit felt slow. GHD sit-ups are no joke. Subjectively, twice as hard as back extensions.

Two-a-days (again)

WOD

1) max rounds in 2 minutes
rest 2 minutes

sit-ups : 90
push-ups : 79
squats : 112
supermans : 60

then
400m X 3
not for time

rest 1 hour

2) 100 ft walking lunge
max pull-ups (26*,15,9,9,6)
20 pushups
5 rounds
time: 9:22

* Personal Record for pull-ups !!

Notes: I joined Crossfit 805 for #1 and Santa Barbara Crossfit Community for #2. It was very motivating to workout with other people. This is the start of a great community. The workouts were very similar to Physical Fitness Tests for the Armed Forces (without the 3 mile run). I scored high but not perfect. I had ridiculous DOMS in my legs for the next two days. I have the endurance for my challenge, but still need more strength.

Cardio

WOD
20 min of continuous movement
including walking, jogging, running, sprinting, and 250 air squats

Note: Since I have not been just moving enough, everything is tight. Left knee is extra tight. Careful.

Penance

WOD

1) 1 RM Front Squat : 265 lbs

2) triples 210 Front Squat
15 towel pull-ups
5 rounds
13:30

3) 5 pull-ups
10 dips
15 elevated push-ups
3 rounds
4:01

4) Sprint
2X 400m (rest 2 min) 1:22, 1:25
4X200m (rest 1 min) 40,40,40,41
6X100m (rest 1 min) 19, 17, 18,17,17,18

Notes: Make up for two skipped work outs. FS was not a PR. Need a real coach. Don't "know" how to do elevated push-ups, slowed down the circuit. Random gym moment: Some guy asked, "What program are you on?" I said, "I don't have a program." (I didn't have the time to explain the philosophy of my training: Jeet Kune Do.) I muttered something about Crossfit. He said, "It looks like you are trying to tire yourself out." I agree.

Cardio

WOD
run 20 minutes

then

yoga 60 minutes

Notes: Running doesn't suck so bad using POSE techniques.

Simple but effective

I am traveling, and it is a good time to break out of my ruts (a grave with the ends kicked out). The "fitness" room in unnamed high-end hotel had a plethora of machines and some free weights.

WOD
sprint on treadmill 1:00
10 one arm swings 25lbs (each arm)
5 rounds

rest 5:00

Man-makers 35lbs X2
pull-ups
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Notes: Might be first time ever on a treadmill. 10% incline & 7 mph was an effective stimulus. I like the quantifiable aspect. The swings were a joke. The man-makers were not fun or funny. Pull-ups felt easy after not climbing for two days.

Short Track

WOD:
200m sprint
200m walk
4 rounds

I didn't have a watch so I focused on pacing and technique. I tend to "sell-out." It is a hard habit to break. Given how little I run, any amount is a good amount.

Slow and Steady

WOD:

100m
10 rounds
-flying starts
-walk back to start between rounds

All rounds between 14s & 15s. I can't run fast, but I can do it all day.

Pull up ladders
1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1
2 rounds
Pull ups always feel hard to me. A ladder is a good way of tricking myself into doing lots of reps.

Date with Helen

WOD: "Helen"
run 400m
21 swings 53lbs
12 pull ups

3 rounds

I sent two PRs today!! The first 400m was 1:15 (previous PR 1:16 7/7/07) and total time 9:20 (previous PR 9:41 11/11/07).