Will I ever give up?

Will I ever give up, or quit my fitness regime? (Which consists of climbing, CrossFit, Soccer, and now running again!)

I’m not sure to be honest. If I don’t enjoy something any more, sure I’ll consider quitting. Just like I did at soccer for the summer of 2011 because I just had enough after getting injured frequently. (Man, when I injured my ankle I honestly though I had broken it. There were tears in my eyes which never happens (I think I have a high pain toldeance) but I was like OMFG bring me one of those orange boards to lie on … like they have at the spine treatment centers of america!

Then again I re-joined the CrossFit indoor soccer group this year.

I’ve quit going to the gym a number of times. In fact, it was a game “How long could I last?”. It always lasted no longer than half a year. Going to a regular gym doesn’t excite me, and I never really realized that until I started CrossFit.

I always attended group classes at a local gym, got bored of the routines, and started to plateau. CrossFit excites me, because you can go months without doing the same workout. The coaches there are helping you perform properly, and do the movements without injury. The classes are smaller so it feels like you have a personal trainer all the time next to you, pushing you. I felt like just a number at the big gyms. I didn’t know the instructors.

I quit soccer for a year and a half. I had been playing for 15+ years and lost all passion for it in my last summer season, which was summer 2011. I had an ankle injury in 2009 which happened AT soccer and it wasn’t healing. I was getting more afraid of the ball, being less aggressive and I felt I wasn’t bringing anything to the team. I made the difficult decision of leaving the team last year and not playing indoor last winter, nor outdoor this summer.

I think I really needed the break and I wasn’t planning on getting back into soccer again until I was invited by my CrossFit coaches who are putting together an indoor league this winter. I accepted the invite to join their league and we started playing back in September!

Despite not climbing for the past few months, I don’t think I’ll ever give up on climbing. It’s taken a back seat right now since I’m more focused and excited about going to CrossFit.  But I think come this Fall/Winter I’ll pick it up again. I really want to go to the next boulder competition in December, but if I even consider that I should really get my butt in gear and head in.

Here’s a photo of me from last years boulder comp. Neat huh?

I don’t think one should ever stop being active. It’s what keeps you healthy, and what keeps me awake during the days to be honest, ha ha!

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My CrossFit Journal (1 Year, Week 36)

Still going strong on the 50 day pushup challenge. I’m currently on day 19 and it’s getting so hard each day. But I can feel myself getting so much stronger! It seems like I’ve been doing these pushups forever, and the next morning adding another pushup onto the list is just dreadful. But, I do it. I don’t hate it because I don’t mind pushups at all. It’s just hard work, and definitely warms up the body! Just in time for me to get into my chilly car to head into work. No bum-warmers needed!

I skipped my push up challenge on Friday because I was up extremely early in order to get in a full days work and take off a few hours early to head into Toronto for the Tennis match, thanks to Sport Chek. So I ended up doing double the pushups on Saturday. 16 for missing Friday and then immediately after I did 17 for Saturday. Whoo boy. Tough one.

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year 1, week 36, day 1.

Of course the one day I go back to CrossFit, they have an abundance of pushups! Ha ha, I enjoyed it anyway.

5 Rounds
20 Pull Ups
30 Push Ups
40 Sit Ups
50 Squats
1:30 rest

We had 32 minutes to complete the 5 rounds. I was on my fifth when the timer went off. It was tough, and the squats and pushups really slowed me down.

Then my friend Jenn and I had a bit of a photoshoot in the change room when we were done.

We stripped in a hurry to take the pics ;) .

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year 1, week 36, day 2

I volunteered at the climbing gym on this day, for two hours. Only a few more hours left and I have a free climbing membership for a month! I also like that they’ve decided to give monthly memberships a bit of a perk. Card holders can bring in one new member per month, for free! I have so many friends who want to try out climbing and I’ll get to take them! How fun is that going to be?  I’m sure my camera will be right by my side, taking photos so you won’t miss a thing. 

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year 1, week 34, day 3

I’m counting yesterday (Sunday) as a workout into last week’s workout schedule rather than wait an entire week to let it be published.

I went on my first run in a few months, with Jenn and one of her friends who coached her into running a half marathon! We ended up running 6 kilometers and I didn’t wear my watch. I didn’t want to know how far we were going, or for how long. Steve will be coaching me along the way to become a more confident runner. The only thing that makes me anxious is running, and I don’t know why. So hopefully with some coaching on tabata workouts, “long” Sunday runs with the group, I’ll become a better runner.

After the 6k run we sat inside Starbucks for a nice hot drink! :) Perfect way to start any Sunday!

Fun fact: Steve says I run properly! I do have a short stride, but I’m not a heel-striker… I land on the pavement properly (mid-sole?). Yeahoo! Soon we’ll need one of those Ski Bibs around my neck, since it’s only doomed to get colder as the months go on. lol

 

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My CrossFit Journal (1 Year, Week 34)

One of the CrossFit coaches “signed me up” for the 50 day push-up challenge. This is why I love CrossFit so much. My coach is interested in seeing people improve. Last year he suggested I do push-ups x many times per week, and the next week up my number by 5 or 10. It didn’t last long, I did it for about a month straight and fell off track.

Now, he’d like to see me do the 50 day push-up challenge. Which means: 1 push-up on day 1. 2 push-ups on day 2, 3 push-ups on day 3, and carry on until you reach 50 days. HOLY CRAP. Let’s hope this works. Today, being Monday I’m on day 5, so 5 push-ups today. I’ve done them already. I also really don’t want to do the push-ups off my knee’s, but I also don’t want to do them off my toes if I have to lay my chest down. I do the push-ups with my elbows in, since that’s the way the coaches are suggesting. I can do much more, if I just keep them out “normally” while working the chest rather than the tri’s.

I’ve created an image to keep me motivated. Which is also why I’m blogging about it, and will be checking in weekly to see how I’m doing.

It’s a way to #MyBetter.

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year 1, week 34, day 1.

 Pendlay Row

  • 4-4-4-4

AMRAP 10

  • 5 Hang Split Snatch RS; 115/85lbs
  • 10 UB Burpees
  • 5 Hang Split Snatch LS; 115/85lbs
  • 10 UB KB Swings; 24/16kg

I think this is where I injure my shoulder, though I can’t be sure. I felt it tweaked on day 4. More about that below.

I sure as heck didn’t use the prescribed weight, as I rarely ever do. I think I used a 35lb bar with two 5lbs, or 2.5lbs on either side. I didn’t write it down.

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year 1, week 34, day 2

10 Minute Muscle up Work

5 Rounds

  • 30 Box jump 24/20″
  • 30 Wall ball shots 20/16lb

I finished the WOD under the time limit (23 minute limit, if I remember correctly), so that’s all good. I only used an 8lb medicine ball for the Wall balls, since I cannot stand them. For the box jumps I used 20″.

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year 1, week 34, day 3 Soccer game!

We won 1-0. Had quick sub’s on/off the field throughout the whole game. It was a well played game on both teams. We played on Halloween night and one of the guys on the other team was dressed up in a full-on cow suit, and played the game like that. It was hilarious.

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year 1, week 34, day 4

GWOD:

3 RM Decifit HSPU

WOD:

AMRAP 13

  • 5 ring dips
  • 5 push press (135/95)
  • 20KB swing (24/16)

I set up 3 ab mats and did a few sets of 3 handstand push-ups. But when I took 1 ab mat away and replaced it with a 10lb plate, I could only do 1-2. Funny how the body works, and really misses those precious centimetres. I don’t know how many rounds I did in the 13 minutes. I had a tweak in my shoulder, and rather than do the 5 ring dips, I did 10 push-ups. Apparently I’ve been doing them all wrong for 2+ years. I had my shoulders hunched when doing them, instead of my shoulders pinched together and out.

Thus, me talking about the 50 day push-up challenge, in the intro of this post! Ta-dah!

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