No Excuses & 2012 Goal #1

I watched The Biggest Loser yesterday and I am very much in love with their theme this season, "No Excuses!" 

Excuses are things that people use and make up to justify not doing something, typically when it comes to working out and/or dieting. 

NORMALLY when I sign up for running events I say I am going to train and then I make up excuses.  But not this time.  Here is my training schedule leading up to my 10k and then my 10 Miler. 

So far, I have gone 2.5 weeks without making any excuses.  I ran outside, in the cold, in the dark, in the rain, alone, and even after a morning WOD (aprox 7am).  My co-workers think I am nuts, but I refuse to make excuses for myself. 

When the schedule says run, I run and when the schedule says crosstrain, I crossfit.  It is working out very nicely.  I adjust the schedule as needed.  (I rest when I can't run or get to Crossfit610). 

Why am I doing this to myself?  I know that running was my least favorite excercise and I struggle following through with training programs so I figured this was a challenging yet achievable goal for me.   

So for now my first 2012 goal is to successfully complete a 10k, a 10 miler, and a half marathon. 

Stay tuned for more 2012 Goals!!

Tuesday:

Ran 3 Miles

Wednesday:

Strength

Squat Snatch Ladder

55,65,75,85,95

Failed at 85lbs

WOD

5 Rounds

9 Deadlifts

6 Hang Snatch

3 Overhead Squats

Pick One Weight for all Movements: 55lbs

8:45

Hello 2012!

I hope every body had a SAFE and fun New Year's Eve/ New Year Celebration.  I had a really awesome night with some of my favorite people.  

Got really drunk......

.....and played "Just Dance" for Wii.  (That counts as Cardio, right?)

I was completely useless on Sunday, January 1st, but trust me, I made up for it today. 

At about 11:30am I went to a local park and ran 4 miles and I did it with my best pace yet.  It was super cold out, but I have a race in February that could be super cold, so I might as well get used to running in the cold now.  The park that I ran at was slightly hilly and I only had to walk a couple short times to give my legs a rest. 

After the run I was telling Dennis that when I am running, I'm tired, but not as tired as I am during WODs.  This is a good thing.  Normally I would sell myself short and walk when I "felt" tired, but now, unless I feel like I do during some of the WODs, I refuse to walk.  

Then I attended the 4:15 Crossfit class.  I thought I would be more tired for the WOD, but I felt ok during it.  

Endurance:

3 Rounds

250 Meter Row

10 Push Ups

5 Burpees

WOD:

6 Rounds

30 Seconds On 2:30 Off

AMRAP Thrusters - 65lbs

5+6+6+7+7+7 = 38

Cash Out:

2 Minutes to find Max Reps of T2B

20

10 x 2 GHD

Goodbye 2011

Looking back on 2011, I truly cannot complain.  I celebrated my 1 year anniversary of marriage with Reformed Fatty on a cruise, I saw Ke$ha in concert twice, I went to Vegas, I had amazingly fun weekends and most of all, In April 2011, I joined Crossfit.  


2011 was by far my most active year.  I ran the Broad Street run, 2 5k's, logged almost 100 miles on my road bike,  did the ROC's Biggest Loser Challegen, Philly's Fight Gone Bad 6, Crossfit's Best Shape of Your Life Challenge, and of course, I was attending Crossfit610 at least (if not more) 3 times per week.  


My appearance, my confidence, my attitude, and my mentality have all changed for the better because of Crossfit610.  

April 2011 vs January 2012 - Front

April 2011 vs January 2012 - Side

April 2011 vs January 2012 - Back

When I first joined, I took "before" pictures (I recommend this to anybody) and today (December 31st) I took another set.  After throwing a fit about not being happy about them, Dennis calmed me down and I really looked at the differences. 


Front View -  My stomach doesn't hang down past my shorts.  Notice my belly button ring.  The before picture has it almost folded over while the after picture clearly shows it lifted and higher.  My chest is smaller.  I've dropped a full cup size.  


Side View - Even though my face isn't in the same position, the thickness of my "trunk" is much smaller in the 2nd picture.  


Back View - My shoulders are VERY much slimmer and less broad in the 2nd pictures.  My shorts are fitting lower on my waist (you can tell this by my tattoo).  In the first picture you can only see one clown fish, in the 2nd you can see both of them.  There is no extra fat around my shoulder blades.  


So there you have it.  Those pictures represent 8 months of work.  I will now use the 2nd set of photos as my 2012 before pictures and hopefully I can continue to improve.  



Thursday:

2.5 Mile Run


Friday:

Endurance
50 DU
20 Ab Matt Sit Ups
10 Push Ups

10 GHD
10 GHD (reversed)

WOD
20 Get Out of the Pools
100 Push Press (55lbs)
1,000 Meter Row

19:39

Cash Out:
5 Rouds of 20 Secound "L" holds




Saturday:


WOD
2011 Meter Row
11 HSPU
11 Jumping Lunges
11 Deadlifts (155)
11 T2B
11 Kettlebell Swings (20kg)


12 HSPU
12 Jumping Lunges
12 Deadlifts
12 T2B
12 Kettlebell Swings
2012 Meter Row


36:42