Crossfit 90 Day Challenge ~ Day 3

First of all, some of y'all know that I was injured in the Corps.  I was told I'd never run again so just give it up after 3 years of physical therapy netted no improvement - 5% usage of the two muscles that were ripped from my hip without surgery.  I was told I would be in pain every day, not be able to walk for any type of distance without excruciating pain (just a regular trip to the grocery store had me crying by checkout), and that I would *never* run again - so just get used to it and learn a new way of life.
I tried for about 4 months before I couldn't take a sedintary lifestyle any longer.  So I started researching exercises to do without "walking or running" or lots of leg movements.  I settled on bellydancing which I had done while pregnant especially since it was supposed to be good for the hips and I knew it worked up a sweat which is what I really needed.  Long story short - within a few months I was walking around the grocery store with much less pain and not crying at checkout!  Big win right there alone.  Next I was walking quite a distance with little discomfort.  Next I was doing the slowest jog you've ever seen - 2 miles in an hour ... I never said I was fast, just that I was doing it!!  I felt pretty good when I got to running a mile in 20 minutes.  Not anywhere close to my Marine Corps standards but by golly I was doing what they said I would never do again!!  So imagine my excitment when I finally looked at my time below ....

The Challenge Day 3:
Run 800 meters
50 Squats
Run 800 meters
50 Crossfit sit-ups
Run 800 meters
What I accomplished: 25:26!!
Run 800 meters (this is a half mile (0.497) - I walked less than 30 yards when I started wheezing)
50 Squats
Run 800 meters (I jogged the ENTIRE way - going slightly slower netted no wheezing!)
50 Crossfit sit-ups
Run 800 meters (I walked less than 20 yards when I started wheezing again)
I would run my half mile, walk up my driveway, do the exercises inside the garage (which I don't do fast yet for I want to stay in good form), then walk back down my driveway before resuming my next half mile.  So by golly this means I was doing less-than-15 minute miles!!!  I checked the time only once and that was after I finished the squats and was walking back down my driveway - 7:56!!  So yeah, I'm happy ... and to think our oldest says I can't do this - does he not know I'm a Marine!?? ;-)

So I thought I'd also post my after workout shake I make.  I make "protein" shakes but I do not use protein powder at all - blech! :-x  Today's isn't as good because I completely forgot the spinach :-/ but you know what, I'll be just fine!~

1 banana
1/2 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
1/2 cup filtered water
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp organic peanut butter
2 Tbsp rolled oats
1+ tsp cinnamon

typically I would have had 1 tsp flaxseed meal and 2 cups spinach .... my morning was on a rush so I think I just forgot half my shake!

Crossfit 90 Day Challenge - Day 2

Here I am at Day 2 and barely able to use my arms to type this out!!  That's bad 'cause I have a lot of typing to get finished today lol!

Day 2 Challenge
3 rounds for time of:
7 Push-ups
21 Dumbbell thrusters, 10lb dumbbells

What I did:
3 min 55 sec
3 rounds of:
7 girl push-ups
21 Dumbbell thrusters, 5 lb dumbbells each hand

Crossfit 90 Day Challenge - Day 1

Perhaps I'll be able to keep up with this.  I have several things I really need to post - various recipes, various gadgets my honey got me, chicken updates, and so forth.... but it's been a killer month with school having started back - by the time I get used to it and under a good routine, it'll be time for finals and back to no school days for three and a half months!! (At which point you probably won't hear from me until Christmas break - that's how slammed I anticipate being between homework, studying, and simply keeping up with the children and the house.)

Anyway, the workout for today was probably not the best one to start with!!  But that's when I started so I did what I could.

In Crossfit, there is a workout of the day and you literally do it for time.  You can take as long as you need or do it as fast as you can (well the goal is to do it as fast as you can but sometimes you simply can't get those burpees any faster than one a minute lol... just kidding - sort of).  You see improvement by looking at your past times for that particular workout (for they repeat).  Our oldest doesn't think that my honey and I can do it.  I'm showing him differently - I felt like I was in the Corps again and it felt GREAT!  I loved it and only wish I had had more time to do it but I spent too much time looking at the videos and ran out of time.  Overall I worked out hard for 13 minutes... but as I said, I did not complete the workout.  Judging by the way things were going I think I could have finished in about 35 minutes.... which for my state of shape would have been excellent.

"Filthy Fifty"

 

For time:
50Jump rope

50 Burpees
50 Wall ball shots, 10 pound ball
50 Back extensions (supermans)
50 Push press, 20 pounds
50 Knees to elbows
50 Walking Lunges (50 steps)
50 Kettlebell swings, 15 lbs
50 Crossfit sit-ups
50 Box jump, 18 inch box


In 13 minutes I completed:
50 Jump Rope
15 Burpees
50 Wall ball shots (5 lb)
15 Kettlebell swings (10 lb)
50 Crossfit sit-ups (yes! Sit ups that I can actually do with my physical condition (from being in injured in the Corps I can't do most types of sit-ups))
50 Box jumps, 8 inches (my stairs)

I simply ran out of time and had to run out the door hence why I didn't finish.  Better luck next time!

Serving the Homeless

I drove some of the youth to a church downtown that has a daily soup kitchen in order to serve the homeless.  It was the thing most of the youth put as their number one desire to serve.  What a blessing those youth were to the homeless, to the church members, and to me!

These youth attacked their jobs with vigor and enthusiasm.  They worked tirelessly without complaint.  They wanted to serve more.  I wanted to cry tears of joy and sing praises to God, whom blessed me with such a wonderful youth group!  The parents of our parish should be well pleased with their children for I know my own have astounded me with their joyfullness in serving those less fortunate than themselves.  I truly wish I had words to convey their servants' hearts.

These youth had to get up early on a school holiday to meet at the parish so that I could fight rush hour traffic to get to the other parish on time.  They helped to get breakfast plates ready, serve the breakfast plates, and to clean up after breakfast.  Normally volunteers have a couple of hours off before preparing and serving lunch.  However, the parish priest had died suddenly the week before and the members needed to get the church cleaned for the funeral that was just around the corner.  So the children were asked if they would help.  Absolutely!

So for the next hour and a half or so these kids worked their fingers to the bone cleaning not only every surface they could see but emptying out cabinets, fridges, freezers, and the tops of these - cleaning the insides (or tops), and then going through the "stuff" and tossing expired or opened items and reorganizing the remaining items.

They got about a 15 minute break before it was time to start making lunch! They were truly inspiring and they interacted with the homeless so sweetly, like they were just any ole person they met at the park.  There were even requests from the youth to come back for the funeral so that they could help serve at the reception following.  The reception would be for the homeless to share memories of Father J. and to simply have fellowship with one another especially since they wouldn't be able to make it to the burial.  After all, the church is like their home and Father J treated them so kindly and lovingly.

I took a whole bunch of photos!  They are all up on the church website so go take a look at these youth that blessed everyone they interacted with!