Three weeks out

As of today we are three weeks out from The 2020 Open.

At this point, the "hay is in the barn" so to speak.  The work has been done.  I'm not really getting any stronger at this point.  My engine is not going to get much better in three weeks (although I will maintain what I have).

The best way for me to make measurable improvements in three weeks, is to buckle down and become super strict on my diet.

And spoiler, I have already started.

Let's do this!

The Wodapalooza online qualifier

This morning at the gym, we did the first released Wodapalooza qualifier workout.  It is a 9 minute AMRAP with doubles unders and acending reps of hang snatches and overhead squats.

The snatches and squats were super light, but (as usual) the double unders were the challenge for me.

After the WOD was over, my coach mentioned that she felt like I should actually sign up for the online qualifier.  I had no plans to do this qualifier, but a couple of hours later, I was signed up.

My thinking was that if I want to call myself a compeditor, I need to compete more often than once a year during the Open.  Competing, like most things in CrossFit, requires practice to get good at.

So, in a surprise to myself, I'm doing the Wodapalooza qualifier.

Anybody else doing this qualifier?

New week, new me

Hey all!  Keep your eyes open for the #weeklycheckin later this week.

So after the last post, I feel like I've taken that next step, mentally.  Maybe writing my thoughts out helped me work through them, and come to grips with them.  I don't know.

What I do know, is that I have a fresh outlook and sense of purpose.

The other thing I know, is that The Open is exactly 60 days from today.

On that note . . .

1. Even though I have switched to hitting the gym early in the morning (a.k.a. the 5:15AM class), once The Open comes around, I'm gonna hit those workouts in the evening.  I just generally feel stronger in the evening.

2. Even though I don't regularly workout there anymore, I think I'm gonna do the Open at CrossFit Denton.  I definitely love the "Friday Night Lights" environment at CFD.

3. I am doing an olympic weightlifting cycle for the next 8 weeks to try and increase my explosive strength for the Open.  This cycle will include workouts 2-3 times per week and will be in addition to the regular gym programming.

That's it for today.  Time to put in some work.

#TheGrind #EarnIt

Defeatism

My thought trends the last few weeks have been less than ideal.  I have found myself thinking a lot about my abilities and whether or not I am really able to pursue my goals.  I have found myself thinking that, "if you are not good enough to succeed, then why should you even try?"

Here is a quote from my daily reading.

"Defeatism won't get you anywhere (except defeat)."

**Side note, if you guys don't have a daily reader of some sort, you should get one.  It is one thing that I never thought I would be interested in, but now that I do it, can't imagine not doing it.**

It may be surprising to my friends, who know me as such a positive person, but believe me, I have doubts.

This year has been the most challenging one I've had since I started CrossFit.  It seems like everything I have been doing has amounted to nothing.  Intellectually, I know that is not the case.  But emotionally, I have been extremely discouraged.  It makes it hard to get up every day and show up the to gym when you feel like you are making NO progress.

But I also KNOW that if I don't show up and put in the work, then nothing will change.

There was a great quote from a podcast I heard recently that sums this up:

"Just like in sports, if 2019 is going great or terrible, the final score is determined in the second half.  Quit letting a slow start distract you from finishing strong."  --Jake Thompson

That is what I plan on doing . . . finishing strong.

#TheGrind  #Earnit

My forearms!

I had an interesting thing happen to me earlier this week at the gym.

We had a workout programmed that included hang cleans and pullups.  The astute among you may think to yourself "grip killer".  I thought the same thing.

The interesting part is that, I moved fast enough on this workout that my grip, and not my lungs, were the limiting factor on my finishing time.  That was a new experience for me.

Post "Vay-Kay" work

**Sorry there was no weekly checkin this week.  Those will resume next Monday.**

Me and my family went on a long weekend / road trip this past week.

I got some workouts in, which is not the norm for me when on vacation.  I usually make excuses to not workout when on vacation, but I have more focus -- more dedication to the grind than I have previously.

Working out in small hotel fitness centers can be a challenge, but if you want to reach your goals, you gotta make time to get it in.

Anyway, on my first day back from vay-kay (Monday), I did a WOD of 5 rounds of  400m run, 3 rope climbs, and 20 box jumps.

On the VERY FIRST box jump, I hit my shin.

Hard.

I didn't get pics at the time, but it swole up like a baseball on my shin.

On Tuesday, we did a partner WOD that consisted of a 14 minute AMRAP of Cindy except with 135# back squats instead of air squats.  But it had a buy-in of 60 clean & jerks @ 135# before the AMRAP started.

It was tough, but good.  I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

#Grow.Stronger

Goal Updates

So many things have happened in the last two years.

I've had big changes at work.

I've changed gyms.

And all in all, my fitness journey has "stalled".  In some ways, it has gone backwards.

I am less fit than I was this time two years ago.

I know I will not make the games in 2020 as a masters athlete.  I also know that it is entirely my own fault.

I haven't done what is necessary to attain that goal.  Not even close.

This morning, I weighed myself, and I weigh more than I have since 2014.

That changes today, July 1st, 2019.

My mission is to do the work, and get as close to the AGOQ in 2020 as possible.

Do the work.  Focus on the grind everyday.  Let the future take care of itself.