Not Calling it a Comeback

First, I am not a writer.  I have never tried to be nor will I ever say I am.  I do though have a lot to say...for better or worse.  Writing is just a form of getting it out with know one stopping me.

I used to write my workouts on here almost daily, and it is insane seeing how far I have come.  I had many dreams when I started this back in 2009.  I accomplished many and failed at many more.  I recently won the 35-39 Year Old Age Group CrossFit Games.  I am very proud of this, yet it was a big change from the Individual Open Division I had been at 3 times previously.

This post is not about that though, instead a proud thought as I reminisce about the years I used to write on here.  I would love to get back to posting more workouts and talking about things I love that don't get shown on Social Media.  I hope I will continue writing, but if not at least I wrote this post.

I am trying to take some time to relax; my mind is fighting back and forth whether to train...or rest.  I took off a solid 4 days after the Games and have done minimal work (compared to my normal volume) since.

Today:
Ran 4 Mile in a 20# Vest
My Time:
Had my watch, but listened to a book and stayed at a 9 Min pace after the first mile where I was about  8:40...I love listening to books and podcasts.


Not For Time:
100 Strict Press 75# with a pause at the top.

Thats it!  Showered and decided to do some work then pull this old thing up, dust it off, and see it it still works!  Logged in and here we are.  One thing I will add on here, if I continue writing, will be money/savings related, training, self-talk, Nickism's (basically random thoughts that may or not make sense, but I'd still love to share).  Let' see if I make it back soon...

First full day in Florida

We got to Florida yesterday and when we arrived, said hi and then headed to the local CrossFit box for a WOD: 5 x 5 Single leg squats 135# I have not down these for a long time a d did not want to go to heavy because I knew they would make me sore. I put my opposite foot I was using on a bench and then squatted with the other leg, then switched and that was 1 set. About 1 min rest between. After this: Death by Pull Ups My score 20 Rds + 11 I started to tear I'm 3 spots and tat mentally hurt me....but I would not have gone much more. That was almost all I had. Today we went and zipp lined at a ropes course near my families. It was the first time doing this and it took about3 hours to get through the whole thing. There were 2 500ft zip lines that were awesome. After we got back my wife and I went on a run: Around the neighborhood Our time 16:20 5 min Rest 5 min max hand release push ups 4 min max air squats 3 min max v-ups 2 min max burpees My scores 112-151-68-33 Nice to workout with the wife and be in such awesome weather 70-73 degrees all day! Get better and prepared for next weeks competition in Indianapolis! NU

Farmers Walks & Burpees

I feel like crap.  The whole day yesterday my nose was running and it would not stop....today I feel fatigued and congested.  I am not used to getting sick and blame it on working RETAIL EVERYDAY!  I got to the box and decided to work strictly on strength because I was so warn down from this sickness:

OHS 3 Rep
225 x 3
255 x 3
275 x 3
295 x 2 (FAILED 3)

This felt very heavy and 295 was a 1 rep PR before and I got down in the squat on rep 3 and just could not stand with it.  I know I can get 305 x 3.  After this I did some Deadlifting:

DL 10 Rep
275 x 10
295 x 10
315 x 10
335 x 10
355 x 10
385 x 9 (I QUIT)

My grip was shot and I struggled on rep 8 and 9 and just let go.  I was pushing hard though but moving very slow.  I liked the feel if hitting a 10 rep.  Then I changed my mind and decided to hit a short WOD with the new Jerry Cans we got in the box that were the ones used in the Games. 


6 Min EMOTM AMRAP
40 Ft Jerry can Carry Down
40 Ft Jerry can Carry Back
Max Burpees with remaining minute

My score
63 Burpees

I walked the cans down, set them down and then turned around and walked them back and did burpees with the remaining time.  The way my body was feeling made me go VERY slow on the burpees...but I really liked carrying the Jerry Cans.  Tomorrow will be very busy and I will take off unless I can get something in quick in the AM.  Friday I am excited because I will be flying out to Orlando to see my family!  Hope to find a good box and Get Better in the warm weather! 

NU

You Challenge & and EMOTM

I started the day off with the class WOD.....modified of course.  Even though we had a TON of snow we had a great turn out for the 5:30 AM class.  The WOD was in teams but for me I did:

30 Min: Row 200 M w/1 Min rest  between

I did this while the class was going in teams of 3-4.  Some of my rest periods were :45 sec and others were 2 minutes.  It all depended.  Overall I rowed 3300+ M.  It was good for me to do this.  I rowed anywhere from a 1:22 - 1:57.  It varied on how the previous sprint went.  After this I did:

You Challenge
2 Ring HSPU
4 Squat Snatch 165#
250 M Row

My time
7:20

Video of me and Karen doing the WOD

After this I took about 20 Minutes and then did something that just came to me about 5 Min before starting:

100 Power Cleans 135#
EMOTM 2 Mu's (start w/MU's)

My time
14:29

This was brutal and felt like it was never ending.  Eventually I was doing 3-2-1 and occasionally 3-2-2 rep scheme in between MU's/  I did not fail a MU yet the entire time was worried that I would.  I had planned to be at the box until 10 because I was going into work late, but during the 5:30 class I got a message that I need to come in early so I headed back home at 8 AM to head out on my hour trip to work.  I am hoping to get home at a decent time and do some back squats.  Good thing is.....I was going to have a forced rest because I was going to be working Open - Close and found out that now I do not have to go in until 11...which means...I get to train in the AM!!!!!  Holler at that!!  Get better...

NU

WINTER!

WOD 1: 6:00 AM

Clear snow from driveway

My time
1 hour

Get home from work and immediately:

Clear snow from driveway

My time
45 minutes

I had a 15 minute PR on the 2nd clearing of snow because I got in a groove and started remembering my tricks to efficiency.  By this time it was 8:15 pm and I decided to shower eat and rest the rest of the night.  I am coaching in the morning and then have from 6:30-10:00 to get as much work in as possible......this will be fun!!!!!

NU

NEW YEAR...NEW LOOK

New look to the Blog, we will see how long it stays this way.  I felt like ac hange was needed especially being the New Year. 

I had a good morning hanging with the Family and we will be heading to the box when I get home from work for a few WODs.  Should be fun!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! A year to get even better!

NU

EMOTM Front Sqauts

I got home from work last night at a decent hour, giving me enough time to play with my daughter...talk with my wife...sit down and eat dinner together...relax...and then get some work in.  I kept the volume down:

EMOTM 12 Min
5 Front Front Squats 225#

I was able to hit every Minute pretty easily.  The only issue was that my back was tight from all the deads and I fatigued there pretty quickly.  After the squats I went up to the living room and hear is what it looked like

Chels decided to take a pic in the middle of Rds.  I was doing:

5 Rds
1 Min 30 KBS 2 POOD as the goal
-Rest 1 min-

My score
30-25-25-25-25

This was the best I have ever felt doing this.  It may be that I am mentally tougher or I am better at KBS.  But I see hitting all 5 Rds coming in the near future!  After this I showered and headed to bed.  Today I am hoping for a GOOD Dumbbell WOD.  Maybe DB's and KB's (Double).  Should be a blast....hopefully I do not chicken out!  Get better, don't chicken out!

NU

Training with Shefferly

Anthony Shefferly came to the box today and we got some good training in together.  He always gives a little extra push.  We started with the Box WOD:

EMOTM 15 Min
2 Power Cleans
1 Jerk
AS HEAVY AS POSSIBLE

My weight
275#

I did not fail any lift except on minute 14 I failed the 2nd clean and then I did it again within the minute so it still counted.  I did not think I would be able to get through 5 minutes let alone the entire 15 minutes with that weight.  Great WOD.  Next:

5 Rep Deadlift
435 x 4

Failed hitting my 5 rep goal.  Then:

Max Reps @ 405#
7

I was happy with 7 but have a goal of hitting 20!  It is doable and I will get it.  We then jumped into a deadlift WOD....we did a lot of pulling:

8 Min AMRAP
7 Deadlifts 275#
35 DU's

My score
8 Rds + 4 Deads

I thought that I would get around 6 Rds but I was able to move the 275 fairly easy even after all the deads we did.  Finally we finished with some Max reps:

5 Rds
Max Wall Balls
Max rep weighted Pull ups

My scores
Wall Balls: 55-43-41-40-45
Pull Ups: 35# - 44# - 53# - 53# - 53#
Reps     : 9       7        6        5       6

The pull ups were tough and the wall balls are a mental battle.  I have never done that many Rds for unbroken Wall balls before.  I had to jet after this to get my daughter but we later went back to the Box for a nutrition seminar and I rowed some before it started:

1 K ROW
3:36

Not a crazy row just needed to get a row in since I was at the box.  Butt hurt.  Good night!

NU

Plymouth "Globo" Gym

I made the test run.....I had stopped in about a week ago to what the people here call "the lifeplex".....building dreams and bodies.   Not sure if that is their catch phrase but it should be.  I went in today with the free day pass they gave me.  Awkward is a good way to explain it and I did not even do a WOD!  First you can see EVERYTHING because of all the mirrors.  I was not planning be down in the workout area because I was wanting to use the facility for the indoor track.  So I went up and ran:

2 Miles (14 Laps)

My time
14:28

I ran the first mile in 7:49...an easy pace and then on my final lap I picked up my pace.  Instead of leaving....even though 2 miles is not much...I headed to 1 of the workout areas.  I turned my bar to face the only wall without mirrors....and instead I faced the pool through the glass windows.....upscale.  I put 185# on the bar:

EMOTM 5 Min
8 Back Squat 185#

I was short on time so I did some squats.  EVERYONE was staring at me.  This was the most un-crossfit thing I could have done and I thought I would fit in....then I realized....I had taken my shirt off, was dripping in sweat, was struggling, constantly looking at the clock, and bent over in the crossfit (hands on the knees position). ........It would have been cool if that was true, but it wasn't!  I will say that by the way they were staring at me I should have been like this.  I never thought I would be uncomfortable in a gym let alone looking at myself in a full size mirror that seemed to be everywhere you looked.  I am fighting with myself as to whether I should sign up or not.  I will make a decision soon....I mean, they do have nice showers and couches in the locker room!  Selling point! 

Tomorrow I have the day off and Anthony Schefferly is planning to head up to train some which should be a good push for me.

Tin Man & Main Site

I had wanted to do the WOD "Tin Man" for awhile after seeing Rich Froning do it.  Tougher then I thought it would be.....let's just say he crushed my time!

Tin Man
5 Rds
5 Power Cleans 205#
5 Bench Press 205#

My time
4:36

I want to say you do this WOD at body weight but he scaled up 10#'s and I decided to use the same weight he did so I went with 205.  He did it in 2:36 right before the games...he beat me.  I liked it though, power output WOD.  After this I did:

EMOTM 5 Min
5 MU's

I wanted to hit some MU's but was not feeling to hot on them so I only went for 5 Min.  Then I did:

Main Site
5 Rds
9 Deadlifts 135#
6 Hang Power Snatch 135#
3 OHS 135#

My time
4:52

NOT HAPPY WITH THIS....It was much tougher then I thought with only 135#.  I need to work on my grip with middle weights.  I then worked on some  Front Squats:

Front Squat 10 Rep
165 x 10
205 x 10
225 x 10
245 x 10

In between each set of squats I did:

15 GHD Sit ups
2 Rope climbs

These were not for time and I rested as need.  I just went unbroken on GHD and when I hit the ground after my first rope climb I jumped right back up.  I did 4 sets of this.  It took just under 20 minutes to go through all of this.  I decided to stop at 245 because it hurt!  Then I finished the day with:

Tabata Push Jerk
95#

My scores
13 high
9 low

I did push jerk because I want to get used to dropping slightly under light weight.  I have a habit of push pressing or pressing everything....even when it is heavy and I fatigue faster then I should.

I then headed out and off to work until the wee hours of the night.  YAY WORK!

NU

Merry Day After Christmas...Regional WOD 3 = BUST!

Today we went to the box as a family because I did not have to leave for work until 11:30.  I started with my awesome Warm Up:

Row 1 K
3:47

Nice easy row...even though there is actually no easy row!  Then I talked Emmy into:

Regional WOD 3
21-15-9
315# Deadlift
Box Jump 30'

My time
6:42

Talk about bad....I was thinking I would do better then this.  I was thinking about going unbroken on my 21's but then decided to stop at 15.  I must not have been warmed up enough because it felt like 405#.  I am deciding to do this a whole lot more because it is something I need to be around 4:30 or below.  After this I did:

1 Rep Squat Clean
225 x 1
235 x 1
245 x 1
255 x 1
265 x 1
275 x 1
285 x 1
295 x 1
305 x 1 (FAILED)

I caught it in the squat but just continued sitting there.  I bottomed out so bad that I could not initiate any movement up and the weight fell forward.  I need to work on getting better at standing with heavier weight completely bottomed out or get a stronger front squat!  As soon as I finished the FAIL I jumped into the class WOD....literally they started the timer as I dropped it and I missed the initial :30 seconds:

EMOTM for 10 Min
Handstand Walk 15 Ft
Max Pistols with time remaining

My score
145

Score was total pistols completed.  Chels kicked my butt in this doing 174....I smoked her in the the Handstand walk and she demolished me in the Pistols.  She is a machine!  All of this was done starting at 8:30 AM and then In the car on our way home at 10:00 AM.  Fast and furious is how we do it....getting better....much better then 6:42!!

NU

New Squat Rack

Today was a busy day that started with me messing around with some light dumbbells.  I decided to do push presses early this morning before work while my daughter watched frosty the snowman.  I used 30# DB and did about 160 push presses.  Nothing fancy and no time.  Just threw them around.

I then bad a long day at work and headed straight to my wife's grandparents for Christmas Eve dinner.....which of course was not very "paleo" so I didn't eat very healthy....but the best was about to come.  Everyone had opened all their presents and someone said, "nick open your present!"  I had no idea I had a present left!  There is was a big heavy box.  I opened it.......a squat rack!!!!! I was in heaven!!!!!  I got the dam home and set it up:

100 back squats 135#

My time
6:44

No warm up just went right into it and I got 41 unbroken and racked it....I like writing that.....back got tight real quick.  After this I did a quick set of KBS and then off to bed.  I am really planning and hoping that my training will pick back up.....I am still on a 6 day a week work schedule and am traveling a lot....so I need good time management to pick up my training!!!

NU

Good Training day Yesterday

Sorry for no post yesterday.  I worked 13 hours on Wednesday and had my first day off in awhile yesterday.  I taught the AM class and then had to get a WOD in before heading home to watch Jada because her school is out for the holidays.  Here is the WOD I did with Karen:

2 Min AMRAP's (BB starts on the Ground)
2 Min AMRAP
Carry 205# BB overhead 20 FT
Carry Back 205#
Max pull ups in Remaining time
2 Min AMRAP
Carry 205# BB overhead 20 FT
Carry Back 205#
Max Clean and Jerks 205#
-2 Min Rest-
2 Min AMRAP
Carry 205# BB overhead 20 FT
Carry Back 205#
Max 55# DB Push Jerks
2 Min AMRAP
Carry 205# BB overhead 20 FT
Carry Back 205#
Max T2B
-2 Min Rest-
2 Min AMRAP
Carry 205# BB overhead 20 FT
Carry Back 205#
Max Deadlifts 205#

This was an awesome WOD and really got your grip.  You had to walk down and back and then with the remaining time you had to get as many reps possible with the movement listed. Then when the buzzer rang for the end of the 2 Min you went right back into the walks unless it was a rest time.  There was a lot of bending over and staring at the bar.  Karen smoked me in this WOD!

When I got home I took Jada out on a run:

Run to Notre Dame
35:26

It was so nice outside, especially for December, that I had to take Jada out on a run.  This was at a comfortable pace to just be outside.  Next I went back to the box with my wife and:

Warm up
Row 1 K

Deadlift 5 Rep
425 x 5

I worked up to 405 and it felt pretty easy.  Back stayed nice and tight.  Quads were still feeling it so I did not want to keep going up.  Then I did a WOD with Chels:

5 Rds
5 Power Snatch 135#
10 OHS 135#
20 Pull ups

My time
12:47

That is a guess for my time.  I did not write it down when I left but I know it was between 12:20 and 12:50.  I went slow and did a lot of talking.  I knew this would be tough but it was worse then what I thought.  Plus Jada was with us and she got fussy.  Chels stopped in between Rd 2 and 3 so that sucked, but it was tough for her after heavy deads.

I have to work early again today and could not force myself to get up early to hit a WOD.  I will not have to much time tonight because when I get home tonight I am taking Chels to Rush Chris for a holiday dinner together.  That will be nice!  Looking forward to the holidays and some more time when they are over to train.  It has been tough the last few weeks.  Get better in all circumstances, sometimes it is more mental.

NU

AF BTT WOD 8

Did the FINAL WOD in the Beat the Team Series today for Again Faster.  I almost did not do it though.  When I woke up my quads were in pain....I started to roll out but could put little to NO pressure on them. I thought, "do I really need to do this because I may not finish.?"  Fortunately I decided to do it:

4 Rds
8 Power Cleans 205#
8 Front Squat 205#
8 Pistols
8 HSPU

My time
9:28

I really feel I could do this in the low 8's if I were fresh.  This is pretty much a perfect WOD for me.  Moderately heavy and skills that I am good at.  Problem is I knew if I picked the bar up to early....I would fail on the squats.  So, I took my time.  Video Below

Here is the video in my basement.  I slept in today when my alarm did not go off so I apologize for anyone who went to the 5:30 AM class....I am SO SORRY!  I did not have a whole lot of time because of this so I had to do the WOD in my basement.  Luckily, I did not have to go overhead and it was possible to do in the basement with low ceilings. 
This was a fun competition!  Thank you Again Faster!!

NU

Crown Point Competition 2011

The wife and I headed out to Crown point for the Firebreather 2011 Competition.  62 competitors which was quite a bit more then last year....which last years competition was my first Crossfit Competition and I took first so i wanted a repeat.  The added bonus was getting to compete with my wife!!!!  We started off at about 10 am:

Deadlift Ladder
315 - 505 (going up 10# every :20 sec until you cannot hit the lift)

My weight
455 (5th Place)

455# shows I still need a WHOLE LOT of work.  After this was an interesting one that was worse in person then on paper:

21-15-9
95# Thrusters
Chest 2 Bar Pull Ups
-between each set-
30 M Walking Lunge 45# Plate
30 M Sprint

My time
6:50 (1st Place)

Then came the final event before the cut was made to the top 5 athletes:

AirForce WOD 95# Barbell
4 Burpees to begin and EMOTM until completing
20 Thrusters
20 SDHP
20 Push Jerk
20 OHS
20 Front Squat

-immediately into-

3 Min Max Ground to Overhead

My time
4:48 (1st)

My weight
275 (1st)

I was in the final heat and had a time of 5:58 to beat so after the first minute I knew I could rest for a few seconds before the next minute to save my lunges some for the G2OH.....which was much HARDER being so fatigued.  I hit 225# which felt like 300# and then hit 255#....I had recovered quite a bit by the time I did 275# and that was my goal weight. 
The final WOD was next and the top 5 moved on.  Rules changed though....now it was winner take all for $1,000!!!!  The WOD:

Final WOD
3 Rds
5 Power Clean 165#
5 HSPU
10 KBS 1.5 Pood
10 Box Jumps 24'
15 Burpees
15 OHS 135#

My time
10:47 (1st)

The competition was awesome and was well worth the Prize of $1000!!!!!  Look forward to the comp in January!

NU

Muscle Ups and REST

Well,  today would have been a heavy load work day if I wanted it to be with a good amount of time available for training.  Instead I decided to rest until my competition.  I think the rest will be good.  All I did was some MU work:

EMOTM 8 Min
5 MU's

I failed at Min 8 and only got 4 unbroken MU's....I just had no pull left.  I need to keep working on that.  Otherwise I stretched and called it a day.  Off to work and Christmas shopping tomorrow with the family!!!

NU

Increased Work Hours = Less Time

Well,  I am now required to work 6 days a week and 2 days I have to travel out to a store over an hour from home to help out.  Yesterday I was there and it was a long day.  I was able to get to the box early and get some work in, no time to day though:

You Challenge: 7 Rds
7 Push Jerk
7 Burpees
7 C2B Pull ups

This was a shoulder burner and it hurt a lot more then I thought it was.  I jumped right into it without warming up.  Plus, the pull ups bar was like ice and it was painful to do pull ups really slowing them down.  After this:

Snatch
Shoulders were pretty shot and I worked up to 225# but could not hit it even though I attempted it about 6 times.

Next:

EMOTM 10 Min
10 GHD Sit ups

This was not bad yesterday but I am feeling it today.  They get me every time.  I then went to deadlift before having to head out, normally this is a Thursday thing for me but I have a comp on Sunday so I wanted to get some GHD Sit ups in and deadlifts in early in the week.....otherwise I could have potentially been wrecked.

Deadlift 5 Rep Heavy
405 x 5
415 x 5

I worked up to a heavy 5 but nothing to kill me.  Next week I will start a quick cycle to prep for a comp in January that is a SERIOUS one in Indy.  Next weekend is more of a prep for some volume and see how I am in the competition atmosphere.  It will be a lot of fun!

NU

Back Squats and still not 100% yet

I feel much better but have that AHHHH feeling still.  I was going to take off but decided a little work wouldn't hurt especially since I have a competition on Sunday.  I started with:

EMOTM Back Squat 10 Min
325 x 2

I wanted to go for 3 reps and did on the first minute but I was not warmed up enough and was not feeling to great so I backed off a bit.  After this:

Power Clean Max
225-246-265-285-305(F)-315(F)

I failed 315 3 times and had it but had it to far out front.  I felt good about this based on how I felt physically so I know next week I will nail this.  I just need to hammer technique and I will be good.  I jumped in with class before running out for work:

8 Rds (25# Vest)
5 Hang Power Clean 155#
7 Jump and touch 24' above reach
20 Mountain Climbers Total

My time
8:42

The vest added a lot to this WOD especially on the jumps.  The mountain climbers were more of a filler but I was breathing heavy and it got me more then I thought it would.  I used the middle of the pull up rig to touch a bar that was just about exactly 24 inches overhead.  Enjoyed doing something after taking a few days off. 

NU

SICK

I woke up in horrible shape today.....feel like a truck ran me over.   I was in bed until 3 PM and then came in to work to help close.  I am going to take a few days off and recover.  I am hoping it is a 24hr bug.....I ate and drank 0 until a little bit ago and Saltines are the only thing that sounds good.

I WANT to get better.

NU

Barber and a Break

Very busy day again and in the middle of a break from running around the house I hit a WOD:

5 Rds
5 Unbroken Power Cleans 185#
20 Barbel Lunges (about 75#)

My time
7:10

This hurt more then I thought it would.  It has been awhile since I have done lunges and I remember why...they hurt.  Then right back to running around.

Here is the AF WOD 7 from yesterday:

NU