A brief update:

The 5k was awesome! My group looked pretty amazing with our multi-colored tutus, string of lights, and crazy t-shirts that we cut and stretched, and covered in puffy paint in order to show off our name: The Fairy Flies. The run was a ton of fun and I am pretty happy with myself being able to run a good chunk of the time however my knee continued to give me issues.

Soon, the warmth of August bled into the Indian Summer of September and I worked harder on my goal of 3x a week at Crossfit. I joined a new gym in August and I LOVED it. The people were great, the atmosphere was what I was looking for, and the coaches worked with me on my knee, making me feel less like a social pariah and more like an actual member. The best aspect of September was my birthday and the birthday wod that my gym did just for me. My entire family came to Redmond to work out and we did all of the movements that I love. It was a ton of fun and made me feel even more like I was a part of this amazing group.

September quickly transitioned into the cool, dark of October and I found myself at a Josh Groban concert. Wow, that man is phenomenal! He is hilarious, talented, and just a good looking man. Amanda, my grandma, and my mom were with me and it was such a splendid night. Dinner, limo ride, drinks, and Josh. What more could a girl ask for? About a week after the concert, I started to experience a pretty sharp pain in my side that got a little worse everyday. My coworkers were convinced that it was my appendix so I took myself over to the doctor, got a CT Scan, and yes, it was. The pain was there but it wasn't terrible. My family came and sat with me while we waited for surgery and I was in good spirits. Over the next couple of days, however, the pain intensified and my blood pressure jumped to 155/115 and I was back in the hospital until the pain was under control. After that, I was in healing mode and anxious to get back to normal.

The following week, after my appendix, I met with an ortho surgeon about my knee. He was 99% sure that the issue was a torn meniscus and prepped me on what to expect with recovery. It sounded somewhat easy; go in, snip the torn part, clean up any jagged areas, and then I am off of it for a few days. Rehab would start on the 3rd or 4th day and I would be able to walk, no problem. He requested an MRI to be sure and I got that scheduled right away. Well, the MRI did not show a torn meniscus. Instead, it showed that I had a "chunk" of bone missing from my femur and the piece was likely floating around in my knee which was causing a lot of the pain. We still planned on the same procedure for surgery with the hope that the removal of the fragment and the smoothing of the hole would stop my knee from popping out and causing issues. I scheduled my surgery for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and finished healing up from my appendix.

Surgery. Never a fun time and always stressful. At least for me it is. My grandma was a huge help; she took me to the hospital and then waited while my surgery took place. Everyone at Evergreen is great, by the way! The surgical staff was super friendly and made me feel really comfortable about the whole procedure. When I laid down on the surgery table and the nurses finally finished with the needles, monitors and blankets, I counted back from 100 and fell asleep.

"Crutches. She is going to need to be fitted for crutches" My eyes flew open and the first words out of my mouth were "Oh Hell No! I am not going to be on crutches. That was not the deal!" All grogginess and calming fog quickly vanished from my head and I was wide awake. And pissed. "This wasnt the plan! Why am I going to be on crutches?!" I should stop and mention that I wasn't try to be difficult or belligerent but if you know me and my klutziness, crutches just don't work. I quickly discovered that I didn't really have a choice and that my knee was in way worse shape than the doctor has previously realized. The nurse, realizing that I was fully awake grabbed my clothes for me and told me to get what I could on and then she would be back to help me with the rest. Sadly, all of my past falls, twists, and breaks have taught me how to dress myself, even while in a hospital bed, so I pulled on my clothes and sat, waiting for the nurse. A bit later, the nurse wheeled me in to the recovery area where my grandma was waiting and that was where I learned what happened.

First, the doctor was both wrong and right. I did have a torn meniscus and I did have a chunk missing (he called it an ulcer). The meniscus was tricky and looked really good until you realize that 60% of it was ripped and formed a bucket handle (he called it a bucket handle tear). He had two options; either remove 60-70% of my very much needed meniscus or stitch it together so that it heals. Next, he found that I had two chunks of bone floating around the insides and one side of my knee looked like a bunch of sea anemones floating around in there...which is not how a knee is supposed to look. He removed the chunks, smoothed out the bone, and cleared up all of the loose, shredded tissue in my knee. The stitches were the reason I was going to be stuck on crutches for a week or so and, while not thrilled, I came to terms with them. My grandma then took me back to her house so that I can rest until my parents came and got me.

You know you are in pain when the first person you want is your mom. My mom, who is the strongest woman I know, is not the kind who kisses your forehead and coddles you when sick. If you are ever in an emergency, she is the best person to turn to. Want someone to tuck you in and calm you down? Not really her style. My grandma, on the other hand, is just that. It was a perfect balance to have after my surgery. I got the loving kisses and help that I needed while I was pouting over my situation and then I got the logical help later when I had to figure out what I was going to do afterwards. Some of that help turned into my parents taking Daisy back to their house. Oh man did I miss her the minute she was gone! The dog is a huge part of my life and the house was gloomy and quiet while she was away.

Fast forward a week and I have Daisy back, crutches are a distant memory and I took a huge step for my health (more to come on this later). My parents were amazing and had Daisy for 8 days, through Thanksgiving, and worked on her manners. She now sits when waiting to go out or come back in instead of smacking the door with her paw. She also stays off of the furniture and my bed. Ok the last one has been a challenge because I miss cuddling with her and may have let her come up a few times before shooing her away. She is sleeping on her own bed but around 4am, she has been sneaking up on me. However, how can I say no to her face? And how quickly she warms my feet up? I only have so much strength against her beguiling eyes! With the crutches gone and my underarms healing, I am in a leg boot thing that prevents my knee from bending. I can put all of my weight on my leg but no weight while the knee is bent or my stitches may come out. I am in this contraption until January but still, so much better than crutches!

With both surgeries out of the way, a new plan in place for health, the start of December is shaping up to be pretty great.

65 Days left...and I am tired!

Monday's WOD was a great one! I actually love Kettlebell swings (though I swear I am going to lose my grip one day and it is going to go flying out and hit someone in the head) and while I should have pushed myself to do 35# instead of 25#, I was nervous about the 100 reps that we had to do (oh yeah, I definitely should have done Rx!) I always do that to myself; get so nervous about the amount of reps that I have to do so I drop the weight out of fear of pain and then I end up wishing I had done more. After the 100 kb swings it was an 800m row (run for the normal, more coordinated folks) and then 50 pushups and 50 pullups. There was an 18 minute time cap so I managed to get through the kbs, row, pushups and 24 of the pullups. I was pretty happy! I did lose count on the KB swings at one point so I threw in an extra 10 just to be sure but I felt great afterwards. Honestly, I am really amp'ing myself up to get excited to go in during the week. I try to be super pumped and ready however I am finding that I dread it. Don't get me wrong, I love to lift heavy shit and I do not mind the WODS at all...except Karen. That Bitch is just mean...I mean, come on! 150 wall balls? Really?!
I dread it because I am HORRIBLY shy and withdrawn when I am there. I love the people there and all of them are great but I have a hard time talking to them so I end up just sneaking out the front which perpetuates the cycle. It helps when Denise is there or I workout with someone else I know fairly well and can meld easily into their circle but when I am left adrift in a sea of unfamiliar (or familiar but standoffish faces) then I want to run away. Unfortunately, I see the bonds that my family has with their own crossfit gym. Friendships that are close and fun between huge, vastly different groups of people all there with the same goal in mind. So what is it that makes my situation so much different than, say, my brother's or my mom's? I am truly envious of the people who can walk in, talk to anyone, and make friends so incredibly easily. I know a lot of it is me but I am not really sure what to do to fix that. A few people have told me to find another gym but I don't think that is the answer...the shyness will just follow me. Ha, Q told me to just get over it...if only it were that easy. All I can do is just keep going, try to smile more (except when lifting and then who knows what my face is, I am trying to concentrate on not hurting myself in some way!) and maybe one day break out of my shell...maybe...

Now Tuesday was fun! I love playing games and hanging out with my roommates. We are making it a weekly thing where we go and play some badmitton on the tennis courts with Daisy and then walk over to the track to run/jog/walk to prepare us for the 5k (in 65 days...yikes!) I don't think I could have found a better group to be friends with. We are almost always laughing and planning some crazy event or other. We really mesh well and can usually work through our differences and issues. Usually ;)
Well this particular Tuesday was awesome because I now have a bright yellow/green soccer ball that the guys were playing with on the football field. Daisy was in Heaven!! She was chasing it, them and every thing that moved. My wild, crazy, and never tired Border Collie slept through the night without her normal wake up call at 5. She actually let me sleep in until 5:45! I may have been in Heaven as well!

With 65 days left, there is so much that I still need to get ironed out and work better on (story of my life really haha) I am on the path to meet my goal of 3 days of CF this week and 3 days of jogging/walking as well. So far, so good!

67 Days left to prepare for the 5k


Wow...time is flying by and I am less prepared than I had hoped to be. I still have time to get ready for it and I am making strides everyday but I wanted to be farther along. I keep getting distracted by things (people) that I need to really just stop concentrating on and focus back on me. It. Is. So. Freaking. Hard! My mind never turns off...I am constantly analyzing and trying to figure every little nuance out and it is incredibly annoying. Yesterday I was finally able to escape myself and spend some much needed time with Daisy and the beach. I took her for a long walk along the waterfront and then sat on the pier with her, watching the kites in the wind and the white caps out on the water. It was so cathartic and necessary. It makes me really appreciate living in the Northwest. When I was in Texas, I would miss the smell of the salt water and sound of the ferries. Now that I am home (and have been home for 5 years) it still calms me down and makes me happy. I don't know if I could ever live anywhere else.

Anyways, back to my lack of preparation. I have a feeling that if I do not actually buckle down and get my ass in gear, I am really going to regret it in 67 days! So my goal this week will be a minimum of 3 days of CrossFit though I am going to push for 4 and either go on Thursday or Saturday morning. I did get a ton of walking in this weekend!!

Oooh speaking of this weekend...One of the best weekends ever! The plan was to go to Seattle in the mid to late afternoon, walk from SCCA to Pike's Place, wander around and then walk from there to the Sounders game. I had envisioned shopping and drinking and fun. What really happened, while still fun, was so not the plan...it is kind of ironic that when I was asked what the plan was, I had said spontaneity and that is what it ended up being. Ok so what really happened: We find a great parking spot in Seattle and begin the first leg of the urban walking trek. We are about 6 blocksish (though I thought we were a lot closer) when it dawned on us that I didn't pay for parking. So we made the decision to walk back. My lovely guide took us on another route so that it wasn't the same scenes that we would be walking passed and we avoided the park so that my allergies wouldn't go crazy again. Well, as we were walking, my heel started to really hurt so I looked down and found that my shoe had worn out the back of my heel. I was bleeding all down the back of my sock, onto the back of my shoe and the other foot wasn't far behind. That put a bit of a crimp in our plans but we still persevered and got back to the car, drove closer to Pike's (he found superb parking and I am kind of envious of his skills) and went in search of a drug store for band aids. This is where the typical klutziness took hold and literally, as I was crossing the street, I fell down. He was all gallant and blamed the manhole that I walked over but no, it was just me. So now I have a bloody heel, bruised and skinned knees and a bruised up elbow. Once I cleaned myself up, placed band aids on my feet and replaced my socks, we began walking to the game.

Ok first...there are some very crazy people in Seattle. That being said, the craziest was the woman who searched my bag. Of course the guy gets off easy and doesn't need to be searched or questioned as he walks through; being a girl, I had all of my belongings manhandled. Well, it wasn't really that bad but as she was looking through my purse, she is asking her normal questions "Do you have any water bottles in here? Booze? Knives? Boyfriend?" Ummm....no? Is the word single tattooed on my forehead? Actually, she winked at me while asking so maybe I was missing something? Ha! Perhaps she figured out something that the rest of us are too oblivious to notice...Anyways...OMG the game was so incredible! It was intense and crazy! I LOVED it! I never thought I would get this much into a sport before but I was on the edge of my seat. Definitely will be going to a lot more this season! Sounders won 3-2 against the Whitecaps which was awesome. We had really good seats (thank you Mark!) and ended up having Sounders fans in our row and Whitecaps fans all behind us. They were sure rowdy the first half of the game when they were up by one but once the Sounders caught up and then pulled ahead, they didn't make a peep! It was great! Wow...What a game!

After the game we met up with some of his friends and my new bff at a neat karaoke bar in Magnolia. Craziness quickly ensued. 1. Wow, the guy can sing and he is very entertaining! 2. His friends are hilarious. 3. I really need to stop making friends at the bar. Actually, I did run in to one of the workers from Rikki Rikki (their warehouse is next to my office and I talk to them all of the time) and it was fun talking to him! Kind of crazy too because there was this really weird guy at the bar talking to me while I was ordering the drinks and he would not leave me alone and then Rikki Rikki (I cannot remember his first name) came over and rescued me. Small world when you run into someone that you work with in Redmond at a small bar outside of Seattle. It was really neat though! I also met some other very entertaining characters and played a lovely game of jenga with them. At one point they convinced me to take a picture of them singing and then text it to them...bad idea as they then had my number but they were a fun group of guys...sometimes. They did get a bit annoying as the night progressed and a bit more touchy than I was comfortable with but all was good and the group I was actually part of managed to move a bit further from them.

After seeing some epic singing (the people I was with are pretty phenomenal and entertaining) the two of us went and got some breakfast. I was starving and it was delicious.

Overall, this weekend was amazing. I would say awesome but I have been told that I use it too much...though I am fairly certain that amazing is used almost as much. It was such a fun weekend despite all of the little things like blood and bruises.


67 days left...better really get a move on! Thank God for CrossFit tonight!

Love this song - Thompson Square's song is playing as I write this "Are you gonna to kiss me or not? Are we going to do this or what? I think you know I like you a lot but you're about to miss your shot...are you gonna kiss me or not?"

Day 13

I LOVE my roommates. They make me laugh so hard that sometimes I hurt. Last night we went to the school across the street to "run" and instead ended up playing badminton was throwing the ball for Daisy on the tennis courts. We were out there for a good hour just laughing and having fun. Then we walked back, made a cake and watched YouTube videos until midnight. At one point, I had tears streaming down my face and I couldn't breathe. It was probably the most silliness I have had in a long time. OMG...I have to share this:

http://youtu.be/orH3FdRIs8o


I think I died laughing to just this part. While you need the entire storyline to really understand...I still LOVED this part. OMG so freaking hilarious!

That's it, that is all I had to share


Day 14


WOD: 5 rounds 10 14# med ball cleans, 7 HSPU, 7 65# hang snatches. I was so excited for med ball cleans because I haven't done them in ages and I really like them that I went crazy on the first round and ended up dropping down so quickly with the weight that I threw my knee out again. I slowed it down for the next couple of rounds but I was dying when I hit the fourth. I really should have made it through the 5th round and I was really upset that I didn't but my knee was killing me and the idea of squatting was making me want to cry. Add in that I was so incredibly ungraceful getting off of the box during the HSPU...literally I was just sliding off of it...and I was just ready to go home. I am pretty happy with my snatches; it really helped having Everett standing there telling me to explode with them. Damn they are killers on your arms! My arms are very sore!

Day 12

As I write this post, Lee Brice's song, 'Love like Crazy' is playing. I love this line: "Just ask him how he made it, he'll tell you faith and sweat, and the heart of a faithful woman who never let him forget....be a best friend, tell the truth and overuse I Love You. Go to work, do your best, don't outsmart your common sense. Never let your praying knees get lazy and love like crazy. Always treat your woman like a lady, never get to old to call her baby. Never let your praying knees get lazy and love like crazy" 


So my day (yesterday) started with an early morning phone call that I have yet to tell anyone about. The call came in at 4am, and because I was dead asleep, I answered it. "Will you accept a call from the King County Jail System from 'Meow'?" is what the auto-attendant asked me. I was immediately awake and probably spent a good minute debating on whether I should accept it or not. I worried that it was someone important, a friend or family member that needed my help...the 'meow' SHOULD have given it away but I skipped right over that part. So, being me I accepted the call that would change my day....maybe my life? Meh, doubtful. Yes. It was He who shall not be named. He was in jail and needed my help. I SHOULD have hung up on him; stated that he was on his own and wished him the best of luck but I couldn't. He didn't need money or anything like that, he just needed someone to pick him up and take him to his parents. Having had to deal with this for most of the 3-4 years that we were together, I really shouldn't have helped him out. I really should have walked away and let his friends deal with him. But I couldn't....So after his brother (who lives in New York) posted his bail, I drove to Seattle and picked him up. He looked awful. His eyes were red, puffy and almost swollen shut. The fumes coming off of his body was making me lightheaded in the car and he looked so sad. The car ride back to Kirkland was interesting to say the least...


You see, he said some things on that drive that really made me stop and think. He apologized for everything and walked me through what was going on in his brain when we were together.  He basically told me that while our relationship was horribly destructive, it was something that had changed his life and he thinks about often. He made me feel better about everything and gave me a lot of encouragement with my goals and plans. After I finally got him home, I went to my favorite place to think and breathe. I sat with Daisy at the park and just stared at the water. I watched the birds above as they struggled to fly into the wind. I focused on the darkening clouds and the imminent storm that they represented. I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I finally got the closure that I needed to be at peace.

Now I am trying to allow that peace to permeate everything else going on. I feel like I have so much on my plate and most of it is stuff that I keep heaping on it. I am so focused on the knowing instead of just living and experiencing. I MUST know what is going on, I must have answers and I really need them right now. Because of that, I tend to over-analyze everything to death (my death most likely as I saw some murderous gleams in the eyes of my friends =/ ) I don't know how to let go and just live. I keep wondering did I ruin everything? Did I ruin nothing? Are we friends? More than friends? Are my friends right? Are they wrong? What about fixing the friend zone? What is going on?! The list is endless and circular. No one knows the answers to these questions except for maybe him and I am too scared to just ask.

It all boils back down to patience. It is a virtue that I lack and am struggling with. The old adage that all things will be revealed in time is just annoying but true. You are only as strong as the struggles have made you on this journey and if you go after the shortcuts, you will fail in the long run. Isn't the whole point of life to experience it, live it and work your way through it?

Of course as I end this, 'All your life' by The Band Perry is playing...I am definitely asking this to the next guy I date "Would you walk to the edge of the ocean just to fill my jar with sand? Just in case I get the notion to let it run through my hand? ... Would you catch a couple thousand fireflies, put them in a lamp to light my world? All dressed up in tux and bow tie, hand delivered to a lonely girl."

Day 11

Let me start by saying Thank you to all of the service men and women who have fought for our country. You are greatly appreciated, loved, and respected. I watched one of my favorite people, someone super important to my family, graduate on Saturday morning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army. He will be leaving in a week for active duty and it makes me realize how quickly time flies and life moves forward, whether you want it to or not. I am in awe of the men that he and my brother have grown in to. Not ashamed that I cried during the ceremony. Even more special was that my grandfather was the NCO who gave him his first salute. Wow. Such a beautiful tradition. After the ceremony I got to spend time with my favorite kid and was just in awe (again) in how much he has grown in all facets of his life. He is truly a sweet guy and will forever hold a special place in my heart. Both of them will.  

Ok...Superbed. Yes! It is super and it is a bed. Since one of my roommates moved out and took her furniture, we do not have anything in our living room. So on Saturday night, Chelsea and I moved our mattresses out into the living room and created a superbed! We then had a party, small but fun, and watched movies all night long while drinking and laughing. Neither of us can take credit for the amazingness that was this idea; no the credit and applause has to go to her brother. Who, by the way, can cook a delicious burger and OMG his guac is probably the best I have ever had (no joke...the heat from the cayenne was perfect). Not ashamed that I ate some with my breakfast this morning. Anyways....Superbed was a phenomenal idea! There were times that I was laughing into my pillow so hard that my sides were hurting. You know that laughter, the silent, body shaking, uncontrollable laughter that makes you gasp for breath. It was such a great night. Not going to lie, it amazes me that I could know and spend vast amounts of time with such neat and great people. Their kindness and compassion makes me strive to be a better person.

Well, superbed lasted into the midafternoon on Sunday and then continued again that night (that was when we had the burgers and guac) however it did not end how I had hoped. I had thought that there would be laughter and fun similar, or better, to the night before. Instead there was angst, crankiness, snapping and tears. Yes, there were tears. However, I can take the blame for that; I was overly tired and I don't take well to being snapped at. I own that but I am still sad that the party ended how it did. There was a weird vibe here last night that I cannot explain. Spencer, Chelsea's boyfriend, did a pretty good job trying but I am still left confused. Somehow I did or said something that set off one of our guests and he left. Drunken me did try to say something to him, fix it if possible, but I am fairly certain that it made it more awkward. This is the time where I runaway from it. Hide from the awkwardness and wait for it to either dissipate or until I move on. It is cowardly, I know.

So today's lesson is Growth. Growth in all areas of life, both physically and emotionally. That means no hiding and burying my head in the sand. That means I actually have to deal with my own angst and fear, for lack of a better word, instead of running from it. That is true for this journey I am on of self discovery (and running a 5k); I need to step up and really take this more seriously. Yesterday afternoon, I met up with a good friend and he worked with me on some tips for running. A lot of them I had learned through CrossFit but he showed me some techniques to help prevent unnecessary strain on my joints and limbs. We went for a small but rewarding hike with Daisy and solved the world's problems. Well at least my world's problems haha  I know that I still have a long way to go before I am ready for the 5k but everyday I am feeling more confident and learning new things. One thing I need to learn is patience. Not my strong suit -_-

Day 6

Running. Is. Evil! There, I said it! Actually, I am secretly envious of those who can run. I do not have the ability to do so without hurting myself. Thankfully, my brother's phenomenal girlfriend is going to train with me on Sunday's and I have some pretty fantastic friends working with me on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

That being said, Tuesday night's running experience was pretty rough. I tried to jog 400m....that so did not happen. I am really going to have to start all over on this and take it slow. I am not a very patient person so this is really going to frustrate me many times before I am where I want to be.



Day 7 (Yes I am mashing these into two posts!)

Nothing exciting today except that I am convinced Comcast technicians do not know what they are doing 90% of the time. After 4 hours at my house trying to figure out the wireless  router and the modem, the technician literally threw his hands in the air and left...then I fiddled with it and figured it out myself. After that I had to go back to work and meet with my boss and figure out a game plan for the service department (it is basically in shambles) and explain to him that everyone is new; he cannot expect perfection! He conceded and then apologized for being so cranky lately. I am very lucky to work for this man and this company. While he can be very difficult at times, he is incredibly generous, kind, and smart. I actually love coming into work everyday...except when I am sick. Which is what happened when I got home. I ended up with a fever and the chills and passed out in bed. No CrossFit for me but I will be there on Friday!

So far, this journey has been a roller coaster ride. I fluctuate between complete strictness and utter abandon pretty regularly and I continue to jump from frustration to joy with little in between. I love that I have a great network of people that I can turn to for support and questions however I just wish I could snap my fingers and have it all in proper order with my nutrition and health. I am just so impatient with all of this however I know that I am supposed to go through this to be a stronger, healthier person that doesn't take life for granted....Pfft. Where is the magic genie and the three wishes?!

Day 5 (Or 1)

Today's lesson...Drama. There is no place for it. Seriously. There is no need to create it if you do not know the intentions behind another person's interactions. It is frustrating to see grown adults stirring the pot and becoming defensive over something that doesn't concern them without knowing ANYTHING at all about it. There are TWO sides to every story and neither side is 100% right nor 100% wrong. Both sides are responsible and both sides need to work it out and move on without involving every single person into it. That being said...I am the worst at keeping people out of it so I apologize and am trying to change that (change comes with time, quit expecting perfection!) The five minutes of drama, however, could not destroy the good mood I was in from my fabulous weekend, and my amazing Monday!

Monday was a great day. The workout was so incredibly daunting when I was thinking about it but when I sat down to start my 100 situps, I just focused on getting through it and pushing myself until I was done. I was pretty happy with 40 unbroken situps and then doing sets of 10 with minimal breaks. After the 100 situps, we did 4 rounds for time of 6 Thrusters and 10 Pullups. I dropped the weight from RX at 95# to 55# to take it easy. It wasn't bad. The weight seemed good and there wasn't a problem with my knee which was a plus. I really have to thank Tim and Denise for encouraging me with the weighted BackSquats prior to the WOD. Both were helping to watch my form and make sure that I am pushing my knees out over my toes instead of inwards. Overall, I felt really good! Tired, but good. I am still leery over running and I tend to shy away from activities that will cause me pain. Soreness isn't bad but actual pain is and I do not want to cause any further damage. Rowing at CF has been really good and I will be starting my light jogging/fast walking this week with my roommates to help get us ready for the 5k

Which, by the way, I am still super excited about! I do not care that other people cannot have my level of enthusiasm and excitement over this, nothing can diminish it! The hope bashers and dream killers need to calm down and let me be excited!

Alright, that is all.

Days 2, 3 and 4

Fail. Webster defines it as an "omission of occurrence or performance; specifically : a failing to perform a duty or expected action" Technically I failed this weekend. Literally, I was only successful 50% of the time on this nutritional challenge and 75% of the time in my goal for CrossFit. So what went wrong? Nothing! Absolutely nothing went wrong! I had fun! Ok missing CrossFit on Friday was because I didn't actually eat enough food and I ended up really tired and falling asleep but the nutritional aspect was kind of worth it. Yes, I have to restart again today but honestly? Not too upset by that. I am happy that I didn't go crazy and just eat whatever I wanted, though I did NOT eat enough on Saturday at all and suffered for it. My weekend was truly amazing. I had an absolute blast seeing a terrific band on Friday night with some friends and a guy I like and then relaxed most of my Saturday, sleeping off the massive amounts of Tequila I consumed (Bad, I know!), and Sunday was probably one of the best days I have had in a long time!

Ok...Just to clarify, Sunday was not the best day because a roommate moved out. (Though it did remove some intense built up tension in the home); Sunday was absolutely phenomenal because of my friends, the love of my life on four legs, and my family. The sun came out and was perfect while we were at the beach with Daisy. Daisy was an absolute doll; playing with other dogs, getting braver with the water...etc and then family dinner that night was just a reminder as to how lucky I am. My brother, with his gruff, just do it attitude, got me back on track with some realities on this 5k run. We talked about different strategies with this entire training plan and how I can get into shape without destroying my knees and my ankles. We went over the importance of nutrition (again...I tend to forget when its convenient) and what results I can expect to see when I stick to it. Driving home, I couldn't stop smiling. How lucky am I to have a family that isn't afraid to call me out on my BS, hold me accountable for my actions and then beat me back into submission? Kidding! But seriously, it amazes me the amount of support and love that I get from them. It doesn't matter that we fight and argue and completely disagree with the decisions that we are making (ok, mostly mine...like when I run off to Rhode Island or move to Texas) but we continue to be there for each other.

No. This weekend was NOT a failure but just a small detour on my plan. This weekend was the perfect weekend and I do not have a regret....except for sleeping through Girl's Night :(

So I guess this means that this is now Day 1 again...?

Day 1

Sweet Potatoes.... I can tell you right now that I am going to be sick of them long before this 10 day challenge is over. I could barely finish the 150g that I was supposed to eat this morning! I cannot imagine 9 more days -_- I will have to figure out a good alternative so that I don't go completely crazy. My eggs were also not that exciting but that was my own fault so I will have to jazz them up tomorrow. I felt like a bunny rabbit eating my lunch (I was literally eating the spinach and peppers one piece at a time haha) and I could not finish my almonds but I haven't strayed from the plan!! 

Today is the start of this 10 day challenge that my brother set me up on. Last night I was so excited for the run, the work it will take to get there and the new changes coming down the pike. Well...that excitement has diminished. I have come to the conclusion that there are fun suckers out there, just waiting to pounce on enthusiasm and happiness. If my legs were working properly, I would kick them in the shins. I am trying to not let their negativity get me down...its not working. Grrrrr!

Speaking of crankiness....eating like this is making me so irritable! I am not craving anything or lusting after any food items but I am so crabby! I woke up in a great and terrific mood and that has since plummeted into a dark and snappy place. It is slowly working its way back up to happy but not as fast as I would like. So I apologize to those I have snapped at today (and future days)..Except YOU! Yes you! You know who You are!

Anyways...back to my original thought. Day 1 and I am really feeling like this could work. As it stands, I will be working out about 5-6 days a week. Three at CrossFit and 3 more training at the track, getting ready for this run. It is actually making me want to sign up for more runs after this! Hell Run anyone?! My biggest struggle is planning; I have to plan all of my meals and snacks ahead of time or else I will miss one day and then three days and then it has been a year and I don't remember what I was supposed to be doing. I have to say, though, that I have the best family and friends with me on this. The encouragement (and subtle threats) from them really pushes me to continue.

I have to really thank D, especially for last night. I did NOT want to go to CF and honestly felt like I could not walk. However, knowing that she was going to be there, waiting for me (as were a few other amazing people), I got my ass in gear and went in. WOW! I felt sooooo much better after the first set of squats in the warm up! Logically I knew that would be the case once I got moving, but I shy away from pain and did not want to put myself through it. The pain was worth it. Absolutely worth it. The WOD was a really good one and T was super awesome in letting me scale it. I only felt some pain when doing the single unders and towards the end of rowing. Other than that, I really pushed myself and am very proud that I went.  In case you were wondering, the WOD was: 3 Rounds for time 42 DU (I did 50 SU) 21 KB Swings, 12 Knees to elbows and a 200 m run (row for me).

Oh yes, this is going to be a splendid journey!

Day 0.5

I have decided that today does not count. In 2.5 months I will be running (yes running and probably tripping) my first 5k with one of my besties and hopefully some other friends as well. The run is going to be at night which is a bit daunting as my eyesight is TERRIBLE in the dark but that's why I have contacts and will be wearing a tutu made of glow sticks. Anyways...back to how today doesn't count. My brother created (or stole) a food plan that I have to follow for the next 10 days. Well, thanks to my horrible roommate who didn't pay our internet bill, I didn't get it in time to make the STRICT breakfast that I am required to have each and every day. Ok yes, I know that is an excuse but still true. So I decided to enjoy my day, stress free and am prepared for tomorrow. What I was not prepared for was the overwhelming soreness from the WOD on Monday. (WOD=Workout of the Day) We did a tabata, which I LOVE, but after being gone for 3 months, I was not prepared to do that many squats or sit ups. Oh well, I am embracing the soreness (that's not true, I am cursing it and wishing I didn't have to get up off of things like my chair, bed, or even the toilet) Q, my ever supportive friend, told me to HTFU (Harden The Fuck Up) and walk it off. IT HURTS TO WALK! Every time my muscles contract or move at all, I want to cry just a little.

Ok, I am done with my bitching. I do know that once I get in today, do some squats and row a bit, I will be a happier camper. Whoever said that there is no easy way sure wasn't lying! On the plus side though, I managed to get a 3 rpm of 85# on my strict press. I went for a 1 rpm on 95# but only managed one arm. I just have to remind myself to take one day at a time....Just keep swimming...just keep swimming...