Oldie But Goodie....

From CrossFit San Diego when I went there for a visit....great workout!!

From "CrossFit Fire" website.....

"Bill and I had the pleasure of attending a CrossFit Running & Endurance Certification over the weekend. The certification covered the basics of running using the "Pose" method. CrossFit Chicago hosted the cert, and it was an absolute blast! Brian MacKenzie, Carl Borg and Shari Keener were all there to instruct, critique, coach and push us when our bodies were aching. In their defense, Carl DID warn us that we would be VERY sore. I honestly had no idea I had such bad running form until this weekend. I always knew running was my kryptonite, but at least now I know how to make it better. Here is a summary of what I learned this weekend:

1. Running is WAY more complicated than just putting on a cute outfit, tying your shoes and hitting the street
2. With enough skills & drills even the worst runner (me) can improve their technique
3. Slow motion running videos are almost as unflattering as slow motion jump rope videos, but not quite
4. I have muscles in my legs/feet that I didn't even know existed
5. The muscles I didn't know existed are sissies, and need to be worked more often
6. All your beautiful new running form will turn into a painful limp the Monday after a running certification
7. Shari Keener is the hottest CrossFitting woman on the planet!

To explain #7...has anyone seen a woman with about 6% body fat? I haven't until this weekend. We can add Shari's pictures to the list of pictures to show women when they talk about being afraid of "bulking up" from CrossFitting.

Oh my GOD...I love this girl....not only is she funny as all HELL, but her energy is through the roof to say the least! I enjoyed meeting everybody - especially HER!!

SF Crippler gets ahold of me!!

BMack gives the rocker hand in victory over my lunchtime annihilation in Chicago!!! Thank you sir may I have another.....












Me and coach Carl. He's pretty much fast as lightning! Hopefully some of that will rub off on me and I'll get faster too!!

I can clean up pretty good....

Here I am getting ready to go out with some friends, which is something I am doing more of. I have to say ... I have THE best friends anybody could ask for. A great lesson that I have learned is just how many people I have in my life that care about me. Today I feel super thankful for all the relationships I have in my life....because they are QUALITY relationships. That means everything to me....

Chicago Running Cert

It just doesn't get much better than this picture! Here I am loving being between two amazing men..Carl and BMack from CrossFit Newport. I was lucky enough to tag along for the Running Cert in Chicago this past weekend where I learned tons and got to help coach the POSE method to the attendees. This picture was taken after a lunchtime workout they put me through...dubbed "The SF Crippler"...30 backsquats at bodyweight and a 1k row for time. I absolutely loved working out with these two beasts and love the after pic even more! Brian used to call me "spider web" because of all the veins that stick out all over me...now my new nickname is "fetus"....they called me that all weekend long. Good thing I didn't mind !...we ate the best pizza downtown and had chocolate cake and apple pie for dessert...yes, cheat day was in order. Being around these two is seriously like a dream for me. Running mixed with CrossFit is absolutely heaven in my world. Getting to be around my mentors and soak up their knowledge was exactly what I needed. I am looking forward to traveling more with them, and helping Carl out with teaching the drills at the next cert. Don't know where it'll be just yet that I'm headed - but I am READY! I flew all by myself this time around and dread flying. I have come a long way this past month and am growing emotionally and am seriously the strongest I have ever been in my life. I do not need anybody to make me feel good about who I am. I am content in my skin and am probably the happiest I have been in a very long time. Conquering my fear of flying was just the tip of how I surprise myself with my strength. I even slept in all flights! Anybody who knows me knows how HUGE that is for me!! I met amazing people there in Chicago, and took tons of pictures. Life is taking me in a different path than I had planned, but it is turning out to be the right path for me. Life is good......(fetus out!)

Ian Schiller

This is my client Ian. He's Marians boyfriend and trains with me Monday Wednesday and Friday with Jen and Buck (ill post them later) at 5am at NSC. Ian's an avid mountain bike rider (he's pretty bad ass at it) and owns his own media company Parish Media. He shoots commercials, print work, and picture ads for many clients including some sports teams. He's a jokester and makes coming in at 5am fun for me. Ian's favorite thing to do is to try and get me to compromise the workout somehow. Either by reps scheme or weight used or rounds. He says that one day the workout will be for them to make me take a dose of my own medicine and they'll train me while they yell at me like I do to them! I love it. Ian's always been pretty strong, but he's gotten a lot stronger for sure. He has amazing back squat, bench press and snatch strength and races Buck at every workout. Another amazing client of mine! Oh, Ian started training with me shortly after Marian did...maybe it was a competitive streak in the house. lol.....love these guys!! Thanks for making Monday - Friday 4am wake up easy to do. Not very many people can say that they love what they do for a living and I am one of the lucky ones who can say that and truly mean it. I'm proud to be their trainer!!!

Marian Crockett

Ah...Marian. She is probably the client that has made the most improvement. I've been training Marian since 2006 and she could not perform a squat without falling over and couldn't hold her body in a plank. She was weak beyond weak and had zero muscle mass. She was a runner when I met her...actually met her at the Santa Cruz Track Club Monday night workout. It was her, Jen and Leslie who asked me while doing 400 meter repeats what I did to look the way I do...I said "CrossFit baby!" The rest is history! They quickly became my first crazy 5am group and would train with me every Tues and Thurs 5am at the old CrossFit SC HQ gym. I taught Marian how to fuel her body for performance and to taper from running so much so she could put her all into the programming at CF. Look how her body changed! I'm going to ask her for a before pic so you all can see what i mean....but trust me, she looks like a different woman. Healthy, Strong and making PR's left and right. Marian has a crazy deadlift strength...in fact I think that's her fav exercise. Her 3 rep max is 190 and she's a little thing weighing 115 pounds. She's got 13 kipping pullups and she worked so hard to just get 1. I love my 5am girls.....and I love watching them do what they didn't think possible for them, and see how their bodies change.....next up I have to post about Jen Buckley....she's nothing short of amazing!!! Yea Marian!!!

Brittany aka BritHoney

I'm going to start introducing my amazing clients here on my bog. This is Brittnay....she's a talented model and also starred in a musical where she played "Ariel" from The Little Mermaid. Can you see the resemblance? I met BritHoney a few months back when I was walking out of Starbucks in Scotts Valley. She ran up to me at my car and asked if I was a personal trainer. I said..."yea I am...I train here in Sv at CrossFit....blah blah blah..." She asked for my business card and told me she wanted to look like me. I thought..."aww...she's so freaking sweet!" Anyway, she ended up emailing me and the rest is history. When she first came to me she could maybe perform 5 air squats at a time without having to stop for air and to stretch out her legs. Seriously...she would get winded and cheat full extension as best she could and hated anything that was too sweaty. BUT NOW.....she is amazing! She can do squats without a problem, pushups, dips, and her power clean is beautiful!! It's truly a joy to train her...she's a kind hearted, loving, friendly woman. She always comes to her session ready to push hard and continue even if she feels like crying during the WOD. Look for her because she's just getting better and better.,.....and I love being a part of her life. PLUS...she just got started on the Zone and so far so good. I have no doubt she will do everything she puts her mind to!

Here I Come Chicago Run Cert!!

I started off the weekend having a great time. Went to dinner with a friend Friday night and out with the girls and my awesome room mate last night at Seascape Resort. Heidi's a bartender there and the bar/restaurant is really nice. I got to meet some of her friends, and she met my running partner turned lawyer ,Emily, and my other girlfriend Delane. I didn't get back home until after 2am...haven't done that in a while and it felt great to be out and laugh. Woke up today having to deal with some drama and bullshit that I don't want and didn't ask for. Break ups are nasty...even if I was the one who was hurt. I cannot understand how some people have zero regard for another persons feelings. Then I realize that unless you have experienced hurt of any kind, you cannot possibly understand the magnitude of what it feels like. In my lifetime I have had enough painful experiences, and I am ready for some happy times. Seems they are on their way to me finally and I am looking forward to them! New Zone business, races to run, coaching new clients, and traveling. I will be in Chicago next weekend for the running cert and cannot wait! I'll close by saying I'm expected by certain people to move on...heal....get over it. I will morn and grieve the loss of my relationship of 3 years however I need to and for as long as it takes. You cannot speed up healing or grief to fit what others want you to do. : )

Shari and Heidi

Me and my new awesome room mate Heidi. Notice I did some shoe therapy shopping....amazing wine colored patent leather mary janes. LOVE THEM!! So I get a call today from an amazing man in seattle telling me how he appreciates the fact that I am transparent and vulnerable on my blog. I told him thank you that I appreciate that because some people out there say I should not talk about whats been going on in my life or mention names or situations. But after talking with him I realized ...TOUGH! I am who I am. I will write what I feel because it is healing for me. People forgot that I have been hurt - badly - this is what I need to do to heal. If you don't want to read about my personal thoughts then you don't have to... : )

Easy Carefree Days....where are they?!

Here's me and my main man in Hawaii playing in the water together. Seems like those carefree fun days are gone from me for a while as of late. I swear I just cannot get on top of these emotions I feel wash over me throughout the day. I start by being angry - fucking pissed- and that usually works well for my workouts and long runs. In fact I did a 90 minute tempo run the other day and didn't even remember running. I drove the miles I covered and it was 14.7. Didn't seem that far when your mind is occupied with other pressing matters. Then usually after that wave I get a case of the break downs. I try to pull myself outta that quickly and do a 180 because it does absolutely nothing for me.It's not like Brendan gives a FUCK how I feel - he's traveling with his new girlfriend and laughing and being carefree. While I am here suffering. What a fucker! So after that I get pissed off again and the cycle restarts. I have some physical stuff happening with me so I have that to also weigh on my mind as well, which is an added bonus. I started my own business this week - I prepare Zone meals all weighed and measured out in 2 block snacks and 4 block meals. Every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evening I spend a few hours cooking, measuring and weighing the portions. In the morning I pack my cooler with the meals and drop off to CrossFit Santa Cruz Central after my early clients and before taking the kids to school. Delivery days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So far I have sold out of every meal and people were pissed they missed out if they got there too late. So.....that's been going well and I really enjoy doing that. Now I get people wanting more and thanking me for the yummy meals. I have a new amazing room mate her name is Heidi and I adore her. Shes one of the most beautiful women I have met and I can't wait to spend more time with her. She's a makeup artist, so she's going to do my makeup for photo shoots and going out. Can't wait. I tell her she reminds me of Kat Von D. - which she does and i idolize that girl!! It's been fun having a girlfriend around. Today I take it by the hour. I don't understand how people can be so cruel and care only about themselves..... I've never operated that way and I don't like being treated like dog shit. I'm a person, I feel, I cry, I deserve much better.

Wake Up Alone

Its ok in the day
I'm staying busy
Tied up enough so I don't have to wonder where is he,
Got so sick of crying,
So just lately,
When I catch myself I do a 180.
I stay up clean the house; at least I'm not drinking,
Run around just so I don't have to think about thinking,
That silence sense of content that everyone gets,
Just disappears soon as the sunsets.

He gets fierce in my dreams seizing my guts,
He floors me with dread.
Soaked to soul he swims in my eyes by the bed.
Pour myself over him,
Moon spilling in,
And I wake up alone.

Regardless my heart,
I'd rather be restless.
Second I stop the sleep catches up and I'm breathless.
This ache in my chest,
'Cause my day is done now.
The dark covers me and I cannot run now.
My blood running cold,
I stand before him.
It"s all I can do to assure him,
When he comes to me,
I drip for him tonight,
Drowning in me we bathe under blue light.

He is fierce in my dreams seizing my guts,
He floods me with dread.
Soaked to his soul, he swims in my eyes by the bed.
Pour myself over him,
Moon spilling in,
And I wake up alone.
And I wake up....alone...

No Waves Today...

My son Brandon and Brendan wishing for waves on the North Shore. This picture makes me cry because its so amazing and I wanted to blow it up and hang it in our house. Yesterday my son asked if I could frame one for his room. He's such a love - and this whole change has really hit him hard. Brendan and he were buddies and it took a long time for my son to open up to him and to trust him, that he was going to actually be around. Hawaii was special because me son really bonded more with Brendan. He learned how to boogie board from B and even though he was scared and B wasn't the nicest most patient teacher - he faced his fears and got out there and did it. From that point on, my son didn't want to go in the water if B wasn't there to protect him I guess. I called him B's little shadow. They played video games, card games, and would hang out from time to time. I really don't think B understands that it's hard on my son right now. I got Brandons phone the other day and saw that he was texting B every day. So sweet. It'll take some time for him to adjust....he lost his friend and live-in male. His father is an amazing man who is in the kids lives daily, so B wasn't a father figure - more like a special friend that he really bonded with. And it hurts him. He doesn't understand really. He still asks me if we're spending Christmas together. I try to protect Brandons view of B because he is his friend, and I want it to stay that way....

This is a picture of Brendan and I in Hawaii at the Polynesian Cultural Center. We spent all day there - I made everybody play tourist with me and attend a luau, which everybody HATED except for me. I have fun anywhere when it's different. Looking at these pictures now is hard, because I thought we were going to last. But - at least we will have memories. I KNOW for a fact that I touched Brendans life, as he touched mine. We will always be in each others lives, it's just the way it's going to be. What we had was real - even if it ended super shitty. As I write he's traveling across the US with that Allison NYC. But I can smile, because I know what she is to him....he told me. She will never get the part of him that I got to have for 3 years - plus I know him like nobody else does. That's what love is right? Anyway, its a shame I didnt post while we were still together - but this is healing for me to post now....

This was in Hawaii....Brendan and I were going out on a date to sushi together. I got this amazing dress at Ms. Sixty ...it was a splurge - but man did I look great in it ;) I am looking forward to meeting new men and dating sometime soon. I can't remember the last time I dated. Truth be told, its a little exciting to me, but also scary. For now I am healing my heart, spending quailty time with my completely amazing children, and reconnecting with all my friends that I lost while being in relationship. I tell you, that is the best that has come from this situation for me. My friends have all rallied around my side and I have been busy every second of every day. Last night my running partner turned lawyer came for dinner and we stayed up talking, laughing and having the best time until way past my bed time. Then I got a series of the sweetest messages from a new amazing man, which caused me to fall asleep with a smile on my face. I've been invited out for coffee dates, and running dates, and movie dates....my schedule packed. Before I always wanted to hang with B so I never asked friends out....now it's so much fun. Plus it gets my mind of of my hurt. I'll post pics of my kiddos too.

Hawaii 2008

Funny how life changes in just a blink of an eye. This photo was taken July 30th in Hawaii. I took Brendan and my children for a family vacation to visit Oahu. We stayed in a condo in downtown Waikiki and did so many fun adventures while we were there. I swear We were up at 7am and running around the entire island - never made it back to the condo before 6pm or so just to get ready and head back out. This picture was taken at Sunset Beach on the North Shore. I will NEVER forget that day. That day as Brendan and I lay beside eachother on the sand - watching the kids in the water and laughing....I wished what i was feeling would never end. I was so happy, content....completely in love with who was beside me and where we were. I said a silent prayer.."God this seems too good to be true....please dont let this feeling end." Well, within weeks of coming back my life was ripped out from under me. Brendan decided to move to Virginia in search of a new life. New job, new career, new everything - including a new woman by his side. I was completely devistated to say the least. I still am trying to understand something that cannot be understood. How a person who says he loves me can do a 180 in 5 days and completely change his life and walk away from me - our love and our committment I probably will never understand. For now I try to heal. I remember the good times. I cry over the bad times. I wish him back. I wish he'd stay away from me and out of my life forever. Then I wish him to come back to me the very next minute. Life is a crazy ride. Sometimes life is like a merry - g0- round and we keep repeating the same easy predictable situations. Other times its a rollercoaster....I am on that roller coaster and I want to get the hell off! That movie Parenthood says it all....

Anyway, I will post more. I appreciate all the letters, emails, posts, calls, and love I have gotten from so many people. I mean, even New Zealand! If anybody can offer me advice and how to move on, I will open my ears because I can say that I do not have the tools for that at this moment where I am standing. Betrayal hurts a lot of people.... I am a strong victorious woman though and I will get through this. I will be a better woman because I went through this and survived and grew. It's just the "now" that hurts......

WTF!?

Well.....Am I chopped liver or something ??? When betrayal happens in your life you can't help but wonder.."what's wrong with me?" The reality is that it has nothing to do with me. People make choices and decisions in their lives, unfortunately sometimes without taking into consideration how their choices will affect others. I know I am strong, healthy, kind, and thoughtful...I have much love in my heart which is why it gets hurt easily. Posting this pic is probably a little shallow....but truthfully , I could use a little ego boost! :)

CrossFit NSC in the News!!

Sorry no picture.....grab a copy of the new Metro Santa Cruz. There's a write up about CrossFit NSC and a great picture of Brendan and I-----guess he labeled us "The Power Couple". Talk about corny~!!!

Starting a new hobby

Starting a new hobby is important. We should always try out new things even if they don't sound like we'd have fun doing them. My son decided he wanted to try out archery...turns out there's a archeryrange right around the corner from the gym. Go figure! So he and I went one day to give it at try - I'll admit I wasn't super stoked to shoot nor have I ever given it a thought. But once I was there - I kept an open mind and tried it anyway. I LOVED IT! It's harder than it looks to hit that dam target..let alone to get a bullseye! I managed to get only 1 and Brandon got one also. Since the first try he dcided it was something he wanted to do more ofetn so we bought him his own bow & arrow set. Now he can practise whenever he wants to...he's gtting pretty good too :)

Get out there and try something new today!

My daughter graduating Jr. High

This is my beautiful daughter (the blonde) and her friend Abby at graduation. I can't believe high school is her next stop!! I AM getting old!!I'm so proud of her and how hard she's orked these past years....high school will be amazig for her. My kids are everything to me...they make my life wonderful and everyday I am thankful that I get to be their mom.

8th Grade Graduate!!

Okay...so I've been MIA again for a long time! Sorry bout that....life gets busy around here.

Both of my children had big graduations this year. My son from elementary school and my daughter from jr. high. I can't believe I'll have a 8th grade son and a daughter in high school come fall. I don't FEEL old! LOL.....Here's a proud pic of me with my son after graduation. He's so amazing! I couldn't be more proud to call him my son. Way to go Little B!!!

gettin deep in the dip!!

Okay so I am a little out of order here - but I wanted to catch up with my posts. I have been training hard and lifting heavy in the hopes to build some strength on this little frame of mine. If you read the post before this one you'll see that I PR'd on my 5 rep deadlift, my 3 rep shoulder press, and my 5 rep back squat this week. It's been a great week for me!! I believe that getting enough sleep (which I am lucky to do), eating healthy in the Zone, taking the right supplements, having the right programming and happiness in your life can move mountains in your training. I am really hard on myself as far as what I think I should be able to do and I am competitive sometimes to a fault. If I don't do what I had my mind set on it throws me off the whole day. Brendan is exactly like that but he never lets himself down! He's a machine...and I love it!

So....here's last weeks workouts:

Monday 4-14:
am: GHD sit ups, hip extensions, ab mat sit ups 3x15 reps
kb swings, bench press at 65#, pull ups 3x15
strength recoveryt workout

Tuesday 4-15:
am: Xfit WOD
40 pullups, 40 dips, 400 meter run
30 pullups, 30 dips, 400 meter run
20 pullups, 20 dips, 400 meter run
10 pullups, 10 dips, 400 meter run

pm: 8x200 meters 38-40 sec
39, 38, 37, 38, 36, 38, 38, 40

Wednesday 4-16:
am: 15-12-9-6-3
sumo deadlift high pull at 68#
push jerk at 68#
TIME: 9:54

Thursday 4-17:
am: Xfit WOD
25 situps, 250 meter row, 15 bench press at 65# How many rounds in 20 minutes ?
I did 6 rounds
pm: I ran 1 hour with a client at her pace...

Friday 4-18:
am: Xfit WOD
7 thrusters at 73#
7 pullups
x3
800 meter run
5 thrusters
5 pullups
x3
800 meter run
3 thrusters
3 pullups
x3
800 meter run
TIME: 20:10

Back squat 3-3-3-3-3
125-135-135-140-145 NEW PR!!

pm: Tabata Treadmill

Saturday 4-19:
OFF!
Sunday 4-20:
am: 10k jog recovery

Shark Attack!!!

What a handsome guy my son Brandon is! He LOVES the Sharks and we were so lucky that Brendan's client Dave Chincuili gave us 5 tickets to the game 7 of the playoffs last Tuesday night. We of course were super stoked to get to go to this game. Brendan, me, my son and my daughter Sarah and her new boyfriend (also Brendan's friend) Ryan went. It was an exciting game and the Sharks WON!! At one point the crowd was so loud I had to actually plug my ears!! My son is a walking billboard for CrossFit - here hes managed to endorse both!

Here's my weeks workouts:

Monday April 21:
am: shoulder press 3-3-3-3-3-
68-68-68-68-68
back squat 5-5-5-5-5
113-133 -133-133-133- 138
Both new PR's!!
pm: Run10k recovery no time goal.

Tuesday 4-22:
am: 8x200 meters

:39, :39, :37, :37, :39, :39, :38, :39
pm: Xfit WOD
weighted pullups 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
15-20-25-30-35-35-35
Handstand pushups 3-3-3-3-3-3-3

"tabata This"
row, pullup, pushup, situp, squat Tabata style 5 rounds of each 1 min rest between exercises I scored 413 total

Wednesday 4-23:
am: run 10k at 80% exersion
pm: Xfit

shoulder press 53-58-58-58-58-63
push press 53-58-58-68-73-78
push jerk 53-58-63-73-83-88

Thursday 4-42:
am: 10k 45:05

Friday 4-25
am: Xfit WOD
deadlift 5-5-5-5-5
115-135-165-170-170-175
dips 21-15-12-9-6-3
After reaching a new PR in the 5 rep deads, I went for it! I put 190 on the bar and got it up 2 times! That's a new 1 rep PR and almost a new 3 rep PR!!!

pm: tabata treadmill

Saturday 4-26
OFF!!

Sunday 4-27

8x400's 1;20-1;25 rest 2 min between each.......

Beautiful Weekend Weather!

A couple weeks back was the hottest Santa Cruz has been. Brendan and I enjoyed the weekend outdoors riding bikes and we didn't drive at all!

Saturday morning I started my day off with the Santa Cruz Half Marathon. I made the mistake of lining up too far back and when I crossed the starting line found myself still WALKING! It took me at least 4-5 minutes until I could find some sort of pace. All this did was stress me out and make me run faster than I should have to try and "catch up"...by mile 10 my legs felt like weights. I pressed on, but I have never been so sore during a race muscularly ever! I dunno what happened, but I didn't like it. I finished in 1:45 and I was shooting for 1:38. I laid on the beach at the finish line and was disappointed with myself - soaking up the sun. Then I switched it around and said, hey - at least I am back running without pain!! The next race I will do better - and the next even better....I will continue to push, train hard and I will meet my next goal time. Lesson learned - line up in front! Walkers and slow people - please stay to the back of the pack....its frusterating for us who want to run fast to try and weave through you...:) This is a pic of me and my sweet friend Delane. We hooked up Sunday and rode all over town with her man and my man. We look hot together! My lil rockabilly chick. She's now CrossFitting with Brendan and I as their coach and we have taken them on as "Project Wells"....they're still real sore, but they keep coming back for more! They drank the Kool-Aid - I think they like it!!

Here's my weeks workouts - see if you can keep up!!

Monday 4-7:
row db clean thruster ring pushups
250 25 5
500 20 10
250 15 15
500 10 20
250 5 25
I did it in 29:35 with 25#db....hard!!

Tuesday 4-8:
am: run 6 miles strict POSE form
pm: Xfit snatch practice/technique

Wednesday 4-9:
am: CrossFit
run 800 meters (perform 10 pushups at every 200 meters for a total of 50 pushups) 75 hang power cleans at 55#, run 800 meters (with 50 pushups total) time: 16:10!!
pm: Tabata treadmill 12%grade, 9.0 mph 20 sec on, 10 sec off x8 rounds

Thursday 4-10:
am: Snatch practice - got up to 65#
pm: Run 4 miles

Friday 4-11:
am: CrossFit
6-6-6-6-6-6 shoulder press
6-6-6-6-6-6 push press
6-6-6-6-6-6 push jerk
superset add weight after each round. Started with 45, got up to 80#

pm: run 3.0 miles with friend, rest day

Saturday 4-12:
Santa Cruz Half Marathon Race

Sunday 4-13:
am: 2x5k between 19:00-20:30

1st 5k: 21:20
2nd 5k: 20:03

BUSTED!!

Eating ice cream!!! When cheat day comes it's on...I love sweets so I can't wait for free day. Usually I am good all week - staying in the Zone or Clean Eating so when the weekend rolls around Brendan and I are a little more laxed on our diets. More often than not we still maintain our healthy balanced meals....just let ourselves have a little extra sweet at night....like ice cream.

I am a lover of baking. For anybody that knows me - they can vouge for that. I love to cook in general...both sides of the spectrum. Last night I made Zoned grilled chicken corn tacos with fresh farmers market asparagus sauteed with garlic and olive oil. Tonight I am leaning towards Clean Eating breakfast for supper.....Brendan loves bfast for dinner too -

I've been training hard for a few months and my first competition is this Saturday - the Santa Cruz Half Marathon. I am expected to finish faster than thr last time I did the race....which was 1:41 or something like that. I want to do well for myself and for my amazing coach Brian MacKenzie who has been working so hard for me. Wish me luck! I'll post my workouts for this week later... Gotta get to cooking!!

We Need CrossFit NSC!!!

These crazy 5am er women are nuts! They came in today dressed in bubble wrap and wore signs saying No Zone, We Need XFit NSC!! They made it so fun to be up early at 5am coaching....Renee, Annie and Lindy are all Brendan and my Zone clients and they are at every 5 am class M, W and Friday taught by Brendan. They are amazing athletes and I have watched them get stronger and stronger. Now that they are entering the Zone - watch out for em!! I still think they're dealing with half a deck dressing up like this at 4am just to have fun....they rule!

Okay - so if these women can dress up at 4am, then hit a hard workout - what's stopping you?

- Refrigerator Quote For The Day...."Does the Walker Choose the Path....or The Path The Walker" Lucas Labrie....

GET SOME!!!

Easter....

Big B and me after the egg hunt. We make a great couple!!

LOCin it up!!

My daughter Sarah and Brendan being way too cool on Easter. Its been a while since I blogged, so again I have some catching up to do. I've still been training hard, and seeing results. Here's my week of training....

March 22nd: 4x5k within 23 - 25 minutes each round....getting faster.
18:56, 18:39, 19:49, 21:30.....these were hard!! The 5-15 minutes
rest between 5k was not enough, but great!
March 24: AM: Treadmill Tabata 12% grade, 9.0mph 20 sec on/10 sec off x8
PM: "Nancy" 400 meter run/15 over head squats x 5 rounds @ 65#
I never did this WOD before - my finish time was 17:38. Now I can do it
faster next time.
March 25th AM: 4x400 - 2x 1k ( 1:18, 1:17, 1:23, 1:25 - 4:11, 4:15)
PM: Tabata Treadmill 12%grade, 9.0 mph

March 27: AM: Front squat 5-5-5-5-5
115-115-120-120-120
PM: Ran 5.5 miles easy pace using POSE on treadmill. Not in my schedule, but
needed a stress release :)

March 28: OFF!

March 29: 10k time trial...
41:02

March 30: AM: WOD
15 kb swings, 30 double unders how many rounds in 20 minutes ? I got
in 11 rounds.
March 31: AM: "Fran" 21-15-9 65# thrusters and pull ups
5:31!!! New PR for me!!! My last time was 6:21.


So- that's my training. I'll post this week as well. Brendan and i have started the Eat - Clean Diet - we Zone it. The recipes taste way better, and it's so zoned, just have to tweak the measurements a little. We purchased coolers, and containers so we can pack up our daily food and it makes it impossible to fail. The new meals I have been preparing are so yummy - give this one a try for breakfast:

Cottage Cheese With Apple Butter
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2T sugar free apple butter
2/3 sliced banana
2teaspoons sunflower seeds.

Make sure to measure all ingredients out so you stay in the Zone. I made this a perfect 2 blocker for me, and added more for a 3 blocker for B. He LOVES it! You can buy the cookbooks and start eating clean. Personally I LOVE eating raw, mostly veggies and fresh fruit, lean meats, unsalted nuts.....having a full refrigerator with all the colors of nutrients makes me happiest. Silly, I know - but it makes me feel healthy and preparing live food for Brendan gives me a satisfied feeling of accomplishment......

Here's another recipe for breakfast that we have almost every day around 6am after our first clients.

2/3 cup cooked steel cut oats
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced up and stirred in the oats
6 cashews
Perfect 2 blocker!! For Brendan I add another 1/3 cup oats, and 1/2 cup blueberries and more nuts.

I'll try to post more recipes as I discover them. I know my client Lissa wants to know :) So...have a great day.!!

After POSE......a changed woman!!

So here's the corrected form....getting better.... mind you this is the first day I learned it. I am WAY better at this technique now.

Improvements : Landing on the ball of my foot or mid foot, landing under my center of mass (hips), heel is coming up to my butt, no push off - I am PULLING my foot up. Arms are nice and tight and I am FALLING forward at my hip. No broken waist. Believe it or not I can run like this basically effortlessly. The cadence is much higher and your heartrate will get high quickly, but zero pain, zero muscle fatigue. My love affair with running has been reignited and I owe it all to Genetic Potential and Orange County Multi Sport - Brian MacKenzie, and Mike Collins for teaching me the POSE technique....and to Brian for being my online coach in this method. Watch out for me this race season - I'm coming back with a vengence!!! I have been working with Brian since late January and he's kicking my ass but I love every single minute of it!!!

Before POSE

What do you see in this picture with my form ? Can you even pick up on the wrongs here ? For years I have been competing at races from 10 k's to marathons and I was even concidered FAST - best marathon time is 3:22....but I guess that's just my point. After so many years of doing it WRONG my body had no choice but to rebel - I've been down for 1.5 years with pain unable to run let alone compete. Don't get me wrong - I would run anyway - hell if I didn't I don't think anybody would want to be around me I'd be so grumpy! But it was with major penelty that i ran - pain and limping, etc until I did it to myself the next time. Retarded I know.....This is where Brian MacKenzie cameinto my life, changed it and made me whole again - I'm able ro run like a pro once more with ZERO pain....!!!!

What's wrong here ----

Lead leg is basically straight, heel striking, way out in front of my center of mass(hips), I'm actually bent at the hip leaning back, back leg is way out in back of my body and I am pushing off the ground. VERY POOR FORM!!!

I'll post my after picture in a minute so you can see the improvement....

Appreciation....

We should operate our daily lives from a place of appreciation. When we see our loved ones, friends, even strangers with appreciation being the first thought of how we view them - our problems or depression or whatever it is that leaves you feeling heavy or down, would just dissipate. In turn our lives would work better. Those around us would benefit from the loving attitude, problems that arise would more then likely roll off us instead of taking us down for the count - everything in our daily lives would just improve.....AND those around us - THEIR lives would improve as a run off of the change WE decide to make. So - then if it's a win-win situation, why is it so damn hard to do all the time....every day.....every thought ? When you are challenged spend time just looking around you. There are a million things in nature we can appreciate .....on my hard days when I am stressed, or whatever and having a hard time finding something to move my attitude towards a state of appreciation - I sit on my porce and look at my flowers. You just cannot deny that there's a God when you take the time to check out how beautiful they are, ya know ? The colors are vibrant, the design complicated, and they are here for us to enjoy. So...after taking these pictures my day was turned on the right path - appreciation. For my children, Brendan, my home, my job that I LOVE, my clients, the list goes on for days!!!

Today find something or somebody to appreciate fully.....

I'll post my workouts later - gotta run for now.....

He got it from his mamma.....

That's my boy on the left and his friend Jacob learning the front squat. Perfect rack position!! They are becoming good little athletes.....I gave them a quickie workout yesterday.....15 front squats.....20 wall ball......x3 rounds. Then 1 minute hand stand holds. If you come down, get back up and complete the minute. Jacob has handstand pushups, and Brandon can hold it for almost 25 seconds before he comes down.

My children are the reason I get up every morning, and move through life - hopefully bettering myself day by day. Brandon has been my strength at times when I felt weak. I thank God for his sweet demeanor......always there to give me a hug. No matter what frame of mind I am in, or what I'm thinking about he always makes me feel better and gets me to laugh or at least smile. That's a gift from God! Sarah is so amazing!! She is the peace maker and has a soft heart for people. All her friends look to her for advice and they know they can always count on her even keeled perspective on life. I learn from her daily how to let things lighten up and to not be so serious. I am the luckiest most blessed mother in history because I have the sweetest kindest children. :) Today my home work from my life coach was to visualize me holding my babies. Feel the love that I was overwhelmed with when I looked at their tiny bodies in my arms. See their perfection. See their beauty and their worthiness to be. The next step is between me and my coach......but it's easy to fill your soul with complete perfect love when you look at your babies :)

Thought for the day......." All he does is represent the doubt that is within you. Be confident in who YOU are, never loose sight of your purpose because of somebody else's stuff....." Abraham

Back to Blogging!!!

I've been MIA for wuite some time now. Where have I been ? Well....we moved into a new big beautiful home and I've just now feel settled in. I have still been training HARD - in fact since I started training with Brian Mackenzie my training has stepped up quite a bit. One of my last posts was to say how much I've learned about running and form from the Newport Running & Endurance CrossFit Seminar. My life and running passion has been transformed by the amazing men at Genetic Potential - CrossFit Newport, CA. I am going to try REAL hard to keep an updated account of my training, skills, and CrossFit workouts so hopefully I can inspire others and I have been inspired by Brian.

This weeks Workouts looked like this :

Monday March 3rd
AM: Treadmill Tabata. 12 % grade at 8mph. 20 sec on/ 10 sec off x8 rounds
PM: "Linda" 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of
bodyweight and 1/2 deadlift 155# for me
bodyweight bench press I did 90 #
3/4 bodyweight squat clean I did 85#
All was as Rx'd by CrossFit except the bench. I finished in 38:57.....SLOW, but the new squat clean instead of hang cleans were a lot harder.

Tuesday March 4th
AM: 1/2 mile run warm up with several accelerations. POSE drills x3 rounds. Main set: 2x200 meters 37-39 seconds
2x400 meters 1:25-1:27 - 2x1,000 meters 3:50 - 4:05 minutes goal times. Actual times: 200's :37, :36. 400's - 1:23, 1:25. 1,000's - 4:06, 4:01. SORE after Linda yesterday!!!

PM: Xfit "Filthy 50"
50 box jumps
50 jumping pull ups
50 walking lunges
50 knees 2 elbows
50 push presses
50 back extensions
50 wall ball
50 burpees
50 double unders
FINISH TIME: 27:18

Wednesday March 5th
Run 10k holding POSE form. Finish goal 42-45 minutes. Actual time 48:something. Holding my POSE form for longer distances proves to be a challenge sometimes. Also I started running in race flats to help me stay on the ball of my feet better and my calves were on fire!! I have to stretch out using my Trigger Point stuff.

Sooo...that's what I've been up to. As you can see I am training HARD and reaching for the goals I set for myself. I have also put together more personal goals that I am taking steps to change and learn. I am a believer that you have to stay well rounded. If you train the physical hard, you need to train the spiritual and mental as well. Today was my first session with my new life coach. She is amazing!!! She is the other piece of the puzzle I am piecing together - in the end it will make up the new, strong, confident healed ME!!! Sometimes in life we get a little beat up by circumstances, and it's real easy to loose sight of who we are or what we want. If we don't take time to reflect and to take personal inventory we will become stagnant and not grow. I claim this year to be MY YEAR! I am on the cusp of greatness.....I feel it....I'll keep you posted. Thanks for reading :) Now go train!!!