Friday, May 9, 2014

Fail forward

Therapy is over and class is back in session.  I'm happy to be home, got my first good night of sleep this week.  Had what felt like a hella early health coach appointment today.  0730... ug.  Blood pressure seemed a little high, I've always been a near perfect 120/80, but I was talking and got a little animated, the machine kicked out something like a 136/79.  I know enough that I'm not in the slightest bit worried about that, not sure why I'm sharing it really... it's just part of the day, I remembered the numbers, there ya go.  I did drop a dime today.  Hopped up on the scales.  10 lbs.  While it's a drop in the bucket, and I feel like it should be a larger number, I'll stil take 10 lbs over the course of a month.  Better than a lot of people do, so I shouldn't complain.  Be grateful some of the old folks might say. 

Hell yeah!  I'll celebrate now.  I'm losing weight, I should be jumping up and down.  5% of 200 is still 5%.  Bigger percentage than the raise than I got last year... wait, lets not talk about that.  Anyway, I celebrated tonight by eating 2 pints of Ben and Jerrys.  I'm talking that chunky monkey and...  No, that would be terrible.  Tragically funny, but terrible.  I haven't had dairy in over a week (and I loved my cheese's and milk).  If I do end up eating a frozen goodie, it will be something like Italian Ice... but thats a fairly large if.  It's all sugary in the end, maybe I'll just freeze some grapes. **edited note, I did freeze some grapes, good call**

I'm not saying you need to give up the things you love, I'm working my way into a more paleo lifestyle, and I'm willing to pay the price of admission for the goals I want, and this is something I want.  There is a phrase I want you to keep in mind, and I'm sure I'm going to get on a soapbox in the future about this.  Success never goes on sale. 

I tried and failed today.  Good news is that most successful people will tell you that you fail your way to success.  I made the drive to CrossFit Establish (http://www.crossfitestablish.com/) today.  The facility is very large (to me).  Not quite to an intimidating size, but it's big, there's lots of seemingly open space, and room to grow.  All encouraging signs.  I'm a fan of the American Entrepreneur, and to see "small businesses" that look set to explode is something that gives me a great deal of joy.

A lot of people want to see you get by in life...just not by them (you can see this illustrated really well when you're driving).  I've always been one to encourage people and I celebrate friends wins like they're mine own.  Places like CFDS, and CFE are both great great examples of these places on that verge of exploding.  I have small hopes that maybe this blog helps them both add a few more athletes to the community.  Win for people, win for the boxes, and a win for me.  Don't often get win-win-win's, so that would be cool.  IF you happen to be one of those people that drinks the Kool-Aid and joins one of these boxes (maybe in part to this blog), let me know, I'd like to give you a shout out and some encouragement.

Back to the failing, sorry I got off on a tangent.  I went to Establish today with the goal of getting to know a few people, and really just signing up.  My knee (again... I know...) started feeling funny about 2 hours before I left work, and I really was planning on just chatting a bit and that was it.  Walked in the door, met coach Clay, and Coach Andy.  They asked me what I knew about CrossFit.  Fail #1.  "Oh man, CrossFit is a PITA".  The look I got from Clay was probably just what I deserved, I sounded like some bum off the street.  Not the best first impression.  I've managed to repair it a bit, but still, you don't get a second chance to make those first impression, so if you ever end up going to a second box, don't start like that.  #notetoself  #writethatdown

Second box.  Second Andy.  Andy...box...toy box...Andy...Toy Story...not sure where that was going...anyway

So I'm chatting up the coaches, getting it established that I'm somewhat savvy, not just some hotshot punk off the street who knows it all, and that I'm serious about joining, none of this "just try it for a day" stuff.  I've made my mind up that this is going to be home unless something crazy happens.  Little more talking...I say to myself internally "forget it (edited for content) I'm working out".  Go grab my bag, change, it's time to WOD. 

WOD for today was a celebratory birthday WOD for Coach Andy.  Happy Birthday by the way.   “31″
For Time
-1000m Row
-31 KBS 53/36
-31 Deadlift 255/185
-31 Box Jumps 24/20
-31 Power Cleans 165/105
-800m Run


This reminds me of Tuesdays WOD at Diamond State...  but first, the warm ups.  We don't use any online tools (yet), and so they're all on the whiteboard at the coaches discretion.  I'd take a picture every day, but frankly I'm lazy.  400m row, some inch worms, negative movement pushups (no princess pushups here!), some barbell movements, and then of all things, bench press.  Benching (no offense to the ladies) has always been that exercise that has defined all the boys that are now men.  We even joked about it before hand, "what's your bench brah?!".  Got to 145 and was pretty well toasted.  One of our athletes (sorry man, forgot your name), was like why not go ahead and try 150, it's a nice round number.  Sounds good to me.  Got 150.  Little bit of encouragement like that is all some people need to hit that next goal.  Pass it on.  As it was, 150 ended up being it, it didn't work a second time, another max, another number to beat.

All while doing this benching, I feel this tightness/twinge in my lower leg.  My favorite knee's leg.  It's weird, it's not something I can recall having ever felt before.  I mean ever.  Felt like a cramp, but it was inside my knee, and then it felt like it was behind calf, near the outside of it, and it went down to about the ankle.  I'm guessing it's some sort of tendon, idk.  Very strange.  I don't know that it would have effected...affected... impacted my WOD, but it was just enough for me to shut it down.  So I've got no tales of glory on this "31".  I listened to my body, and when I didn't understand what it was saying, I chose caution over continuing.  Marathoning this weigh-loss/get in shape thing, can't get hurt trying to sprint...at least thats what I'm telling myself now.  Keep in mind that the first four weeks I would hit three WODs in a row at CFDS, then rest 4 days... could be my body saying too soon after only having one days rest... we'll find that out together as the days progress.

So while this is a first failure (in that I didn't do the WOD), it's another step towards success.  Most successful folks can attest that they weren't born that way, that they failed their way to success.  If they can do it, I can do it, even if I fail all the way there.

I have a few ideas for the Establish(ment).  haha...I'm going to go pun crazy with this name.  The one I'm sharing now, I've already mentioned to Andy and Clay, but at Diamond State, there is this bell.  And if you've been to CFDS, you've seen, and probably heard this bell.  This is the PR bell.  This sacred bell is rung when an athlete goes above and beyond, when they hit a PR.  Don't have one of those at Establish (that I saw).  This needs to change.  Gotta put this on that must have list.  Celebrating PR's is a big step towards building a tighter community (in my opinion).  That and I want something to ring when I start beating my PRs.  Celebrating quietly on a blog and in a journal... thats not going to cut it. 

I've got more to say, like always, but it's dark now, I've been working on this (while dealing with lots of distractions...) for a few hours now, time for relaxation, it's been a taxing week.  Have a good weekend, if momma's around, celebrate her.

Parting quote for those times you just don't want to go to the box..."you're only one workout away from a good mood"

Smile, it looks good on you.  

TCN 

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