Wednesday 12 September 2012

Hello Everyone! Christina here! I'm alive and well!!! Where did the past 4 week go? I can't believe it's been 4 weeks since I've posted! 

So much has been going on in my life, I'm sure all the Mom's and Dad's with school aged kids can relate! The excitement of school starting and getting back into routine has been great but a little overwhelming at the same time! I have to tell you, this has been maybe the best summer I've had as an adult! I've enjoyed my having so much fun with my kids and Greg! I've felt much freedom being active and getting out and living life! Camping, swimming, hiking! It's all been awesome! I've loved my mornings in the garage with Coach Swagar, Carina and Hillary! It was an amazing summer!

My last entry we were about to go camping! Here's our humble little campsite! 
It was amazing and I'm SO glad we went!

I've been getting great workouts in on my usual Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule at the garage with the Mosties! It has been great and physically I've been pushing hard and feeling good! I'm actually quite taken back by my push/effort the past couple weeks, it's surpassed what I thought I was capable of!  Oddly enough, some workouts have been very mentally challenging! I'm not too sure how it's possible but my body is working hard and I'm doing great yet I've been having some negative thoughts during my workouts. Thought's like "I can't do this", "why do you think you can do this? It's too hard for you" or "you should quit this, it's too hard for you". It's funny because it's like there's a little devil sitting on my shoulder telling me that and then I'm rebutting with thinks like "I can do this!" and "Keep going". Do you all think I'm crazy? HAHA! I'm not discouraged by this and am really trying to focus on positive thinking while I'm training. Perhaps the reason mentally I'm struggling is precisely because I'm physically working harder than I ever have?

Now I can't lie, life being busy hasn't been the only reason I haven't blogged. I just haven't really known what to share! Nothing really new is happening but things are going very well! I think I need to do some more firsts to share! Maybe I'll have to put a list of new "firsts" I need to accomplish! I welcome any ideas of things you think I should try! I'm still striving to embrace the changes that happen in life and continuing to enjoy the flow! 

As you all know, the CrossFit MOST Box will be opening very soon! I'm SO excited for my Coach and David! It's awesome to see dreams become reality and very inspiring! I've been working hard these past 4 months in the garage where I train with Coach Swagar and some others (The Mosties) who have excitedly been waiting for the Box to open. In the back of my mind I've had the goal of being confident and comfortable enough to workout in a class setting at the Box. Now that the day is almost here I have a confession ... I'm kinda freaking out about it! I've done one WoD at a Box (remember when I was in Whitefish for the 4th of july?) and it was a great experience! That said, over the years I've made great effort to avoid activity/exercise in group settings. I've never actually told anyone that but there it is, out in the open. I've been invited with friends to join bootcamps or to play ultimate frisbee (or other team sports) but I've never felt that I would be able to keep up with others so avoidance was my defense. 

Tomorrow and Friday Reebok CrossFit Ramsay is brining the Reebok CrossFit Drop Box to Eau Claire for 2 days of CrossFit Fun! A bunch of Calgary CrossFit Boxes will be running WOD's over the 2 days! I think it's SO awesome to see the community getting together and showing people how great CrossFit is! All the WOD's are free and open to the Public! AWESOME! The MOST Box is scheduled for the last slot on Friday at 2pm! I have to admit, I'm a little anxious about it! I really don't want to get there and look like weak! Isn't that terrible? All this work I've done the past 4 months and I find myself doubting my abilities! This is incredibly frustrating to find myself in this headspace! All that said, I'm going! Come hell or high water I'm getting my butt out there and giving it my all! I'll let you know how it goes!



As for the Box opening, I am going to just dive into it! Honestly, change has always been difficult for me and I'll always work to embrace it rather than feel anxious about it. This is going to be a change for me but I think it will be a good change! I want to inspire others who may think they are in too bad of shape to do CrossFit or too fat or weak or short or tall or WHATEVER walls they have put up to convince themselves they can't! I thought that just 4 short months ago! I want to show others that ANYBODY can make changes in their lives, that it's never too late and that CrossFit could be the change they were looking for! It's time for me to put a face to my postings and put myself out there! I am so excited to meet others who will inspire me and motivate me to always fight to do my best! 
Carina posted this on her Facebook and I just absolutely love it!
 It really is how I've lived much of my life but no more!

This summer in the Garage has been amazing and I will be forever grateful for this time with Coach Swagar, Carina and Hillary! These 3 woman have been a big part of getting me to where I am today! I am so happy to have them by my side! I am so happy to be on this journey and will enjoy each day! 



Stay tuned! I'll be sharing again very soon! Don't forget to suggest some new things for me to add to my "firsts" list if you have something you'd think I should try! :)

Christina

Saturday 1 September 2012

Long intro to Failure


So as of late, I have been working on trying to improve my mobility and flexibility. I honestly say it is one of the hardest things that I have ever taken on. Seriously.
“Just stretch out and put your foot right there behind your head.” You want me to put my foot where? Give your head a shakeJ Who the F@$K do I look like? Gumby? I bend like a piece of 1 inch steal plate that someone has taken the time to harden. In other words. I do not.  Or at least very well.
Over the years I have been able to usually push through certain challenges that have been placed before me, by over coming some of my mobility/flexibility limitations with shear hard headedness. And for the most part have come out the other end of the tunnel no worse for wear.
Or so I thought. Enter “older” age.
Side bar; I will say “older” as I do not believe anyone is ever old, just older, and that your age is just a number. What you believe is all that matters. Age therefore is just a state of mind. And until I have the big one, and my heart stops, that is how I will continue to roll.
Carrying on with getting “older”. Over the past couple of years, this getting older phenomenon has started to hit home like Mark McGuire on crank. For those who do not know who Mr. McGuire is, just think about stepping out in front of a speeding locomotive. Hopefully that adds some clarity for ya. Suddenly getting properly warmed up for physical activity is a must. And I mean properly warmed up. A good lather if you will. And taking the time to cool down and stretch afterwards is essential. Some of these compromising positions that I was able to get away with prior, are sure letting me know I am out of whack now. And I usually end up with a few trips to a chiro or some other type of manual therapy to help remedy the situation if I continue to push it.
Anyhoo, with all this feed back my body has been giving me over the past couple of years, it has all pointed at my shit ass mobility/flexibility. Plain and simple. And I can no longer get away with crap arse form. So I have been working with Jenn and Dave to help sort out some of my glaring mobility issues. And my god are they a pain in the ass.
Literally and figuratively.
Needless to say, it has been a painfully slow process. Things are improving, just slower than what I would like to see. (over night would have been great) You see, these issues developed over 30 years, and I would like to think I should be able to clear them bitches up in 3 hoursJ Not likely.
So today at the end of my lifting session in the garage, I was quite cranky with myself. Was working on deadlifts and still am having a miserable time getting myself into proper position. Utter failure I was thinking to myself. If I could have thrown that bar out into the Pacific Ocean, I probably would have done it with one hell of a smile on my face.

After calling it quits for the day, and grabbing a cold cider, my aggravation finally gave way and my improvements, although small, came to the forefront. Where they should be. And the fact that I may have failed today, just adds more fuel to the fire for tomorrow.
That was the longest intro ever for what I actually wanted to chat quickly about. HA!
Failure.
Something that everyone is going to experience throughout life, over and over. It is part of the journey. And when looked upon properly, can quite often teach all of us the largest and most valuable lessons in life. Failure not only expresses a weakness in our plan, but also challenges our character and how we can handle adversity when things are not going our way. Do you throw your hands in the air and say “I can’t do this.” Storming off never to try again. Or do you take the lessons from the failed attempt, apply them to the next go around, and hit that sucker head on again. We all have those choices, and when the latter is taken, you come out the other side 10 times the person that you would have ever been, if you had been successful with your first attempt.
Nothing in life that is anywhere monumental or worth your time is easy. The sooner you get your head around that the better. Becoming better takes work, and work is hard.
That being said, failure is something that needs to be expected. Whenever you are pushing your boundaries becoming a better person in any aspect of your life, failure is always going to be around the corner with any ugly little smile on its face. Just learn to take a running double-footed ghetto style drop kick at that miserable SOBs face, and take the lessons learned from it throughout the rest of your life.

Failure should always be expected; But never sincerely accepted. Adapt, Overcome, and become Awesome.

AJ