How long does it take for a CrossFit pansy to get a strict pull up? And other updates.

August, eh?  As usual, it's been a little while.   Is there such a thing as an every six months blogging style?  Oh.  Or maybe an every 8 months?

Last time we met I had a few pans on the fire.  On Saturday, I plated, served and savored my most current "pan" so as I sit here deciding where to go next, I thought I'd update my readers.

Burpee Challenge

This was the single most effective catalyst of my CrossFit career.  100 burpees a day, for 30 days.  I think every element of my overall fitness improved.  By the end of 30 days, I completed my first full WOD with C2B pull ups RX - when even in my best condition, I had completed 3 previously.

Days 1-14  Just do the burpees.  However they happen.  Form the habit, and work through the aches, because there will be some.  Feet, abs, ankles, etc.

Days 14-20   Up the unbroken reps.  I moved from 10 to 12 at this point.

Days 20-30  Up the unbroken reps again.  Now, I moved to 15.

If I were doing this again, I'd do them faster.  First go round, I just did them. Often slow.  Which was good, because I focused on solid push ups, and that translated VERY well into non-burped pushups, which have always been a nemesis.

Pull Up Program

Somewhere in the history of this blog, you can read the reason I started the blog in the first place.  As a baby CrossFitter, I wanted to know how long it took pansies like me to go from nothing, to an unassisted strict pull up.

13 days shy of 3 years.

3 years in the making! #firstpullup #strictenough #100burpeesaday #smartgoal #crossfit #fixthefroglegs

A video posted by @sleyrus715 on Aug 30, 2014 at 11:17am PDT

Yes, I am now a proud, card carrying member of the strict pull up club.  I can even do 2-3 on a good day.   Pretty sure the burpee challenge above helped tremendously.



Marathon

Let's start with the half-marathon I ran as prep.  1:57, or :54, the exact number escapes me.  The important part is the sub 2:00. (-:

Next came the marathon row.   Not nearly as bad as I imagined.  But hard work.

42,195 Meters. Yeah, that's a #marathon 3:32:23 #crossfit #outrunaroweroutrowarunner #biggestfan #cityofoaksmarathon

A photo posted by @sleyrus715 on Oct 11, 2014 at 3:21pm PDT

Marathon - Nov. 2, 2014   4:40 something.  Slow start, lots of aches and pains, but around mile 16 I kicked it into gear and rocked the rest.  I moved up 90 places from 13.1 to 26.2, and that was on some lovely hills.

NC State clock tower post first #marathon! #outrunalifteroutliftarunner #crossfit #notworsethan14.5 #runoaks #thoselegswereHEAVY #russellsproutsinnc

A photo posted by @sleyrus715 on Nov 2, 2014 at 3:56pm PST

And, since November, I've run a whole 6 miles.  Nothing against running, just different priorities.  And cold. Yeah, no.  We'll see what the warm weather brings.

A note on marathon training...it's pretty tough on the body, even with a 3 year fitness base.    Ice and spending the day exhausted are kind of blah.  The running itself was lovely.  Even when it sucked, it was fun, and I live in a beautiful area for running, but I think a 13.1, which requires relatively low volumes of running for a CrossFitter is more my pace.

And..CrossFit.

I'm going to save this for it's own post, since that's where I'm focusing right now.  There's a lot to say, and I need to identify some goals.


So there you have it.  Goals...accomplished.  Time for new ones. (-: