Linda

This is a pic from crossfit ventura's grand opening just 2 days before my challenge. Needless to say I was very pleased when I tore my callouses... made my challenge much more fun.

Linda

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

DL (265)
PC (135)
Bench (175)

Time: 2:36:52 (PR)

Yes, 2.5 hours or so. Yes, it was ridiculous. Yes it was 55 singles all the way through. Had to drop the DL to 225 and the bench to 155 at round 5 because I was consistently failing. Truly at my bodies limit.

-- My favorite quotes of the morning --

"It's his birthday so he's being an idiot"
- Nick

"You are the most disadvantaged weightlifter ever... why don't you get shorter, or bigger or something"
- Also Nick

Helen

Exhausted, but still finding full extension...


About an hour after Linda it was time to give Helen a whirl. Once I hit that first 400m I knew it was not going to be even remotely fun. Whatever muscle it is that pulls my leg off the ground to take another stride was very, very tired. Amazingly I completely demolished my old PR by 3 minutes! I believe this is almost exclusively due to Miguel and Brian who's support certainly pushed me thru the fatigue and pain.

Helen

3 rounds

400m run
21 KB swings (1.5 pood)
12 pullups

Time: 10:35 (PR)



Helen giving it to me prison sex style. I'm somebody's bitch.

Fran

Fighting through my last set of pullups on Fran. My hands hurt more than anything... although everything pretty much sucked

Next on the birthday challenge menu was Fran. I was hoping that the extra motivation of Brian, CJ, and Huff, and an amazing box would push me thru to another PR. It didn't. I was completely fatigued at this point. The 95 lb thrusters could have easily been 135 lb thrusters... speaking of which, are you sure you put the right plates on Huff?

Fran

21-15-9
thrusters (95 lbs)
pullups

Time: 9:30 or so.

About 1.5 minutes slower than my PR. I was simply dead at this point... incapable of explosive movements. My thrusters were more like front squats with a shoulder press at the end. No help from hips at this point. Shit, I was tired after the warmup... then of course we trained core after Fran with Brian and CJ on L-sits and me on L-hangs... I was doing cursive L's by the end!

400 reps to freedom

I didn't rest much between Fran and Angie. I just wanted to get things over with at this point. It was a grind but Brian and CJ helped me through. Oh, and fuck 100 pullups at the end of a birthday challenge. Did not feel good on my little handsies.

Angie

100 pullups
100 pushups
100 situps
100 squats

Time: 35:00

Close to what I was hoping for... and also the first time a completed it... so technically a PR. I'll take it.

Game Plan

I've been debating with myself about whether to try Linda first or last. I know that my chances of getting PRs on Fran and Helen are much greater if I do Linda last... but my training the last two weeks has been largely aimed at getting stronger for Linda. So I've decided an all out, fresh attempt at Linda is more important than PRs. Both would be nice. Here's how it will pan out.

Tuesday 8-26-08

9:00 AM - Linda (UCSB rec cen)
Time to beat: infinity

1:00 PM - Helen (UCSB track)
Time to beat: 13:45

5:00 PM - Fran (crossfit ventura)
Time to beat: 7:20

8:00 PM - Angie (somewhere)
Time to beat: 30:00 (speculation)

Come do a WOD with me! Especially Linda. Towards the end (or beginning as it may turn out) when I start failing feel free to give me birthday presents by pulling some DLs for me... the judges will allow it.

The Gospel of Spiering

Power Clean

3 @ 65
3 @ 95
2 @ 135
1 @ 155
1 @ 165
1 @ 175 (PR!)
1 @ 185 (PR!!)
1 @ 165
1 @ 155

Proved that I can indeed get 185 up... although it probably looked a bit like Brian as I chased it down. No more power cleans after my challenge. It's time to learn the real deal... full cleans and full snatches only. Still, I'm really thrilled to get 185 up!!!

Then, I accomplished a sub 4 minute Fran... at the girls weight. Still, it's good to know I'm at least a reasonably fit girl!

Time: about 3:45

DId everything unbroken... too bad 95 lbs is gonna hammer me into the ground (especially after Linda)

Not Quite Yet

Singles Bench

5 X 1 (185)

then attempt power clean singles... and fail. I think my body was shot from yesterdays DL.

then stairs and pushups!

6 rounds

Sprint up stairs at harder stadium
10 pushups

No time on this one. Just gave it my all every trip up.