CBH: Thursday

I ran a nice and easy 5 miler in hard wind. Saturday will be my first, official cross-fit class.

Tamara's Thursday 4/29

Happy to be back working out at Tamalpais CrossFit.

Warm-up: 400 m run, 15 pull-ups, practice on ring dips, lots of skills work on components of clean & jerk.

WOD: 30 clean and jerks at 85#, for time. 7 minutes, 4 seconds.

Pine Top

Meryl was way too hard on herself for the Pine Top run. The course is tough because the footing sucks, there are some hairpin turns on the downhill that are almost impossible to run, and you cannot get into any running rhythm because of the constant terrain changes. Her pace was excellent the whole way.

I did not do an I-5 workout. Back to it tonight.

Silliest workout ever

On Interstate 5, south of Mt. Shasta. Yes, that is correct: actually ON I-5.

Driving home from Whidbey last night, Clarke and I got stuck in a huge traffic back-up. (A big rig dumped its load of lumber and blocked the road for hours.)

Twice, we were stopped completely in a gigantic line of cars -- with engines off, people getting out of their cars, etc.

After taking Gracie out to walk around and pee, it got really boring.

Then I remembered: Never fear! CrossFit is here! And I have my yoga mat!

In the space between my car and Clarke's rental huge Jeep, I did four rounds of 10 push-ups and 10 squats. Then, traffic began moving. Then, we were stopped again. So I hopped out and did six more rounds of each, and finished with 100 hollow-rocks (sort of sit-up like).

The completely obnoxious subtextual message of this post? Aside from illness/injury, there's really no good excuse for not working out.

Meryl and CBH's run

Well, CBH made me feel like a lame ass when he said Pine Top was pretty normal. Damnit!

We ran the loop together in 17:34 (my fastest time), and CBH tried to convince me to run it twice in a row. That was not happening (I felt pretty pathetic). So I timed CBH who ran it again while I did my cool down.

CBH ran the second loop in 17:36 with two accidental wrong turns, so that probably added a minute. Conclusion: he did pretty awesome.

Meanwhile, Meryl was doing her lame ass cool down because I can't run very much (LAME!) and I was feeling particularly bad about myself, so I ran 5 laps around the track (a bit over 1 mile) in 9:40. Woo-hoo! That made me feel a bit better about myself.

I do feel pretty crappy though that Pine Top isn't too difficult and I have such a hard time with it considering I've been running for a while now. Oh well.

CBH and I thought that Pine Top would be an excellent relay simulator though and that when we do the family run in May we can run the first loop together, then take turns on the second one, as if we were really doing a relay. Then the next time we run it together I think it would be awesome if we could do three times.

Awesome Resource

I talked with mom on the phone about this earlier today, and I used it this afternoon, it's AWESOME!
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

Just make sure you're in the MANUAL mode for drawing (not the two automatic ones) and then click start recording. Put the cursor on the map and double click to make points and the program figures out how far the run/walk/whatever is. AWESOME!

I found a map online of Pine Top trail and used this program and found out Pine Top is just about 2 miles (I think a bit over because my loop didn't get completed at the end - I couldn't figure out how to connect the two points)

(click to make it bigger if you want)

Super cool!

Tamara's Sunday 4/25

3 mile run.  28 minutes.

Meryl's Sunday Morning

Just got back from my Sunday run. I ran Pine Top again. It took me 18 1/2 minutes. Pine Top ends at the soccer field/track, so I ran another 3 laps around that (maybe 2/3 of a mile) in another 6 minutes. I now feel like I am going to fall over. But I must take a shower and go work at the A's now.

Momma, I'm responding to your emails this evening when I get home, or tomorrow morning!

Tamara's Saturday 4/24

Warm up of 20 squats, 20 sit-ups, 20 back-extensions, 20 sit-ups, 20 dips, 20 pull-ups.  Congratulations to me . . . first time I did unassisted dips . . . had been using a thin band.  Now all moves are strictly legit.

WOD:  18-to-6 "ladder" of 44# kettle bell swings and burpees . . . i.e., 18 KB swings, 18 burpees, 17 KB swings, 17 burpees  -- down through 6 of each.  Sounds easy.  It's not.   26 minutes, 58 seconds.  A crusher.  That is 156 of each move.  Try some burpees.  They will wear your ass out.

Then, tried to do my weight work after the WOD, which was a mistake.  I need to keep doing it the way I've been -- before the WOD.  Could only do two of the five shoulder press rounds, at 55#, because shoulders shot from all the burpees.  Did 5 x 5 back squats at 95#, 95#, 105#, 105#, 105#.

9:00 a.m. Sat.

My cross-fit workout on Monday really hurt for a couple of days. Then I had to go to LA. I ran 5 miles yesterday after work and then got my ass out of bed this morning and ran another 5. Now it's off to Tahoe for some hold'em with Erik-who I am pretty sure did not get his ass out of bed this morning to run 5 miles.

Meryl's Friday

Yesterday I ran Pine Top again, it took me 19 minutes. I'm hoping CBH comoes with us to run it on Monday so I can see what he thinks of it. I think it's hard, but I may be just a really big wuss.

Tamara's Friday 4/23

4 mile Coupeville hill walk (3 miles with Lori and Jim; 1 mile with Gracie)

50 double-unders, 50 sit-ups, 40 double-unders, 40 sit-ups, 30 double-unders, 30 sit-ups, 20 double-unders, 20 sit-ups, 10 double-unders, 10 sit-ups.  10 minutes flat.

Workouts, people?  Mr. Erik?

For Charity?

What would you guys think about running for a charity? I know this race doesn't have that as a theme, but I thought it might be a kinda cool idea and we could pick whatever charity we wanted....

Tamara's Wednesday, 4/21

These are the sea stars at the end of the pier in Coupeville, at low tide.  A pod of orcas played out there for a half-hour last week (we missed them), and I have seen sea lions swimming around, too.  

Back at the gym . . . warm up of 20 squats, sit-ups, back-extensions, push-ups, dips, pull-ups.  Then, weight work of 5 sets of 5 shoulder presses at 60#, 55#, 55#, 60#, 60#, and 5 sets of 5 front squats at 95# for all five sets.  Then, WOD:  5 rounds of:  25 double-unders, 10 pull-ups, 20 push-ups, 25 44# kettle bell swings.  25 minutes, 14 seconds.

Wednesday morning

Ran Pine Top again this morning. Still don't really know how long it is. Monday night it took me almost exactly 18 minutes, today it took me 19 1/2 (really windy).

I think I may run it again tomorrow morning, we shall see. Chris plans to get back on the work-out horse this weekend as he's still hacking really bad.

Tamara's Tuesday, 4/20

Yoga class.

CBH at Cross-fit

This is a place that will teach you humility. After feeling really great about my recent half-marathon performance, it took less than a hour at Cross-fit to be reminded what a weak-ass I really am. The first part of the workout involved learning front-thrusters. You have a bar-bell with weight balanced on your collar bone and shoulders. Your elbows are supposed to stick-out in front and your wrists are bent back. Just standing hurts. You squat and then in one motion explode up and move the bar above your head. After practices with just the 35lb bar for a while, I then did them with 65lbs. I did them until my wrists couldn't take it any more. Maybe 20. Then the actual work-out. 200 meter row, 8 parallel bar push-ups(two pvc bars about 8-10 inches off the ground-you hold the plastic bar and dip your chest below your hands) 12 kettle bell swings, 4 rounds. The 200 meter row was easy, the kettle bell swings are harder, but I could do them. By the 3rd round I was doing no more than 2 push-ups at a time. By the 4th round, my arms simply would not work. It took about 8 minutes to get to failure. The good news is that you get so pissed you are determined to do better the next time. And the best part, no matter how good you get, the goal is to keep failing. Bring it on.

Hey man....

...I was SICK. I'm still excited to run, and in fact I just got back from running Pine Top (which I was going to do TOMORROW but I saw that it was supposed to start raining tonight so I did it when I got home from work so I made sure I got it done). So, I don't want anyone saying I'm not enthusiastic. I was horrendously stuffed up and coughing for the last week, that's not really a very fun state to be running in. But I got back on the horse.

Damn.

CBH Says

Yesterday I ran a hard 6-mile trail run. All the parts seem to have recovered from the “half” I ran last week. I do not intend to lose my base over the summer. I am getting a little concerned that the enthusiasm I saw on the Blog early on seems to be fading. Look, as the politicians say, you need to get ready. We are doing the Road to Hana for fun, but it won’t be any fun if your feet hurt or your legs go after the first leg. In May and June you should be running (or doing a major workout) 2-3 times a week, and be able to run 12-15 miles a week. By July-August, you need to be up to 20 miles/week (or the cardio equivalent). And, at least once a week you should be running something for speed that simulates our relay. You should have a day where you run three hard 2-mile runs with no more than 5 minute rests or two hard 3-mile runs. We are going to be running on hot asphalt. Your feet have to be ready and you need to be able to run in 80 degree weather. On the day of the race someone will have a cold or be hurting-you still need to be ready. Get used to running when you feel bad. I sent the deposit for the house. We need to buy plane tickets soon. So, let's see starting May 15 through June some consistent workouts (3 per week) so we don't have to consider any alternatives. We don’t have to win, but we have to finish strong.

Mom's Sunday

3.8 mile hill run  38 minutes

Mom's Friday

warm-up: 20 squats, back-extensions, sit-ups, push-ups, dips, pull-ups

weight work: 5 x 5 shoulder presses 55#, 55#, 60#, 60#, 60#; 5 x 5 back squats 95#, 105#, 105#, 110#, 110#

workout: 500 meter row, then rest 3 minutes. Four rounds. Times: 2:06, 2:02, 2:05, 2:09

CBH Can Still Run

I ran and easy 5 miles Wed. after work. My feet hurt a little, but otherwise pretty smooth.

Mom's Thursday

50 double-unders and sit-ups; 40 double-unders and sit-ups; 30 double-unders and sit-ups; 20 double-unders and sit-ups; 10 double-unders and sit-ups. 10 minutes, 15 seconds. Feeling like shit since yesterday afternoon. Now I'm going to yoga.

Chris and Meryl's Lack of Work-Outs

Since I've gotten back from my Bean on the Road trip with momma I've been sick, so I haven't been working out. NOW, Chris is sick, so he hasn't been working out either.

Hopefully we'll get back on track this weekend or early next week. Like Clarke, Chris and I intend to run 3 days a week, with one day constituting spped work as well.

Maybe next week I'll have news on how this is actually going....

Wednesday for CBH

Monday and Tuesday were rest and recovery days from the race. Today I will run an easy 5 miles to stretch and determine my condition. I intend to start serious cross-fit next week. I am hoping to run 2-3 days per week and cross-fit 2 days as my training for the relay. At least one of my running days will be speed work. I believe that was a big part of my improvement on time. I am going to focus on improving my mile and 2-mile times and run 15-20 miles/week.

Tuesday workout at Mt. Baker CrossFit

Warm-up: 20 squats, sit-ups, back-extensions, push-ups, dips, pull-ups

Weight work: 5 x 5 shoulder presses 55#, 55#, 60#, 60#, 60#
5 x 5 front squats 95# all sets

Workout: 200 m run; 20 pull-ups; 400 m run; 40 44# kettle bell swings; 600 m run; 60 dumbbell push-ups (like those "perfect pushups" things); 800 m run; 80 walking lunges with 15# weight held overhead. 29:05

Sunday's Race

My half-marathon went very well. A personal best for me at 1:46-that's a pace of 8:06/mile. I was only 100th out of 400 guys, but given my time I really can't complain. I was 7th in the 55-60 group. Next goal, under 8's. Also, no pain, no problems during the run. I attribute that to my intro to cross-fit and an increase in core strength-and post run ice baths. They suck and they really work. Between now and Hana I will focus on speed work and real cross-fit workouts.

Sunday Runs

Tamara did 6.6 mile nasty hill run in 67 minutes.  That's 4 minutes better than last week's crappy 71 minutes on this course,  but not as good as her 65 minute PR for the route.

Good Luck Clarke!!!!!

I just looked online and it said the Whidbey Island Half Marathon starts at 8 am, it's 8:04, so that means you're running. Hope you do AWESOME!

(and hope it's not too cold or rainy for comfortable spectating momma!)

Mom Being Super Amazing

GOOD JOB MOMMA!

E's last few days

Wednesday and Thursday were spent working in the yard at the Hollips household. My forearms, gluts and thighs were burning after squatting out in the backyard pulling weeds for 8 hours a day. I got back last night and spent today cleaning my house in anticipation of my girl coming into town next week. Furniture was moved etc. but I also managed to incorporate 15 pullups, 3 x 10 20lb curls, each arm, and 4 sets of flys on the bodyworks machine with a chord of resistance at reps of 15, 12 and 10. back out on the road for a run and workout tomorrow. Good luck to dad in the half marathon!!!

Girlz Thursday Workouts

We rule. We are driving four hours to the airport today and then flying from Raleigh to Chicago to Oakland. Did that deter our workouts? NO. We got up and hit the gym early.

Tamara's WOD: "Dirty 30" (A CrossFit name) 30 reps of 8 different exercises. Did 1)walking lunges, 2) push-ups, 3) plank-ups, 4) sit-ups, 5) squats, 6) 20# dumbbell push presses, 7) 35# kettle bell swings, 8) hollow rocks (Clarke's favorites). 9:52 (that is very good)

Meryl's WOD: 25 minutes on the bike (because treadmills full); 25 minutes of floor exercises, including 30 full push-ups.

Represent.

CrossFit Asheville workout

Fun to go to a different gym but still have them working on all the same stuff.

Warm-up . . . various runs and stretches, then 10 push-ups, pull-ups, squats, plank rolls

5 x 5 push jerks: 62#, 72#, 72#, 82#, 82#

Workout: AMRAP in 10 minutes of 12 burpees, 8 95# back squats. Did 4 full rounds, plus the burpees and 3 back squats into a 5th round.

Meryl drove me there and picked me up. She took a picture of me doing a pull-up. Maybe she will post it some time.

Tuesday

Easy 5 mile run to keep loose. I will run Thursday and Saturday to stay stretched before Sunday's race. Also, I sent in the deposit for the Hawaii relay house rental. Get ready family.

Tamara and Meryl's Tuesday workouts

Meryl got her butt out of bed at 7:30 a.m. and did her run workout on the Savannah Hampton Inn fitness center treadmill. Then Meryl and Tamara further investigated Savannah; drove to Hilton Head and checked out the stores; drove to Beaufort and Port Royal for screenplay background; drove to Charleston to checkout the stores and get Meryl's haircut; then drove to Columbia. Tamara did her workout in yet another Hampton Inn fitness center: 5 rounds of 20 push-ups, squats, sit-ups. 16 minutes.

Sunday

It rained too hard to run. I will do an easy 5 miles today and then run a couple of 2 milers during the rest of the week just to keep loose.

Parental Saturday Workouts

Last 10 miler before the half. I ran to Samuel P. Taylor Park and back. It sucked. It was boring. And, I did it in 90 minutes.

That was Clarke, obviously.

Mom:

weight training . . . 5 x 5 shoulder presses 58# all five sets; 5 x 5 back squats 83# for the first set and 103# for the other four sets.

WOD: row for 30 calories (about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes)
30 pull-ups
30 glute-hamstring sit-ups on beastly machine
30 push-ups
30 medicine ball (14#) cleans
17:04

squat work: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8 rounds = 96 squats

Thursday's Run

Another mind-boggling and boring 5 miler on Thursday. Two long runs left this weekend. I will run 9-10 miles on Sat. and 5-6 on Sun.

A workout that made me cry

After yeserday's walking lunges, my ass is beyond sore. Of course, today's workout involved the ass. Thus, the tears in the last round of box jumps. Oh well. It's done.


300 meter row
30 wall balls (throw a medicine ball up to a 10' target on the wall. I used 14# ball for 60 of them, and a 10# ball for the other 30 . . . otherwise, I would still be at the gym)
30 kettle bell swings, 35#
30 box jumps, 20" box
30 sit-ups

Do that shit for 3 rounds.
Took 31 minutes.

lazy thursday

I got up this morning feeling sore and sluggish. went out to run and pulled up after a little over a mile because my calves felt like they were about to explode. Came back to the house and did some pull-ups and military presses with my 55lb barbell, but just wasn't feeling it so I called it quits to put some heat on my legs. I think that readjusting to running in my Vibrams may take longer than I had hoped. it really does restructure the way i run and puts extra stress on muscles I haven't worked on in a while. Once I get there, though, my calf muscles will be beastly...

Wednesday

It rained really hard yesterday, so after being warned by Mom, I elected to do my speed work on the tredmill in the gym at work. It sucks. I ran a 1/2 mile warmup, then a 2 mile run at 15:40, another 2 mile run at 15:40, then a one mile run at 7:30. Then a 1/2 mile warm-down. I am hoping that by getting used to an under 8 minute mile pace, I will be able to go 8:30's for my half-marathon.

Chris and Meryl Wednesday

No conventional workout.

But I did load up Chris' truck entirely by myself with dirt to get rid of. Shoveling into a wheelbarrow, running it up a ramp into the bed, and dumping it. His truck can take 1/2 a ton, so that's about how much I did. Then we drove it to our garbage man's house (he saw us filling it when he picked up the garbage and asked what we were doing with it, we said dump, he said "take it to my house" and gave us his address, pretty awesome), and we unloaded it there. Chris helped load the 2nd trip and we probably did 1/2 a load each.

Also, he was lifting a moving 4x8 pieces of plywood all around the garage as he's lining all the walls for shear strength.

So, although no gym, we got a good workout yesterday (my back is KILLING me).