No Boundaries. Stop stereotyping.

She's such an inspiration! 

Ladies, don't be afraid to lift, climb, push, drag, carry,  pull, & swing. Push yourself to a new fitness level, eat more, lean out  and build muscle! 

You're not going to look like a guy unless you're taking some sort of drug supplements. I promise. 

Strong and muscular women is the new "skinny" right?! ;) 

 ~Inspirational and motivational thoughts coming your way, with love from Mel! 

Read this awesome article! 

http://m.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Jul/18/crossfit-camille-leblanc-bazinet/2/

Burn of the Day {7.19.13}

It's one hour and 20 minutes of torture, but your body will thank you and reward you for it! Take breaks as needed.... It's Ok, I promise! 

Stay fit and healthy ladies (and men) by exercising and eating healthy! Still allow yourself your cheat meals/drinks and still enjoy the pleasures in life, but in moderation! ;) 

My post-workout omelette: four egg whites, one yolk, fresh basil, green onion, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, minced garlic, cooked with EVOO, topped with one small avocado. It was so delicious and very satisfying. 

Burn of the Day {7.18.13}

Get it in ladies! 

Burn of the Day (7.17.13)

Burn baby burn and sweat like crazy! 

Kicked My Own Butt! (7.16.13)

I was in Canada for 10 days on a missions trip with my church youth group. I brought my workout clothes thinking I would actually have time to workout. Who was I fooling?!?? There was absolutely no down time to workout. 

My days started at 5:30am waiting in line to take a shower. My days didn't end until around 1:00am. I was literally running on fumes each day. 

After driving 20 hours back home (I drove 16 out of the 20 hours),  I decided to take another two days off to SLEEP! Oh how I missed sleep and my own bed. 

With that being said, I took 12 days off from working out! That's a lot when you're used to working out 5-6 days a week. My motto for my workout this morning, was "go big or go home." I had a love hate relationship with my workout today, but I'm so glad I did it. 

Keep moving friends! Even though I was walking non-stop on my trip and we even went on two hikes, it still wasn't good enough! Our bodies need to do more than just walking. 

Mel's WOD/BOD:

Burn of the Day {BOD} 7/8/13

"Faith"

3 Rounds of:
Burpees
Power snatch, 20 lbs
Box jump, 18" box
Thrusters, 20 lbs
Pull-ups

Same format as CrossFit's Fight Gone Bad workout.  In this workout, you move from each of 5 stations after a minute.  This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating.  The clock does not reset of stop between exercises.  The athlete must move to next station at the end of each minute.  One point is given for each rep.  Post score to comments!

Lots of love, Dawn

Workout courtesy of cfmamas.blogspot.com
Image courtesy of CrossFit East Sacramento

CrossFit Regionals, "Jackie", and "Murph"

Happy Memorial Day!

Watching the Women's CrossFit Regionals these past few days has been such a kick in the pants!  I say "kick in the pants" because 1) it's a lot of fun, and 2) it's inspiring and motivating, as in kicking my saggy butt into gear.  There's something about watching someone's hard work, dedication, and unbridled determination come to fruition... especially in athletes.  I just have a huge respect and admiration for athletes, and it's probably because I never was one.  I was in ballet lessons for 13 years!  I competed in speech events and Mock Trial!  I was a total dweeb!  Athletics?  What is that?
Last night I watched the NorCal Women's Event 1 competition {you should watch it too, just click here!}.  The event was CrossFit's "Jackie" workout:

Jackie
1000m row
50 reps of 45-lb thrusters
30 pull-ups 

Dude, what's a thruster?  

Thruster: Squat while holding a 45-lb barbell, stand up, press the bar overhead.



Dude, that's a pull-up?

Kipping Pull-ups: In the video, the ladies are performing kipping pull-ups as opposed to doing strict dead hang pull-ups.  While it may look easier, it's a skill involving more muscles and coordination. I didn't realize this until recently, but any time a CrossFit workout says to do pull-ups, it means kipping pull-ups...

The first woman off the rowing machine started her thrusters with the clock reading 3:50.  That is just insane to me considering the best time I've gotten on a 1000m row is 4:31!  Seriously amazing!

It was so much fun watching Annie Sakamoto {she's in the thrusters pic above} do this event...a 5-foot, 37-year-old firecracker who knocked out those thrusters like it was sweet potato pie.  She's 37?  She started CrossFit when she was 33?  And she's got two kids?! If that's not inspiring, I really don't know what is! 

The top 3 women finished this event in like, 6 minutes.  I never even thought you could do that many reps of anything in 6 minutes! 

With today being Memorial Day, many CrossFit affiliates choose the "Murph" workout for their workout of the day {WOD}.  The "Murph" workout was created in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005.  Murphy originally called this workout "Body Armor" and it was one of his favorites.  I absolutely love the fact that CrossFit has come up with multiple workouts named after servicemen {and servicewomen too? I'm not sure...I've only seen men's names thus far} who have died while serving our country and protecting our freedom.

Murph
1 mile run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
1 mile run


The thought crossed my mind to try and do this at Gb3 before work today but I only had 30 minutes and there was no way I could physically do the "Murph" workout in 30 minutes!  So I did the "Jackie" instead.  Obviously, I didn't knock it out in no 6 minutes, and no way was I doing any kipping pull-ups...never done 'em in my life!  I hit up the rowing machine and rowed out 1000m in 4:38. Then I walked to the squat rack, grabbed the barbell, and partitioned out 50 reps {12, then 11, then 7, 10, and 10}.  That was so exhausting!  More exhausting than I had anticipated.  Last, I was able to do 3 sets of 10 reps on the assisted pull-up machine, since I can't do a kipping or strict pull-up.  Total time: 15:21 {including walking in between machines}.

So I've basically got a 9-minute difference to work on! {big cheesy smile!}  While I'll probably never be able to get anywhere near the 6- or 7-minute mark for the "Jackie" workout, it's kind of cool to be able to see how I stack up to the world's fittest women.  Plus, it's just nice to have a goal to shoot for.

Oy, definitely going to feel this one tomorrow...

Your homework for this week, ladies {and dudes, if you're out there!}...
*Go here and watch a CrossFit Regionals event!

*Try something you've never done before! 
If you've never used a rowing machine, do it. 
If you've never done a thruster, grab any weight you're comfortable with {hand weights, kettlebells, or a barbell} and do it. 
If you've never tried to do a pull-up on the pull-up machine, do it. 
If you've never done any of those three things, well then get to it...you've got a busy week ahead of you!

*Know that you can partition out your reps, meaning, you don't have to bust out ALL 50 thrusters straight through.  Very few super well-conditioned folks can do something like that. 

*Try "Jackie" or "Murph" {if you have the time and access to the equipment}. Don't worry about trying to get a certain time, just finish!

*Breathe.  Take your time.  And smile!

Why Fitness: Dawn's Edition

From an early age, I’ve always been active. Maybe not exactly what you would call an “athlete”, but I liked to move.  A lot.  

Training in classical ballet from the age of 2 to 15 conditioned me for coordination, balance, flexibility, and wicked calves.  After ballet it was snowboarding and kickboxing, which was an amazing whole-body workout leaving me pooped out and panting on the ground.  Once I went to college I started running on the dorm treadmill, skateboarding and playing racquetball with friends. 

Bouldering at Yosemite Fitness, February 2008

And then came Yosemite Fitness and the indoor climbing gym.  Every physical activity I had ever done up to this point was nowhere near as fun as rock climbing!  My husband and I were engaged at the time and it was so fun to encourage each other on different routes.  Climbing is great for any shape or size person and it’s like trying to figure out a personal puzzle. The tall lanky guy can get to the top just as easily as the petite gal, it’s just a matter of figuring out how to best utilize your body’s strength and flexibility. 

Hiking with Moose, July 2011

I started running because I felt bad for our 50-pound Australian Shepherd. He wasn't getting walked nearly enough but we never leash trained him.  Taking him on walks turned into him taking me on runs.  What surprised me most was how I didn't pass out, puke, or die after jogging with him for a mile. So I started running further and more frequently, even after finding out I was pregnant with our second boy just 4 weeks after I started running. My friend and I entered our first 5k in Shell Beach and I had a huge sense of accomplishment and amazement at what my body was even capable of.

After getting married and popping out your baby {babies}, it does things to you as a woman…

Mentally. 

Emotionally.

And oh boy, does it ever do something to you physically! 

You feel like you lose a lot of your beauty, strength, and dignity after having a child.  All those things that make you feel like a woman in the first place.

The first thing I learned in nursing school {right after the importance of hand washing} was how detrimental immobility is to the human body. After being completely awestruck but God's amazing handiwork in my Anatomy and Physiology classes, it was plainly obvious that God designed us not just with the capability to move, but to move in amazing ways.  Our bodies are capable of so much more than we think they are!

This season of life is where I'm finding myself to be in the best fitness capacity ever, thanks in large part to a dangerously addicting drug called Crossfit. For anyone who does Crossfit, you know exactly what I mean. For those of you who don't, you really ought to try it ...just once!  Mel and I have been going to classes so more info on why we love Crossfit to come!

I want to praise God everyday for giving me a body that is capable of moving.

I want to be stronger.

I want to set a healthy example for my boys {heck, I just want to keep up with my boys!}.

I want all women to know that they are physically capable of so much more than Zumba and 3 pound dumbbells.

Running, my fourth love! (God, hubby, kids, running)

I grew up in a home where healthy eating and exercise was non existent. I was that "skinny fat" girl who was killing herself from the inside out with bad foods and lots and lots of soda! 

 After having two kids and feeling like a blob of fat, I knew I needed to get healthy! In January 2009 right after my second child turned one, I started running (it was more like jogging, gasping for air, and wanting to pass out) half and full marathons. My first training season, I started training with Team in Training. TNT is an organization that trains you to run marathons and raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I ended up fundraising $3,400 for the LLS. 

I completed my first full marathon in 4 hours and 34 minutes at the San Diego Rock N' Roll Marathon in June 2009 with TNT!

(Pretty sure I earned those two free beers at the finish line!)

That was a miracle in itself! I never believed in myself enough to accomplish something like that. I had multiple people in my life saying I couldn't do it. If it weren't for my hubby and kids and their constant love, prayer, and support, I know I would have not crossed that finish line. 

As soon as I crossed that finish line, I burst in to tears and I felt like I was going to collapse . Actually, I started crying at mile 20 until the end, but you get what I'm saying! 

(My hubby. My best friend. My number one fan and number one supporter.  Yes, those are ice packs attached to my knees because I was pretty sure my knees were going to fall off with that toe nail I lost at mile 16.)

After that, I automatically fell in love and with the sport (along with other sports like biking, kettlebells, crossfit, and lifting in general).... Despite the aches, pains, blood, sweat, tears, early mornings, and missing toe nails.  It became my therapy, my escape, my quiet time, and my alone time with the Lord.  

This was after I completed the Two Cities full marathon in 2011. This was a huge accomplishment, but definitely not a PR by no means. I was dealing with a knee injury and I had been sick the entire week before, even the morning of. I had a fever and felt like crap, but I still did it even though I was in pain! I finished in 4 hours and 52 minutes and I was devastated with that time initially. But then I realized, I wasn't trying to beat any record or anything. My goal is always to just finish, even if I have to crawl across that finish line. I was so proud of myself for doing it, especially under my circumstances. 

After that, I was on the verge of wanting to throw in the towel and just give up. I kept telling myself the pain was not worth it! I needed some motivation to lace up and hit the trail again. I ended up taking 3 months off from marathon training. I would run a few miles a week, and do Insanity or go to the gym. My workout routine started to crumble and I noticed my body changing on the outside and I felt it on the inside. But again, I had little motivation to get back out there. 

In February of 2012, I went to the doctor and found out I had pre cancer cells on my cervix, which led me to having an ablation and a cervical cone biopsy to scoop out all the "yucky stuff" on my cervix. After going through this, and being forced to take over a month off from running, in addition to the other three I willingly took off from training, I knew I had to stop making up excuses and just GET OUT THERE!

 I began training harder than ever and changing my eating habits. I went gluten free (not by choice. I really miss it sometimes!) and began juicing. I drink 32 ounces of fresh veggie juice daily.  Between the hard core training and eating healthy, I was able to set a very big PR in the San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon on October 14, 2012. I crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 56 minutes. I thought I was seeing the wrong time as I crossed from being delirious from exhaustion. How could someone like ME get a time like that?!? That's what I truly love about running. You are only competing against yourself. I am proving to myself that I am in better shape now after having two kids, than I have ever been. 

(Seeing my beautiful and amazing family at the finish line brought me to tears of happiness and thankfulness.)

Unfortunately, the ablation and cone biopsy didn't do the trick. I had to have a hysterectomy (leaving my ovaries) on March 22, 2013. I am way too young for this! This was physically and more emotionally painful than most things I've experienced in my life. Oddly enough, after going through this, it has made me so much stronger and determined to NOT STOP MOVING and training. No excuses is my motto. God will carry me and has carried me every step of the way in this crazy game called LIFE! 

God moment: I got cleared to start running and lifting lighter weights TWO WEEKS after my laparoscopic hysterectomy! 

I have continued to run half and full marathons, with a 5k or 10k mixed in here and there. I even convinced the hubby to train for half marathons!! I've been trying to convince him to run fulls, but I'm pretty sure that will take years of bugging him! I ran his first half marathon with him in November of 2012. We ran together every step of the way, even holding hands as we crossed the finish line. ::insert cheesy comment here::  We are running our second half marathon together on May 19, 2013 at the Cal Classic! My husband amazes me in all that he does. I am one blessed woman! 

(Right after we crossed the finish line together in November 2012. Finished in 1 hour 52 minutes 15 seconds.)

There are plenty of mornings, especially those 3:45am double digit run mornings that I wanted to crawl back in to bed and pretend my alarm clock never went off! I wanted to hide my running shoes and blame the kids for hiding them! But, as soon as my feet hit that pavement, and I have worship music blasting in my ear (I only wear the headphones in one ear), I am in my happy place. 

Why do I get up so early to run you ask? It's all about balance and not letting my "me" time take away from my family time! If a run is going to take time away from my family, I won't go! Plain and simple. My family comes before running. 

There are many times I beat myself up for not getting up to run. But I have to remind myself what's more important in my life and be happy with what I'm able to do. I think it's hard for moms, and females in general, to not be our own worst critic. It's a daily struggle for me. I just have to remember how God views me. He thinks we are all awesome and beautiful just the way He made us.