On May 16th I was finally able to play with a barbell again, after a hiatus of nearly 2 months.
It. Felt. So. Good!
Now, I don't, of course, mean actual play. I take weightlifting as serious work with potential for injury. And that's why I kept my weights light and focused on quality form for my first CrossFit class since March 20th.
I had known that Arbor would be moving locations since last December, but no one ever expected the move to be complicated by a pandemic. I thought the transition from being able to walk to my box in less than 5 minutes would be starkly contrasted with having to drive 5 minutes to get there. Instead, I transitioned from the walk to working out at home and now I would drive a lot longer than 5 minutes to get there if needed.
I felt like my workouts over the at home period were consistent and that I was able to push myself with body weight exercises. It's likely that I've lost some strength over this stretch, but on the aerobic side I think I'm doing a bit better than before the shutdown - though part of that is due to timing since I also started running regularly again at the beginning of the closures.
Even feeling that way, I was surprised at how rowing felt after the break. Not only was I comfortable at about the same pace I had been comfortable with before, but I could feel more how my whole body can work together on that machine. I felt my hip flexors when I extended. I could see how I could increase my speed simply by focusing on keeping my low back engaged.
The other movements for this first workout were cleans and shoulder to overhead. I was doing the fitness workout, so I chose to do squat cleans to work on that form, and strict press since I was only lifting 45 pounds. 3 reps of each, so I probably could have gone a little heavier, but the last thing I want to do is injure myself at this point. I'll be easing myself back into the heavy weights and gymnastic movements, though I don't doubt that I'll be tearing up my hands a bit as they get used to bars again.
Still, I'm excited at the prospect of building up my calluses again and being able to see my favorite CrossFit people in person (even if at a 6 foot distance) and not over Zoom.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
The Season Opens
On May 5th, we drove into the woods with the intention to stay the night. It wasn't going to be a long trip, but I had May 6th off of work, so we were going to take advantage of the relatively nice weather and have our first night outdoors of the season.
I didn't take any pictures. I turned my phone off once I lost signal about 20 minutes from home. I didn't bring my kindle for reading; instead I brought a couple of library books that I had checked out just before everything shut down. I was trying to make the most of my nature therapy by not including any extraneous electronics.
We ended up camping at the same spot we stopped a few weeks before when I just needed to get out there, but we weren't ready to spend the night quite yet. It's a roadside spot, but still has some secluded areas. I was disappointed to see how much trash had accumulated in the short period of time between when I last saw it. I picked up as much as I could, but it seemed like every time I looked at the ground I saw another bottle cap or nylon cord or - worst - toilet paper, ew.
Ambrose and I now have car camping chairs; the second one arrived that very day, right on time. They are luxurious, heavy, "zero-gravity" chairs that allow for both sitting upright and a nice recline.
I got to set up the tent, since Ambrose drove. That led to him getting to try out the new chairs first. I was a bit jealous of how comfortable he looked while I slaved at the tent, but I actually got it down pretty quickly. For the first pitch of the year, I was quite pleased with how it turned out. Every time I put up a tent, I refer to my internal notes on how best to do it. Sometimes, I remember what they are at the beginning of the season, and sometimes I forget...
This time, I forgot that I want to wait to put the middle pole in the grommets until after I've hooked up the two on the end to their own corners. But I remembered how to get the rain fly on nice and tight by hooking it up with loosened connectors and then tightening them up in two rounds, first an initial pull and then a final tightening. So I started out a bit off, but the end result was quite good for the first pitch of the year.
And then we just relaxed in our new chairs and watched the river flow by, and the clouds overhead and the sun's light setting beyond the canyon walls so that we could no longer see it. Being out there, with the sounds, smells and sights, made me feel normal and good. I felt tension leaving my body. Even now, thinking about it, I can feel myself relaxing.
After we had gone to bed and were in the tent, we both were rather awake. And it wasn't like we had to get up early in the morning. We could see, through the tent and rain fly walls, that the moon was probably out. Ambrose didn't want to leave the tent initially, but I felt like it was an opportunity not to be missed. Plus, I was really warm, so the idea of going outside in the cold briefly didn't bug me. I went outside in my bare feet, wriggled my toes in the dirt and basked in the moonshine while Ambrose got himself together enough to join me.
By the time he got there, I was shivering and impatient. But I knew I could handle the cold a while longer, especially if I sidled up to him to steal warmth.
We didn't spend long outside. And I think I fell asleep pretty soon after. I'm not sure, because my digital ban included any watch. I didn't know what time it was from the time we got out of the car until we started it up again the next morning (way earlier than we needed to).
In the morning, we slept in and were fairly leisure about it, but we still ended up leaving before 9 am. To be fair, leaving by 9 am is pretty late for backpackers.
Short though it was, the trip provided a balm for my spirit. And I was quite tickled that I didn't even need to break out the heavy duty fleece pants that I'd brought for sleeping, because I was warm enough with just my quilt. It was a good start to the season, and I can't wait to get back out there.
I didn't take any pictures. I turned my phone off once I lost signal about 20 minutes from home. I didn't bring my kindle for reading; instead I brought a couple of library books that I had checked out just before everything shut down. I was trying to make the most of my nature therapy by not including any extraneous electronics.
We ended up camping at the same spot we stopped a few weeks before when I just needed to get out there, but we weren't ready to spend the night quite yet. It's a roadside spot, but still has some secluded areas. I was disappointed to see how much trash had accumulated in the short period of time between when I last saw it. I picked up as much as I could, but it seemed like every time I looked at the ground I saw another bottle cap or nylon cord or - worst - toilet paper, ew.
Ambrose and I now have car camping chairs; the second one arrived that very day, right on time. They are luxurious, heavy, "zero-gravity" chairs that allow for both sitting upright and a nice recline.
I got to set up the tent, since Ambrose drove. That led to him getting to try out the new chairs first. I was a bit jealous of how comfortable he looked while I slaved at the tent, but I actually got it down pretty quickly. For the first pitch of the year, I was quite pleased with how it turned out. Every time I put up a tent, I refer to my internal notes on how best to do it. Sometimes, I remember what they are at the beginning of the season, and sometimes I forget...
This time, I forgot that I want to wait to put the middle pole in the grommets until after I've hooked up the two on the end to their own corners. But I remembered how to get the rain fly on nice and tight by hooking it up with loosened connectors and then tightening them up in two rounds, first an initial pull and then a final tightening. So I started out a bit off, but the end result was quite good for the first pitch of the year.
And then we just relaxed in our new chairs and watched the river flow by, and the clouds overhead and the sun's light setting beyond the canyon walls so that we could no longer see it. Being out there, with the sounds, smells and sights, made me feel normal and good. I felt tension leaving my body. Even now, thinking about it, I can feel myself relaxing.
After we had gone to bed and were in the tent, we both were rather awake. And it wasn't like we had to get up early in the morning. We could see, through the tent and rain fly walls, that the moon was probably out. Ambrose didn't want to leave the tent initially, but I felt like it was an opportunity not to be missed. Plus, I was really warm, so the idea of going outside in the cold briefly didn't bug me. I went outside in my bare feet, wriggled my toes in the dirt and basked in the moonshine while Ambrose got himself together enough to join me.
By the time he got there, I was shivering and impatient. But I knew I could handle the cold a while longer, especially if I sidled up to him to steal warmth.
We didn't spend long outside. And I think I fell asleep pretty soon after. I'm not sure, because my digital ban included any watch. I didn't know what time it was from the time we got out of the car until we started it up again the next morning (way earlier than we needed to).
In the morning, we slept in and were fairly leisure about it, but we still ended up leaving before 9 am. To be fair, leaving by 9 am is pretty late for backpackers.
Short though it was, the trip provided a balm for my spirit. And I was quite tickled that I didn't even need to break out the heavy duty fleece pants that I'd brought for sleeping, because I was warm enough with just my quilt. It was a good start to the season, and I can't wait to get back out there.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Running Gear
It's funny. When I first started running, in my late 20s, I wanted to have the gear. The kind that says, Yeah, I'm a runner - bona fide! I bought a belt that had a pouch for stuff along with hookups to carry water bottles on longer runs. Not too long ago, I got rid of that belt. For one, it was too big for my waist (turns out running consistently can have that effect). But more importantly, I was way over my fascination with running gear.
That doesn't mean I don't still use some. It's just that I've gotten comfortable with myself as a runner to the point that I don't care all that much what others think of me or my gear. So rather than a brand name hydration belt that I would, at this point, mainly be using for carrying my phone (which has my app that I use to track runs), I am wearing a sentimental item instead.
A fanny pack.
Not just any fanny pack though. This one is branded for the 1994 World Cup. If I recall correctly (and I may not, seeing as I was just 12 in 1994), my father and brother (and uncle? and grandfather?) got to go see one of the matches in Chicago. I got a fanny pack.
I don't think I used it very much, if at all in the years between 1994 and 2014. Maybe even a bit longer than that. But I'm using it now for every outdoor run. Well, when I was still working in my office, I kept an office fanny pack for runs during work. It's branded to my workplace, and I don't have to worry about remembering to bring my fanny pack back and forth. (Yes, I have two fanny packs, I am the coolest.)
The object itself doesn't have that much sentiment attached, I suppose. I didn't go to a game, and I'm not all that into soccer (my dad is, and my brother played pretty seriously in high school for a while). But I like that I have this object connecting me to my past. A weird object. One that, I'm willing to bet, no one else in the city of Boise owns.
That doesn't mean I don't still use some. It's just that I've gotten comfortable with myself as a runner to the point that I don't care all that much what others think of me or my gear. So rather than a brand name hydration belt that I would, at this point, mainly be using for carrying my phone (which has my app that I use to track runs), I am wearing a sentimental item instead.
A fanny pack.
Not just any fanny pack though. This one is branded for the 1994 World Cup. If I recall correctly (and I may not, seeing as I was just 12 in 1994), my father and brother (and uncle? and grandfather?) got to go see one of the matches in Chicago. I got a fanny pack.
I don't think I used it very much, if at all in the years between 1994 and 2014. Maybe even a bit longer than that. But I'm using it now for every outdoor run. Well, when I was still working in my office, I kept an office fanny pack for runs during work. It's branded to my workplace, and I don't have to worry about remembering to bring my fanny pack back and forth. (Yes, I have two fanny packs, I am the coolest.)
The object itself doesn't have that much sentiment attached, I suppose. I didn't go to a game, and I'm not all that into soccer (my dad is, and my brother played pretty seriously in high school for a while). But I like that I have this object connecting me to my past. A weird object. One that, I'm willing to bet, no one else in the city of Boise owns.
 |
| No mistaking my fanny pack for someone else's! |
 |
| I bet there aren't even that many of these hanging around in people's houses in Chicago. |
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Kettlebell!
When gyms were first closed in Boise, my CrossFit box held an equipment checkout to allow athletes to borrow some weights since they wouldn't be used at the box and were sorely needed for at home workouts. I didn't go to that one, because I was not feeling healthy at that point and chose to self isolate at home while feeling sick.
We were hoping that the box could reopen on May 1, and in anticipation of that the checked out equipment got returned at the end of April. But, reopening of gyms is not happening for our area quite yet, so another checkout happened. And this time, I was ready and healthy.
Plus, it was after work instead of during work, so I felt better about going - though if it had been during work I would have taken time off this time. I miss weights, and I'm stoked that I was able to borrow something - plus, my alternate weight is having issues. One of the sandbags in my backpack that I've been tossing around for a 20 pound weight burst :(
Now, the first time, they allowed checkout of dumbbells, but this time they did not. So I chose to check out a kettlebell, 26 pounds on the advice of Coach Maria. 26 pounds is pretty heavy for me to lift with one arm, but doable. It used to be a light double armed swing for me, but I discovered that it isn't so light anymore for me. I can rep out American swings, but it's not easy like it used to be.
And, I discovered on Tuesday that my hands have gotten pretty soft. I have been seeing and lamenting the softening and disappearing of the calluses on my hands, but it hadn't occurred to me that my grip isn't the only part of my hand that is being neglected. See, while I did work out with the kettlebell over the weekend, I didn't do a lot of reps in a row. Tuesday morning, I did 15 sets of 20 (over 29 minutes, alternating with sets of 40 jumps). I managed to tear the skin off of the outside of both pinkies where they come in contact with the kettlebell when I grip it with both hands.
I wasn't the only one to get a hand tear either. It really drove home for me the fact that I will need to ease back into CrossFit. Sure, I know how to do the things that I've done before, but my body is not ready to do them at the same weight or intensity as before the stay at home order. I'll need to build up my calluses and take it easy on the weight so I don't come back only to get injured.
We were hoping that the box could reopen on May 1, and in anticipation of that the checked out equipment got returned at the end of April. But, reopening of gyms is not happening for our area quite yet, so another checkout happened. And this time, I was ready and healthy.
Plus, it was after work instead of during work, so I felt better about going - though if it had been during work I would have taken time off this time. I miss weights, and I'm stoked that I was able to borrow something - plus, my alternate weight is having issues. One of the sandbags in my backpack that I've been tossing around for a 20 pound weight burst :(
Now, the first time, they allowed checkout of dumbbells, but this time they did not. So I chose to check out a kettlebell, 26 pounds on the advice of Coach Maria. 26 pounds is pretty heavy for me to lift with one arm, but doable. It used to be a light double armed swing for me, but I discovered that it isn't so light anymore for me. I can rep out American swings, but it's not easy like it used to be.
And, I discovered on Tuesday that my hands have gotten pretty soft. I have been seeing and lamenting the softening and disappearing of the calluses on my hands, but it hadn't occurred to me that my grip isn't the only part of my hand that is being neglected. See, while I did work out with the kettlebell over the weekend, I didn't do a lot of reps in a row. Tuesday morning, I did 15 sets of 20 (over 29 minutes, alternating with sets of 40 jumps). I managed to tear the skin off of the outside of both pinkies where they come in contact with the kettlebell when I grip it with both hands.
I wasn't the only one to get a hand tear either. It really drove home for me the fact that I will need to ease back into CrossFit. Sure, I know how to do the things that I've done before, but my body is not ready to do them at the same weight or intensity as before the stay at home order. I'll need to build up my calluses and take it easy on the weight so I don't come back only to get injured.
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