Whirlwind

It's been quite a summer. Summer Strength Camp at my happy place,  I went whitewater rafting with the best group of people I know and I started my 17th year of teaching. There was one other event. One that wasn't a surprise, but the feelings it has brought up have been. I'll get to that later.

Let's talk about the end of Pride's Summer Strength Camp. We started June 6, had a midpoint check in on July 11 and the final tests were on August 22. Overall I am very pleased with how I did.

1. Max Pull ups- Um, yeah. Not so much. I started off with 0 pull ups and I ended with 0 pull ups. Go me. Both Coach Dane and Coach Tyler have told me I am close, but close really doesn't count with pull ups. Neither do the pictures I have in my head of me repping out many pull ups with perfect form. I'm going to keep working on them, because someday I want to actually do one.

2. Hand Release Push ups: June 6: 22 push ups on my toes, July 11: 30 push ups on my toes; August 22: 30 push ups on my toes. I gained 8 push ups from the start. Given that on August 22 I couldn't breathe through my nose I am proud of the 30 push ups I got.

3. Weighted Planks: June 6: 1 min; July 11: 1:08; August 22: 1:15. I gained 15 seconds and I'm going to keep working on those too. Any exercise that will build a stronger core is great with me, even if I don't enjoy it in the moment. I want to work on my natural weight belt after all.

4. Ten Lateral Jump Burpees: June 6: 1:09; July 11: 49 sec.; August 22: 40 sec. I took 29 seconds off my time. Not bad at all.

5. 500m Row: June 6: 1:56; July 11: 1:47; August 22: 1:46. I shaved 10 seconds off from my first time. I'd like to point out again that I had a cold, couldn't breathe through my nose and was pretty sure I was going to earn a gold star. No gold star and I improved my 500 m row time.

In other news the scale is finally moving in the right direction again. I was really beginning to think I was going to be back in the weight class I lifted in during my first competition. I'm back to the 110 kg (about 242 pounds) now and Coach Dane and I decided we're going to see if I can make it to the next weight class 100 kg or 220 pounds. It's an ambitious goal, but I'm willing to see where I can get.

I also started my 17th year as a special education teacher. It sounds impressive, doesn't it? It would be one whole hell of a lot more impressive if I actually felt like I knew something. I'd settle for knowing anything really. Of course after the last three days of inservice I feel like I might have lost a few things I did know trying to put new information in my brain. I guess as long as I remember my name, where I live and how to get to Pride I'm going to be okay.

Whitewater rafting was AMAZING. I wasn't sure I'd like it, and it did scare me at the beginning. My goal was not to fall out of the raft. Imagine my discomfort when our guide informed us we'd be sitting on the edge of the raft. On. The. Edge. It was all I could do not to take the advice of the voice in my head screaming get the hell out of this raft right now you IDIOT. My friend Hailey told me it was an adventure and no one else seemed too scared so I stayed on the raft. Turns out that was the right decision even if during the worst of the rapids I wondered if there'd be a gold star earned or if I was just going to stop following the guide's directions and start praying. No gold stars and I continued to follow directions. I can't wait to do it again.

The final event of the week wasn't entirely unexpected. My father died. I didn't have a relationship with him, so I can't say I cried because I'll miss what we had. Deep down would I have liked to have a relationship with him? Of course I would have, but I figured out many years back that what I wanted was something he couldn't give me. My father did the best he could. Let's leave it at that. There have been tears, I'm human and he was my father, but mostly I am relieved that he is no longer suffering.

It's been a whirlwind summer. Can't wait to see what Fall brings.

Thanks for reading!

??

I have no idea what title to give this post. Usually I know what I want to say and the title comes to me. Not so this time. I still know what I want to say, but I have no idea how it will read once it's out. I have no idea how I'm going to describe what I am thinking and feeling. Mostly, I'm okay with that, but the part of me that likes to know what is going on and what is going to come out is decidedly not okay.

Well, here goes. If you read this to the end good for you. I hope it is at least slightly entertaining and possibly enlightening.

Last week was Pride Warrior week at Pride Fitness Performance. There were 6 Pride Warriors and 6 different workouts last week, a different one every day. I completed  participated in all six workouts. There were goals for some I did not complete. I never quit, but I didn't meet the goal for the workout so I can't say I completed them. I think that doing the best I could with each workout counts though and I'm proud of what I did. By the time Saturday rolled around my body was done. There was nothing left in me to give. I like a nap as much as the next person, but Saturday afternoon I slept for 4 hours and went to bed early on Saturday night and got another 8 hours of sleep. I was done in. Probably had something to do with the 6 pride warrior workouts, 1 buddy training session, 1 Muscle Hour class, 1 flex Friday class and 2 Yoga Corr classes. That's 11 workouts in all...I really do need a keeper.

For those of you who read this, but aren't familiar with what exactly a Pride Warrior is, here's the definition Tyler gives when he announces each new warrior. "The Pride Warrior award is based on excellent physical performances as well as consistent dedication in the gym". The Pride Warrior gets a workout named after them. That means that we send Tyler a list of exercises we like and he works his magic to create a workout. Now there are seven Pride Warriors. Barry Sykes was given the award this week. Thursday and Friday we will get a chance face his workout. Given Barry's natural athletic ability I'm a little scared...I don't think I've ever seen Barry not be good at something. Sure he might need to work at some things, but he's basically freaking amazing.

All the Pride Warriors are amazing. When I look at the names, well, most of the names I understand the choice. Gretchen is a machine: I don't think she ever stops and she does everything with a smile on her face. She is the most encouraging person to work out with, she has a kind word for everyone no matter what. Eric, he's just invincible and one of my best friends. Keri, she is who I would like to be with her cardio skills. Julie is the athlete I'd like to be when I grow up. While we're at it, so is Pat. Then there's Barry. I completely understand why each of those people were chosen.

I said there were 7 Pride Warriors. I was chosen as a Pride Warrior in Spetember 2015. I know why Tyler said he chose me, but compared to the other Pride Warriors I don't know. I don't see it. Not a surprise, this blog is an on-going testament to me trying to figure out "why me".

I'm not going to dwell on it. I will never see what other people see when they look at me. I am honored and humbled to be in the same group as Gretchen, Eric, Keri, Julie, Pat and Barry I will leave it at that.

I will say I feel better these days. Mudderella was a turning point. I finally found my niche and I let my coaches know. No, my niche is not obstacle course races. My niche is powerlifting. I LOVE to deadlift, squat and bench press. Coach Dane calls deadlifting my "money lift". I can squat and bench press, but deadlifting is absolutely my first love and my strength.

I will admit, when I was talking to Nikki at Buddy Training about figuring out my niche while I was going through the Mudderella course I wanted to be really quiet, I almost felt like I should whisper. No particular reason, but maybe at the back of my mind I was worried somehow figuring out who I was and what I wanted would disappoint Tyler. Dumb and unfounded, but that was my fear. I noticed Tyler was listening while I was talking and he was smiling. He seemed genuinely excited when I said I've discovered I am a powerlifter. He did say it is cool that there are so many facets to fitness that I could find my niche. I don't think I need to worry that Coach T is ever going to give up on me. It's more likely I'll give up on myself first.

That Tuesday night at Buddy Training Carole, Nikki and I had a deadlift party. It had been about a month since I'd gone for a deadlift PR. That night I pulled 405 pounds. There's a video on the Pride Fitness Performance page you can watch if you are interested. The first time I tried 405 was ugly. I stepped away from the bar, leaned against the wall and let loose with the best word to express my feeling at the moment. It started with F and had 4 letters. I bet you can guess it. Then I got another chance and I got angry. 405 was only 5 more pounds than I'd lifted before, it was definitely possible and if I got focused it was happening. I stepped back to the bar and noticed Tyler handing Dane his phone for video proof. Then I lost track of everything except for the bar and what I needed to do. It wasn't until I watched the video later with the sound on that I realized that Tyler was yelling "Pull that bar!" the entire time it took me to pull to lockout.

I have a new weight total now and a new plan. Coach Dane told me that once my weight total reaches 1000 pounds we will look for meets with another federation. That's exciting and absolutely terrifying all at the same time. I'll also have a new plan for my training. I'm waiting to hear about that, but I'll tell you what it is as soon as I know. I'm sure I'll need to process it.

Anyhow, on to that total: 275 pound squat+ 200 pound bench press+ 405 pound deadlift= 880 pounds. 120 pounds to go until I reach 1000 pounds. I suppose it's possible that I could reach 1000 pounds at Old School Iron Wars in November, but my current goal for November 5 is to reach at least a 925 pound total. We shall see what happens, but that's my goal at the moment. I'm sure Coach Dane has his own thoughts on the subject.

I'm no closer now than I was at the beginning to what the title of this post should be. For now I'll go with two question marks.

Thanks for reading!