Athlete Journal Entry 7 – 4/25/2013

The CrossFit Games Regionals are approaching quickly now, which is really exciting. Training has been intense, and specific to my needs. I continue to focus on working the areas where I struggle, but also get to do a lot of fun cardio stuff.

This week, I have hit some really technical heavy workouts, some nice long Hero workouts, and some short sprint stuff like Elizabeth, along with old-fashioned sprints.

I’m resting two days a week, which is really upping my intensity and energy levels and has also given my shoulders some much needed recovery.

This week has not been without its challenges, and I’ve had to work very hard to remind myself that I’m not striving for perfection but to be the best I can be. I’m so fortunate to have good health, and all the support in the world of the good people around me.

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Athlete Journal Entry 6 – 4/18/2013

I got a little cold last week. It’s a usual thing for me in the autumn, and when they come they seem to always make my chest ache, playing havoc with my asthma. Yes, I have asthma. It very rarely affects my training now, except if I’m having some allergic response or I have a cold. So, I had to lay off all the crazy row sprints for a few days to let things settle down.

I was a little frustrated by this setback, and then I heard news of a woman who was a sister to a friend of mine. I knew her to talk to in the street, but I was not close to her. She just had her third child, a third wee girl on the first of March, and on the same day was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She passed last week just six weeks after the diagnosis, at the age of 31.

Yesterday I attended her large funeral. She had many people who loved her, as she was such a loving caring person. So, I was reminded:

• Don’t sweat the small stuff.
• Don’t feel sorry for yourself. There is always someone out there worse off than you.
• Life can be taken from us too soon, make sure you spend it doing things you love, with the people you love.

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Athlete Journal Entry 5 – 4/4/2013

I had a great week, building intensity and smashing my heart and lungs. The goal this week has been lung burn! Never a nice feeling before you start a workout when you know you’re looking for the outcome of unbelievable pain, but this is where my fitness training begins.

When I sat down at the end of the CrossFit Games last year I knew I needed to be technically better and all over stronger. So that has been my focus for many months. I’ve mastered skills I didn’t used to have, like handstand walking. My overall strength for my workouts has increased and my maxes are miles ahead of where they were pre-2012 games. I’ve hit many new weights, like a recent 100kg clean and jerk.

I’ve been doing WODs consistently since January, and have been doing double days for quite some time now. My fitness level has been okay, but I now have my radar focusing on Regionals. This means maxing myself out and lots of going until I have no oxygen left!

I have to say doing a workout until there is nothing left in the tank – when you’ve pushed yourself beyond what you thought you ever had – is one of the most satisfying parts of CrossFit for me. I’ve learned I can’t do it all year and in every WOD or I hit some serious low points. Finding that world of pain, not just normal WOD pain, but 4 minutes or 50 reps beyond when you were feeling pain – that is what CrossFit is for me. Those moments also seem to melt away all other worry and stress. They stop me from sweating the small stuff, and remind me what is real.

I’ve been really fortunate to work with Dusty Hyland on my gymnastics and CrossFit, Jules Dempsey on my Olympic lifting, and my wonderful training partners, Michael Ungerer and Lindsey Valenzuela. Thank you all for being part of this year’s training. I hope you can all see it’s coming together!

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Athlete Journal Entry 4 – 3/28/2013

It’s an awesome time for CrossFitters around the world. The Open is upon us. Every week my Facebook feed boasts new quirky jokes about the programming, and various rumors fly about illegitimate scores. I love the Open as I love watching the people in my box push themselves to a new limit. For 99% of CrossFitters, the Open is their chance to compare themselves to the masses, or (as is the case in the past week), to compare themselves to the athlete they were last year.

Last week I felt more nervous about the Open workout than I had the previous two. I realized I cared more about beating my former self than I cared about anyone on the leaderboard. In fact, this year I really haven’t spent any time looking at the leaderboard. I know if I either repeated the WODs or gave myself significant rest before them it would seem likely I would put up a better score, likewise my counterparts could be in the same boat. The difference between 200 and 210 reps may well just be a good sleep and a fresh body.

I was really pleased to get six more muscle ups in 13.3 this year than last year’s 12.4, and I know that my technique work has really helped me get those extra reps, (as I’m definitely not at peak cardiovascular fitness yet). This is thanks to work by Dusty Hyland and Michael Ungerer, patiently instructing my gymnastics!

At the moment the CrossFit Open is making history. The competition is growing in popularity quickly, and never before has a competition been so accessible to so many. As much as I refuse to let it get in the way of my weekly program, I’m so stoked to be a part of it. In the last couple of weeks I have traveled to CrossFit Gore to perform my Open WODs. The members and owners there have been extremely supportive, and I would like to thank them for helping me finish the workouts.

Do not let any of the back chat get in the way of your Open. Finish it being the best athlete you can.

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Athlete Journal Entry 3 – 3/15/2013: Home from Los Angeles

This week, somewhat reluctantly, I traveled home from Los Angeles, California to Southland, New Zealand. It was an emotional last day in the States. My training partner Lindsey Valenzuela was off to take on Annie Thorisdottir for WOD 13.2, and we knew we weren’t going to see each other for quite some weeks. As training partners you see each other at your best and worst, at times crushing WODs and at other times just defeated and glad the day is done. It’s a close bond that is created through the sharing of dedication to one’s goals, the sharing of pain, and witnessing each other’s triumphs and defeats.

Again I remind myself how fortunate I have been to have been introduced to such an awesome way of life. A sport where even at the top level of individual competition you feel a sense of comradeship and pride not only in yourself but your counterparts.

My first workout when I arrived home was with my box. Seeing the dedication my athletes have to their own health and fitness inspires me further.

Everyone can complain about the open events, standards, judging, and false scores. However, at the end of the day it’s hard to get past how CrossFit has empowered people, enriched their lives, and built an old-fashioned community, where everyone has got each other’s back. Thanks CrossFit!

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Athlete Journal Entry 2 – 3/7/2013

This week’s training brought many twists and turns. If I’m not training, I like to be refueling, sleeping, or recovering where I can. Most of my day I think about this year’s Games, in some form. However, I am also an affiliate owner, small animal vet, and WOD Gear distributor in New Zealand. Fair to say, sometimes there is so much going on it can really put a strain on my training.

It got me thinking about how much stress affects your sleep, your recovery, and even your ability to perform in a workout or focus on the skills of the workout. I had some skills not go as well as I would have hoped this week. That made me worry more and have some negative thoughts and fear. I took an extra day off (so two days off this week instead of one) and challenged my negative thoughts:

1. Am I good enough? I’ve been training long and hard, working all the areas I needed to. I’ve now built back my cardio and I’m rearing to go for the open. So, tick that one off.

2. What will others think of me? Not in my control and if anyone doesn’t believe in me I will be proving them wrong anyway. Tick.

3. Will I perform poorly? This one is rooted in fear about my performance, that I will fail a movement or perform poorly in a workout. It’s a pointless worry, so I put together some contingency plans on how was I going to overcome any problems or distractions while performing. Tick.

Stress is sometimes just an inevitable part of being a thinking, feeling person. As much as no ones likes it to get on top of them, sometimes it does. Stress can also affect your body physically. Under the effects of stress, muscle can become tense and tighten. Tight muscles can affect the overall coordination of the body movement and fluidity, which will influence your performance. Not cool.

This week I learned to tackle my negative thoughts head on and immediately counteract them with positive thoughts. For taking one measly day off, I have trained so much better, and feel much happier in my work!

Bring on the Open!

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Athlete Journal Entry 1 – 2/28/2013

“If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.”

Sometimes I catch a moment to stop and reflect on this crazy journey. CrossFit started out one hour a day from my brother-in-law’s gym/garage. Now I find myself blogging from my current pad in West Hollywood, training under the guidance of one of the best CrossFit coaches on the earth, and being challenged for 3-4 hours a day by the strongest woman in CrossFit: Lindsey Valenzuela. I frequently meet CrossFit legends as I go about my daily routine.

I was fortunate enough to meet Dusty Hyland at a gymnastics certification eighteen months ago. I was also fortunate enough to be able to travel from New Zealand to Los Angeles to work with him on a daily basis, and that Lindsey agreed to have me train alongside her.

I’ve been to four regionals, two CrossFit Games, and am now supported by CrossFit apparel company WOD Gear, whom I now distribute for in New Zealand. 180 Nutrition (a paleo nutrition company) supplies me with my nutrition needs. For the next few months I am going to share with you my journey (no doubt including the ups and downs) towards my ultimate goal this year of standing on the podium at the CrossFit Games.

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