Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: J anuary 7
Days Left: 1 – Today

I cannot believe I have finally made it to the last day of the challenge! Unlike February, I had absolutely no set backs in March. I quite literally worked my butt off. These lips did not meet a single bit of junk food and I did not miss one workout. Yesterday was a close call though. The place I play volleyball clouded up with thick dust on Sunday and Monday I woke up with a sore throat. Yesterday it burned so bad I thought for sure I was really sick. I laid in bed furious that I had come so far and was getting sick right before the end. I finally took some ibuprofen for the sore throat and it perked me up enough to get back up there late in the afternoon, just in time.

I have to say, morning hikes are better. It is so peaceful. And I don’t have to hike with other people’s dogs running up behind me, back and forth, back and forth, crashing into my legs. It is cooler, quieter, and best of all I can choose my own pace without having to stop to pass someone or be passed. Yesterday afternoon I might as well have been on the escalator at a busy mall. One more hike today and you can bet I am going to catch the sunrise again. It is 5:00am and already almost 55 degrees out already!

Some pictures of yesterday’s hike…

I was at the Mount Sanitas trailhead at 6:10am. The sunrise started at about 6:45 and I wanted to be part way up the trail for before it started.

I walked along the ridge a little slower than the day before to enjoy the scenery.

 
There is still snow but it wasn’t too cold.

 
It helped that I was bundled up.

Once the sun came up it was plenty warm and the sky was clear.

Before I knew it I had reached the top.

On the way down I ran into some friends…

Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: January 7
Days Left: 2

With only 3 days left I still have a lot to do. On Saturday I decided I am going to go hike Mount Sanitas every morning for the last five mornings. I need to get as many more good workouts in as I can handle before the photo shoot on Thursday. Today will be hike number 3. It is still dark out so I should be hiking while the sun is rising and will get home before breakfast. In the meantime I also have a TON of work to get done since I am taking Thursday and Friday off. We only have April to test our current release and I want my test plans in top shape. The less I have to work nights and weekends the happier I will be but I am prepared to do whatever is necessary so… could be a rough month.

Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: January 7
Days Left: 3

For my Week 12 featured inspiring person – my sister Kim. A moral compass for me and a constant source of inspiration in my life. Love you, Kim!

http://blog.changemyselfchangetheworld.com/?page_id=2285

Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: January 7
Days Left: 4

Last night I made Low Carb Chili which was a nice change from chicken and fish. Todd enjoyed it even more than I did. Of course, he had his with a bunch of Fritos. Mmm. I could smell those salty Fritos. Actually, I found just the smell of them pretty satisfying. I wasn’t tempted though. I have worked too hard. Anyway, here is the recipe. It is even better the day after it is made:

1. Saute a large onion, chopped and a large garlic clove, minced
2. Add 2 lb extra lean beef and 1 lb mild italian sausage and brown just a bit*
3. Stir in all of the following ingredients, bring to a boil, and then lower heat and let simmer half hour to an hour stirring frequently:

2 x 28oz cans Hunts diced tomatoes well-drained **
1 x 6oz can of tomato paste
1 x can Rotel mild tomatoes and chilies 
1 x 4oz can Hatches mild green chilies
1/8 C brown sugar (can omit)
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
1 T chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 T salt
2-3 T cumin (to taste)
Dash of cinnamon

*Replace the sausage with another lb of beef for a lower fat content
*Also the more you brown the meat the more dry it may end up, particularly if you omit the sausage.
**If you don’t drain the canned veggies really well you will end up with chili soup.

Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: January 7
Days Left: 5

I was so right yesterday. This morning was the most difficult CrossFit workout we have done in a long time. It might have been the first time I had serious thoughts of giving up during the middle of it. He mixed 55 Clean and Jerks into a workout called “Cindy” which is several rounds of 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, and 15 air squats for time.

This is a Clean and Jerk:

The workout is timed (meaning you are racing):

1 Clean and Jerk @ 100# (girls)  155# (boys)
One round of “Cindy”
2 Clean and Jerks
One round of “"Cindy”
3 Clean and Jerks … cont.
Repeat cycle until you reach 10 followed by the last round of “Cindy”

It was so brutal. It took 35 minutes. Ugh! Not my best performance. I am so tired.

Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: January 7
Days Left: 6

Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: January 7
Days Left: 7

I officially signed up for Affiliate Cup Team Tryouts on Saturday, April 10th. No more flying under the radar during CrossFit workouts when I am feeling too tired. I think the real work is just starting. More weight! Go faster! I have a feeling I am really going to get beat me up over the next couple weeks.

Click Here To Read: Motivated People Only

When the weather recovered from the snow we had last weekend I considered going on a sunrise hike before work today. Here is my view of our alley this morning:

So much for that idea. Remember the pictures I posted the other day of the flowers in my flower bed? Here is my flower bed this morning:

Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: January 7
Days Left: 8

Start Date of Body For Life Challenge: January 7
Days Left: 9

The head trainer and owner of Flatirons CrossFit asked if I wanted to try out for their Affiliate Cup Team to compete in the 2010 CrossFit Games in California in July. Tryouts are in less than three weeks. On one hand I feel not ready at all for that. Three weeks is not a lot of time. On the other hand I suppose I have been training for it since January on some level. They only have 3 spots to fill plus 3 alternates. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tryout…

http://games2010.crossfit.com/

Days Left: 10

Ten days left and one pound to go. This morning at CrossFit we repeated a workout that was part of a competition over the weekend. I found out that if I had competed I might have finished in the top 10 for that workout!

The workout: For 10 minutes do as many rounds as you can of:
6 squat cleans – Boys: 135#  Girls: 95#
9 chest touches bar pull-ups – kipping/butterfly are allowed
12 box jumps – Boys: 24” box  / Girls: 20" box

It was brutal. This is a squat clean:

 
WEEKLY WEIGH-IN:
Starting: 157
Last week: 139
Original Goal: 137
Today: 136
New Goal: 135