Top 15 reasons you know you're training for the CrossFit games

(In no particular order.)

1. Your son says in his most serious tone, "Look Mommy, GI JOE has big muscles like you."

2. Your nongym friends break up with you for missing happy hours and parties because of your training schedule.

3. Your sig-o looks forward to life after the games.

4. You go to bed with the sun.

5. You don't put anything in your mouth unless it once had a soul and a face, or grew from a seed.

6. Chest to Bar is the norm.

7. You can't remember your last alcoholic beverage. Not because it was a drunken blur, but because it was so many months ago.

8. You visit the games site hourly and spend hours watching 2008 competitor videos.

9. Your social life consist of chatting it up between reps on max strength WODs with your gym friends.

10. You and your gym friends converse daily about the other competitors; who's juicing, which ones are pumping straight paleo, who zones, and which are just genetically blessed.

11. You are scouting your city for a few good hills to practice sprints up and down.

12. You row daily, but haven't seen a body of water in months.

13. You question if competing next year will be worth the neglect of your family, friends & business.

14. All usual summer events have been postponed until after the games.

15. The opening lines of Every Second Counts gives you chills and the ending brings tears to your eyes.

Family Defined

Let me just start by appologizing for the lack of blogging. Other things have taken priority over spending hours sitting at the computer. This brings me right to the topic of my entry today.

Family.

One definition describes the word "family" as a group of people who are generally not blood relations but who share common attitudes, interests, or goals. This couldn't be closer to my version of a Family. My family, the people I choose to keep in my life, may not be blood related, but we all share a love. Whether its a love for each other or a love for a common interest, we are mutually passionate and strong in our convictions. I am blessed to be surrounded with people I easily call My Family.

Illustrated are all the wonderful distractions that keep me away from blogging. (Not pictured, yet taking the picture, is my forever young Mom!)

Girls I've known so long they are a part of my family, my red headed blended family with his and mine, my CrossFit family, and the future of my family. Every single one of them is a huge part of who I am. With them, I am complete.

A Big Announcement (Part 2)

The big weekend came much faster than any of us anticipated. I was ready for it to be over before it even started. We were all planning Cheat Fest 2009, to be held immediately post qualifiers, and ice cream was the only thing I really wanted to eat. Friday, May 1st, we traveled from Cedar Park to Fort Worth. Committed to sticking with paleo until after the final WOD, I packed enough paleo food to feed me, Logan and Scott for the next 3 days. We have never been known to travel light.

After hotel check-in our first stop was packet pick up at Luke's Locker. This was the first time in history that I blew past the T-Shirt and went straight for the paper work. I wanted details. As a perfectionist for planning, I needed to wrap my brain around my heat times. I struck GOLD! My first WOD was set for 10:20am. More sleep, time to eat and digest my breakfast and vitamins, time to stretch, time to warm up, but way too much time to think about it.

After packet pick up the CrossFit Tillman Training team joined all the other competitors from 5 states at GSX for the workout announcements. Having no idea what 3 workouts would be selected was a major concern for many of the athletes there. Personally, I didn't want to see anything gymnastics related. No handstands, no ring dips, and take those L pull ups and shove 'em! After an hour of anticipation, mingling, summing up the competition, Jeff Tucker took the stage and announced the 3 workouts.

#1 - The Irony
"Rowing Grace"
3 Rounds
105 lb Squat Cleans to Overhead
500m Row

#2 - The Inevitable
50 Chest to Bar pull ups
50 Burpees

#3 - The Ideal
21-15-9
Box Jumps
KB Swings
Sumo Deadlift High Pull

PERFECT! I felt as if every single one of these workouts were picked for me. As a faithful follower of the Dot Com WODs, I knew Glassman's CrossFit posts had prepared me for this. The qualifier workouts were chalked full of all the movements I had been perfecting for months. Thank you Tucker, Thank you Glassman! I was confident that technique and weight would not be an issue.

That night after Logan was asleep Scott and I laid there in silence as thoughts of determination chased themselves around in my head. Meditations, positive affirmations, mentally running through "rowing Grace" rep for rep. I was anticipating the hard parts and planning how to over come the urge to rest. Breaking the silence Scott whispered, "you are thinking about the workouts aren't you?" Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself.

The Build Up (Part 1)

The first weekend in May I competed in CrossFit's Southwest Regional Qualifier at GSX in Fort Worth, also know as Hell's Half Acre. The build up was huge for me. In the 5 months leading up to the competition I really didn't know what to expect. I compared my workouts, my times and my strengths to everyone I could. I tried searching affiliate blogs and online log books with a fine toothed comb looking for anyone that might post similar or better scores than mine. Some days insecurity filled my mind and I felt as if everyone in this sport was better, stronger and faster than me. Other days, usually after killing a WOD or getting another PR, I felt confident and a bit cocky about my performance. The comparing began to get in my head. Other regional qualifiers began across the world and winning competitors were popping up on the Games Site daily. I became obsessed with WWW's. Checking this female, this site, and final qualifier scores everywhere.

With only one month of training left until qualifiers I asked Scott, my boyfriend and CFBFF (crossfitbestfriendforever) if he thought I was ready to compete. I may have been looking for an ego stroke. His response was the last thing I expected, but what is a best friend if they aren't honest, even brutally honest? He told me, "No, right now you aren't ready, but you can be..." leading me into a something-to-prove style of motivation. He pushed me further when he accused me of being afraid of weight, scared to go heavy. Scott was in my head. Feeding right into his plan, I got pissed off, I wiped away the tears, I threw on more weight, I ran harder, I pushed the limits....

...Anger thrives in a beast and CrossFit is the perfect outlet.

T-Shirts are a proven powerful coaching tool. The idea of getting a free one motivates and the words on it can empower everyone. The first time I wore my "Smoke You Like Cheap Crack" shirt my coach, David Tillman, threw me into my first "Grace" just 10 minutes after finishing "Karen". Dave has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to any lift and "Grace" is his go to WOD. I was on fire! Every single rep was an accomplishment for me. It had to be the shirt. It was a big day at Tillman's. A week later I attempted "Grace" with the 2008 Games standards. Squat cleans to over head with 105 pounds, 10 pounds heavier than last time....

...The irony comes later.

Two weeks prior to regional I did my best to purge my life of all stresses. Part of that was to break the www obsession. I avoided the games site, I didn't care about qualifier results and videos. I did my WODs, focused on my diet and got lots of sleep. I eliminated the pressure from my mind. Physically, Dave worked diligently with me on my Olympic lifts. We went heavier than prescribed knowing past games standards...

...The standards are always fat stacked with weight.

Between Dave's technical critiques and Scott's ability to get in my head I had progressed by leaps and bounds in a months time. Every day was a new PR, but in my head I still questioned my strength on every level. Daily, people asked, "Are you ready for the qualifiers Nikki?" If my answer wasn't loaded with sarcasm at being asked that question a million times, then it was simply, "I've done all I can," and in all honestly, that's how I felt...

...I did everything I possibly could to prepare myself.

I'm going back to cali to cali to cali, I'm going back to cali!

I'm going to Cali!! Today I stood in line as one of the top 5 girls qualified for a spot at the CrossFit Games in Sunny California.

So much to say, the excitement, the rush, the people to thank! Details to come...I'm tired, bent, bruised and carbed out of my mind. Cheat Fest 2009 was a hit, but I can't wait to get back to the paleo!

**UPDATE** CrossFit Southwest Regional Qualifiers

WOD 1:
3 Rounds
10 Squat Cleans to Overhead #105
500m Row

Holding on to the top 5 Baby!

Next WOD, 50 Chest to Bar Pull ups, 50 Burpees.

***UPDATE***

After the thunder storm delay I hit the Pullup Burpee WOD. Still raining, I taped the bar, my hands and had to use half a block of chalk. My pull ups were literally one at a time. With Scott screaming at me on every rep, I finished the WOD with a time of 9:06. Holy Moly I am in 5th place at the end of day 1 and Scott is losing his voice! They even interviewed me for the dot com, so awesome!!! I don't know if it will ever be posted, but I sure did feel special for 5 minutes. I cannot explain how excited I am, but more than that I am flipping nervous. They are only taking the top 5 to Cali for the games. Being in 5th place with 1 WOD to go, I have no wiggle room. In true CrossFit fashion I have to give it my all and nothing less.

Third WOD
21-15-9
Box Jumps 26" BOX- CRAP!
KB Swings
Sumo Deadlift High Pull #65 - Hell ya!

I have a raised bruise on my knee and I think my chin is bruised from hitting my chest to the deck during those intense burpees! Good news is, I didn't rip my hands or slip off the bar like many others did. Extreme sport......I LOVE THIS STUFF!

Nutritional Coaching

On a scale of 1 to 10 what would you rate your nutrition? How would you react if I asked to come into your home and rate your pantry myself? Nutritional wellness is one of my many passions. Let me know if your pantry needs help.




A video right off CrossFit's main site.

"Train Them How to Eat" with Skip Chase, 2009 CrossFit Affiliate Gathering - video [wmv] [mov]