Little Miss Runner Pants

** warning. boring post ahead that details my athletic adventures this week in a very bulleted-type manner. if you're already tired or bored i don't suggest reading as it will more than likely put you to sleep! actually, i don't suggest reading in general, i'm kinda just blabbing about my workouts right now. its less than interesting and kind of long-winded.

consider yourself warned.***

well folks, i think we're entering a new phase of AJ the Athlete round these parts.... this weekend's been a doozy, and looks to stay that way for a while.

as i've mentioned before... countless times... i'm a Crossfit addict. Monday/Wednesday/Friday i'm at the gym, pushing myself off the floor, pulling myself up on a bar, jumping ontop of large boxes or throwing large weighted balls at walls, as hard as i can, as fast as i can, and as many times as humanly possible.

over and over.

ad nauseum.

but recently.. i've upped the ante.

i've decided this winter is the winter.

the winter of focus. of training. of nutrition, strength and slimmer bodies. this winter is my winter, so with that in mind, this week has been hell.

but in a good way.

monday's workout was a tabata workout.

the idea is for each of the following moves, you go as hard and as fast as you can for 20 seconds. rest for 10 seconds... go again.

8 times.

then you rest for 1 minute and move on to the next move. so.. as follows...

Air Squats (20 seconds on, ten seconds rest -- 8 rounds)
1:00 rest
Rowing (20 seconds on, ten seconds rest -- 8 rounds)
1:00 rest
Burpee (etc..)
1:00 rest
Barbell Hang Clean (etc...)
1:00 rest
Ball Slams (etc..)

your score is the lowest number of reps completed during each work interval. -- not easy.

tuesday i ran around the neighborhood what amounted to roughly 1.5 miles because my body hates me and i forgot my garmin so i though i'd gone farther than that, excuses excuses, i plain didn't want to be running, excuses.. so 15-20 minutes seemed highly productive, and i called it quits!

wednesday was crossfit once again, a new one for me that involved 10 rounds of...

Clean grip barbell deadlift -- 15 reps (65 lbs for myself)
10 pullups

i.e. 150 times i clean grip deadlifted a 65lb. barbell and 100 times i pulled up.

not pretty.

so thursday.... i drank!
and it was good.

friday, crossfit once again with

50 knees to elbows
50 box jumps
50 sit-ups
rest
Tabata Dumbbell swings

and just so we're clear... knees to elbows is an invention of the devil which consists of hanging from the pull up bar, keeping your arms straight, and, using your core, raising your knees up to your elbows.

its quite impossible. for a quick photo demonstration, check this out.. craziness...

saturday i woke up retarded early, got bored and decided to knock out a quick 25ish minute, 2.5ish mile run and was happy as a lark with my performance.

later in the day after watching some friends of the male variety attempt a tackle football game in the park i joined 0% bodyfat chick for a groovy little 20+ mile bike ride.

needless to say after a piss-poor movie choice on chicago guy's part i hit the sack a little after 10pm in complete exhaustion.

go saturday nights! i'm a party animal!

which brings us to... today!

my first edition of KCM's Sunday Crossfit and an ass beating in more ways than one.

10 minutes jump rope (which, in and of itself is pure asinine torture. who, i ask you WHO enjoys jump rope? who even invented such a thing? that damn thing whipped me in the ass, quite literally, so many times i thought i might bruise.

i am not a particularly graceful person, but put a jump rope in my hand and i'm down-right clumsy. and asthmatic. good grief....)

following jump rope wasn't any better with...

10, 9, 8, 7....1 of D-ball thrusters and ball slams.

meaning, grab a 20lb (in my case. 40lbs in hers.. there's a reason she's got 0% body fat..) weighted ball, squat down, stand up, lift the ball above your head 10 times.

then throw the ball down on the ground and when it bounces (roughly 2 inches), squat/bend down, pick it up, raise it over your head and slam it down again... 10 times.

repeat both thrusters and slams 9 times each.. then 8...7...6,5,4,3,2 and finally 1. until you want to die and collapse in a pile on the floor.

and then we finished out with... "Four for the Core"...

2 minutes -- plank hold
1 minute -- side plank hold
1 minute -- other side plank hold
2 minutes -- on back with feet 3-4 inches off ground.

i made the mistake of laughing on the car ride home after today's workout and thought i'd ripped my stomach muscles... damn my abs are sore.

so there ya have it folks... a glimpse into the next few months of my winter training season.

add to this tuesday night spinning, which will begin shortly... thursday spinning which starts in january and some version of pool time i've as of yet found time for and...

i'm going to be a busy girl.

i just hope all this pays off in the form of a hot pair of jeans come spring.. if ya know what i mean!