A true CrossFit momma

Yesterday the gym was chalk full of kids.  There were little one, big ones, sad ones, happy ones, patient ones and yes some anxious ones.   All with one thing in common, they were all waiting on their moms to finish up so they could get on with their Saturdays.  Most families were on their way to the next event on the schedule.  It made me realize how special and unique this group of moms, who carved out an hour on their busy weekend, really are.  There are all types of mommys out there, its true that it takes all kinds and really no two are the exact same.  There are super moms, stay at home moms and working moms. Then there are the best friend moms, perfectionist moms and the go with the flow moms.   

Tshirt available on Amazon.com

from CrossFit Carmel
(http://crossfitcarmel.com/ )

Since having little Miss M almost three years ago I have met a variety of mommy's.  But nothing could have prepared me for the kinds of moms I have met since starting to CrossFit.  Its like its an undiscovered maternal style, an underground movement, almost cult like, waiting to be unearthed and calling for converts . A CrossFit mom is many things.  She is tough, focused and organized.  A sporty, aggressive, competitive women with a sensitive, caring, feminine side.    Interested in trying new things and going all out when she does.  CrossFit moms love to welcome fresh meat..I mean new moms to the fold, they visit when they should be warming up and don't mind doing their errands with a post workout "glow".   She manages to pack her day full of all the things other mothers do, but knows how important it is to squeeze in a little time to take care of herself and sweat it out at her local box, in her garage or even at the arena between games.   Busy teaching her children by example,she stays active and eats well.  A women all about the team, the community and cheering her friends and family on. She is a true hybrid of some of the best qualities a mom can have.  Her wardrobe is more yoga than couture and her staple hair style is a trendy pony.  A master of multitasking she can perform exercises while holding her child or tend to a crying baby at the same time as opening a snack pack while tearing through her workout.  She carries a bag that holds not just her wallet and cell phone but diapers, wipes, WOD book, runners and her daily organizer.  And although many people have commented on how good she looks and how much of the baby weight she has lost, she has hardly (...I said hardly ;) ) noticed because she is the happiest, healthiest and most energetic she has been in years. 



from East Sacremento CrossFit (http://crossfiteastsac.typepad.com/crossfit_east_sacramento/2010/01/index.html)

 





Inspiration

For the last two Saturdays Ignite has been the place to be for a little warm fuzzy feel good inspiration.

Last weekend it was the "Redefining the Pin up girl" Calendar shoot. And although it was a long and at some points tedious day, eleven of CrossFit Red Deer's finest ladies got together, brought their best paleo dish and spent the day smiling, laughing, posing and stepping outside of their comfort zones.   It was a super special day in an effort to raise money for the Breast Cancer Foundation of Canada.  Whenever a group of like minded women get together, celebrate their strength and their beauty and band together for a cause that is close to all their hearts you know its going to be a fantastic time. It wouldn't have happened without support of many talented folks so hats off the to those of you, but most importantly I tip my hat to the real women of CrossFit and kudos for helping to redefine the pin up girl. 

Then today....A throw down! A "friendly" 4 WOD challenge between two Red Deer boxes. There is something about a CrossFit competition that makes me weep like I am nine months pregnant again.  I can't it explain it but I LOVE it! It must have something to do with  watching a mom of three who only starting competitively training a short time ago face down JACKIE and kick her thruster sucking butt.  Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that you are standing beside a supportive wife who makes sure she cheers just the right amount as not to throw off her husbands rhythm during his row because she wants him to do his best.  It could also be the tension and anticipation in the air as the final three seconds ticks off the clock before the fire breathers are set loose.  Possibly its even the feeling of new found camaraderie between two rival boxes as everyone celebrates the athletes, no matter their affiliation, as they finish their WOD.  Maybe it is so powerful to watch these competitions because you know how hard the athletes are pushing themselves and how each and every person on that pull up rig is doing whatever it takes to finish and are leaving every part of themselves out there.  Whatever it is, it gets me every single time!  

T-Raw halfway through the first WOD of the day

Good times at Ignite Fitness :)

Nothing cooler than a strong women

Dirty 30?

It was the tumultuous teens followed by the traumatic twenties so what the hell are my 30s going to be....all joking aside I am looking forward to the next decade and all that will bring to my life. 

My 20s weren't all drama and tears but they had there share of ups and downs and if I were able to sit down for a coffee with my 20 year old self during one or any part of the roller coaster I would give her some simple advice that I know I had heard before.

"Everything happens for a reason, its hard to see through to the other side of the storm but believe and trust that you will make it through. You might be a little less idealistic, maybe even a little cynical but you will be stronger, wiser and better in so many ways.  Give yourself time to figure things out and don't rush so much, let your life unfold in front of you and have fun.  It will work out. Trust me!"

Easy to say now.  Now that I am on the other side of the nasty breakup, years away from the teaching assignment that almost made me quit and spending significantly less time on the bar scene looking for Mr. Right.  Easy to say now.  Now that I am healing more each day after the loss of a dear friend, realizing how important a supportive family is and understanding that the pursuit of happiness is more complicated than you think.  Easy to say now that I survived!

Here is to the Dirty 30's? maybe not!

Happy Thanksgiving Paleo Style


 



Here is a plate of our first ever
Paleo style Turkey dinner

 

Not a concern this year

Turkey, brussel sprouts, yams, veggies, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and yes, even stuffing.  Our fall holiday had all the makings of a mainstream Thanksgiving dinner, minus a few things like the nap, the bloat and the general guilty feeling that you just ate way too much!  It was fun to "forge" ahead and make our own tradition this year and it was alot easier to cook a meal that didn't have to emulate either one of our mother's. After such a wonderful meal, when all the plates were cleared, the dishes washed, the leftovers tucked safely away for breakfast ;), it was easy to see that I have so much to be thankful for and hard not to feel so good about our very special day. 

182 down, 183 to go

Do you remember when summer holidays seemed to last forever? or when waiting until the morning to get up to see what Santa had left seemed like a lifetime?  Now the days are not long enough and there are not enough hours in the night to rest your weary head.  Time flies! and its hard to believe that its already been the better part of a year and that we are already halfway to the end, halfway to me meeting and completing FRAN.  

In just a short six month period Miss M has developed a textbook case of the terrible two's soon to become the  frightful three's,  J Dawg has grown out of the larvae stage and is on the cusp of becoming a mobile monster and I, well I  have totally transformed my life.  OK that is a little melodramatic but considering where I was at when J Dawg was just a hatch ling its hard to believe where I have gotten.  There have been the measurable, noticeable, external changes like my body, my strength, my ability to do the workouts quicker some even closer to prescribed but the dramatic changes are  the internal ones, the part of my brain where there was once apathy and doubt about being active and eating well has been replaced by a deep desire to live and be the healthiest me I can be.   Fancy Nancy had put it best one day when she reminded me what I was really doing wasn't about FRAN, it was more about the commitment I was making to change the way I lived my life and that I was changing my path and by starting to take better care of myself, what I was doing really wasn't just for me but for my husband, my kids, and our future.

Don't get me wrong the journey so far hasn't been all free flow lanes and green lights, there has been the fair share of potholes, speed bumps and detours.  True to Darwin's Theory of Evolution, the ones who don't adapt won't survive and there were times when my survival seemed ill fated.  The challenges seem to come no matter how prepared or organized I seemed to be.  Sometimes I lost the ability to see the big picture in the last six month and there were times where I got caught up in a failure and focused on what wasn't working, what was too hard or how much trouble it was instead of slowing down, celebrating my progress and then adapting. There are things I wish I had done differently like take a before picture and write down more about my workouts at the beginning.  But there is lots I am proud of too and wouldn't change, like the decision to start working out at home more so that J could have a better morning nap or starting this blog :)   

I am looking forward to what the next six months bring....hopefully an unassisted pull up!!!! YIKES