Trees

Trees

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Weekend update with the Mastodon

Been a crazy week already and I feel like if I don't get something down...I never will.

My weekend was one of those that you can look at and say, 'Oh my god, why? I'm so busy...blah blah blah." Or...as I chose to do...I am doing a lot of stuff, but it is all great and perhaps I will be surprised and have a great time. Yes...a long drive...so what...it was so much fun.

I got to see my kid on Friday night. I walked away from the show uber impressed by the kids he is working with and the direction of the show.  It was funny, fast, well timed, and absolutely clear. A great way to break up a drive...even if it did mean I didn't get to sleep until like 3:30 AM. Got up, found the field and laughed at how tired I was.

The women got to throw in traditional order.  At this point I had absolutely no expectations for my throwing.  I didn't all week.  Someone at the gym kinda scolded me about that, but in the long run...no expectations seems to work better for me.  When I want something too much I seem to crush it...ruin it....not make it.

There were two newer throwers on the field and a couple of ladies I have not seen in a while.  I was so impressed by everyone.  So often, people would throw better with each attempt...which can be hard to do. Often the best..is the first. The ladies threw the first six events across the field from everyone else...under a tree to boot!  It was fun..oh, these games were private too...not part of a festival, so it was kinda quiet and cool.

So long blog short....I ended up focusing on form and throwing pretty well.  Yes, I was lucky enough to take first place, but the most important thing to me was that I took 4 field records and 4 personal bests.  Um wow...first games and I got some PR's!

Open stone 34'9.75"!  (almost 2 feet)
Heavy Weight for Distance 33'7"   (6 inches)
Heavy Hammer 69'9"     (almost 6 feet!)
Light Hammer  83'7"    (over 8 feet!)

Huh? 83? Squeeeeee!!!!!!!

I would mention sheaf...um but ...it fell apart!

I even got to attempt 16'2" on WOB...came close, but the cool thing that happened was that Andy Vincent, one of the pros came over to watch my form.  He said...If you are attempting this height already I won't say anything until you are done....I missed the height...and then he worked with me on fixing my form.  Gonna work on the things he shared...he even said..you have this height.

When I got home Brittney had emailed us this:


I will never be ranked number 4 ever again! Love those early season numbers.
 
The other thing I got in Texas....a new nick name. Mona "the Mastodon" Malec..someone called me a beast on the field...I don't like that name...Beast implies all sorts of things I am not...but I am big..slow....So I said just call me a mastodon and now I think it may stick! Not sure I am ready to give up my New Mexico nickname.

Are there giggling mastodons?



Thursday, February 21, 2013

Heavy Days

I find myself a bit anxious today...my "season" whatever that means~starts for me on Saturday.  For me, there is no better way to start this year off than to jump in with both feet~eyes closed~and in way over my head. These Texas ladies are beautiful throwers and I am lucky to start my year off by getting schooled.  No really...great time for me to soak it all in and learn.

I did a lot of training in the off season, but probably not enough throwing.The lifts are just not translating onto the the practice field yet....in a previous blog I had some lofty goals for 2013, but they will take time to get there...if I ever do....which is just fine. As Angela reminded me this morning, "Throwing is like sex~even if it's bad, its still pretty good."

Perhaps that needs to be my motto for 2013.

Yesterday was a one rep max day for the Back Squat.  I was so honored to watch all these folks at noon...many of whom it was their first ever attempt at a one rep max! Priscilla and Liz and Cindy were great to watch.  I love watching people lift...watching them push for that next weight...but Zia being the kind of gym it is...not just pushing for weight, but pushing for proper form.  Watched Zach and Cody and Sarah lift some big bars.  In her typical way....Sarah just tries to shrug off how much she increased...silly. 

I did however wonder where Marz was....turns out he was sick...poo.

The last time I did a 12 week program I had a huge jump on my max.  This time, the purpose of the programming was not strictly strength, so I didn't really care if I increased.  I mean it is great, but my knee has been bugging me...and I have not been sleeping well.  I had breakfast with Rod...the only other person I know who will speak as passionately about acting as he does fitness...I had told him how when I get to a certain weight, about 290+, when I rack the weight and step back to lift I feel like my spine will tear away from my vertebrae. 

So...I do 5 with the bar then 5 at 135.

Singles...225, 295...the 295 feels...ok...my back doesn't scream at me.  My last PR  3 months or so ago was 305.  So I rest and think...30 isn't that huge of a jump. So...325.  I try to time it so every one is busy...I don't want everyone to watch me dump the weight after all.  I have been doing this new little ritual to get under the bar for a squat.  Deep Breath, step under, set my feet...and I imagine screwing my heels into the floor, wiggle my shoulders into the bar, tip my hips under, bigger breath....and up.  Ok this thing is on  my back...and I don't feel like I am gonna die.  Another big breath~push that belly against that belt~ down~~~then I realize that Will is behind me...Cody too.  It was not an easy up...pushed those knees out hard...imagined those feet digging in the floor and I swear the only thing that got the weight up the last bit were the words form those two guys...they helped me lift that weight.

True story.

Racked that bar and I spun around said to the guys, "I got it, didn't I?!" and gave Will a huge hug...could not help myself...I need some remedial gym etiquette lessons. I mean really...20 pounds?  Will kinda scolded me for that...because hell, 20 pounds is a lot on a one rep max...Then I thought back...I have been at Zia...not even a year...and my max on this lift has increased 100 pounds.

Yeah~100

Yet another reminder...I don't have to hide in the corner to lift...not that you need someone watching all the time...but the boost of support on a big lift?  Why not?

I have been wrestling with this funny idea about my age and the lifting and the throwing. This bit of a panicky feeling that I only have a limited amount of time to make any strength and throwing gains until the natural slow down happens...which I know it does.  I mentioned this to Chuck at practice last week.  He asked me how long I thought I had...I said probably only a year or two and then it will just decline.  He said, "You are full of shit, you know that right. I say you have ten years." I have no idea where he gets the idea of ten years from and thusly I told him that I thought he was full of shit.  Then I thought, why not? Why not just tell myself I have 10 more years?  I wondered if  I was still punishing myself for starting this journey "late".  You found this thing you love to do...you like how you feel, but I was only gonna give myself another year to feel good doing it~ to improve form?

HA!

You are only worth doing this for if your numbers in lifts and throws go up? And really, you are gonna stop once your numbers go down?

Um no...not even.

Chuck was right...dammit....I was full of shit. Dang he knows how to push my buttons.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

experiment

So....food....glorious food.

I am about on week 3 of the whole life thinggy...but as you know, I added a twist to it a little more than a week ago. 

Well~Well~Well.

I thought at first it might kill me...counting and eating all of this protein. 

Now...all I can hear is one of the women at the nutrition seminar....paleo is just a starting point. You may find that there is something different you need to do, add, or give up.  I think I may have found it. I have...while eating a disgusting (or delicious) amount of protein, lost 15 pounds....I know, I know, I don't normally track weight.  But I was feeling curious....and frankly...I was looking kinda gross.

Those of you who read this who are older...or have had kids....or have been heavy like me..I think you know what I am talking about.

ICKY SKIN...

Dammit it is sexy.

So..I will stay on this path for the month I agree to experiment.....but...I ...like..how I feel. Even though I do nothing but eat. I told someone yesterday.."I have no time in my mouth left for carbs..."

I know I always feel better~look better on the Whole 30....but this just feels a little different.

HUGE shout out to my protein buddy Velda....We text each other...check our numbers. I am traveling this weekend and she also gave me great tips for travel protein.  I am sure I will be looking to her for help on this one.

As for working out?  Back to Crossfit for a couple weeks...I actually RAN yesterday.  Unfortunately..I woke up this morning to a screaming right knee....and I split my left hand in two spots. I am "resting" with a grumpy face today.



Thursday, February 14, 2013

more butter please.

Squeee...

It has been a while....but I just had a run in with my favorite crab.


 I have to admit though...this conversation is really my fault.  I know better...I know to keep my mouth shut. I chose to speak....big dummy.

Setting...India House. Important only because I have a pile of chicken and shrimp on my plate.

Crab: You are on that diet again?

Me: No, just cleaning up what I eat.  I am also trying a new protein thing (ooops...should not have said that)

Crab: Protein?

Me: Yeah one gram of protein per pound of body weight.

Crab: (with genuine interest) Why?

Me: (More details than you need dear reader.)

Crab: Well, That's too much....no one can eat that much.

Me: Well, so far hasn't been too bad.

Crab: If you think you need to build muscle, you should do Pilates.   In class, I have to use all of my body weight to perform the exercise.

Me: (thinking) I do too....when I STAND.

~~~~~~~~ some time passes~~~~~~~~~

Crab:  I have lost all my my muscle since menopause...I don't know how to build it.

Me:  (Blank Stare....Rapidly blinking eyes)  Well, you could eat more protein. (and lift weights)

Crab: I do feel better when I don't eat bread or pasta and stick to veggies.

Me:  Yeah...me too.  ( more blank staring and perhaps a heavy sigh) as I shove more chicken in my gob....

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

kids and such.

Wednesday....ah, I kinda love you now Wednesday....for you are my recovery workout day.  The whole idea of a recovery or rest workout still, after 12 weeks, cracks me up.  3 years ago...the workout I do for "recovery" would have knocked me out for a week. 

I am dealing with the odd thing of dismissing or under cutting what I think I can do. I had to do clean pulls again yesterday....my Tuesday thing you know...well last week, I had to do pulls at 140% of my one rep max.  I bitched and moaned to BJ.  What the heck...this is a typo, right?

He just sorta looks at me in that quiet BJ sorta way...I have done that because I know you can lift more than you know you can ...yet.

ARGH.

So yesterday it was at 150%...I got upset again, I loaded the bar and just knew I could not do that much weight....I whined around to Chris..then I just sorta when up to the bar and started.

I don't think they were great, but I did all the sets...I am still busy telling myself that "yea, I did the clean pulls I thought I couldn't but that does not mean I can actually clean any more weight than I already do. And can you make any more noise when you lift?"

My god, when will I just kill that voice?

It all reminded me of this stupid "diet" thing.  I keep sliding off paleo....why? not because it is hard...because, yet again, I am underestimating what I can do, or what I am worth.  This eating isn't hard...it is easy.

see look....

Now I have added the crazy protein thing...and guess what?  I feel great...but how long before I decide I don't really deserve to feel great?

Maybe I am done this time.

As I was looking at these two health related issues...my kids also jumped in with some stuff that sorta feels related.

I picked Vivi up from school the other day and she said to me, " I love Junior High." I almost drove off the road.

Then, the same day...I got a letter from my son.  Yes, you read that correctly, a letter; not a text, email, tweet, facebook message, meme, tumbler....an actual letter...hand written too.

Not gonna share what he said....but the sum total of both of these interactions with the kids....We have broken the cycle.  It doesn't matter that we haven't always made good financial decisions, that we screw up all sorts of stuff, we have changed the tide of abuse that swept through both of our families. We have let these kids know that they are worth it, they get it....which, I think, may just mean....that I am too.

How is this related to a clean pull and paleo?  Hell if I know...but I know it is....

Monday, February 11, 2013

tweeks and more stupidity.

So...been on the Whole 30 for almost two weeks.  Don't know why I ever let myself slide off it as much as I do.

I blame myself first....then sushi. 

then sugar....

Oh well.  Now for the tweek....I am joining Velda, at the suggestion of BJ, to get my weight in grams of protein...daily.

That's a boat load of sushi....and every other sort of fleshiness.

We decided we are gonna go low key on this challenge...no taking points away...in fact no tracking points at all....just a text or Facebook message daily.

I know you are dying to know how much protein I have to eat....but then you will know what I weigh...whatever...you already probably know...I have recently not been ashamed of the number 200.

Yes I am a big girl....

200 grams of protein....I wonder if I eat 185, I would get down to 185? 

Let's see, what else?

I injured two throwers at practice this weekend.  Lost my grip on a hammer.  Nothing serious, but we have all become lazy around the hammers.  It really sucks to hurt the people you throw with...really sucks.

This afternoon..I had to go back to the 1 rep max on the Box Squat and the incline press....Lifted like crap on the incline press....I don't recommend lifting on 3 hours of sleep.  But I did ok on the squat..touched the box at 325....failed at 330.  Next time I will lift inside the rack so that I can drop it.  I was afraid that I was tipping to far forward so I popped out of the squat too early.

I need a nap...I'm rambling.


Friday, February 8, 2013

Repost....

I wanted to post something about my birthday...but it just came out all lame and rambling...

I wanted to post something about aging....lame and rambling...

I wanted to post and update on my latest Whole 30...lame and rambling....

I wanted to post some thank yous to Marz and to BJ & WILL for the kilt day and how moved I was to walk into a sea of plaid....lame and rambling....

So~I am posting something someone else wrote....which is the opposite of lame and rambling...


Becoming great in anything has everything to do with being driven and nothing to do with motivation. I have said it many times but motivation is fleeting. Being driven is on a far deeper level than being motivated. Drive comes from your core. It resides in the same place as your belief system, morals, and character qualities.

How do you become driven? Figure out what you want to be great at.

What are you willing to give up to accomplish your goals?

Are you willing to do the preparation necessary to be what you want?

Are you willing to remove people, things, and habits from your lives that can hinder your progress?

Can you be selfish enough day in and day out to be what you want?

Those questions must be answered if you are to be what you want. Deep introspection can always keep us on the path we choose. ~James Bullock


Looks like I need a little time to think about these questions.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Clothing hound

Confession time.

If you know me in real life you might already know this.  I hate shopping for clothing.  Even when I was thin...which I had been long ago and far away...when I never ate....nothing fit.  Honestly, I didn't eat because I hated my body~even then...and I was tall...long legs...nothing fit.

Fast forward....I still hate shopping...for clothing...I shop maybe once every five years.  The only thing I keep up with are things like gloves for throwing, athletic shoes, and an occasional splurge on socks. I am not kidding.  Do you know what that means? Everything falls apart at once.  Which means I go to a store...any freaking store and drop some money on clothes and shoes that sorta work for the next five years.

So...my shoes...I have one pair of black shoes I wear all the time...the soles are split.  Suddenly a bunch of my shirts have tiny holes. I have torn toes in about half of my socks.  Some of my favorite skirts...the elastic or the zippers have gone kaput.

The worst?

The confession?

My bras....yes...ok wait for it....

During my dead lift work yesterday...I failed to exchange a sports bra for the one I wore to work...wanna know what happened when I had that 380 pound pull for a new one rep max?

Deep breath....huge pull...underwire...SNAPPED.

sexy.

ouch.

sigh.................

Monday, February 4, 2013

Why Mona, why?

Thursday and Friday were a couple of weird days in the gym.

Thursday....got there a little late, warm up, mobility goo, then I start in. Perhaps I was distracted by the zebra stripe spandex that Will was wearing....who knows.

Box squats. 12x2 at 60%. They are the dangly kind. BJ pipes up that he knows how much I love them. It's sorta true...they are hard...challenging, but I really see the direct connection to throwing. They feel...light....but still by about the 9th set...sigh.

Incline Bench Press 12x2 with dumb bells. Same sort of feeling...light.

I finish, it's late, the 6:30 class has already started. I start toward my stuff and stop in my tracks...

"Mona, did you really work full out? It's a max effort day."

"But....."

"Mona.....(this takes place my head)

So, I look at the board...grab a bar, grab a bench, grab the dumb bells. I had to find a stop watch, cause everyone else was in class or busy.

8 cleans 95 lbs
Farmer carry. 70 lbs
7 handstand push ups (modified off the bench)
Farmer carry. 70lbs

3 rounds.

It was.....good. So glad I listened to that good voice in my head this time. Don't get me wrong....it sorta sucked. I swear I made the worst faces I have ever made in the gym...ever, during the final farmer carry. When I finished, Jake, the ever helpful gym dog...sat on me.

He was trying to make me feel better.

I did decide after this workout that I need to actually try the HSPU again....I think I might be undercutting myself again.

Friday....ugh Friday....I was not in a happy place Friday when I walked in the gym....whatever...those days happen. Again, I was late...was facing working out alone.

Clean & jerks. 4x2

Then dumb bell snatches. 3x5 ended at 55....I was happy with that.

Again...the WOD is looking at me from the board....

30 back squats followed by a 1000 meter row. Blurgh....that doesn't look....sigh.

One of the guys doing the strength program comes over to me and says it sucks. Marz comes over...says it didn't suck as bad as he thought earlier, but it still sucks. Then I look at the weight for the workout. Women's weight is 155. Not sure about that. I really stare at the board, hoping I will magically get an answer...when it happens....Elden says to me..."what's your one rep max?"

305

"Do the men's weight then...shit you will probably beat the men's times."

Right...I am slow.

"Then do it slow...come on, do the men's weight."

I swear to god I thought Chuck was standing in front of me...but I do it.

225.

I broke them into sets of 5. Before the last set of 5 I walked away...Pam was there to yell me back to the bar...so I go back....then I get on the rower. So slow. Poor Pam was reminding me...explode with the hamstrings....I just could not hear her.

I finished in10:29.....19 second behind Elden.....

I don't think I'll ever do men's Rx again....but I did it and there is something super cool about that. As Marz and I were stripping the bar, I realized that at the beginning of the summer my one rep max was 225 and I had just done 30 at that weight.

I had a rough end of my week, but I was able to really push in the gym regardless...I have 2 weeks left of this programming...then my season kicks off in Texas, the play goes into full swing, and my training will shift.

I threw yesterday...heavy and hard....got 16 feet on WOB....and I got 12 feet on WOB with the 42....(yeah socks) so I bailed today. I will go back tomorrow....

Dead lifts....press...rack pulls...bench press....oh and rehearsal tomorrow. So I gotta get the lifting done...at noon....in an hour...

Wish me luck...I need it.