Fun and must do experiences

Its been a couple weeks since my last blog and there have been some exciting adventures I've taken on. About  two weeks ago me and Vic went to visit some great people and friends Karen and Shane Gibson and their little one Davey, in Abq New Mexico.  We had the best time and they made us feel so welcome. They own Crossfit ABQ and let us lead their awesome 12:00 class. I really enjoyed seeing other great crossfit athletes and how other owners run their box. We went to Sante Fe one of the days and that's where i learned my awesome snow board skills haha. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! Shane's friend Ben who taught me how to snow board said to me after falling a couple times, "Katie you do crossfit, so take advantage of the muscles you have to stay up" Well i definitely took that literally because the next day every part of my body was SO sore, even my biceps! I busted my butt a couple times but for the most part i did really well:) yessssss!! Thanks goodness, bc it was just me and three other guys who knew how to ski pretty well, and i didn't want to be that girl who they had to wait on all the time. I say that was my motivation to stay up on the snow board...and wanting to be better at it than Vic haha.

Ben(my awesome teacher) Shane, and myself

This Saturday i will be running in the surf side half marathon with my friend Ashley Butturini! She had asked me if i wanted to do it with her couple months ago, and i just started training with her last week. yea i know 2 weeks of training is probably not the smartest thing, but i have really surprised myself. So if you don't know, i have always hated running. Even in crossfit, when i see a WOD with running, i roll my eyes and say "UUUUUUHHHH RUNNING!" yea dramatic i know, but I've never been a fan because i always have thought i suck at running. Well i might not be fast, but who said you have to be fast to be a good runner?  I've proven myself i don't suck at running. Last week when i started my training, i did 3 miles on Tuesday, 6 on Thursday, then this past Sunday i jumped in a 10 mile run!!! 10 miles, i couldn't believe it, and i ran the whole thing! Now i don't really recommend having only 5 days of training, but if your dedicated to something that much and have good support, anything is possible! I have changed my attitude on running and i cant wait to complete this half and put that 13.1 sticker on the back of my car;)
Big shout out to all my running buddies that have given me the confidence to run a half marathon:
Lulu ladies: Amy, Sam, Emily, Nikki, and Ashley. My co-worker, friend, WOD buddy Shelby aka Shelbster

 

165lb OHS wha what!

Okay, so i never praise myself for my successes/accomplishments in my training with crossfit. I don't like it, it makes me feel uncomfortable, and i definitely don't want to come across as bragging because that's not what crossfit is about for me. Well, after today's workout and reading Lindsey Smith's blog last week, crossfitchron.blogspot.com, i decided to share my excitement. Today after my 4:00 class i put on my oly shoes and did CROSSFIT main site WOD which was 7 sets of 1 OHS (over head squats). I wasn't really sure what weight to start with because i haven't done strength work on OHS in a while. I started at 95lbs to warm up, it felt pretty good so i decided to start my first rep at 105lb. I went up by ten pounds every rep. I got to my sixth rep and completed a 155lb OHS!! I couldn't believe i got that! What! 155 pounds over my head, and it felt good too! So i put on another ten pounds for my last rep....165lb, more than my body weight! It discouraged me at first, but i thought about what Vic has always told me, "your alot stronger than you think" I kept on saying to myself, "you can do this, you can this, you are strong" I was focused and determined and i freaking got it!!!!! 165 pound OHS, YEA BABY!!! I was so pumped, i mean wouldn't you be!?!? I immediately sent Vic a text. I believe the exact words were, "I FU#$ING got 165 OHS" haha, yes i threw the F bomb in there, but only because i was sooooo freaking excited and the F bomb, in my opinion, is the only word that really explains your feelings, ya know what i mean?  So thank you Lindsey for writing that blog and reminding me that its okay to praise your accomplishments every now and then. GO 165lbs! I'm going to give this blog post a thumbs up around the board.

This is a client and friend of mine, Kelly Crabb who sent me a pic of her

giving me a thumbs up bc she knows how much i love them

Houston Marathon 2011

Kristian and his biggest supporter Ashley

Micah and Leslie looking strong

Nathan, with just two miles to go! Look how happy he is

You can do it Cassie!!!

Vic needed some high fives from his support team

All smiles with Susie

Great job to all my amazing, strong, inspiring, endurance athletes and  friends who ran in the half and full marathon on Sunday. Beleive it or not you guys inspired me to run my first half marathon this Febuary, yikes! I am so proud of each and every one of you, what a accomplishmet!! Shout out to those i didnt get pics...Mahima, Emily, Chad, Matt, and anyone else i missed. Way to go!!

  

Lori's Birthday WOD

          

My good friend and workout buddy Lori Reilly turned the amazing age of 35 on Sunday. Now for those of you who dont know Lori, she has a great passion for health and fitness and would much ratther want her friends together for a good workout than celebrate with alcohol and ending up with her head in a toilet by the end of the night. Her thoughtful and loving Husband John tried to put this group workout together as a surprise, but you obviously cant hide anything from Lori, haha. So this past Saturday Lori, John, myself, and all her friends, workout buddies and coaches came together to help throw Lori one bad ass workout!! In honor of Lori's age and the year we're in, i came up with a battle buddy WOD that had 35reps, 2 rounds, and 11exercises.

35 deadlifts 255/185
35 pushups
35 dbl unders
35 wall balls 
35 T2B (toe to bar)
35 KB swings 70/53
35 jumping lunges
35 GHD sit ups
35 DB Thruster 35/25
35 pull ups
200 m Run
2x

Our photographers, Nathan Montgomery Amanda Drew Oliver, and my sis Kim, she is in the group shot

Jane Shin and Lori Layton,aka Duncan

Jenny and David Garcia

Run Shelby and Charlie Run!!!

John Reilly

Melissa Dolezol

Stopped for a quick pic. We're only half way done at this point and still smiling:)

"Last lap Lori, let go!!"

On T2B, Jessi Cooper and her partner
Cassie Bounds

People laying on the floor...I consider it a good WOD

We survived thumbs up!

Happy Birthday Lori! We were happy to help celebrate your birthday through pain and sweat. Make it a great year!

Chili Recipe

For all you Paleo peeps or those just wantig a good chili recipe for this cold rainy day, try this out.
Its de-lish!

2 lbs lean ground beef (I look for 90/10)
1 large steak cut into chunks (or stew meat, whatever you prefer)
1 large can crushed tomatoes (look for the one where the only ingredient is tomatoes)
1 can diced tomatoes and chilis (again, look for natural here)
1 small can tomatillo salsa (in the Mexican food aisle, look for natural ingredients in this)
large onion diced
1/8 cup almond flour (this is optional for thickening, omit if you have a nut allergy)
about 2 cups of beef broth
3 cloves garlic minced or about
2 tsp garlic powder1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbs ground cumin
3-4 tbs chili powder
olive oil
Put about 2 tbs olive oil in a pan and get it screaming hot. Sear the chunks of steak in batches (don’t crowd or it won’t brown). It doesn’t have to be cooked at this point, just brown and pull it out. Add a little more oil if needed and add diced onion to kind of brown a bit. Add the beef stock and let it cook until it is reduced by half (this gives a really meaty base). Add in ground beef and almond flour. Stir until it browns a bit. Add garlic, spices, tomatoes, and steak chunks. Simmer on low heat for a couple of hours. It gets better the longer it cooks.
I serve with diced red onion on top. It’s good without it too.
ENJOY!

PR'S

Women who inspire me...

This past Sunday me and the ladies got together for our weekly workouts. We did the Crossfit.com wod from sat which was 21-15-9 sqt cleans and ring dips. My girl Marie Conrad, for the first time did 75lbs sqt cleans!!! She excitingly said, "even though i came in last, i still finished with that weight!" I told her, who cares about finishing first, especially at our ladies WOD's. Its just about pushing yourself, and seeing how far you can go. Great Job Marie I am so proud of you!

Marie Conrad

Monday was FRAN day at the box. Those of you non crosfitters, Fran is the absolute worst, make you want to throw up, entire body tingles, and goes numb at the same time workout. Its 21-15-9 Thrusters and pull ups. Lizzy Langley is a client and friend of mine, and last night she rocked that WOD with a time of 5:01!!!! She was so pumped and I am so happy for her. Way to go Lizzy, I am so proud! Keep it up girl;) Also my good friend Lori Reilly got her Fran time down from 7:48 to 5:57!!!! WOW! Lori,  you have come so far since you started crossfit. Your mentally and physically stronger, and you inspire me every time you come in the box and conquer your challenges!

Lizzy Langley

Lori Reilly

Jessi Cooper is another one who PR'd at the box. Her new nickname is "deadlift queen." Two weeks ago she got a PR of 265lb. Apparently a little women power helps her out, because on Sunday at our ladies WOD, she lifted a 285lb deadlift!! Congrats Jessi! Monica Wonzer also is a deadlift role model of mine. She got a PR of 265 like it was nothing. Girls, i am so proud of you both for pushing yourself to the limit and never giving up with whatever is thrown at you.

Jessi Copper

Monica Wonzer

HELLO 2011!!!!

Happy New Year everyone!!!! Wow 2011, i cant believe it! So many great things have happened in the past year, now its time to focus on the next 12 months. I was reading my friends blog, Grey Matters www.greystoneguids.com , and she inspired me to look at this year differently. Instead of making goals like, "how am i going to make myself better this year, what goals do i want to reach for MYSELF" I'd like to help my clients, friends, and family make sure their goals are being met. Don't get me wrong, i don't think making goals for yourself is bad at all, its just for me, this year i want to take my eyes off myself and focus more on others. Last year i made the biggest goal for myself...making it to the crossfit games! Ha ha, i only laugh because i went about it all wrong. I had put way to much pressure on myself, all my focus was on how to be a better athlete, i started training way too early, and i feel like i missed out on alot because i was stuck in my "me" bubble. I completely took the fun out of what i love doing. Do i regret any of it?  No of course not. I think I benefited from many things and learned alot. Sure i made some mistakes here and there, but that's the fun of it all right, you know what not to do the next go around. So anyway, new year new focus! If you have a goal you want to meet and don't think you can do it alone, let me know I'm here to help!:) Happy 2011!!!