Cross-Fit

I'm doing it. Making the big move to CrossFit.  I joined a CF gym last night and went through my first introductory session. 

...written last week.  I've been through a few CrossFit sessions now.  It's good.  Difficult.  I don't think I've ever been so sore.  They had me do lunges with a bar over head,  up and down the street outside the gym one day.  And between each lunging set of death I had to do something called a half-moon: grabbing a medicine ball from your side on the ground and placing it overhead on the other side of your body, repeat.  Everything is timed, the workouts are in a group setting, with a lead training shouting out encouragement.  I dig it.  I'm losing interest in triathlon - in the time required to accomplish an Ironman anyway.  I'm thinking that Wisconsin may not happen this year.  It's almost July and I haven't been running.  Or cycling really much.  Sometimes the best laid plans just sort of fall apart in ruins before your very eyes.  Life is complicated beyond the scope of this blog to put things lightly.  So - on to other interest.  I want to become good at CrossFit.  Ironman is not done forever - I just kind of killed this season of training. 

I picked up my bike today in Indy.  It made it to San Fran and back safe and sound. Now that I've slammed triathlon I should point out that I'm doing the Muncie half-ironman in a few weeks.  With little training.  I'm not expected anything special at that race.  It's a great course though  - Muncie, IN is flat.  Flat in many ways. 

Escape from Alcatraz: in summary.

The boat trip out to Alcatraz was probably the best part. 2,000 people in wetsuits cramped into the Belle of SF parked just off shore of The Rock and then in about 4 minutes time we were all in the water. I didn't even think of the cold as I was navigating the many bodies. I got slammed a few times, squeezed between two swimmers, and hit in the head by an errant stroke. Good times. In a wetsuit those hits just feel like little bumps. I wore ear plugs for the first time and must say I think they helped. I felt completely sealed from the water other than hands, feet, and face. Caused a weird internal effect on my breathing...I could only hear myself. I realized I have a slight 'grunt' when swimming, similar to a tennis player hitting the ball, mine rather with every pull.  None the less Serena Williams came to mind and we finished out the swim.  The Bay's current is incredible. I had a perfect sight on the finish buoys but over shot them slightly....taken by the current. And once you miss your target there is no going back, you can't beat the water. I was out in 28 minutes and on my bike.

The bike was beautiful, and hilly. We rode out to the Pacific coast which I had not seen. The Golden Gate bridge is truly a gorgeous structure. It seems to fit nicely in with nature as you look at it from the Pacific view rather than from the bay. That coast is pure. I got to see one of the pros on the bike, Andy Potts, whom I read about occasionally in Triathlete. He was killing the bike, he cornered a 90 degree turn at the bottom of a steep descent so fast I thought he was going to lose control. It was also a beautiful sight. Saw him later on the run also sprinting down hill, poor knees. He won the event fairly easily.

The run was grueling. It was more like a hike, a running hike up and down steep sandy cliffs, and wooden plank steps built into the earth, narrow, with sharp over grown weeds snagging at your skin. There was even a tunnel that we had to run through that was so low we had to duck down. It was some kind of aqueduct. If only I was a criminal.  I now know how to bust out of Alcatraz. Only about two miles of the eight were 'normal' running.

I finished 305 out of 2,000. Not so bad for the little training I put in. And best of all I got the T-shirt!  Not to mention the memory I'll keep with me for the rest of my days.

Escape from Alcatraz

Alcatraz. The name itself is somewhat intimidating. To swim from Alcatraz? I thought that was impossible? As a swimmer and after standing on shore looking at that island I don't think so. At least not in a wetsuit. It's not that far.

I should say that I am typing this entry on an iPad. Expect considerably more typos.

My time so far has been good here. It's cold. I wish the air temp was warmer. The water was calm this morning, with very little wind...but that is deceiving. The Bay is like a river, always moving. I finally got my bike from Sports Basement....a great shop on the West side of town. I rode through San Francisco for the first time and loved it. Cycling gives you so much freedom. Well compared to walking anyway. Cruising through SF is not for the faint of heart though. You should be an experienced city cyclist to really push it. I'm not...but my youth in Indianapolis pushing traffic at ever opportunity has given me some confidence.

Triathlon trip like this involve a lot of hotel room time surrounded by gear. My bike rest against the second double bed. My water bottles liter the faux granite bathroom sink. Lyca this or that strewned about....planned for Sunday. Wetsuit. Goggles. Race belt. Timing chip belt. Visor. Jersey. Bike shoes. Running shoes. Socks. Towel. CO2. Helmet. Sunglasses. And body glide!

Once you've done an Ironman all else seems secondary. Not to sound braggish. I'm horribly out of shape. I have a layer of 'chub' as my kids say. All over. You wouldn't see it...but I know I'm not as fit as I can be. This will be an interesting non-fit benchmark. I'm still planning to push the swim pretty hard, if for nothing else just to get out of the cold pool. I hate cold water.