At any rate, I’ve decided to make some resolutions for the new year and thought I’d post them here for all to see (accountability!) They are totally related to my health/fitness. As it turns out, when I’m not healthy or taking care of my body, I’m unhappy. I like being happy. So without further ado, in 2012 I will:

• Make it to CFNE minimum of 3x/week, no matter how crazy the other parts of my life are.
• Eat Paleo 90% of the time and make the 10% non-Paleo REALLY worthwhile.
• Snatch 135# (my biggest goal in terms of fitness)
• Run a 7:30 mile (and run at least 1 road race, either a 5k or 10k)
• Row a sub-8:00 2K
• Find my double-unders again (%$!^%#&# DUs – had them, lost them, found them, lost them, and will find them again!)
• Avoid the avoidable injuries, and treat the unavoidable ones (even if it means stopping mid-WOD – and oh, what a metaphor for life this particular goal is…)
• Bring mindfulness to my Crossfit practice (some days, the PR is in the attempt, not in the results)

I’ll also add in:

• Maintain a healthy sense of humor and of the absurd
• Keep work and life in balance
• Visit my massage therapist 6 times
• Continue reading like a fiend (this year I hit 66…)
• Knit a few items and GIVE THEM AWAY (I have a problem with that second part)
• Be more social – go out with friends more often.

That should do. We’ll see how I do. I’m looking forward to this year like you can’t believe – it’s GOT to be better than 2011!

There were 3 events that we competed in.

Event 1: Get It Done

2000 meter row
7 x 200 meter KB carry (single KB: 53, 35)
75 burpee box jumps, 20″
100 pullups

All team members will work at the same time to finish the above tasks.  Each team can split the movements and reps up as they see fit.

This was the event that I enjoyed the most. Our team strategized a ton beforehand, since we each wanted to work on the things we were best at. In the end, I ended up doing 15 pullups, 35 burpee box jumps, rowed 1500m, and did 1 KB carry.

I liked the row the most; one of the 6pm gals coached another 6pm-er and me. With her pushing, I was able to keep a decent pace the entire time. The KB carry was awful, and I was so happy that Ali and Brian ended up doing the other 6 of them. We ended up coming in close to last on this one, mostly because we had some technical difficulties with counting on the pullups. Ali took the brunt of the extra pullups on that – sorry girl!

Event 2: Barbell Ladder Up

10 minute up ladder of:
Athlete 1:  deadift
Athlete 2:  power clean
Athete 3:  ground to overhead

Each team will have one 75# barbell.  Athlete one will complete 1 DL, Athlete two will complete 1 PC and athlete three will complete 1 GTO.  The team will then repeat the same order, but will do 2 reps each, then 3 reps, and continue as high as possible in 10 minutes.  Once the team starts the bar is not allowed to rest on the ground till the wod is over (all reps are touch and go and you must pass the bar from athlete to athlete when transitioning).  If the bar rests on the ground there is a 2 burpee penalty for all team members.

Ali did our deadlifts, I did the power cleans, and Brian did the ground to overheads. As a team, we ended up getting up to 12 reps – Brian finished his 12th rep right at 10 minutes!

Ali and Brian were both so strong on this one; I really struggled with my grip, but never did set the bar down (it did rest in my lap several times…) In the end, we each did 78 reps of our movements. CRAZY!

Event 3: Relay Race

9 x 200 meter run

The start of the “Relay Race” is the end of the “Barbell Up Ladder” event (when the 10 minute mark of event 2 sounds, that is the “GO” for this wod).  One team member will run 200 meters and then tag the next team member.  Continue relay-style until all team members have run three 200 meter sprints.

Ouch. This one hurt. My first run was dreadful, and then the second and third got a little better. It’s funny though – on the second and third runs it was like 25-year-old muscle memory kicked in and I blew through the first 100m of the run, accelerating the entire way. And then I had to turn around, and just like 25 years ago, I decelerated on the second 100m… Once a sprinter who doesn’t like corners, always a sprinter who doesn’t like corners. Both Ali and Brian did a great job on these as well. All of us got faster each time. And all of us have the tight hamstrings today to prove it!

What a fun day!

• 3 sets of 5 deadlifts @ 165#
• Christine was 3 rounds of 500m row, 12 bodyweight deadlifts, 21 box jumps. Finished in 14:15 with #135 deadlifts. Compare to March 15 (15:48 using 120#).
• Ended the day with 39 birthday burpees (so only 14 more than I have been doing all month after WODs).

May 15

• Big JT Runs was 5 rounds for time of 9 HSPU, 200m run, 15 ring dips, 200m run, 21 pushups, 200m run. Finished in 48:53.
• Scaled HSPU 3 rounds to 25# plate, 1 round to 25# + 10# plate, 1 round to 25# plate + abmat. Scaled dips to GHD dips.
• Ended the day with 25 post-WOD burpees because I hate them and they make me angry.

May 17

• 3 sets of 5 back squats @ 130#
• 5 rounds for time of 10 chest-to-bar pullups and 10 front squats (95# Rx). Finished in 11:17 with kipping pullups and 75# front squats.
• Ended the day with 25 post-WOD burpees because I hate them and they make me angry.

The Crossfit elevator pitch:

“CrossFit is a fitness program designed around the things you do in the real world. Every day, you bend down and pick things up, you put things over your head, you squat down, you stand up, you run after your kids or jump over a puddle. CrossFit prepares you for all that and then some by performing those exact movements in our workouts. We borrow exercises from things like weightlifting, gymnastics, and track and field, and we mix it up a lot, so your body is always adapting, getting stronger, faster, better conditioned. And the key to the whole program is that you work really, really hard… so you get fit really, really fast.”

and from the comments, add this: “we try to get everyone from the level they’re at to the next higher level. If that means a grandmother regaining her confidence in picking up her grandchild, awesome. If it means a strong athlete becoming an elite athlete, fantastic. This is for everyone.”

The Paleo elevator pitch:

“I eat “real” food – fresh, natural food like meat, vegetables and fruit.  I choose foods that are nutrient dense, with lots of naturally-occurring vitamins and minerals, over foods that have more calories but less nutrition.  And food quality is important – I’m careful about where my meat comes from, and buy produce locally and organically as often as possible.

It’s not a low calorie “diet” – I eat as much as I need to maintain strength, energy and a healthy weight.  In fact, my diet is probably much higher in fat than you’d imagine.  Fat isn’t the enemy – it’s a great energy source when it comes from high quality foods like avocado, coconut and nuts. And I’m not trying to do a “low carb” thing, but since I’m eating vegetables and fruits instead of bread, cereal and pasta, it just happens to work out that way.

Eating like this is good for maintaining a healthy metabolism, and reducing inflammation within the body.  It’s been doing great things for my energy levels, body composition and performance in the gym.  It also helps to minimize my risk for a whole host of lifestyle diseases and conditions, like diabetes, heart attack and stroke.”

Brilliant, and so easy to remember. There’s a whole lot more in both of those posts, so you should definitely go read both of them. Thanks Melissa and Dallas!

This year’s numerical summary:

• Books read: 46
• States visited: 6 (NH, VT, ME, NY, MN, CO)
• Countries visited: 1 (Mexico)
• Hockey games played: 86 (being on 3 summer teams will do that…)
• New gadgets: 1 (a Droid Eris)
• Dogs: 2, still.

This coming year, I again have some modest resolutions.

• Continue with Crossfit and achieve the goals I set there each month.
• Knit more: 3 hats in January, finish the Janda sweater, Bruins gloves, and the fingerless gloves I started in Maine.
• Keep my weight under my magical number all year long.
• Play more games! Bananagrams is at the top of that list, for sure.
• Read more books in 2010 than I read in 2009.
• Learn to can fruits and veggies.
• Travel to more places in 2010 than I did in 2009. (Already on the calendar: Mexico, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and potentially California for a work conference – would like to get to Florida and Michigan this year too.)

Should be easy to do, right? Well, check back NEXT January 1 (that’d be in 2011, y’all) and see how I do!

Happy New Year to you and yours in 2010.

Megan and Amy, New Year's 2010

1. Bake a pie.
2. Compete in a Crossfit event.
3. Fly a kite.
4. Get a massage.
5. Get another tattoo.
6. Go to a movie at a drive-in theater.
7. Go to the top of Mount Washington.
8. Kayak on the Charles River.
9. Knit a pair of socks.
10. Read 52 books.
11. Ride a rollercoaster.
12. Run 5K.
13. Save $20 for each item on this list I complete. Donate the money.
14. Send 40 postcards to 40 different people.
15. Snowshoe in the Blue Hills.
16. Swim in the Damariscotta River.
17. Travel to one of the states I’ve never been to before (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming)
18. Try snowboarding.
19. Volunteer 4 times at Waltham Fields Community Farm.
20. Watch a meteor shower.

What else should I do? I want to make sure I can achieve all of the things I set out to accomplish.

Then I came home, realized that the vague feeling of nausea wasn’t related to working out, but rather to the tiny, late lunch I ate today thanks to my gloom-and-doom sort of day at work. Amy rushed out to grill our dinner (YUM) and I got a little food in me and started thinking more about my day.

And then I realized:

• I have a job.
• That interests me.
• That allows me to work with smart people.
• Where I get to work on interesting problems and projects.
• In a beautiful environment.
• That is close to my home.
• For which I get a salary.
• Which allows me to live in a house with my wife and our dogs.
• And play hockey.
• And Crossfit.
• And travel.
• And give money to causes and organizations which mean a great deal to me.

So while I know I’m not the only one who’s feeling awfully overwhelmed about work these days, those are all things for which I am eternally grateful, and I don’t want to forget it. Not everyone is in such a situation, especially not these days, and I never want to take these blessings for granted.

I love old family photos like this. There are a ton more in hard copy, so I need to get around to scanning them and turning them into photo books for people. Other than the Apple iPhoto book program, are there book-making programs that you like?

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (middle level – not the top!)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

“I will no longer listen to that pious sentimentality that certain Christian leaders continue to employ, which suggests some version of that strange and overtly dishonest phrase that “we love the sinner but hate the sin.” That statement is, I have concluded, nothing more than a self-serving lie designed to cover the fact that these people hate homosexual persons and fear homosexuality itself, but somehow know that hatred is incompatible with the Christ they claim to profess, so they adopt this face-saving and absolutely false statement.”

So many times in my childhood and young adulthood I heard this phrase: “love the sinner but hate the sin” and wondered what it really meant. For a long time I decided it was just b.s., but it was only today that I understand what was leaving a bad taste in my mouth: the hypocrisy.

Go and read it. It’ll be worth it.

Photo courtesy of lars hammar, used under a Creative Commons license.