A congratulations is in order...

The February Foundations crew just graduated! This means you'll be seeing a bunch of new faces in the normal classes.

Make sure you introduce yourself to everyone! Otherwise we'll bring back the good ol' burpee penalty for not making friends (=

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WOD

back squat 5RM

seated pike press 5RM

Post results to comments.

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Hottie Body Humpliates:

The future of Foundation CrossFit?

movie: The Future of Food

Watch the ENTIRE movie here.

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WOD

"GRACE"

for time:
30 clean & jerks, 61/44kg

compare to 03DEC2010, 26NOV2010 or 06AUG2010.

Power or full squat cleans are acceptable.

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Do you know what's in your food?

Blue bells

After a bunch of screw-ups technical difficulties, here's a quick video on the kettlebell sumo deadlift high-pull from yesterday's FGB



How do you prefer to perform the SDHP? Barbell? Single kettlebell? Dual kettlebell?!

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WOD

determine a 3RM weighted pullup

then

"GI Jane"
for time:
100 burpee-pullups

an ideal pullup ends with the chest-to-bar

compare to 24SEP2010.

Post results to comments.

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"Not failure, but low aim, is a crime."

- James Russell Lowell

Celebrating dedication!

Celebrate the end of the Journaling Challenge this weekend at The Elysian Brewery at 12:30pm after the 11am WOD. Everybody (including non-participants) is invited to hang out and have a good time!

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WOD

"FIGHT GONE BAD"

per CrossFit.com:

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. We've used this in 3 and 5 round versions. The stations are:

• wall ball, 20# to 10'/14# to 9'
• (dual kettlebell) sumo-deadlift high pull, 16/12kg
• box jump, 20/16"
• push press, 35/25kg
• row (for calories)

The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate," the athlete/s must move to next station immediately for good score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

compare to 25SEP2010 or 14JUN2010.

Did you push it like these folk?



What did YOU score? Post results to comments.

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Check out the following Mobility WOD links to see how much mobility plays into your movement efficiency.

• Episode 32: FGB Ready Sumo Shoulders
• Episode 33: FGB Push Press Prep

Go get you some supple musculature. Huzzah!

Seared tuna looks good

The 30-Day Journaling Challenge ends this week! We always reward achievements, so for those who have kept up, we've got something special in store for you! (And, of course, they're awesome.)

For those who haven't YOU HAVE 4 DAYS TO CATCH UP!

Another awesome recipe from our Journaling Challenge blog.  This is a recipe from Lillian.  Looks amazing!

RECIPE: SEARED AHI TUNA ON ARUGULA

[Lemon & olive oil dressing might be too lemony, but the tuna is fairly plain so flavors don't seem to compete. You could substitute mixed greens for the arugula, paprika for the cajun powder, play with it.]

Ingredients:

Two bunches of arugula, cut in 2”-3” pieces

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

lots of cracked black pepper

–

½ pound yellowfin (ahi) tuna steak

Cajun spice to dust (I used paprika, salt, and pepper)

Coconut oil

Directions:

1. Cut, wash, and dry the arugula.
2. Place arugula in a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, cracked pepper, and mix well. Set aside.
   –
3. Rinse and pat-dry ahi tuna steak. Remove and discard the skin.
4. Cut into “logs”, dust Cajun spice (or substitute).
5. Heat the frying pan with coconut oil until very hot.
6. Sear the tuna for about 10 seconds on each side. Place on cutting board and cut into thin slices.
7. Arrange tuna on top of the arugula.

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WOD

7 rounds for time:

5 burpees

10 toes-thru-rings ("t2r")

15 medicine ball cleans, 20/14#

Inspired by this workout. Remember that the hips open twice per on mbc.

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I made a panorama of the gym with this app on my iPhone.

A hint of tomorrow's workout!

With the way the gym is set up, what do you think the WOD is? We can assure you it's going to be epic...
Make sure you RSVP or else you might get left out!

What an awesome track

The Unhappiest Track Team - Gizmodo

HOW AWESOME WOULD THIS BE?! (Our 400m run is kind of there anyway.)

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WOD

In Teams!

max calories in 20 min:

row (cal)

one person rows while the other runs the 470m block.

if three people/team- one holds a plank, one rows, one runs.

if four people/team- one holds a plank, one rows, one runs, one holds a double kettlebell rack (24/12kg)

if it's dark and it's sleeting outside, one person rows while the other person does a butt ton of single skips with a jumprope.

results here.

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Shape-Ups Blamed For Hip Fracture

"Friends don't let friends wear Shape-Ups."

"Legs, Hips, Arms, Arms, Hips, Legs"

What's your 3-stroke max wattage?

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WOD

"CHRISTINE"

3 rounds for time:
500m row
12 deadlifts, BW/.7BW
21 box jumps, 24/20"

SupeRx = 1.5BW/BW deadlift, 30/24" box jump.

compare to 13AUG2010.

results here.

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Your Moment of Zen:

DO NOTHING FOR 2 MINUTES.

Freestyle jump roping

Let's start with an embarrassing throwback video!

Foundation CrossFit: Double-Unders from Andrew Bueno on Vimeo.


When jumproping for warming up, you can do a bunch of different techniques to keep things varied. Here's a reposted video that's too awesome to forget.



Check out some crazier routines.

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WOD

for time:
100 double unders
50 one-arm squat snatches, 45/25#
100 double unders

Rx+ = 20/16kg kb. SupeRx = 20/15kg barbell.

compare to 24MAR2010 or 22FEB2010. results here.

Keep your arms relaxed and slightly in front of your body when you jump rope. Good double-undering is about jumping high enough while quickly twisting your wrists as soon as you leave the ground.

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Are you a fan of Ipanema Brazilian Grill downtown? Like the rodizio?

(I just bought 5!)

Click to check out the deal!

Homemade kombucha

via Sarah C aka "Essie"

I've been making my own kombucha since high school (with a 5 year interlude when I had the ass-brilliant idea that studying computer science meant I too had to be 2-parts Mountain Dew).  Yes, the process is kind of a pain---it's a little time-consuming and a bit labor-intensive to ensure sterile environs---but it's also really superior in taste control and far more economically wise.  I've also learned a lot of shortcuts that the recipes online and in health store kits don't give you.
Since I make a batch every 2 or so weeks, I also tend to have extra SCOBYs (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) available if other athletes would like to start their own colonies.
Here's my method (like others, but streamlined for efficiency):
SUPPLIES:

• 2 1-gallon mason jars.
  1 for holding the kombucha of an earlier batch, the other to sterilize for transition into your next batch
• tea.
  Just enough to steep about a gallon, either in bags or tea balls.  my favorite combo is some kind of black tea mixed with hibiscus
• 1 c white granulated sugar.
  This is important! Do NOT use raw or organic sugar, raw honey, etc.  While these are all better for straight human consumption than white sugar, they all contain non-sugar elements that impede the fermentation process.  Using them will risk killing your SCOBY and you'll end up with just a moldy jar.
• 1 gallon water.
• a sterilized sponge.
• large flat coffee filter or paper towel.
  Whichever is fine so long as it fits over the mouth of the mason jar, and has at least an inch or two of overhang.Both are just as effective as the cheesecloth that other recipes insist on, and easier since you don't have to trim them, and thereby worry about getting germs on the corners.
• scotch tape or saran wrap
• NO need for: sterilizing tongs, sieves, transfer pots, etc.

STEPS:

• Let the SCOBY breathe by opening the container you got it in.
• Bring a gallon of water to boil in a large pot over the stove, b.
• While water is heating up, sterilize your mason jar by cleaning it with the sponge and pouring boiling water over it, paying special attention to the neck and lip areas.
  Let it cool.
• Add tea bags/balls and sugar once water boils.  Boil for 1 minute, then remove the pot from heat, but do not pour it out.
• Let it cool---tea, sugar and all---to lukewarm/room temperature.  This will take a couple hours.  Go do a couple WODs.
• Next, wash your hands and forearms thoroughly with hot soapy water.
  Use your cleaned hands to gently transfer the SCOBY to the bottom of the sterilized mason jar.
• Add about a cup of fully brewed Kombucha on top.  (The new colony needs something to help it get kickstarted.)
• Then, pour the tea into the jar, on top of the scoby, being careful not to touch the lip of the pot nor the lip of the jar.
• Place a coffee filter or paper towel over the top, being careful not to touch the middle of the towel or the neck of the jar.
• Tape the filter/towel in place. I use saran wrap because it doesn't leave a residue.  I avoid rubber bands because their hard to sterilize.
• Store in a cool dark place, like the back of a pantry.  Somewhere where food stuffs/bugs/roommates won't tamper with it or touch the top of the jar.
• In the next few days, the SCOBY will rise from the bottom of the jar and form a layer at the top.  You'll know when it's ready because the smell will tip you off.  Depending on climate and environs, this takes about a week or two.
• For the next batch, you can separate the new, baby SCOBY from the bottom of the new one, to use in your new batch.

*With these steps, you don't have to worry about the extra sterilization steps involved in transferring from the hot pan to the mason jar (strainer/sieve, stirring stick), since you're letting the tea cool in the pot you boiled it in and you're using tea bags/balls. SCOBY shrooms are a little icky to handle with your hands, but even harder to hold with tongs.  When it's done, if you have your second mason jar, you don't even need to worry about a 3rd-transfer device.  Just bring it straight from the previous batch into the next one.

(Note: If you do decide to store it instead of making a straight new batch out of the old one, store it in the darkest corner of the fridge in a container half-filled with Kombucha liquid.  Be sure to keep the lid partially open so it gets enough air.  When you bring it back out to use, you can 'wake it up' a bit by squeezing some fresh lemon juice over the little guy.)

**Finished Kombucha is also totally sugar-free, since all the sugar is consumed by the bacteria.  If you need it sweetened, or you brewed it too long and it tastes too ripe, you can keep it Paleo by adding stevia or xylitol, or honey or agave nectar for those of you less sensitive to insulin.
If any of you guys have any further tips, please do share!

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WOD

each for time:
400m run
500m row
150 double unders

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Have you filled out your section of the PR board yet? No worries, if you haven't yet.

Two are up, one is getting prepped.

"Up & Over"

Bar muscle-ups will translate skills over to the rings.

Paolo finishing a bar muscle-up. Note his chest is up and over the bar. He ends with his arms locked and in the hollow body position.

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WOD

for time:
30 muscle-ups

compare to 20OCT2010.

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Click the picture below to see one of our athletes on the Rachel Ray show!

text the romance back . com

Couples

Aimee and her big man

and Paul and his little lady

would like to wish everyone a HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

from your fam at Foundation CrossFit

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WOD

for time:
100 pistols

if you can do this workout in under 10 minutes, you should hold a kettlebell rack.

courtesy Skill of Strength

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The Importance of Play, Long Walks and Outdoor Workouts, or Why the Optional Stuff Isn't Actually Optional - Mark's Daily Apple

This is one of the many reasons why we say "GO PLAY!" so often in the box.

Your homework: make sure you go out and play sometime this week. At least once. And screw the weather- your health is more important. (Plus YOU made the decision to live in Washington after all...)

Focus

How long can you hang out upside down?

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The 40/40

for time:
40 handstand pushups
40 front squats, 71/46kg

compare to 27OCT2010 and 27JUL2010. (You should check the archived posts just for the photos!)

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Our own Mr. "Michael Fioré" will be on The Rachel Ray show this Monday for his awesome TEXT THE ROMANCE BACK.



Check this link to see when it airs around you!

Heavy pulls

Completely standing with the shoulders behind the bar end the deadlift range of motion.

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WOD

skill:
front lever, "ice cream makers"

click to see/download the free article

then

deadlift 1-1-1-1-1

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The Dirty Dash - a 10k obstacle/trail/mud run on July 9th in Kent, WA.

Anyone interested?

Locked out

Colin using a wide grip

'Overhead' means that your elbows are locked out, shoulders are active and the bar is over the back of your neck.

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WOD

2010 WA Sectionals WOD #1

every minute on the minute for 8 minutes:
100m run
max shoulder-to-overheads, 60/40kg

SupeRx is 71/50kg. Results [dudes] [ladies] from the 2010 competition are here.

How did you stack up?

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CrossFit Lisbeth discusses CrossFakers. We don't have any, of course!

...

"EBERT"

Check out some of the amazing, healthy, paleo meals made by some of our members participating in the 30 Day Journaling Challenge.  Start journaling today and make it your own 15-Day Journaling Challenge!

Jason A.'s egg, tomato, bacon “wrapped” in red leaf lettuce. Paleo BLT breakfast.

Meghan M.'s 2c chicken chili verde, 1/4 burger patty w/ mushroom sauce and field greens salad

Sheena's post-PUKIE BREWSTER lettuce, pork belly, mackerel and little bit of rice

Sara B.'s sirloin steak with sauteed radicchio/sun-dried tomatoes/basil, 1/4 avocado and tomato slices

Speaking of Sara, here's her report about how this challenge has helped her save money:

"I looked through my debit card history and figured out how much I spent on eating out vs. money spent on groceries 10 days prior to the challenge compared to the 10 days since the challenge started. The results are AMAZING!

10 days prior I spent a $126.97 on eating/drinking out and $34.95 on groceries. Total= $161.92

10 days since the challenge started I’ve spent $29.69 on eating/drinking out and $99.67 on groceries. Total= $129.36

I saved $32.56 on food in general! The most amazing part though, is that I spent $97.28 less on eating out since I made one of my goals to eat out less…. I’m pretty proud of that"

And you should be! Great job ms. lady. Rock on y'all.

link: THE FCF FOOD JOURNAL CHALLENGE

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WOD

"EBERT" *

5 rounds for max reps:

weighted pullup, 25/15#

handstand pushup

We hold high standards, especially for this movement. This is what we consider a handstand pushup. This is what we would like to avoid. As Ido would say "KEEP THE BODY LINE!"

* This turned out to be a great workout- so much that I want to revisit it more often. I never got around to dedicating a workout in honor of one of my mentors, so this is going to be the one!

Rest in Peace Chris.

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Not safe for family (hide yo kids!) or work, but real simple message here:

Yay B*rpees!

(Because they should be considered a curse word)

They're great, aren't they? Consider this a catch-up for everyone who's not quite up on our MANDATORY BURPEE CHALLENGE.

Did you do the burpees due this weekend?

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WOD

"PUKIE BREWSTER"

for time:
150 burpees

Rx'ed = keeping your jump over 6" each and every rep.

compare to 28JUN2010. results here.

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I wish we had stall bars. Then we could attempt to eventually do these:

Paleo Dictionary

An awesome post from Margo on the JOURNAL BLOG:

Interested in learning more about Paleo but confused by the jargon? Here is a helpful Paleo dictionary for your reference!


Paleo – generally speaking this is a diet (some say a lifestyle) roughly based on things our bodies were designed to eat like our paleolithic ancestors. This consists of meat, veggies, nuts, seeds, fruits and good quality fats like olives and avocado. It focuses on variety and quality of your food sources. This “diet” was first introduced by Loren Cordain but has been popularized by Robb Wolf.

Primal – The primal diet follows the paleo diet but includes dairy and seemingly shit-tons of bacon. It has been popularized by Mark Sisson of Mark’s Daily Apple.

80/20 Principle – Heavily encouraged by Mark Sisson, the 80/20 principle is the general idea that you shouldn’t go crazy with this diet stuff. Keep on a diet 80% and let yourself slide 20% so as not to make yourself crazy and/or make all your friends hate you. Many people believe this is a slippery slope and that what people say is 20% is often more like 40% – so be careful! Good in concept, tricky in practice.

Paleo Police – A term referring to those people who argue about the technicalities of whether a particular food is paleo or not. Also could refer to those people who chide you everytime you eat something not paleo approved.

“Paleo” – When something is technically paleo (ie. all the ingredients are paleo approved) but it really just a sheep in wolves clothing (ie. larabars, paleo pancakes, paleo muffins etc…). Basically a paleo food trying to be something that is the opposite of paleo.

Gluten-free – Many paleo-ites (most notably, Robb Wolf) think that staying gluten-free should be the first and foremost for any diet plan and think gluten (a component of wheat) is essentially the anti-Christ. It should be noted here that gluten means “glue” in latin – so next time you think about eating bread – think of it as glue and it will look a lot less appetizing.

Paleo Crack – When you discover something that is absolutely and completely paleo approved and is simultaneously absolutely and completely delicious (ie. almond butter, coconut butter, dates, coconut milk, larabars) and you can’t help but absolutely and completely crack out on it.

Cheat – When you intentionally eat something non-paleo, these are often used as rewards and should be planned in advance. It’s not exactly considered a cheat if it is a semi-daily occurrence!

Slip – When you “accidentally” eat something non-paleo – that is when it was not a planned “cheat”. I always chuckle when I read the Whole 9 description of a slip:

“Unless you physically tripped and your face landed in a box of donuts, there is no “slip”. You make a choice to eat something of poor quality. It is always a choice, so do not phrase it as if you had an accident.”

Intermittent Fasting – Or more commonly referred to as IF and not to be confused with CR (caloric restriction) – doesn’t really have anything to do with a paleo diet, but is often used in conjunction. There are several types of IF – but generally speaking it is allowing your body to “truly go hungry” for a period of time, usually between 20-36 hours. Really, IF shouldn’t be used unless you’ve really got your diet under control and you aren’t cheating every other day. Read more about it here, here and here.

What say you, fellow paleo peeps? Did I miss anything?

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WOD

"FRAN"

21-15-9 reps for time:

thruster, 45/30kg

pullups

compare to 15JUL2010 or 21MAY2010.

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SPLITS!

Living more

Ced made an awesome blog.

@ FGB5

Jason E co-created an awesome startup company.

post-Warrior Dash 2010

from The Living More Project:

[...]

While car pooling to an event I randomly ended up riding in the car of Jason Evans, eventually I asked him the question and for the first time I heard a new answers, "I work with my best friends on a project I'm passionate about, every day I wake up excited, I do what I do because I love it, I have a great life!" I was hooked, I needed to learn more and Jason was kind enough to share his story. He’s in his early 30’s, loves how he spends his days, works with his best friends and is changing the way the world produces electricity.

So... how’d he do it? He and his best-friends saved up as much as they could, quit their jobs and started a project they’re passionate about; building large-scale solar power plants at his start-up, TUUSSO energy. 

Here’s the story in his words...

“Six years ago I was a patent attorney working relatively long hours and not enjoying life. Work was work, and I viewed it primarily as a means to an end.

[...]

So... I feel extremely lucky. I love my work, spend my days solving interesting problems with my best friends, do what I believe in and make a good living. And you know what... everyday I wake up excited and happy to tackle my work, in a way that I never would have felt punching the clock for someone else.”

Get to know these two awesome people (and athletes) by reading the rest here.

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WOD

for time:
5k run

compare to 03JUN2010.

results here.

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Homework from Ced: Why do you do what you do?

• Here's a homework assignment, spend 15 minutes thinking about why you do what you do, write down the top 3 reasons.
• Ask a few of your closest friends the question.
• How does your reason compare to theirs?
• How does your reason compare to Jasons?
• How far would you go to love what you do everyday?

New athletes

You'll be seeing another bunch of fresh Foundations Graduates in normal classes soon!

Make sure you introduce yourself.

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WOD

bench 3-3-3

then

as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes:
10 knees-to-elbows
15 situps

compare to 24AUG2010.

results here.

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Lookie! Foundation CrossFit is featured in the Seattle University Spectator.

Getting fit the freaky way: "Do Monkey Squashes Coconut" and throw balls at motivational phrases!
by Emma McAleavy

"Today we're gonna do the ‘Monkey Squash Coconut,'" our trainer told us. He proceeded to demonstrate this for those of us unfamiliar with some of the more creative crossfit workouts. He grabbed a giant rubber band that was wrapped around a high bar and proceed to pull it down to touch the ground. He repeated the gesture several times.

He looked a lot like a monkey squashing a coconut.

Read the rest here.

Sodaholics

My name is Toni, and I’m a SODAHOLIC...

the devil's drink

As far back as I can remember I had a Coca Cola in my hand or baby bottle. I don’t ever remember drinking water as a kid unless it had Kool Aid in it with tons of sugar. I was a pretty active kid, I never played video games and we were always outside from dawn til dusk. In high school I was a three sport varsity athlete so I stayed lean and active all year including the summer when I played in volleyball tournaments every weekend. I would probably consume at least  three to four 44oz sodas a day and in the summertime it was more. Circle K! Super Big Gulps! Refills only $0.35!! I never thought anything about it being bad for me because it tasted so good and I never felt bad when I drank it.

I remember trying to quit several times throughout my twenties because I eventually weighed 330 lbs after I stopped being active and bet that at least half of my calorie consumption was liquid. I couldn’t have a soda without eating something with it and vice versa. When I’d try to go without I usually failed because of the headaches or the convenience of sodas. Trying to being more ‘healthy’ I switched to Diet Coke and lost 20 pounds within a month. I was convinced I was doing a good thing by drinking soda with no calories. I didn’t realize that I still craved the same junk food with the soda…. Come on, you soda drinkers know that pizza isn’t good without a soda! And greasy hamburgers are so much better with a coke in hand!…

Read the rest here on the Journaling Challenge Blog.

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WOD

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:

400m run

21 kettlebell swing, 24/16kg

12 pullup

Actively pulling the kettlebell down cycles allows for more work to be done faster.

compare to 26JUL2010 or 16JUN2010.

results here. 

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How to survive a 1000-foot fall - Gizmodo

Be lucky (and CrossFitting doesn't hurt either!)