no chubbies?

In case you haven't figured it out, I'm a cupcake fan. I just think they're pretty. Don't make me throw them at you, though...

I found this on the CrossFit Unlimited site. For the record, I'd hate to add to the discussion on The Anti-Gym. Any gym that preys on the vanity and insecurity of people is absolutely insane. According to this article, here are some things to look forward to at the Anti-Gym:

Anti-Gym's motto is "Have Sex With the Lights On." ...A roster keeps track of how people are doing at Anti-Gym: Dean's List, Jimmy Dean's Sausage List and the Fatso List. If you slack off in a drill, your entire group is punished. The men's and women's locker rooms lead to a coed shower area. And then there's the Ravish Room, a private room with a hot tub and sauna and shower that, with a secret code, only admits men with 11 percent body fat and women with 16 percent body fat.

I don't even know where to begin with this one. While I'm as vain as the next person, I have absolutely no desire to pay money to a gym that would dare put me on the "Fatso List." The Aniti-Gym motto is "have sex with the lights on." Puh-lease. Like I need permission from my gym to do that! As for the hot tub, I have one at my house. Anyone is invited - body fat and all. Call it my stubborn-ness. Or my strong opinions. Or my high sense of self. But you have to be a bona fide asshole to pay another asshole to make you feel like shit. Apparently, the owner is known to throw cupcakes at you if you're not hauling ass during his workouts. (Scoffs.) What a freakin' waste of cupcakes!

On to other news... Courtesy of Big Fat Blog, here's a study about overweight people having a longer life expectancy. (Ha! Eat that Anti-Gym!) Aaaand if you're one of those people who likes to post-WOD hydrate with a beer, here's an article for you. Enjoy!

Finally, I'd like to announce that in my last series of blood tests, my hemoglobin A1C was at my lowest ever - 5.8. Woot! When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I was at 10.0 - way over the normal limit. In fact, this indicated that I may have had diabetes for about ten years before they caught it. Since then, I've maintained my numbers in the mid to high 6 range, but my doctors would ideally like me to be in the low 6, high 5 range. I finally did it. Yea!

In truth, I'm surprised because my cupcake consumption these past few months has been a little embarrassing. When the doc asked how I did it, I said, "CrossFit." It was the only thing I could think of. However, I will say that making small changes to my eating helped too. I stopped thinking about all the food I could not have and focused more on adding good stuff like salad and fruit to each meal. I also stopped using Splenda. I don't know if this makes a difference, but I switched to plain old bitter lattes. Finally, I cut down on milk because my Asian genes are kicking in and my lactose tolerance is wearing thin. It's weird because it's just milk I have an issue with. I'm totally fine with cheese (in small amounts) and ice cream. Hmph.

In case you're wondering, my weight has stayed completely the same. Granted, my body composition is different that it was over a year ago, but weight-wise, the scales haven't moved. I'd like to care. But I won't for now.

My cholesterol levels are great too. My HDLs are 51 (ideal range is over 49) and my LDLs are 88 (normal range is 120s, but diabetics need to be under 100). Yeah. That's why I get to do thing with the lights on!

Warm-up
Jump ropes and burpees

CrossFit One World WOD
Complete three rounds for time of:
1 minute of kettlebell swings for max reps 35#
1 minute rest
1 minute of rowing for max calories
1 minute rest
1 minute of burpees for max reps
1 minute rest
1 minute of jumping pull-ups for max reps
1 minute rest
Your score is total reps and calories for all three rounds.

Here was my breakdown:
Kettlebell swings: 26/23/20 = 69
Row: 17/14/14 = 45
Burpees: 13/12/12 = 37
Jumping Pull-ups: 19/19/18 = 56

Joanne's Final Count: 207

Notes (to myself) about this workout: Admittedly, this wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The minute rest goes by really fast, but it gives you the chance to re-group and aim for some kind of consistency. (That is, if you remember your previous counts, which I did not. ha ha!) I was hoping to break 200, so 207 was a complete gift.

For the warm-up, we did some jump roping. I managed to either maintain 45 skips or stay within 40-45 skips in 30 seconds. It's not a lot considering most people could squeeze 60 reps or so. However, seeing that I'm really weak on the ropes, I was actually happy with how I held up. I'm finding that I jump twice for each rotation. I need to fix that because the extra jump is wasted energy. Bleh.

in defense of filipino food

During a recent visit, my dear friend Gladys and I talked extensively about food. She's been scouting Mark's Daily Apple and has decided to transition to a primal (or semi-primal) diet for her and her family. The issue we both tackle with respect to such diets is How do we maintain our love for Filipino food? while on such a diet? After lengthy discussions, we both agreed that if we cut out the rice and breads, Filipino food is actually very good for those going primal. It just takes some minor adjustments. While here, Gladys and I had dinner at Tribu Grill in Union City. Below are some of the yummies we ordered...

fathlete confession: We started chowing down before I took these photos. Therefore, I had to jimmy-rig the plates to look uneaten. Sorry... Sizzling Bangus Belly (or Sizzling Milkfish). Served on a sizzling platter, this is grilled fish topped with onions and garlic. It's also boneless. The fish fat is supposed to be good for you.
Tilapia with ginger and lemon sauce with mango and tomato salad. This was yummy and very clean tasting. Personally, I liked it better than the bangus because I liked the balance between the fish and the salad. Also, the tilapia was so juicy and flaky! Yummy!
Eggplant Salad. The veggies were a little hard to settle on. Oftentimes, veggies in Filipino cuisine is not vegetarian friendly. Warning: Our "veggie" dishes still contain meat for flavoring. Always ask for clarification because in our culture, vegetarian food still allows for seafood. Vegetarians, you have been warned. Gladys and I both love eggplant, so we settled on this dish. It was yummy, but oilier than I had wanted it. When the menu stated it was grilled eggplant, I was thinking it would be fire grilled then peeled (like how my mom does it). Nonetheless, it was a good dish. Gladys and I did opt for rice, but we ate minimal amounts. I can usually do without rice in Filipino food as long as I have a clean veggie dish to make up for it. Again, the eggplant didn't do the job because it was a little oily.

A few weekends ago, my dear gal pal Dorothy and I met for Sunday lunch at The Intramuros. It's much more upscale than the Filipino restaurants in Union City. In fact, it reminds me of the schmancy places in Manila. The food was pretty good. Here are some of our dishes...
Callos. This is a tomato-based stew consisting of beef tripe, sausage, garbanzo beans, etc. When cooked right, it's one of my favorite dishes. In fact, I think my mom makes some of the best callos around. I liked this version, but wished it was a little more soupy. Again, sans rice, it's quite primal friendly.
Laing. Ah, this is one of those veggie dishes that are deceiving. It's taro leaves that have been cooked for hours (so you don't get that itchy throat thing) in coconut milk. It's seasoned with ginger and shrimp. It's heavy, so I tend to eat it in small portions. But it's very good and the greens are good for you. In fact, taro leaves are a staple in a lot of Polynesian food as well.
Sizzling Bangus. This is another variation of sizzling milkfish. I really liked their take on this dish because it was very clean tasting and the fish was boneless. In fact, it reminded me of kelaguen, a popular dish on Guam, but without the coconut. Fish and lemon are one of my favorite combinations!
Bibingka Souffle. This is not primal at all because it's a dessert. But for those of you who have had bibingka, this was a fantastic take on a traditional dessert. I loved that they incorporated the salted egg and cheese on the side. (If you have never had Filipino food, you can shut your judgmental asses up about the ways we include salted egg and cheese in our desserts. Seriously. You can.)

Tomatoes and Salted Egg. I made this dish myself. If you recall earlier, I mentioned that I can go without the rice as long as I have a clean veggie on the side. This is something that I make routinely. It's a simple mixture of tomatoes (heirloom if it's in season), red onions, and salted egg. If I can find green mango or mango that's not sweet, I'll throw that in too. The salted egg isn't uber salty and serves as a flavoring agent. This side dish is great for those meat heavy dishes such as the fish dishes. It also helps cut your rice intake.

Okay. There you have it. My spiel on the goodness of Filipino food. I will confess that I know a number of Filipinos who get a kick out of "tricking" non-Filipinos into eating things like blood, intestines, and unborn duck egg. Admittedly, I think it's funny. But I'm not one of those people. I love Filipino food and I'm also more than happy to introduce the cuisine to others. It should be noted that if you're going to try out Filipino food, I'm your girl. I won't lead you to the funky stuff (um, unless you want me to).

CFit buzz

I love cupcakes. In particular, I love eating cupcakes while sporting pigtails. You should all love me for that too! Note: I happen to be sporting a green tea cupcake from Love at First Bite. If you know what's good for you, you'd run over and grab a cupcake there too. On to less delicious matters...

Freddy posted this article a few days ago. Basically, John Sheaffer aka Johnny Pain owner of Greyskull Elite Strength & Conditioning (formerly CrossFit Greyskull) withdrew their CrossFit affiliation and this post explains why. In part, Sheaffer explains (in his opinion) the rapid growth of CrossFit has equated to the decline in the quality of how CrossFitters coach, train, develop strength, etc. In truth, I completely understand where Sheaffer is coming from. It's hard to not get frustrated when you see how much CrossFit has changed (oftentimes not for the better). Yes, I'm glad someone said something. Lots of people have chimed in and here's my take on it. It begins with my:

fathlete confession: I'm positive that according to Sheaffer, I'm an embarrassment to the CrossFit community. To those who find me an embarrassment, I say f--k you and there's more of me than there are of you. With that, you can kiss my beautiful island ass.... In all seriousness, I understand that for many, CrossFit is about "forging elite fitness." Everyone has their opinions on what that is. For me, it's about the everyday struggle of getting myself to the gym and working through the WOD. There's a lot that I'm still terrible at. I admit this. I'm fine with this. But I've come a long way since last year when I re-committed myself to the system. For me, CrossFit is about the everyday. It's about getting through the WOD in hopes that I did better than before. For me, CrossFit is not just about my body. It's about my spirit. A lot of people forget this.

Here are some points that Sheaffer addresses:

Decline in the quality of CrossFit affiliates: Not all affiliates are created equally. It is true that with something as hot as CrossFit, there are those who jump on the bandwagon with no regard to the quality of their box. This is bound to happen in any industry. Apparently, it happens to be noticeable in CrossFit. Personally, I wouldn't know anything about this because I believe I attend one of the best affiliates around. I haven't visited anyone else's box. I will say that I've met some amazing trainers from other affiliates such as CrossFit Unlimited and CrossFit Santa Clara. These are people who embody the essence of what is great about CrossFit.

I agree that it's completely moronic to allow an affiliate to open when all you've done is the Level 1 certification. However, I think it was easy to open an affiliate when CrossFit was smaller because there was a lot of passion in the community. Unless you had that passion, no one really thought about opening an affiliate unless they knew they could live up to CrossFit standards. Now, things are different.

fathlete solution: CrossFit is growing and now needs to change things accordingly. I don't mind that doing a Level 1 cert allows you to be a trainer. Someone has to start somewhere. However, there should be some type of internship program that focuses on teaching CrossFit that one should go through in order to run an affiliate. This is where the CrossFit community becomes important. The internship program can be held with the support of other affiliates. I'm thinking of people who trained/coached at One World are now running successful affiliates and programs (such as Austin at Unlimited, Will B. who runs the program in Dublin, Mia in Fresno, etc.).

Decline in programming: I have nothing to say about this because I think the programming at One World is amazing. (Yes. Even when Chong does the programming.) I also see nothing wrong with the programming on the main site. If there are problems, it's that trainers/coaches are not scaling the movements according to the demands of the athlete. Again, education plays a part in this.

CrossFit arrogance: Arrogant CrossFitters came into CrossFit already arrogant. I don't think the system made them that way. It's the same if you're an asshole. You're just born with it. Seriously. If you're one of those idiots who wear the "Fit as F--K" shirts because you're declaring something as opposed to wearing it as a goal, then you're just a dumbass who has no life. Sadly, there are a lot of you arrogant f--kers out there. Clearly, I don't associate with you.

Strength training: I think CrossFit is about balance. A person cannot live on strength alone. I completely disagree with the article in this respect.

Information on nutrition: As a self proclaimed fathlete, I probably shouldn't say anything about this... But I will anyway. I do think it's wrong for people to live on 8 blocks a day on the zone while doing CrossFit. I agree with Sheaffer in that some of the nutrition advice isn't quite sound. In fact, I remember watching a fellow One Worlder living on 10 blocks a day while doing intense CrossFit training. I always thought it wasn't enough food for her. However, someone on the HQ team said it would be good for her. This is where I started to question some of the nutrition standards. Now, I think CrossFit has gotten better and CrossFitters have gotten more savvy about nutrition. In particular, I think Robb Wolf is interesting. I also think Mark's Daily Apple gives some great advice. In particular, I like that Mark thinks red wine and dark chocolate are okay;)

Personally, I'm a cherry picker when it comes to eating. I like Robb Wolf and Mark's Daily Apple in conjunction with the principles of Clean Eating and Intuitive Eating. For me, eating is a lifestyle. My focus is on health, sanity, and enjoyment - not unhealthy obsession. I'm always trying to work on my eating habits. This is what works for me. To each her own...

And that's my fathlete spiel on the CrossFit buzz. I hope you're all having a great weekend!

Warm-up
Greeting all the cool kids that I haven't seen in AGES! (Yup. That includes you Alex, Raz, and John W.)
Stretching

CrossFit One World WOD
Run 5K

Joanne's Final Time -37:35

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I've never run a true 5K for time. I've always run it with other people using the interval 4:1 method because everyone thinks running the 5K is daunting. It is. But daunting and impossible are different things. The first time I ran a 5k at One World, I ran it with Settie and Shannon. We finished in about 43 minutes. The last time I ran it was with Lori. I think we clocked in at 34 minutes, but Lori did admit she wasn't sure about the timer. Looking back, I think we did it more along the lines of 40+ minutes because my interval timer read that we ran eight 5-minute intervals plus the round we were currently on. So much for timer ma-le-functions.

I was aiming to run under 40 minutes, which would make my mile pace about 13 minutes. I reached my goal of (1) running without walking or stopping and (2) finishing under 40 minutes, making my mile pace well under 13 minutes. The last time I ran a half marathon, my mile pace was around 14+ minutes (using the 4:1 run/walk pace). I think I'm going to do the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon next year, but I'm trying to build a 4:1 run/slow run pace. fathlete confession: These strategies do not have to make sense to you.

Right now, I just wanted to say that it was a good run and I'm looking forward to setting my training calendar. Training starts in late October and consists of three running days per week, one of them being a long run day. Wish me luck!

confession

Aaaaand this is the post where I confess my love for Journey simply because I adore lead singer Arnel Pineda. This past Monday they were on Oprah, where the theme was "Don't Stop Believing." In the interview, they mention a few key things: Journey just released a concert DVD called Live In Manila. It's available now at Wal-Mart. More importantly, sometime next year a documentary about Arnel Pineda will be released called Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey. It's going to be directed by Ramona Diaz, who directed Imelda: Power. Myth. Illusion. and Spirits Rising. Ramona Diaz is a totally badass filmmaker. Back to Journey.... fathlete confession: Arnel's singing makes me cry. In a good way. My heart swells with pride at the sight of him sitting next to Oprah!

Okay. I will not further indulge in my obsession. Instead, I'll just share some you tube videos. Enjoy!

Don't Stop Believing Part 1


Don't Stop Believing Part 2


Warm-up
Eric's crazy running, sprawls, jumping jacks, burpee, warm-up.

CrossFit One World WOD: Tabata Something Else
A tabata round is 20 seconds of work and ten seconds of rest. You will perform 32 total rounds where the first eight rounds are pull-ups, the next eight are push-ups, the next eight are Abmat sit-ups, and the last eight are squats. Your final score is total reps for all 32 rounds.

Joanne's Final Score - 300 (like the movie!)

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I don't know that the breakdown was by exercise. I do know that I'm going to pay for this WOD tomorrow morning. My butt hurts from all those damn squats! Don't ask me how I got 300 reps. I wish I knew, but I don't.

love story

I ran into an old friend on Saturday. I'll call him Sam. I know Sam because his ex-partner was my sister's boss . Sam is a very friendly, outgoing, guy who at the time was making a killing as a salesman for computer parts. His then partner (who I will refer to as) Denise was the kind of boss who inspired you to want to work hard. My sister loved working with Denise. I always thought Sam and Denise made a great couple.

A few years ago Denise found out she had cancer and didn't have that much longer to live. Seeing that his time with Denise was limited, Sam eventually left his high-powered job to spend whatever time he could with Denise. After a three year battle, Denise passed away. I always felt horrible about this. Even more, I always wondered how Sam was doing.

On Saturday I was working in San Francisco when I saw Sam. He was shopping with a woman who seemed to be his girlfriend. I wanted to say hello. But I didn't want to remind Sam of Denise's passing. After all, it was through Denise that I even know him. After thinking it over, I realized that I may never see Sam ever again and that it would be a shame to not say hello.

Sam greeted me with a warm hug and we caught up a little bit. I asked how he was doing and he said that the past year or so has been rough without Denise. He said, "She was truly the love of my life." I nearly died hearing him say this. He then explained that before she passed, Denise signed him up for a dating service. Two months after her passing, Sam started getting the emails, all of which he ignored. In fact, he was angry that Denise would ever do such a thing. In the correspondence, Denise made it clear that she wanted Sam to move on. She didn't want him to feel empty for the rest of his life. Though they shared a great love, she wanted to make sure his love (even for someone else) would keep moving forward. At the new year, Sam finally responded to the dating service. He eventually met a lovely woman (the one he was with that day) and they've been together ever since.

Sam's story was so beautiful that it made me cry. I just had to share it with all of you. Admittedly, I'm equal parts romantic and cynic, which makes for a confusingly bitter person. I'm working on the bitter cynic part. Okay. Instead of ending on such a sour note, I'd like to send well wishes to Sam and his new love...

Warm-up
Run 800 meters
Prep for the WOD

CrossFit One World WOD
Front Squat 3/3/3/3/3

Joanne's Final Weight - 83/103/113/123/128x2

Notes (to myself) about this workout: Getting to work out has been tough these days. Between teaching, writing, working, applications, my life is one crazy mess. I was glad to FINALLY make it in today. I was even more happy to do some lifting with Jason K. (kudos!). Unfortunately, the front squat is my least favorite squat. However, I'm really happy with today's performance. Here's why....

The last two sets were rough. At 123# my first lift was good, the second was faltering, and the last one was a major struggle. At 128# my first lift was really challenging. The second lift was really off and Jason told me to re-set. I was surprised that I was able to do so. My final lift failed. However, I was glad because I really stuck it out at 128#. I took my time, got stuck in the middle, and just battled with it. If I completed the third lift, it would have been even sweeter. Regardless, I am really happy!

After a lot of thought, I'm seriously considering buying some weightlifting shoes. I've been plateau-ing on the weight and I think it's because of stabilization and practice issues. A lot of people have been telling me it's also best to start lifting with shoes. Here is what I'm thinking of: I actually think these may be Tia's shoes. I'd like them to be full leather (like the photo), black with deep purple and purple stitching. I'd like to heels to read "sassy j-ro." A friend suggested "sexy j-ro," but I didn't want to be presumptuous. ha ha. Any thoughts?

for Miss Girl Crush

I just wanted to give a special shout out to Cheryl T., Miss Girl Crush. She ran the San Jose Rock & Roll Half Marathon today (along with One Worlders Jen S. and Anna P.; my friend Davidson also ran the event. Kudos!). Girl Crush is a paleo eater, so trying to convince her to have some celebration cupcakes was a bit challenging. She did, however, mention that she might have a celebration halo-halo. With that, this halo-halo is for you, Girl Crush! I hope this deliciousness makes you weak in the knees! (Ahem. I was referring to the photo of the halo-halo - not the fabulousness that runs this blog! ha ha!)

For those of you who don't know, halo-halo is a Filipino dessert made of candied beans, fruits, coconut gel, ube, leche flan, pinipig, shave ice, evaporated milk, ice cream, etc. Translated, halo-halo means mix-mix because you have to mix all the elements of the dessert together and then eat it. Admittedly, I'm the queen of clean halo-halo mixing. It's an art that I happen to excel in! While living in the Philippines last year, I lived on halo-halo. It was how I coped with the heat. Pictured here is one of my favorite halo-halo. It comes from a restaurant called The Aristrocrat. It's currently a chain restaurant in the Philippines. However, it holds a special place in my heart because my parents' wedding reception was held at the original Aristocrat restaurant way back in 1965.

All the running talk has gotten me craving for a little running. I'm seriously thinking of doing the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon in San Francisco in February. I've always wanted to do another half marathon in San Francisco and this one seems to be a cool, low key event. If you want more information about some half and full marathons happening in California, click here. Running is a great way to explore new places. If there are any takers out there for February, please let me know. Training starts soon.

That brings me to my next topic: training. I'm one of those people who has to face the fact that I'm not a natural athlete. In the realm of all things physical, there is nothing I can take for granted. If I'm going to run a half marathon, I can't assume that CrossFit will take me to the 13.1 miles. I know it can't. CrossFit is an amazing exercise system. But it doesn't make me invincible. For me, running requires gear, nutrition, training, and respect for the course. When I ran a half marathon last year, I supplemented that training with CrossFit. CrossFitting helped me avoid injuries I endured previously when I ran a full marathon. Granted, I respect invincible CrossFitters that can walk into any sport and rock it. I'm modest enough to know that I'm not that talented. (Yes. This makes me jealous too. ha ha!)

A while back, I wrote this entry about a woman I know who signed up for a marathon (26.2 miles) but didn't run more than five miles before the race. I still don't know how she did, but I hope the course bit her in the ass. I firmly believe you have to respect the sports you decide to commit to. Nothing, not even CrossFit can make you invincible because at some point, karma will catch up to you. Case in point: Lance Armstrong. It would be too easy for Lance to jump from cycling to running. It would be too easy to think that he can transition with very little training. However, I respect that Lance put himself on a training schedule. All the Tour de France accolades are not going to help him with the marathon. He still has to train. He still understands what it is to respect a sport. What I love even more about Lance's bout with the marathon is that during his second time around, he admits the importance of marathon training. Lance knows that being a world class athlete doesn't make you invincible. Even world class athletes need a plan!

Warm-up
Prep for the clean.

CrossFit One World WOD
Work on cleans. I started with the 33# bar and ended with cleaning 83#, and had a few failed attempts at 88#.

Notes (to myself) about this workout: Today we weren't really trying to get our max cleans. Instead, we were focusing on technique. This was fine because I really needed For some reason, I couldn't lift anything heavier than 83#. My feeble attempts at 88# resulted in failure. Like with many things in CrossFit, I just need more practice. I'm also seriously thinking of buying some weightlifting shoes. Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?

One final thought about cleans (and other weightlifting moves).... It SUCKS to have boobs if you're doing some of these movements. On my failed 88# attempts, I ended up hitting the weight on my chest. On another attempt, the bar got caught on my bra. (I'm not even going to try to explain this one.) When you experience 88# of metal and rubber slamming against your boobs, you can tell me how great the recovery was. If anyone in the peanut gallery has any friendly advice about boobs, that would be greatly appreciated. (Um, I'd love it even more if you kept the boob advice clean. Thanks! Yes. Puns intended.) Just so you know, "CrossFit women don't have boobs" is not acceptable advice (Jason K.!).

donation match

In case any of you were trying to figure out how to donate to the relief efforts in the Philippines, UNICEF is taking donations as well. The great thing about donating here is that an anonymous donor will match your contributions 100%, up to $100,000. The catch is you have to donate by October 6th. Please donate ASAP!

Also, love and prayers go out to people in the Philippines, Vietnam, Samoa and American Samoa, Guam, Tonga, and the rest of the Pacific that is affected by the tsunami and typhoons.

Warm-up
Two rounds of:
Two minute row
Two minute jump rope

CrossFit One World WOD
Complete the following for time:
Row 1000m
Run 800m
100 plyo jumps
Row 500m
Run 400m
50 plyo jumps

Joanne's Final Time - 22:47

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I still can't do double unders. I'm at the point where I can do the double whip thing, but I can't coordinate the jump. The sub on this were plyo jumps on a dowel. Not bad. It was a good way to get the jump. I still need the practice.

please donate

In case you haven't heard, over the weekend, the Philippines was hit with a major typhoon. Typhoon Ondoy (aka Typhoon Ketsana) is one of the most devastating typhoons that has ever hit the metro Manila area, leaving entire cities completely submerged under water and hundreds left to die. It's a story that breaks my heart because over a year ago, I lived in the Philippines and I am familiar with these places that are featured in the news stories. I have a few friends who I haven't heard from yet. In particular, one of my academic friends and mentors lives in Cainta, one of the cities that was submerged. Prayers go out to him all the people who are still stranded on their rooftops waiting for help.

Vietnam has also been hit with Typhoon Ondoy. Finally, a major tsunami has hit Samoa and American Samoa. Again, prayers go out to the people who are suffering and seeking help in the aftermath of these natural disasters.

With this, I urge each and every one of you to please donate in any way you can to the rescue and relief efforts that are currently taking place. Unfortunately, the Philippine government is known to be *ahem* less than honest. Therefore, many U.S. organizations and individuals have taken it upon themselves to set up accounts and such to ensure the money goes directly to victims to buy food and medical supplies. Here are some ways you can contribute:

(Note: I'm listing these organizations and relief efforts because they are people I trust.)

Bayan USA has set up a paypal account for your donations.

Those of us in the U.S. can donate through the Red Cross's International Donation set-up. Simply call the American Red Cross at 1-800-435-7669. Choose the third option which is “International Donation.” Then please tell the operator that your donation is for the Ondoy (Ketsana) typhoon victims in the Philippines.

For those of us who live in the San Francisco bay area, please check out this article. It lists drop-off places where you can bring food, clothing, and medical supplies that will be shipped to the Philippines.

Finally, I wanted to share the following information from my dear friend Sunny Vergara. His brother Happy Vergara set up a special paypal account and posted it on facebook. In two days, they raised over $3000. Happy has been posting photos on his facebook page so that people can see their money at work. Here's the story:

Helping victims of typhoon Andoy (aka Happy, Clarissa & Monica's Grocery Runs for Typhoon Andoy)

Hi folks, here's a slightly more direct way of helping out the victims of Typhoon Andoy -- my brother Happy Vergara has set up an email account just for Paypal donations (paypal@622design.com) and has raised $1500 today from Facebook friends alone! He and his spouse Clarissa David, and her sister Monica, have been running off to the supermarket and buying the canned goods themselves and dropping them off personally at the relief center in Ateneo. Please help!

UPDATE (12:30 PST): They've raised enough money to make a second run to the supermarket this afternoon (9/28 Manila time) and will keep returning to the supermarket to buy canned goods as long as the donations keep coming in. But we know that won't be enough -- some people are still stranded on the roofs of their houses, the flood waters aren't all receding yet, and thousands of people are still displaced from their homes (or what's left of them).

UPDATE (9/28, 6:00 PST): And once again, the Facebook posse has come through: my brother woke up this morning to find over $790 more in funds, bringing the total up to $3031 in 24 hours! He'll be making a third run to the supermarket and the pharmacy today (vitamins and rehydration salts are what is needed right now).

UPDATE (9/29, 8:30 AM PST): The third batch of groceries were just purchased and delivered, and they've raised $4,100 -- thanks to all you Facebookers!

UPDATE (9/29, 9:15 PM PST): the total is now $4,700 in 48 hours from Facebook -- thanks again! Clarissa and Monica are out buying groceries again; we'll keep you folks updated!

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I know it's frustrating for those of us who live away from the Philippines and can't seem to find a way to do this securely online (and not have to bother with wire transfers and check clearing, or worry that the funds may go into the wrong hands). Happy just took the initiative and set up the Paypal account -- please write me for more details or send cash via Paypal to paypal@622design.com (and let me know, if you like). *100%* of your donations are going directly towards purchasing the relief goods. (Sorry, we're not set up for receipts or tax deductions -- all this has been an informal learning experience for us, and the best we can do is a "thank you" note and a tag on Facebook -- but we truly appreciate your help.)

See also pictures of Happy, Clarissa and Monica here -- buying the groceries and driving them off to the relief center: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2322521&id=5522807&ref=mf (or http://tr.im/zXPZ)

Here's the New York Times article on Typhoon Andoy, along with pictures of the devastation. Also see the NY Times News Blog article.

There are now many other places that also accept online donations:

BAYAN-USA (I know these folks)

GABRIELA-USA

TXTPower

the ABS-CBN Foundation

the GMA Kapuso Foundation (the TV station, not that GMA)

the Philippine National Red Cross (EDIT: their online form looked a litte hinky earlier, but they now have a Paypal account: give@redcross.org.ph)

the World Food Programme

the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the specific Philippine link, which was there before, seems to have gone missing from the drop-down menu, but it'll return, I hope)

the Canadian Red Cross


There's probably a drop-off site in a city near you as well; NAFCON/Sandiwa, among others, are coordinating them.)

Whichever way you donate, it's extremely appreciated, and a little goes a long way in the Philippines. Of the grocery items that the three have purchased:

- $1 will buy 10 juice boxes,
- $5 will buy 5 cans of tuna,
- $10 will buy 24 packs of powdered milk,
- $17 will buy a 55-pound sack of rice (more or less, we think, 100+ cups of cooked rice, which means a hundred-odd people!)

As soon as I hear of any information about donating to the Vietnam and Samoa efforts, I will definitely post! Thank you all for listening and I do hope you help in any way possible! On to the WOD...

Warm-up
Run 800 meters
Row 1000 meters
Overhead squat work
Squats on the wall

CrossFit One World WOD
Complete three rounds of:
As many burpees (with a 6" jump) as you can complete in five minutes.
Rest three minutes
Post the number of burpees performed in each round to comments.

Joanne's Final Count - 42/36/38 = 116

Notes (to myself) about this workout: Burpees suck. They suck even more if you've been out of commission and decide to come back on burpee day.

in l-o-v-e

I promise I'll be back in the box tomorrow. Seriously. I will.

Naturally, I must share some articles that I find completely fascinating (or remotely interesting). Here's one that states if you're trying to lose weight (or have healthy eating habits) you need to avoid hanging out with people who are thin and eat like monsters. ha ha! My response is: DUH!

While browsing through yahoo news, I ran into this story about Fashion Week. Mark Fast, a Canadian designer decided to feature three plus size models in his show. (Note: Plus size in this context is a U.S. size 10 and 12. In regular people standards, plus size is actually size 16 [sometimes size 14] and up.) Apparently, two of his staff members quit the show because they found the models disgusting. Here is another story with better details and photos. Bravo to Mark Fast. With that, you deserve some BIG fathlete hugs and kisses. xoxo.
This is one of the "plus size" models featured in the Mark Fast fashion show. The other big hoo-ha about having these larger models was that the clothing is skin tight. Apparently, it may have been okay to have these bigger girls as long as they were dressed in camping tents.
This is one of the "standard" models in the fashion show. To the staffers who quit because they found the size 10-12 models disgusting: KISS MY FATHLETE ASS!

On to more love... Below is a clip of Margaret Cho on The View promoting her new show Drop Dead Diva, where she plays Teri Lee, the executive assistant to the main character, Jane Bingum (played by the wonderful Brooke Elliott). In this clip, I lovelovelove that Margaret Cho talks about having a "coming out" to declare that she's beautiful. I think it's a fabulous idea. If any of you would like to throw such a party, please remember to invite me:)


In case you're curious about Drop Dead Diva, here is a little teaser...

I confess that I am in love. L-O-V-E love with the show. I've only seen a few episodes, but it's in my rotation of shows I need to watch on On Demand when I visit my sister or my mom. (My rotating list includes: Drop Dead Diva, Monk and Psych!) I think the show is really interesting because it revolves around Jane had her issues as a self-centered wannabe supermodel who died and was reincarnated into a fat, insecure lawyer. Granted, I take issue with the dichotomy. However, it's a law show and some of the cases they take on are fascinating (like the one where Jane sues a designer clothing store for not carrying anything over a size 10, or this last one where they sued a dating service). I love Jane. I hate Kim. I wish Grayson grew a pair. The Stacy and Fred story line irks me. Finally, who doesn't love Margaret Cho?!

protect insurance companies

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

I know that there's a major healthcare debate going on in the country right now. Sadly, I don't know all the details. This is why I will refrain from commentary on the issue (for now). I will say that at the end of the day, I am all for accessible healthcare for EVERYONE. Healthcare should also include preventative care - as in my chiropractor appointments should be covered! Health and physical education should also be mandated in schools. Period. This isn't me being anti-American or pro-socialist. To me, healthcare is a basic human right. Having said that, I hope you enjoy this parody by Will Ferrell and company.

In other news, yahoo posted this story about toxic friends. It references a book on the subject matter. The article includes a list of things that should tell you if your friends are toxic or not. It's written with female friendships in mind. Hmph. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm not into the woman on woman hateration. Sistas need to sick together, you know?!

Here's a story about a university vice chancellor who says that gazing at attractive female students is a perk of the job. Whaaat?! Sadly, I'm not surprised. But for a vice chancellor to come out and make this claim publicly?! Are you f--kin' kidding me?!

In other manly news, did you know that they're now trying to create macho mattresses that cater to men's needs? Yeah. Hilarious!

For the lovey-dovey in you, here's a story for you ladies who are trying to decide if he's a keeper. fathlete confession: I'm trying really hard to refrain from any cynical remarks. Must... Be... Good...

Did you know that some amazing woman gave birth to a 19 pound baby?! Whaaat?! That beats a WOD any day!

Finally, I wanted to share this article about a recent photo published in Glamour magazine that featured a "normal" woman - as in she is bigger than a size zero and has an actual belly. I've got lots to say, but I'll pick up the pieces another day.

For now, it's great to be back in commission. Enjoy the news!

Warm-up
Light Helen:
Four rounds of:
Run 200 meters
10 - 18# kettlebell swings
10 - jumping pull-ups

CrossFit One World WOD: Helen
Complete three rounds for time of:
Run 400m
21 kettlebell swings 35#
12 jumping pull-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 14:21

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I've been out of commission because a friend was in town and I just needed a break - especially after that last time worked out. Tonight felt good. The search function on this WOD is weird. It's not letting me see my other Helen times. Therefore, I don't know if I did better or worse. It's okay. It felt good and this was a good WOD to come back to.

what's cookin'

As promised, I'm sharing some of the stuff I've been cooking up at home. Last week I made a big batch of broccoli beef. You can usually find this in a lot of Chinese restaurants. The nice thing about making this at home is that it really stretches your dollar. For about $10 (given that you already have the seasonings at home) you can feed an army! I scored some great rib eye and was impressed at how tender and delicious the dish turned out. I also like that my home made version is loaded with garlic and sauce, and lacks the excess oil that most restaurants load their food with. Take my word for it, it's pretty yummy and so easy to make!
I normally pair broccoli beef with plain rice. However, I had some extra brown rice that needed some TLC, so I made friend rice. I usually saute some veggies and olive oil together and then separate. For this batch, I opted for fresh (as opposed to generic frozen) mushrooms, carrots, and snow peas. From there, I saute garlic and onions with the rice and some olive oil. I try to make the rice as crisp (almost burnt) as possible. Then I fold the veggies and viola! At some point I season with soy sauce and black (or white) pepper. If feeling frisky, I'll add a touch of Maggi seasoning. I usually load my fried rice with veggies to make it lush. For example, I like to put three to four times as much fresh veggies than there is rice. That way, I get more quality volume out of my rice. Also, veggies shrink. Therefore, it's best to have more of that yummy goodness!
This weekend I visited two different sets of pals who were passing through town. My old college roomies Mary Anne and Francis (who are now married) took me out for tapas and ice cream. So good! Call me a narcissist, but I like to think that Mitchell's Ice Cream and I make a great couple. As in if we got married we'd make deliciously beautiful and unique ice cream. Ya think?! fathlete confession: I'm fascinated with Mitchell's because they import ingredients from the Philippines to make their tropical flavors. Seriously. Their stuff in amazing. Where else can you find genuine langka, ube, buko, and macapuno ice cream?! fathlete confession: I'm soooo Filipino like that! They even serve halo-halo! I bet it's yummy! I've only been there twice in my life. This is a good thing!

Warm-up
Four rounds of a light version of the WOD.

CrossFit One World WOD
Complete as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes of:
200m run
50 jump rope skips
10 box jumps (I did an 18" box for the first two rounds and then moved down to a 12" box)

Joanne's Final Count - 5 + 200 meter run

Notes (to myself) about this workout: This was a really bad WOD for me. In fact, it was a really bad day. I'm under a lot of pressure and I think it ended up manifesting itself in the WOD. It's no secret that box jumps are my achilles heel. In fact, I ended a previous WOD in tears because of it. Today was no different. My only saving grace was that tears and sweat look exactly the same.

In round three I had an anxiety attack of sorts. I had to stop the jump rope and move over to figure out my breathing. I don't know what happened exactly. It felt like my body couldn't decide if it wanted to finish or cry. So I started sucking air. I then realized that I couldn't breathe through my nose. It was all mouth and my chest locked up. After a short break. I continued. It sucked. I felt defeated.

Today just wasn't my day.

To make myself feel better, I'm going to post a video of Janet Jackson's performance at the VMA's. Talk all the shit you want. I LOVE Janet!

New Music - More Music Videos

congrats Will B.

I just wanted to send out a warm congratulations to Will B. He will be working at another CrossFit affiliate called CrossFit CSA in Dublin. (Note: Their website isn't up yet. I'll link it as soon as Will B. gives the site info!) CrossFit CSA just opened today for business. I know it's been a long road for Will, but I'm really happy for him and I know he's going to do great. Sadly, I don't get to see Will B. much and I'll see him even less. It's okay. I'm really happy for him and I wish him the best of luck! Also, I'm looking forward to a complimentary session or two at the new box. ha ha! Finally, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to his little girl Gabby. Awesome!

In other news, I was so sad to hear that Patrick Swayze died today. This has been a crazy year of deaths and I'm sad to see another fallen star. I have fond memories of Swayze and his films. Laugh all you want, but admittedly, this song is on regular rotation on my ipod...

Who didn't love him in To Wong Foo, Thanks for everything! Love Julie Newmar?!


Warm-up
Run 400 meters
Row 500 meters
Prep for WOD

CrossFit One World WOD: Jackie
Complete the following for time:
1000m row
50 thrusters 35#
30 (Jumping) pull-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 11:52

Notes (to myself) about this workout: This wasn't as hellish as I thought it would be. Perhaps it's because I don't do the all out pull-ups. I still suck at them. Bleh. After the WOD I did some hanging from the bars. I did six rounds, the first three I did not time. The last three I clocked in 21 seconds; 31 seconds; 29 seconds. My grip strength is much better than before. Yea.

sugar sighting

Sugar sighting at One World. DO NOT TELL THE CROSSFITTERS!

Okay. That was kind of funny. A few nights ago, the Krav Maga folks (specifically Fer and Lisa) brought cake and brownies to the box to help celebrate James's birthday. Those folks are cool like that. I thought it was funny that they brought the goods while Freddy was away and after he announced a ban on sugar in the box. You gotta love those Krav rebels!

To follow up on my last post about Caster Semenya, here is a new story about intersex athletes.

As I mentioned before, I frequent Big Fat Blog and they posted this story about a woman who died because she was trying to lose weight for her wedding. She vowed that she wouldn't be a "fat bride." For those of you who actually read the story, a stone is about 14 pounds. Samantha (the bride) was about 244 pounds when she decided to go on the LighterLife diet plan. Apparently, this diet plan only allows you less than 600 calories per day. Samantha lost over 40 pounds and shaved 5 points off her BMI rating, but ended up collapsing and dying. My heart goes out to her family and loved ones.

Though I've never been a bride, I do understand the anxieties about having to look good at a wedding. It's quite ridiculous, actually. When I was eighteen, a family member kicked me out of my cousin's wedding party because I was too fat for the bridesmaids dress. I was told that it was for my own good because I didn't want to be the only fat one in the wedding party and embarrass the family. Besides, there were pictures to consider. It hurt. But at eighteen, I let this well meaning family member get the best of me and I agreed to not be in the wedding.

When I turned thirty, I was asked to be in another cousin's wedding party. I accepted. However, this same well meaning family member asked that I reconsider my decision. Again, the concern was that I was too fat and that the other members of the wedding party were at least half my size (literally). At eighteen, I allowed myself to get bullied by low self esteem and self hatred. At the age of thirty, I wasn't going to have it. I stayed in the wedding party and worked that bridesmaids dress as best as I could. To "reconsider" my decision to be in the wedding party would have been the embarrassment to me. Plus, age has taught me better.

Moral of the story is, love yourself first. Those who matter will honor you for the amazing things you have to offer. Everyone else can simply go to hell. To celebrate fitness in all sizes, here is a Fat and Fit pictorial from Newsweek. Enjoy!

Warm-up
Row 500 meters
Stretching

CrossFit One World WOD
Starting with your max snatch and then moving on to your max clean and jerk:

70% x 3; 75% x 2; 80% x 1; 85% x 1; 80% x 1; 75% x 1

Snatch: 38/40/42/45/42/40
Clean & Jerk: 53/55/58/62/58/55

Notes (to myself) about this workout: These are rough estimates of the weight I did. I really liked this WOD and I was glad to make it back to Jason's oly lifting class (kudos!). I've really missed it. Form is such a big issue for me. I was really happy with my performance today. However, I also felt a little frustrated because I knew I could lift so much more. Sigh. Practice. Practice. Practice.

interesting news...

It looks like the oldest person has just died at the age of 115. The story is here. I love that her diet consisted of "bacon, fried chicken and ice cream." Yeah. Eat that you Paleo-Zoners! (Okay, I'm not trying to hate. I'm just sayin'.)

Right now, the larger news item that strikes me is the controversy with Caster Semenya, the 18 year-old runner who was forced to take a gender test after she won the 800 meter world championship. This story strikes me because as a scholar, the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality are absolutely fascinating to me. I find Kai Wright's take on the issue to spot on. Some other stories include unconfirmed reports that she is a hermaphrodite. Here is another one about her competition status. Finally, here is a story about her getting a makeover and posing for a magazine cover to prove how womanly she is.

I am amazed (but not surprised) at the harsh witch hunt. (I love how Wright uses this description.) Seriously folks. Leave the kid (and at eighteen, she is a kid) alone! Among the many items surrounding Semenya's story, beauty seems to be the overarching issue. It seems that the world has a problem with a female world champion who doesn't fit stereotypical notions of what a woman "should" be. I find the controversy disgusting because if she won looking more like the magazine cover, no one would say anything. Oh! Don't get me started on the racial implications here...

In other-but-related news, I love this story about Michelle Obama's arms and this story about the Williams sisters. If you were my students, I would make you write a research paper where you would draw connections between all three "gender cases." Be happy you're not my students. I'm a hard grader. ha ha!

Warm-up
N/A

CrossFit One World WOD
Run 2.5 miles
Joanne's Final Time - N/A

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I'm old. I'm sore. Seriously. Someone please explain to me why I'm still recovering from "Karen." My inner thighs are sore. My right hip is sore. Even my forearms are sore (partly from carpal tunnel, which I feel is a totally panty injury). I meant to run the total 5K that Freddy tried to "trick" us into doing. Instead of running 1.1 miles three times, I decided to just do the whole distance in one shot. I stopped at 2.5 miles (a 5K is 3.1 miles). I was just tired and I ran straight through, no stopping. This is unlike me because I know I can run at least 4-5 miles, and up to 7 miles without stopping. But it was getting dark and my legs were giving out. I have no idea what was wrong with me.

I'm tired. Bleh.

oh shit!

I took this photo during my trip to Manila last year. Apparently, the globo gym I joined felt the need to give explicit directions on how to use the toilet...

...which brings me to today's topic: poop. I know. I know. Ew, right? Yeah. This post is inspired by one of the CrossFit affiliates. (I swear it was CrossFit Unlimited, but I can't seem to find their post.) They did a post on poop and I thought it was genius and disgusting at the same time.

My dear friend Jen T. ("T" as in tall. She's the only Filipina I know who is six feet tall. Seriously. No. She's not mixed.) is a nurse in LALA land. In a candid conversation, she recommended that people start taking a good look at their poop because it tells you a little something about what's going on in your body. I absolutely agree. fathlete confession: In this post I have no desire to share the secrets of my poop. Further, I have no desire to read about the secrets of your poop. I'm merely suggesting that you take note of your bodily functions. Thank you.

Having pointed out the importance of observing your poop, here are some poopy resources that you might find interesting:
- a book called What's Your Poo Telling You?
- the lowdown on baby poop
- an article about the different colors of your poop

I'm sure there's other stuff out there. I'm also sure you know how to use your search engines.

One last note on poop. Laugh all you want. But poop is kind of a serious issue. If your bowel movement isn't regular, I highly recommend that you see your doctor. Another thing I find helpful is a cleansing of sorts. A few years ago, a friend suggested I look into colon cleansing and he directed me to this site. Granted, I understand how marketing works. Therefore, I'm not big on the hype about colon cleansing. fathlete confession: I find colonics a little invasive and silly. Seriously. Nothing goes in the out hole, people! Since these products required no poking prodding, or shooting water up my bum, I gave them a shot and found them useful. I've also recommended these products to other people and they've all been happy with them. I'm not saying that you should order your products now. I am suggesting that you give your poop some serious thought.

Okay. Enough shit talk. On with the WOD...

Warm-up
Run 1.1 miles
Stretching

CrossFit One World WOD: Karen

Complete 150 wallballs for time. 14#

Joanne's Final Time - 12:55

Notes (to myself) about this workout: My quads are a little sore. My weakness with the wall balls is that my squat is way too deep. I'm an island girl. I can't help that I'm genetically gifted with a deep squat. Unfortunately, a deep squat is not strategically sound with a WOD like this. I can't for the life of me find my previous Karen time. (I think there's something weird about the search engine on this blog.) Therefore, I don't know if I did better or worse. Right now I don't care. I'm happy with tonight's performance and that's that.

Kudos to Settie for getting her first rope climb. I'm so proud of you!!

fat again!

Freddy posted this photo on the One World site and declared that there will no longer be any sugary junk sold in the vending machines at the gym. In part of his rant, Freddy writes:

Think about what you are feeding your children, and yourself for that matter. I am not telling you that your kid should never eat anything with sugar in it. Hell, that would just SUCK if I were your kid! Just don’t make sugary foods the norm. When I was a kid, getting a candy bar, or a Slurpee, or Baskin-Robbins was a treat! Take a few moments to read the label and think about what you are giving your kid to eat. Think of it this way: next time you go to hand your kid that Snickers bar or super-sized Slurpee, smile and say, “Here you go little Joey, have some diabetes.... Yummy!” Your child can make their own dietary choices when they become an adult, but remember that a lifetime of sugar addiction is hard to change. Don’t shoot your kids in the foot before they even start the race.

fathlete confession: Whenever there are posts about obesity, I tend to take them a little too personally. It's because I feel like I'm being personally attacked for being fat. I know this is not true. The posts are not directed to me. Such anxieties have more to do with my personal insecurities. I get this. Still. I feel like a schmuck. A fat schmuck.

In truth, I agree with Freddy's schtick on sugar. I wish my family helped me develop a better sense of health and food choices. In fact, I wish my mom came out about her diabetes way back in 1987 when she was diagnosed! However, as a fat kid who grew up to be a fat adult,the fatty part of me gets a little irked when I see stuff like this. I find that the commentary on fat tends to be a little on the hateration side. Seriously. I think this is why I'm still uncomfortable when I go to the gym. A part of me feels like people are secretly laughing at the fat girl who's trying to do "Cindy." Like I said before, I like exercise. But I like my cupcakes too. Health is an issue for everybody - fat, thin, and everyone in between. I follow Big Fat Blog with respect to fat discrimination and such and I find their articles informative. You should all check it out. There's also these Newsweek articles: America's Fat Wars; America’s War on the Overweight; Fat on Film.

Also, I remember watching a one of those rockumentaries on VH1 with C.C. Deville from Poison. At one point he was over 200 pounds and declared, "It was more acceptable for me to be a heroin addict than to be fat."

This is exactly why I can't stand all the anti-fat talk. Let's get something straight. There are perfectly healthy people who are fat or overweight. A lot of that is genetics and such. (I'm not a medical expert, but I'm sure you can find a lot of info if you looked really hard.) There are deathly unhealthy people who are totally thin. (Yeah. That's right. Heroin addicts are thin. Starving people in third world countries are thin. Anorexics are thin too.) No one gives these people shit. Can we start to re-think health and stop assuming that fat = unhealthy?! (Or is this too much to ask for?)

I'm not saying that obesity is not a serious issue. It is. But how we weigh and measure health needs a lot of tweaking. Granted, the kid in the picture breaks my heart. The video that Freddy posted on 7/29/2009 was also disturbing. In fact, when shopping a few weeks ago, I saw two kids who looked just like these kids. It also made me sad. However, I don't have these reactions because they're fat. (I weep just as much for the drug addict and the anorexic.) Instead, I'm reminded that as a nation, we're failing at educating ourselves and our kids about health. It's one thing when someone is fat, but it's another when it's to the point where it interferes with basic functioning (like the cop who couldn't stand up from a kneeling position). So can we please get our fat straight?! Thanks!

first 5K

I just wanted to send out some major kudos to Miss Lori tonight. She ran her first 5K. Wa-hoo! I'm so proud of this woman. Like many one worlders, Lori manages to not show up when we do the 5K. When Freddy posted it this week, she wrote, "To 5k or not to 5k" on her facebook update. I told her that I had to miss the 5k, but that I would make it up today. She stepped up to the challenge and showed up. We made our plan of attack and went for it. Congrats to Miss Lori on her FIRST 5K!

In other news, I ran into this story on making your relationship last. I definitely respect people who can make a long term relationship work. In that department, I'm really not one to talk. I'm not big on stories like this, but I thought this was pretty straightforward advice. I find that the heart of any good relationship rests on trust and communication. I'm sure others would disagree and say that the heart of any good relationship are the woman's perky boobs and the guy's generous wallet. Now do you understand why I'm bad that the relationship thing. Anyway... happy reading!

Warm-up
Brisk 200 meter run
Stretching

CrossFit One World WOD
Run 5K

Joanne's Final Time - 34:02

Notes (to myself) about this workout: We did this in my standard 4:1 pace so that Lori could feel less overwhelmed about doing a 5K. Most people forget that long distances are about pace. Yes, 5k is a long distance if you've never run more than half a mile at a time. Tonight's run felt really good and I thought Lori handled the mileage and pace really well. As always, I have to praise my skins. They don't make me run faster, but they definitely make my legs feel good after the run.

After conquering the 5k, we did some stretching. It's very important to do this after every WOD. Five to ten minutes of stretching makes a difference.

hello burpees

This photo is over a year old and was taken in San Diego. This is Mae, my best friend from college (wearing the turquoise dress) and her family during her little sister's wedding. I consider them a second family of sorts. Today I wanted to give BIG KUDOS to Mae because she was introduced to Mr. Burpee. She said that she had to modify them, but that she's committing to doing them on a regular basis for health reasons. Yea Mae! I'm so proud of this gal! Personally, I hate burpees and would do anything to avoid them. That she chooses to do them just warms my heart.

Warm-up
Row 500 meters
Prep for WOD

CrossFit One World WOD
This is a two person team workout for time. Each team member will complete five rounds for a total of ten rounds per team. Each team will get only two bars per team, so pick a teammate with similar strength. One person completes a whole round while the other person rests. One round consists of:

1 deadlift 165#
2 handstand push-ups (modified)
3 power cleans 83#
10 jumping pull-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 14:46

Notes (to myself) about this workout: Kudos to Jason K. (because I just like to do that). I think I should have gone heavier. Next time I'm hitting 185# for the deadlift - at least. I also need to work on my form for the power clean. I'm sure I can lift more weight (I know this because I don't need to squat too much to catch the weight), but my form is off. I totally need a lesson from Angela! My pull-ups still suck, but I'm still trying to learn to hang. Seriously.

Finally, I wanted to give kudos to Tom. He was my partner in this WOD and did the same weight that I did. He's a newbie and though strong, has had to learn some hard lessons with respect to form. The good thing is that Tom doesn't let his ego get in the way. He wasn't embarrassed to do the weight I was lifting - you know, the girl weight. (For the record, I think he could have lifted way more.) Way to go Tom!

red velvet goodness

In case you haven't guessed, my perfect man would be a red velvet cupcake. He would be a rich red color. When I sink my teeth into his moist, velvety, tender cake, I'd be able to taste hints of gianduia chocolate. He would be topped with a deliciously sweet, smooth, cream cheese frosting. My perfect man, my perfect red velvet cupcake would be pure heaven. Though I prefer Love at First Bite, I'll settle for some Sprinkles and would never say no to Kara's.

Warm-up
slow 400 meter run
stretching

CrossFit One World WOD: Time Trials v2.0
Complete the following tasks:
Run 400m for time
Row 500m for time
100 pull-ups for time
100 push-ups for time
100 Abmat sit-ups for time
100 squats for time
Perform the tasks in any order you wish. Rest as long as you like between efforts, but you must finish all the tasks in one hour or your effort for Time Trails v2.0 is not rx'd.

Joanne's Final Time - last month/this month
Row 500m - 1:59/2:00
Run 400m 2:20/1:58
100 pull-ups - 6:46/6:56
100 Abmat sit-ups - 5:37/6:07
100 push-ups - 6:04/6:31
100 squats - 4:03/4:17

Notes (to myself) about this workout: This was not a good time trial set for me. I was slower in all areas except the run. A part of me is disappointed, but I also feel like tonight's trials were better quality than last time. My run was faster because I was ready for it. Also, I ran in a straight line, which always helps! (Note: Skins don't make a difference. Boo!) I thought I beat my last row time until I discovered that I was looking at the wrong time unit. Therefore, I declare that second I missed was faulty and I demand a re-count! For the pull-ups, my timer mal-e-functioned last time, so this was more accurate. Also, I did all 100 with the kipping swing. The last time I did strictly jumping pull-ups. I'm happy with tonight's performance on this. Admittedly, I slacked on the sit-ups. (In my defense, it was because Tom kept talking to me. ha ha!) I did the push-ups on the parallette bars to help build my core and stop doing the snake thing I keep doing. Stupid me thought the bars were going to be easier to do. Nope. It's actually harder to use the bars because everything is stable and you engage everything you need to engage. Afterwards, my arms summoned the greatness of Madonna and Michelle Obama. It rocked! Finally, I don't know what happened with the squats. I think I was just dead tired and slipped on those too. Squats are usually my thing...