The Games Week...

It's been awhile since my last post, Pre-Games, but life has been busy like always and I have been occupied with other events.

My mind flashes back to the Games, I think of all the memories that were created and all that unfolded. I want to go into all the details but I'm going to try and give an overview of the days and the amazing experience that I had.

Monday - July 22, 2013

I went to the check in area to get all of my athlete gear for the week. It was incredible, so many people volunteering and working to make it all happen. I met some women and men while in line and chatted with them briefly as we made our way through the line to collect everything we needed. Shirts, shorts, bathing suit, shoes, bag and accessories. It was an incredible amount of gear. A huge thanks go out to Reebok and CrossFit for making this all happen. 

As the day unfolded, Alex and I had time to relax and unwind before the athlete dinner. We soaked it up and enjoyed the moment.

Monday night dinner: There were two large buses that transported all the athletes, all the women in one bus, all the men in the other. At the beginning of the bus ride, Lindsey V. stood up and shared how we should all go around and introduce ourselves, saying our name, where we are from and share a something about yourself. I really liked this, because it made me think of all the classes I coach and all the fun and interesting things I have learned from my friends and members at the gym. It was cool to hear what everyone shared; I found out that one of the girl, Natalie, races motocross. I thought that was pretty awesome and I definitely learned more about the girls. This was a great way to break the ice.

We approached the Stub Hub Center and got seated for dinner and had some of the workouts announced. When Dave asked if anyone had ever done a half marathon, my arm shot high into the air, I was super excited... a long run!? Omg, yes, this will be great!

Then, he said, "on a rower?".  I think everyone's jaws dropped haha. It was one of those moments for me where I thought... yeah, I have never done that before. But there's a first time for everything right?

The other workout that was released while we were at dinner was Naughty Nancy. We got to stand by the edge of the balcony and watch as Pat Barber demonstrated one round of the workout; it looked like a fun but challenging one with the stairs involved, but I was looking forward to this experience.

Tuesday - July 23, 2013
This was a day to prep and run through things before the competition started. The athletes were taken to a pool to practice getting into the water and have the opportunity to try a few bar muscle ups. It was a good dry run as it allowed me to feel how the muscle ups were going to feel soaking wet.

What did I learn? Tighten my goggles and get a good grip on that bar. With every experience, you learn something new, so go into it with an open mind and see what works and what doesn't work.

Wednesday - July 24, 2012
Swim workout 
Rise and shine! Alex and I got up early, got ready and prepped for the first day of competition. All the athletes were transported by bus again to an aquatic center for the workout. The plan was to leave at 6:15am, well the buses were a little late and there was a lot of traffic, so we got to the aquatic center with very minimal time to prep.

It was a little sporadic and hectic with 44 women trying to use the restrooms and get prepped for the first workout. I was in the first heat, so we only had about 5 minutes to get ready and get lined up. We had the opportunity to hop into the pool for a 25m warm up swim then had our timer chips put on our ankles and then lined up to start exactly at 8:00am.

I understand that we had to go at a certain time, as we were going to be broadcasted on TV. I would have loved to have at least 20 minutes to warm up and practice a bar muscle up, but you cannot worry or stress about the uncontrollable factors. As Alex told me, adapt and overcome, a saying he heard in the Marine Corps.

So we got lined up and got started right on time. Being in the water offered a feeling of calmness at a certain point, as it is just you in your lane and your stroke. I focused on my stroke through the water and made sure to get to my bar quickly, dry my hands off and get prepped for the bar muscle ups. I finished in 16:30.4, second in my heat and 15th overall. I was happy with this, as the goal for this workout was top 15. I gave it my best and that was what mattered.

Row workout
After everyone completed the swim we were transported to the Stub Hub center again for the half marathon row. All athletes were going at the same time, so we all got prepped and dressed to sit and row for over an hour. Some athletes had long pants, some had shorts, some had arm sleeves, others had gloves. It was interesting to look around and see other athletes and what they were going to wear for this event.

All the athletes got seated and waited for the beep. We had a 2k row for time, then straight into the half marathon: 21,097 meters. The first 2k was ok, I believe a majority of people were all pushing to get the best time. Compared to the half marathon, the 2k went by pretty fast.

Reflecting back on this workout, it is one that I will probably not repeat, but it was a good experience. I learned what I would need or want for a workout similar to this. People would ask me, how did you do it, what did you focus on? I would focus on a few different things: my stroke rate, how my body was feeling, my support - Alex, friends, family. I would also look up into the crowd, glance from side to side, take in the moment, then back to my stroke rate.

This workout had a big mental component - you are on a rower for over an hour, moving your body, but not having different scenery. Being able to see the meters slowly count down but know that you have a good amount of distance ahead. It's funny because I remember looking the monitor and thinking, oh great, I only have 8,000 meters left. Only? Haha, but in the big picture I was almost finished.

I completed the 2k with a time of 7:42.6 and the half marathon with a time of 1:29.02, finishing 13th and 2nd respectively. It was one of the many highlights of the Games as it was one of my highest finishes in the events.

I learned a lot from this day and was looking forward to the rest of the weekend and competition. This was just the beginning but it was a great start. Alex and I focused on one workout and one day at a time. Thinking back on these memories make me smile as I had an amazing opportunity.

Thursday - July 25th, 2013
Our rest day before the big event. The athletes had some mandatory things to do, such as a press conference - first time for everyone so it was different, but again a good experience. It was the day to prep and get ready for the weekend. Alex and I enjoyed the day and soaked up it all up.

I wanted to keep things short but there were more thoughts and emotions behind my words. I will write another post to share my thoughts and experiences for the rest of the weekend. Thanks to everyone for reading my blog and supporting me, it means a lot!

~ MCA

Pre-Games...

Our journey began about a week before we needed to check in for the Games. Alex and I headed to San Diego to visit my aunt Martha, uncle Rafa, my cousins Marisa and Cristi and Luis, Marisa's boyfriend. We spent the next few days in and around San Diego, visiting gyms, catching up with old friends, meeting new friends and relaxing before the big event.

On Wednesday we met up with a new friend, Courtney - a friend of Hilary's and went to La Jolla Shores to practice ocean swimming. She was very nice and had a lot of helpful tips in regards to getting in and out of the water. She took the time to spend her morning with us and help us with swimming, we were both very appreciative of this!! It is moments like this where you are thankful for the friends in your life and the events that unfold. Thank you Courtney, Hilary and James for all your help and friendship, means so much to us!

The following day we went to CrossFit Mission Gorge, visited the owners, ran into some old friends and trained. Let's rewind real quickly: two years ago I went the Left Coast Invitational competition in August 2011 at CFMG and met a lot of people from the gym. In the competition, I hit a personal record of 165 lbs. for my Clean and Jerk that year. Being back in the gym made it feel like it was just a few months ago. It was a great experience being there, as I got to reflect on where I was two years ago and where I am now. To also see the progress within a year was amazing and it light a fire in me to stay focused on my plan.  Thank you to Ian, Tami and everyone else at CFMG for letting us train there for the day. We appreciate your hospitality and look forward to returning in the future!

The next couple of days we checked out some other gyms, CrossFit Secutor, CrossFit Chula Vista and CrossFit 858. We visited with Mark from CF 858, stretched and chatting with some of the members there. It was good to talk with others and again reflect back from where I started.

My cousin Cristi introduced us to some friends of hers, Carlos, Evan and Dave - who coach and train at some of the gyms in San Diego. Evan allowed us to workout at his home gym, giving us a place to train for the afternoon. We were very thankful for his hospitality and generosity!! To Carlos, Evan and those at CF Secutor - Kyle, Dave and the others, we are very appreciative and hope to all see you again soon.

As the weekend came to a close, we made two final stops. The first was at Walnut CrossFit to meet up with owner Rob and some of the ladies and men that train there. We did some lifting and then talked with them about our training, nutrition and how everything plans a part into your life. It was great to be able to speak with others and share the information that we have learned together. Alex and I both have a passion to be able to help others and inspire others to work towards their goals, whatever they may be. This experience was amazing and we are blessed to have had this opportunity with them. Thank you Walnut CrossFit!!

The final stop was to my other aunt and uncle's house, BJ and James. We visited with them and my cousins Jenny and Austin, discussing about the upcoming events and what it would entail. We also talked about their goals and what they are doing in life. This was very refreshing as it allowed us to really see the bigger picture in life.

Spending quality time with your family, friends and important people in your life. We thoroughly enjoyed being able to sit down, have an amazing meal (thank you BJ and James) and have many conversations about a variety of topics. Yes, we had a lot going on in the next few days, but we relished the moment that we were in and stayed present. As the sun settled and the day winded down, we said our good-byes and wished one another well. A huge thank you to our family for always welcoming us in and having us over!!

As the weekend closed, we looked back at all the hard work we had done, all the fun we had this past week and got ready for the next page - the start of the CrossFit Games.

To wrap up my thoughts and words of the 'Pre-Games' it brings to mind this phrase: the calm before the storm. Something to think about before any big event or moment in your life. Take a moment to enjoy everything that you have worked for. Take the time to relish the effort you put forth, no one can take that from you, so soak it up!

~ MCA

2013 CrossFit Games

La Jolla, CA

The 2013 CrossFit Games... one of the best experiences in my life. There is so much to go over, review and reflect on. I want to talk about it all, but that will be a long post so I am going to give a brief recap and a shout out to those in my life. I will go in depth in a later post.

The attitude I had going into the Games was one of happiness and excitement. I was looking forward to this experience and opportunity and I made sure to make the most of it. 

Leading up to the Games, Alex and I had the chance to see family and spend time with them. We also got to see some old friends, meet some new friends and check out some boxes. It was very fulfilling to do this, as we got to enjoy time with one another and soak up some time outside of the gym.

To some up the week and weekend, incredible and breathtaking! As we got checked in, we absorbed as much as we could; meeting athletes from around the world, talking with some of them and getting to know them a little better. We shared our experiences and enjoyed each day. The workouts were great, testing a variety of pathways and skills, just as you would expect. There are lots of things Alex and I learned and have added to our list of things to work on. I will talk more about the workouts in the days to follow.

I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported Alex and I. My family, his family, our family - my mom, dad, sister(s), cousins, aunts, uncles, second cousins, etc. Friends from California, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Mexico and all the other places. Your support has meant so much to us. The texts, messages, posts, emails, hugs, smiles, cheers... they are all very much appreciated. We can't say thank you enough!!

I wouldn't be here without you all. Looking into the stands, smiling and waving to everyone was one of the biggest things I was looking forward to. And I did it every time I walked onto that stadium floor. It is about community; it is about the support of true friends and the belief in the dreams that one may have. I had a dream of going to the CrossFit Games and I made it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me! Thank you to Alex for being my best friend, boyfriend, partner and side kick!

I opened a fortune cookie before the start of the weekend and below is what was revealed... 

It brought a smile to my face reading it. Life has so many ups and downs, forward and side way turns, but it's how you absorb them. It's how you reflect on these experiences in life and how you move forward. 

I had a goal of making that final workout on the final day and I achieved that. I placed 26th overall and I am happy with my result. Since starting CrossFit in Feb/March 2011, I am happy with my progress and growth. All the hard work that has been put in, has paid off. I will continue to work hard and will continue to learn and grow. 

I look forward to the path that is ahead. I look forward to helping others and being an advocate for positive change. For each individual out there working towards your goals: 

Surround yourself with positive people. 

Write down your goals so you see them everyday. 

Make a plan, work hard and stay focused.

Enjoy the process and have fun.

Thank you again to everyone who has provided support! Enjoy your day and smile :)

~ MCA

NorCal Regionals...

It's been about two weeks since the NorCal Regionals. Some times it feels as though it's been longer, other times it feels as though it was just the other day.

There have been so many emotions and feelings since then. First thing I want to say is thank you to all those who have supported and believed in me. To my man, Alex, who has been there every step of the way, loving and encouraging me. To my family who supported me, in person and in different states, cheering me on every day and every workout. To my friends at Diablo, who cheered me on and my friends across the states supporting me - in Boston, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Montana and other parts of California. I hope you all know how appreciative I am of your support and love!! Being able to think of you and see you in the crowd, brings a smile to my face. I love seeing you all and waving to you all, as you all mean so much to me!

This has been my goal now for two years and I have put so much blood, sweat, tears and time into this goal... and it has all been worth it. Reflecting back on the regionals, I look at each workout and see my performance. I wanted to write and share my thoughts...

Workout #1 - Jackie: 1000m row, 50 thrusters 45#, 30 pull-ups
I had performed this workout a few times before in training. Alex had programmed it for me after Craig and I were coaching one morning. The workout for the day was Jackie and it was revealed that I have not done it before, so it quickly became on the top of my workouts 'to do', haha. Thank you Craig for your encouragement. :)

So fast forward to regionals. Alex and I had prepped for this workout and I had a plan. It was a workout I was looking forward to doing, but had some nerves because it was the first workout of the competition. I focused on me and what I needed to do. The row was a steady pace but fluid, staying at a 2:00 min pace, then dropped to a 2:02 min pace. Straight to the thrusters and 50 reps unbroken, these felt good - as good as 50 unbroken thrusters will get lol. Then, the goal with the pull-ups was 10/5/5/5/5, as this was the hardest part for me. I was able to maintain that until I got to the 20th rep, and the rep scheme got a little shorter. I finished with a 6:38, a PR for me, so I was happy. This time put me in 7th place. I would have liked to stick to my plan of doing 5/5 the last 10 reps, but again, I was able to improve my time, so I was happy.

Workout #2 and #3 - 3 RM OHS; 30 Burpee Muscle-ups for time
This was a workout that made me a little nervous when it first came out, but after practicing, I felt better about it. Overhead strength and overhead movements has been something that Alex and I have been working on improving. He has done an amazing job of helping me increase my overhead strength and increase my shoulder stamina. Last year, I was not able to do any muscle ups in the regionals. I tried and gave it my all; I got on top of the rings but could not press out. I spent 17 minutes trying. This year, we hammered muscle ups and I have gotten a lot better. I still have a lot of growth and improvement, but I am happy and grateful for the success I have made.

As the second workout began, I focused on my plan again... open with 175, load the next weight, rest. Overhead squat 180 for three, add the next weight, rest and try to get as many reps with 185. The platforms weren't as stable as I had practiced on but oh well, this is our lifting platform, do your work. I hit 175 and got ready for 180. I actually hit the back of my head while jerking it up, but it didn't hurt too bad, I stayed focused and hit 180 for all three reps. I continued to 185, I was able to get it up but was not able to stabilize it. Completing 180 for three put me in 8th place with a tie. My plan was, if I missed it, stop, get ready for the next workout.

My goal was to be nice and steady for the muscle ups, as this was one of the harder workouts for me. My adrenaline got me amped up and I started out a little too fast, feeling good the first minute, but the energy started to fade as the minutes progressed. I ended up with a final score of 19 reps, with three no reps. The goal was to get 22, so I was a little shy of that but it was a learning lesson. My 19 reps placed me in another tie for 14th.

Workout #4 - 100 Wallballs, 100 C2B, 100 Pistols, 100 DB snatches
Out of all the workouts that were to be performed this weekend, workout #4 challenged me the most. Some movements were easy, others were discouraging. Not because of the volume, but because the movement in itself was hard. This movement was the chest to bar pull-up. Pull-ups and chest to bar pull-ups have been challenging for me, but I have worked on them and will continue to do so.

My plan was to break up the wallballs into sets of 10, chest to bar in sets of 2, steady on the pistols and keep moving on the snatches. I felt nervous for this workout but I kept breathing and focusing on my plan, one rep at a time, one movement at a time. The adrenaline was a factor for the wallballs, which brought me too fast out of the gate, but I stuck to my plan on the chest to bar and hammered through those 100 reps. The pistols were the easiest movement for me and I was able to flow through those at a relatively quick pace. The dumbbell snatches were another obstacle, but I tackled it, one at a time, completing 60 snatches. My goal was to get to 70 snatches, so I was 10 reps shy but again, I gave it my all and tried my hardest. I tied for 6th place with this finish.

Workout #5 - 21-15-9 DL 205# and Box Jumps 24 inches
I was looking forward to this workout, as I felt good with the deadlifts and box jumps. This was a different workout from what was programmed at the 2011 Regionals. I didn't participate in the 2011 Regionals as I had only started crossfitting 3 months prior, but I had volunteered for the SoCal Regionals so I remember seeing the original workout.

I stuck to my plan with breaking up the deadlifts and keeping the box jumps fluid. The goal was to hit a sub 4 minute time. My plan worked for me and I hit my goal, completing the workout in 3:58. This score placed me 3rd in the workout and I was very happy.

Workout #6 - 100 DU, 50 HSPU, 40 T2B, 30 Push Press, 90ft Front Rack Lunge
When I first saw this workout, I thought it would be awesome and it shouldn't be too bad. Well, it was little deceiving to say the least. After doing a run through, it was a little more challenging than I anticipated. Thinking about our plan approaching this workout, we decided to break the double unders, 50/50, handstand push-ups 10/10 and sets of 5 after. The toes to bar were going to be broken into sets of 4 and push press into sets of 5. The 90ft of lunge was going to be unbroken.

As I started this workout, I focused on my plan and breezed through my double unders, which was not the case when I first started crossfitting. The pic below was posted on the DCF blog by JJ the other day, the photo on the left is me trying to do double unders in the first Open work out in 2011, a couple weeks after starting CrossFit. The photo on the right was after the fifth regional workout 2013. A flashback for sure but a great memory.

Back to the workout... I moved on to the HSPU, doing my first two set of 10, but then had to break the reps up more as my shoulders started to fatigue. The toes to bar went as planned and moved through the rather easily. The push press was a challenge however, I had to break away from sets of 5 to sets of 3 and 4. As soon as I finished the push press, my focus was on the 90ft unbroken lunges. That was my goal and I was sticking to it. I focused on the sign in front of me and lunged out the first 45ft. The second half took a little bit longer but I kept grinding, I fought for every step and as my elbows started to drop I could feel my legs burning more, so I kept pushing. I crossed the line and jumped to the finish mat, so happy to have accomplished my goal. My legs burned and it was a challenge to walk after, but it was all worth it, as I finished 3rd place.

Workout #7 - 2 rope climbs, 100ft sprint, 4 Full Cleans 135# - Four rounds
The final workout was another one I was looking forward to at the day of competition. When the workouts were released, the rope climbs made me a little nervous as I had not practiced them regularly. With some practice, I felt good about my technique and was excited to do this workout. As the final heat of ladies lined up, I reflected back on the past couple of days, I was happy with my performance and had enjoyed each day to it's fullest. I repeated my plan inside my head and would focus only on my lane.

My goal was to get a sub 5 minute time and place first in this workout. It was one of those workouts Alex and I felt I could perform well in. I met one of my goals and finished with a time of 4:48. I finished 2nd overall in that workout, but I know there was nothing else I could of left on that field.



As soon as the work out was over we were all asked to wait in the arena until the final scores were submitted and calculated. I was unsure if I qualified for the Games at that moment, as the competition became so close. As we waited for the final results, I congratulated everyone and was talking with Amy and Rachel and we were excited for the day to be finished but happy for all the hard work we put into the weekend. I was dancing to the music, enjoying the moment and happy to be where I was, thinking, whether I qualify or not, I gave it my all. I put everything out there, I didn't hold back and didn't have any regrets.

Then, they called out the last name of the top three athletes and we were pulled to the side. We were standing next to the announcer, waiting to go on the live feed and it was so surreal for me. Did I qualify, what was the final score?

It was so surreal, I have worked so hard for this goal and here I was. I have talked about my goal since competing last year; I am going to compete as an individual again and my ultimate goal is top three at regionals. I want to qualify and compete at the CrossFit Games. I have written it down, I have repeated it numerous times. I have poured my heart into this goal of mine, putting all my energy into it and it has been well worth it!

I want to say thank you again to all of those who have supported me, believed in me and have let me do my thing to reach my goal. Knowing you are in my corner brings such happiness, I feel lucky and blessed to have so many amazing friends and such a great community by my side and in the stands. Your smiles, high fives and cheers mean so much to me. I'm going to continue to train hard and work towards my goals!!

~ MCA

The up and coming weekend...

This up and coming weekend is the CrossFit NorCal Regionals. There have been so many emotions leading up to this weekend.

Excitement. Nervousness. Happy. Calm. Worried. Stressed. Overjoyed. Definitely up and down emotions. I have wanted to make sure that I am ready for all that comes my way. I have realized that I have trained hard. I have put the work in that had needed to be done. I am at where I am at. 

Alex has been an amazing boyfriend, coach, friend... my everything. He's seen the ups and the downs. I have worked on all my weaknesses and I am happy for all that I have accomplished in this past year. Yes there are still things to work on, to fine tune and sharpen, but that will be continuous. And to me, that is a great thing because it shows that you are constantly learning and growing. 

I am going to go out there and give it my best. I am going to have fun and enjoy this competition, as I have trained for it all year. As my good friend Roni said, "you have everything to gain and nothing to lose." Thank you for those words Roni, appreciate it!

Thank you to my Alex whose been there since day one, you've been my rock and you've helped me in many ways. Thank you to all my family, the support has been amazing. I'm looking forward to seeing my mom, dad, sisters, aunt and cousins. Thank you to all those friends who have supported me and have  cheered me on. The smiles, the high fives, the positive screams... all have been incredible and hope you know that I appreciate each and every one. 

Out of all the emotions I feel, I am grateful. I am grateful for this opportunity and I am so very blessed to be able to compete. For all those who aspire to compete, whether it be CrossFit or anything else, dream big, follow your heart and never let anyone pull you from your passion. Life is meant to be lived and you should live each moment to it's fullest as you never know what is next. 

Life is beautiful in so many ways. 

~ MCA

Bliss...

Found this photo while going through my photo booth on my computer. Words that come to mind: bliss, ease, happy, relaxed, enjoyment and many more.

I'm blessed to have found a man that I can have so much fun with. We have our silly moments, our serious conversations, deep and meaning talks and then our adventures. He's my best friend and everything wrapped into one. I'm so lucky to have Alex as my man, as my partner and other half. Te amo Alex.

To all those who have found their other halves, enjoy your time with one another, tell each other how much you mean to them. Don't be afraid to show it or tell them. If there are people that tease you for that, then they are missing something in their life for sure.

To all those who haven't found their other half, or are still looking... it will happen. It will unfold when you expect it least. Still make the most of life and enjoy all that you have.

~ MCA

Purpose of life...

Some times you need to have fun. Be silly. Be adventurous. Enjoy the life you have.
Savor the food you eat, taste the flavors and enjoy each bite.
Look outside, watch the leaves flicker in the wind. Watch the sunset. See how the clouds change.

When you are happy, smile and feel those emotions in every part of your body. Feel your eyes light up,  feel the warmth in your cheeks from your laughter.

When you are sad, sit with those emotions. Feel your tears gently roll down your cheeks. Let your heart   ache for the feelings that are passing through your body.

What does it take for you to realize that life is short? What experiences do you go through to realize that   you should live your life to its fullest? Do you treat others as you would like to be treated? Are you respectful of others? Are you aware of the things you do and don't do?

Be appreciative of your family, friends, loved ones. Be thankful for all the people in your life. Be grateful for the food on your table, the roof over your head, the clothes in the closet. For all the little things that we get caught up on, let it go, take a breath and know that it will be ok.

What's the purpose of life? To live life! So very simple but we think there has to be an elaborate answer. Feel each emotion that passes through us, feel it 100%. For every experience that we go through, enjoy the journey. For all the people that come into our life, be respectful of them.

When we are older and look back on our lives, we should say that we truly enjoyed life, our journey and all that we experienced.

~ MCA

Mobility...

So for those who know me, I love mobility and stretching. It is part of my daily routine. I'll mobilize or stretch before and after my training. I believe it is a very important part to one's training.

Each person is different and this goes the same with his or her body. Some people may have to spend more time stretching their shoulders, others may have to work on their hips or hamstrings. Not every body is created the same. Nonetheless, some time should be dedicated to taking care of your body.

I see a lot of people say, I live a healthy lifestyle, I workout, I eat clean. Ok, cool, sounds good; how's your mobility, how's your flexibility or range of motion? Oh well, I have tight hips, I can't squat below parallel. Oh, ok. Well, let's work on that.

So this is just one example, but what I want to point out is that a lot of people put a good amount of energy and attention to lifting, working on skills and eating clean, which is great, but what about your flexibility? Do you just finish the met con, say good bye to your coach, friends and head out the door still sweating? I can tell you that I have seen more than a handful of people do this at the gym. It makes me laugh because I see it almost every day. I understand that life is busy and there are numerous things to get done in a day, but if you don't start to make time for it, then things with your body will start to drastically change.

You may not notice it at first, but over time, your range of motion in your hips, back, or whatever is ailing you will decrease. The tightness in certain body parts will increase. Think about the time you sit at your desk, how long have you been sitting there, 4 hours, all day? Have you taken a break to stretch your legs, even if it's for two minutes? How do your hips feel? Do you feel hunched over with your shoulders rounding forward?

I used to work as a Marketing Coordinator and I would sit at my desk, answering emails and phone calls, and stare at the computer. After a couple hours my back and hips would ache and I would switch to kneeling on my knees so I could give my hips a break. So I know what it feels like, it is not comfortable.

To all my friends and family out there, please move from time to time! If you travel a lot, get out of the car or out of your seat and move around. Our bodies are designed to move! For those that are working out, whether it be CrossFit or any other sport, do some mobility and stretching. Pre workout can have some mobility and dynamic stretching; post workout can have more mobility and more static stretching. If your hips are tight, do something to help increase your flexibility. Same thing goes for your shoulders.

A great example would be Alex. I have encouraged him to stretch and use a lacrosse ball to increase his mobility in his shoulders and it has helped. His range of motion has increased, but he has had to put some solid work in to get there. He will do some pre and post workout mobility and with the consistency, he has improved his range of motion. Before we met, he did very little to none stretching. He has put a lot of effort into doing these stretches and I'm very proud of him!!

To all my friends, family, members at the gym and everyone, get up and stretch. Move your body and be thankful for all that you have. Be thankful for your body and make the most of it!

~ MCA

Day in and day out...

Wow, it's been a long time since I've blogged. I have wanted to write for some time now but the past two to three weeks have been pretty busy.

Since the open has finished, Alex has increased a little bit of my training, but it's been a great thing. We are working hard and grinding it out. The open was a good experience; a variety of workouts to test your level of fitness.

The open was never our main focus; regionals has been our focus, but it's hard sometimes when you want to do well and see how you have improved from the year before. Last year I placed 49th in the region. It was a little scary near the end of the open last year; my performance in the last two workouts dropped me, to the point where I was nervous that I was not going to make regionals. It was a little stressful but I gave it my best and finished where I finished.

This year, we gave it our best again. Alex and I prepped and had worked really hard to be ready for the open. There was a little bit of a repeat from last year; the 150 wall balls, 90 double unders and 30 muscle ups in 12 minutes. This was a huge test for me because in 2012 I was not able to get any muscle ups; this year I was able to complete 12 muscle ups.

At first it was mixed emotions, Alex had programmed this workout a few months prior and I had finished with 13 muscle ups. Our goal was to complete 15 reps. So at first I was a little bummed since I was shy of my goal, but at the same time I was excited and happy that I completed 12 more than last year. Definitely an improvement. I try to always look at the positive and see the best out of everything. I am always pushing myself and wanting to improve and get better. At the same time, people and myself included, should reflect back and give themselves the recognition they deserve when a huge accomplishment is achieved.

So I gave myself a pat on the back for the work that I did and focused my energy moving forward. The final workout was tough as well, thrusters and chest to bar pull ups. My gymnastics is something that is a work-in-progress. Alex has done an amazing job of programming to improve my gymnastic skills and it has helped immensely, as proven by that fourth open workout. We are constantly working on it but I have made a lot of gains this year.

Which brings me to my thoughts that I have had these past few weeks. It has been a year of growth for me in so many ways. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. After regionals last year, Alex and I talked about goals and what needs to be worked on to improve. We sat down, discussed it and set up a plan.

I would go to the gym, look at my training for the day, write it in my little book and get started. I like having a plan and a program to follow; it gives me structure and a routine to follow. Some days would change depending on how my body would feel or how much I slept, etc. If things were altered that needed to be, it worked but having an overall plan was key. I would set up my stuff, warm up, mobilize, do my thing.

It's usually just me when I train. When Alex is off of work, we train together and some times do the same lift or workout, or completely different things. There have been a few times where I've had some friends join me, Erica and Gordon, and take part in Mangofit. Remember that fun, long interval workout? Lol.

When I look back to my years of working out, I would go to the gym by myself. I would run by myself. If I was doing a group sport; volleyball in high school or Outrigger Canoe Paddling in college, I would be with the group because we would be training together. I am comfortable working out by myself, I really enjoy it. A couple of weeks ago, Alex made an analogy between studying for exams and working out. Some people do better studying for an exam in a group setting and some do better studying by themselves. I kind of laughed to myself because I would study by myself for exams; I would go the library or a coffee shop and make note cards to study for my exams.

It was the best way for me to focus. Tests were hard for me and I really had to study the material to make sure that I remembered it all. As I write these sentences, it makes me think of my gymnastic skills in CrossFit. It's been one of the hardest aspects for me to 'study' or learn. I have watched other athletes just nail these movements down, rep after rep like it's no big deal. In order to become more proficient at these movements, I have had to focus a lot of my training on them. There has been a lot of accessory done this past year to get stronger and more fluid so I can improve.

I would go into the gym, day in and day out, practicing certain lifts, breaking down certain movements so that I could perform them correctly. Some times friends would come over and ask, what are you doing? Why do you do that? So I would explain what I was doing. Some would say, that's kind of cool, never thought of that. If it was a movement that they were trying to work on as well, they would say, maybe I'll try that too.

When I think back to these moments, it makes me smile because I like to help others and encourage people to reach their goals. I hope that my friends, acquaintances, members from the gym always feel like they can approach me to ask a question or two.  Or if you want to chat with me and see how things are going, I hope you know that I love to catch up.

I love this sport and I love to work hard. I put my all into everything that I do and grind hard.  I appreciate all of those who have supported me, who have let me do my thing in the gym. It may be different but it has worked for me and can't say thank you enough for those who have believed in me. This is just the beginning. I am enjoying this journey and looking forward to all that is ahead. Staying positive and keeping positive people in my life. A special thank you to everyone who cheers me on and pushes me! Hearing your words of support and love means so much.

~ MCA

Progress...

What can happen in a year? What progress can you make with 365 days? I say a lot. Depending on what you do and how much work you want to put into your goal, you can accomplish a lot if you set your mind to it.

I am thinking of my Alex right now. He is a hard worker. I mean, a very hard worker; he puts his heart and soul into all he does. We will share stories from our lives and we get to learn about more about each other. He has accomplished a lot during his life. He has done so many great things, traveled to many places and has learned so much. I love hearing his stories because it's like an adventure, I get to experience what he went through with his words and vivid descriptions. It brings a smile to my face because there is so much to him as a person and this is just one aspect.

This post was sparked by a conversation Alex and I were having in regards to the open. He has been working very hard these past few months to come back from an injury and huge surgery.

In August 11, 2012, he participated in the Occupy Strength competition at CrossFit OneWorld in Union City. The workouts were testing your max lifts: power clean, back squat, bench press and dead lift. Alex was up to find his max back squat. As he hit his second lift, he felt something pull and snap. At the moment he didn't know what it was but was rushed to the ER. Thank you to our amazing friends Connie and Steve for being there, you are the best!

He had x-rays and an MRI done at the hospital to determine what happened. We then went to the doctor and had an ultra sound to see what it could be. The conclusion was that he had a hernia. We talked about what to do and what would be the best option. He was going to have surgery at the end of August to repair the hernia.

The surgery date arrived and it went well. The doctor said it took longer than anticipated due to the amount of muscle that he had. As I write this post, I remember being there in the hospital with him and feeling good, knowing that it went well. I can imagine that it was rough to go through all that but I would be there for him for anything. I love my Alex and want the best for him.

The next few months were the hardest though; his range of motion was very limited and he couldn't do certain movements because of the surgery. Think about it, your midsection, your core is opened up and then closed back up. Your body is trying to recovery and protect itself. I have never had a surgery like this, so I can't say 'I've been there'. I had surgery on my wrist years ago, but that was my wrist, not even close to your core or midsection.

I admire Alex because he went through something so physically and mentally challenging. Yes, there were up days and down days but we kept going forward. He wasn't able to train for four months! Four months... that's a long time when you are always in the gym, training, working towards your goals. He would try to do movements with the barbell but when it got to a certain weight, he would feel that pulling sensation again and it was hard to keep going. We would research the recovery time for a hernia surgery and there would be different reports, some said weeks, others months. It was hard to gauge how long it was going to take. I believed in him and knew that he would get back to where he was before, but I knew it was going to take awhile, maybe longer than what we wanted.

Near the end of November/beginning of December, he was able to lift more weight, incorporate some movements that were impossible before. A long time had passed, but I know that he would bounce back. We started to train more for the open, but if you think about it, there were only three months to train! That's not a lot of time to get back where you originally were. There were more ups and downs but Alex kept going. I wished I could have taken the surgery away and make the pain and frustration melt away, but it was there and we focused on staying positive.

Alex's heart and dedication to keep going and move forward was amazing, absolutely incredible. He had been taken back so far by this surgery but didn't give up. I am motivated by him to keep pushing and to keep working hard. This surgery tested him mentally, being able to keep going and having faith that he would physically recovery and be able to do lift again. This last open workout, 13.3, was a good measure. Alex did one muscle up last year and this year he did six!! Six muscle ups, and with a shoulder issue! Omg he's amazing, so proud. I smile because he is an astonishing athlete and I love how he keeps working and moving and gives it his best.

I am so so proud of Alex for all he has done! He has accomplished so much in such a small time frame. I look up to him in so many ways. He is a hard worker with a caring and gentle heart. He overcame such a huge obstacle and I know that he can over come any challenge that is placed in front of him. I am so lucky to have met Alex and have crossed paths with him. I am truly blessed and am thankful every day for my Alex.

Thank you babe for showing me so much in the time we have known each other. You are an incredible person, athlete, man and individual. Keep up all your hard work because it is paying off and you are doing amazing things! Here's to your progress, our progress and progress in life!

~ MCA