Tortoise or Hare

This week marks the half point in the 7 week training period for the Sparatan 300 Challenge.  I have only 3 1/2 more weeks to do the work to make my goals.  When I decided to take on this challenge I did so as a way to track the progress I'm making on this CF journey not so much to ramp up my workouts and become more stringent in my diet.  Don't get me wrong, I definitely am working towards becoming stronger, faster and leaner but doing so while maintaining balance in my life.

As a part of our training for this event, participants have received weekly communications that contain 4 additional workouts for each week on top of the Crossfit classes we already attend.  I'm not whining, quitting or trying to make any deals here but between working my day job, teaching 4 yoga classes in the evenings a week, 2 Crossfit classes, 2 public yoga classes, and 1-2 runs, a social and love life, I've been finding it difficult to work in all 4 additional workouts a week.  I've done at least 1 and some weeks 2 but it's been a real struggle to get in all 4 unless I give up one of my runs or yoga classes.  While I LOVE CF, I'm not ready to sacrafice yoga and running to get in those extra WOD's.  I need an equal dose of all 3 of those disciplines to keep me balanced in my mind, body and spirit.

Despite not having done all 4 extra weekly workouts over the past 3 weeks, I feel much stronger and it's evident by the PR's I continue to experience in my workouts.  The fit of my clothes show me that I'm much leaner than I was on May 8th and I am actually comfortable putting on shorts again.  As far as my goals for the challenge go, will I meet my goal of finishing the 300?  I think I'm most definitely closer now than I was 3 weeks ago.  Will I be able to do 1 kipping pull up without a band?  Not so sure about that one, but I'll keep working on it.  Will I be 5 lbs lighter and have 3% less body fat?  Maybe but I'm not so worried about it because I know that will come in time if I continue on this path.  What I do know for sure, is that if I allow CF to swallow up all of my time my chances of long term success will be in jeopardy.  I need this balance to keep me in this for the long haul and that's my top goal.  Time and again I've heard stories from people who go gung-ho like the Hare in Aesops fable in order to meet a goal and once they hit it they crash, burn and back slide.  I don't want that to happen to me so instead I plan to be more like the Tortoise taking a slower pace but in it for the long haul to not just finish strong at the end of these 7 weeks but to continue way beyond that.

Food and Fuel Log:

Friday 5-28-10

Breakfast 8:00 a.m.
3 egg whites with 1/2 c green peppers and onions cooked in 1 tsp coconut oil

Lunch 12:00 a.m.
1/4 lb baby back ribs
field greens with beets, cabbage, carrots and basalmic vinegarette

Snack 2:00 p.m.
1/4 lb turkey breast
1/2 c cantloupe

Dinner 9:00 p.m.
4 oz ribeye
spinach and mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, red wine and garlic
2 paleo margaritas
1 glass red wine

Workout:
3 mile run

Saturday 2-29-10

Breakfast 8:15 a.m.
1/2 c canteloupe
1 oz proscuitto

Snack 10:00 a.m.
1/2 Cashew Cookie Larabar

Lunch 12:30 a.m.
1/4 lb babyback ribs
field greens with beets, cabbage, carrots and basalmic vinegarette

Snack 4:00 p.m.
1 oz smoked turkey breast

Dinner 8:30 p.m.
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 c guacamole
grilled onions
artichoke hearts, black olives, cucmbers, cherry tomatoes in olive oil and basalmic vinegar
2 bites of raw coconut no-cheese cheese cake and raw cacoa brownie
2 paleo margaritas

Sunday 5-30-10

Breakfast 9:00 a.m.
Paleo Pancakes

Lunch 12:00 p.m.
2 oz smoked turkey breast
1/2 c guacamole

Snack 2:00 p.m.
1/2 Cashew Cookie Larabar

Snack 4:00 p.m.
handful of cashews

Dinner 6:30 p.m.
4 oz filet mignon
1/2 c mushrooms sauteed in olive oil and red wine
1 c broccoli salad with bacon, mayo, craisins and almonds
2 paleo margaritas
2 glasses red wine (hey, I was dinning at a home with a wine cellar and my host insisted that I sample some of his collection, I couldn't insult the guy!)

Workout:
50 Push Ups

50 Lunges
50 Supermans
2.5 Mile Run
15 reps of plank variation core work

Monday 5-31-10

Breakfast 9:30 a.m.
Paleo Pancakes

Lunch 12:00 p.m.
2 oz smoked turkey breast
1/2 c guacamole

Snack 3:00 p.m.
2 bites raw coconut no-cheese cheesecake, no-bake cacoa brownie

Snack 6:30 p.m.
handful of pistachios

Dinner 8:45 p.m.
1/2 lb babyback ribs
field greens with carrots, cabbage, beets and basalmic vinegar

Workout:
4 mile run