Hana Relay Rocks and so does the WOD Afterwards

So. I wasn't going to run the Hana Relay.

Haven't been running, haven't been jogging, haven't even been walking. A week prior to the race I didn't even go to any Crossfit workouts.

But Kristi sees the entertainment value of having me on the team so they sign up FOR ME . . .

And you know, I'm glad they did.

So Friday night I take it easy, get some good rest and then come Saturday I put on our killer new RFM "Jerk" shirts for the race. They're sweet.

I saw earlier that RFM had me listed to run just one leg, a 2 miler that was all downhill. I didn't blame them after last year's race. I ran super slow and we were like in last place. There were no other teams around us for miles.

This year I needed some redemption so I told the team I'd meet them at Baldwin Park for the leg there. I wasn't registered to do that leg but I wanted to do it last year, just because it was through my home town and I know the route by heart.

So I got there, threw my bag in Shauna and Jun's truck and started running with Jun and Bill on leg three, from Baldwin Park to Hookipa Park, a little more than 3 miles.

This first leg sucked. My back hurt and I was out of breath. Runners were passing me left and right, one of them a silver haired guy with a knee brace and a t-shirt that said "Motrin in Motion" or something like that.

I made it though and on the way out I grabbed some Motrin from that same old guy. After about an hour and a half the Motrin kicked in and I was thinking about running again. So they let me run leg 10 with Brent, a mile downhill and a mile uphill.

This time it went a little bit better and even though I was moving kinda slow I made some decent time.

Before too long it was time for the last leg through Hana Town. Marcus said "You're coming right?" and I said yeah, why not.

We chugged a beer and Bump, Brent, Marcus, Lori and I ran the last leg. Crossing the finish line was pretty awesome. Drinking beer afterwards and the Red Sand beach was even more awesome but I don't have time to write about that today.

Then we get back on Monday and we have a cool little WOD that requires no legs (thank God), a blessing for all of us that ran the relay. AMRAP 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 sit-ups. I got 9 rounds so I was pretty stoked about that.

Been a good weekend/start of the week for me guys, hope you're having fun too.

Later,

Rod

Back to the Blog and the Box

In case you haven't noticed this blog has been AWOL along with my presence at RFM.

No biggie. Last week it was meetings, meetings and more meetings.

Then on Monday it was a holiday and I didn't show up again. At that point they put out a missing person's poster on the RFM website with my picture on it. Haha. Funny mathafathas.

So I showed up on Tuesday. Sometimes the schedule sucks and you just can't make it into the gym and that was last week. Sue me.

But I'm back and just in time, because Tuesday's workout was just right. Push-ups, sit-ups and some running. Cool.

Except the only other person with me was the new girl Allison, who looked like she could run like a gazelle. Damn these new members who are already in shape, how the hell am I supposed to enjoy their pain?

So the WOD consisted of running 200 meters, then coming back and doing as many push-ups as you could in whatever time you had left from a minute and a half (1:30). Then you run again and come back and do as many sit-ups as possible. Run again and do push-ups again then run again and finish off with sit-ups.

Anyway, we start and me and Allison are neck and neck. Neither of us are breathing hard. Then I get back in the gym and I start pumping out the push-ups. Something in my mind said to just go for broke because I wouldn't get a chance later. I was aiming for 60 but I got 50 instead.

I could go on but there's nothing more to this story except that I never got close to running with Allison again. I was winded and she her stride was . . . well, gazelle-like. I ended up with 98 reps total which means the other three push-up/sit-up sessions were pitiful. Thank God for that first round.

The next day though . . . crap I'm still feeling Wednesday's workout.

Back-squats for strength then 12-9-6 reps of dumbbell power cleans, dead-hang pull-ups and burpees.

This was humbling. First off, we had to use half our body weight for the dumbbells so I had to use 50's. Painful.

Then the dead-hang pull-ups were a disaster. I used to be able to do 12 but with this weird shoulder injury I did six then went dead after the first round.

The easiest part were the burpees. Wait, what did I say. Hell yes, you heard it. The burpees were the easiest part. I speak the truth.

What say you RFM bretheren?

Peace,

Rod

Running Like Fred Flintstone

So the other day I talked about doing the Iao run with some RFM members who are training for the Hana Relay.

I hate running but I went because if I'm going to run the relay I better put in some time on the road. Plus RFM was close due to Robert and Kristi being out of town, so I really had no excuses.

So that morning I grabbed my workout clothes and looked for my shoes . . . and couldn't find them anywhere.

Crap. It was getting late so I just left. I thought maybe I could stop by the mall and grab some shoes but I never got the chance.

So 4 o'clock rolls around and I don't want to run but I do want to do SOMETHING that will get the heart pumping. Anyway, I got dressed, parked up the street and walked over to where Kathy and Kalaheo were standing, with no shoes. Shauna and the others came up soon afterwards and everyone was like:

"Where are your shoes?"

"Are you seriously going barefoot?"

"You're crazy."

No I'm not crazy. Just didn't have time to get new shoes and really wanted to do some sort of workout.

And I didn't trust myself to workout at home by myself. I'm a Crossfitter, I need my gym-peeps. They keep me going.

In this case, they kept me going all the way up to the road that leads into Iao Valley and about two or three turns into the valley itself. After that my back gave out and I had to turn around and head back to the car.

Not a bad workout though, next time hopefully I'll make it to the end with the rest of the group.

Then again, next time I also hope to have shoes.

Peace.

Rod

Damn You Shoulder and Running on Tuesday?

Handstand push-ups used to be my favorite workout.

Then came the shoulder problems.

Damn it.

Today was five rounds of 20 double unders then 10 handstand push-ups.

Shauna finished in less than 5 minutes. I took more than nine.

Nuff said.

Sheesh. Okay, gotta spin this into a more positive light.

Perhaps this is a ploy by the Crossfit gods to force me to concentrate on other things. Such as training to run.

The Hana Relay is coming up soon and I've got the cardio of a sloth when it comes to running.

Gotta get busy. The gang is running tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. Not sure I can make that.

I gotta do something though. Don't focus on what you can't do, focus on what you can do.

Right?

Later gang,

Rod

It's Always Worse Than It Seems

So today's WOD was 12, 9 and 6 reps of thrusters with a 200 meter run in between each set.

Thrusters. My natural enemy. I've hated them since Bump had me do them for my introduction Crossfit workout many moons ago.

I've come a long way since then, somewhat. I pondered what weight to use in my mind. Ikaika said 115 would probably be as heavy as he went. He said he and Bump did some crazy WOD involving thrusters of 135 that hurt him for days afterwards.

Haha, good thing we weren't doing 135 right? Yeah.

Then during the warm-up I see Ikaika give me a troubled face and he pointed to the board. It took a while for me to see it but next to the thrusters was this symbol: (135/95).

That of course translates to "prescribed weight for men is 135 and 95 for women."

I read that and said, "ONE THIRTY-FIVE?" in a really high voice, because right then it felt like someone had kicked me in my nuts.

Ah crap. Seriously? I told Bob and he just flat out said no way. he said "I did 85 pounds last time. Maybe I can do 95 this time. Maybe."

Bob was keeping it real. Unfortunately keeping it real for me probably meant I had to do 135.

So yeah, me and Ikaika put on 135. Marcus came in for the 5 p.m. class right before we started and saw the 135 and he actually looked concerned. I'm not used to seeing that look on his face, usually he's the gung-ho, go all the way sorta guy in our gym.

(Probably the reason why he passes out first during every party too. Marcus parties like he does his WOD's, he doesn't hold anything back. Good for his cardio, bad for his internal organs. But I digress.)

I tried one out and surprisingly it wasn't too bad. Of course I know my body, after three of these things I was going to be in trouble. I had to strategize. Maybe three sets of four reps for the first round?

The countdown had already started so I had little time to come up with anything else. Three sets of four reps it is.

It was a good strategy because I wasn't completely wasted at the end of the first round but it meant I was the last one out of the gym to go do my 200 meter. The second round was worse but still manageable and the third round I managed to crank out six straight reps. I was in some pain but by then my thought was it would actually hurt worse to stop and pick that damn bar up again.

The running also sucked because my back tightened up, surprise, surprise.

But hey, we survived. And as much as I hate thrusters I always feel better after doing them. Mostly because I figure it'll be a while before I have to do them again.

Seriously though I feel pretty good.

But let's not do 135 pound thrusters again anytime soon. Thanks.

See ya tomorrow gang,

Rod

Samongan Training With Tehau

First off, CONGRATS TO MR. AND MRS. ROBERT AND KRISTI KIKUCHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right, our fearless leaders at RFM are getting hitched finally!!! They had a small, intimate family wedding today and we've got a reception tomorrow.

As someone who used to be married I give Bump credit for jumping on the wagon again. Then again, Kristi is a sweetheart so the decision wasn't that difficult I'm sure.

In any case, I don't have a picture of the married couple yet but when I do I will insert it here:


In the meantime, let us return to our blog, which, if you haven't figured it out by now, ran into a little snag today.

Mainly, RFM was closed because said owners were getting hitched.

So, either I had to (1) workout at home and write about that, (2) break into the RFM gym or (3) workout at another Crossfit gym.

I know, I was kinda scared about option 3 myself. I've never Crossfitted anywhere else except RFM. But then again, Kehau is still an RFMer at heart.

So yeah, I worked out at Crossfit Upcountry today with Kehau coaching me. It was like old times. I would do a movement, she would mock me then laugh. Repeat.

Good times, good times.

So I get to Crossfit Upcountry and we start warming up and I notice that Kehau's warm-ups are exactly like RFM's warm-ups except 8 times faster.

For example, Kristi would say something like this during a warm-up for power cleans: "Plant your feet, explode and get that extension."

Kehau's version was like this: "Plantyourfeetexplodeandgetthatextension."

Needless to say the warm-up went by a bit faster.

Then we did the cash-out after that, which is usually done at the end of the WOD. Because of this she called it the "buy-in" for all you Vegas fans.

The "buy-in" today was to put a rubber band around a partner and hold him/her back while they try to run across the parking lot. Then you put on the rubber band and drag them all over the place. Like so:

Okay, see that kid? Yeah, small kine weight difference between us. He's like in high school and would maybe weigh a buck fifty if his sweatpants were wet. I actually felt bad for him. I know Kehau did this on purpose just for laughs. Well that and there really was nobody else in my weight class at the gym, damn skinny King K kids.

Anyway we had to run back and forth, four times each. I won't lie, I was winded. The kid is a high school wrestler so this was nothing for him. He had this look on this face afterwards that said, "You okay uncle?"

Shaddup and let's get on with the WOD.

So the strength workout were these funky things called snatch deadlifts which were basically wide grip deadlifts. They really made my back tight so after three sets of five of 135 I had to loosen up. What was great was they had this really hard ball, I think it was a lacrosse ball, that did wonders for my back. I don't know where you get one of those in Hawaii but I need one so I can work out the kinks before and after every WOD.

Then it was time for the WOD, 21,15 and 9 reps of hang power cleans and release push-ups.

I was okay with that until Kehau demonstrated and I saw I had to squat all the way down to the bottom.

I don't usually swear on this blog but I'll be honest. Right there and then I said, "Fuck."

Power cleans are okay but hang power cleans are a bitch and if you add that squat it's a freakin beast.

In other words I hate them.

So we start and sure enough, I do the first 10 and I'm winded. Only 11 more to go in the first round damn it.

Plus I don't realize it when I set up but the sun was angled so that every time I squatted I was blind.  I would blame Kehau for that too but I picked my spot so . . . yeah, my fault.

Afterwards I took my usual spot on the floor and in front of the fan and noticed that NOBODY ELSE WAS LYING DOWN.

What the hell? How was nobody else tired after that?

Oh yeah, because THEY ALL JUST GRADUATED FROM KING K OR ARE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

Damn kids. Can't wait to get back to my RFM geezer gym on Monday.

Kidding. It was good to workout with Kehau again. Not sure what kind of pose we're trying to do in this picture below but we looked retarded as usual.

I know you're going to read this tonight Kehau, so let's just say you'll always be Maui's strongest Samoan/Tongan hybrid woman to me. Thanks for the workout.

Talofa folks,

Rod

Foiled Again

Still not sure if I'm just tired from not coming to RFM regularly or if the WOD's this week are just kicking my ass but we've have some humdingers lately.

(Yes thank you that was my first attempt at using the word "humdingers", I think it worked.)

Yesterday was another simple but terrible four rounds of the 400 meter run followed by 15 toes to bar.

Oh yes, we had a one minute rest in between rounds.

See, this is where sometimes in Crossfit you get to involve some strategy.

I figured, just go all out on the first 400 meter run. After that you're golden because no matter what time you come in everyone has to wait one minute. I'll always be a minute ahead of everyone.

Which was absolutely correct. I think the first two rounds I was way ahead of everyone.

Then came Shauna. Damn it.

She was doing her T to B's pretty quick and she's a good steady runner. Not really super fast but just maintaining the same speed for all four runs.

That's hard to do, especially for me although yesterday was better than most. My back didn't start tightening up until the 3rd round and that's where she passed me.

I think our times ended up being three seconds apart, with her ahead of me.

Grrrrr...

Okay, today we're doing push-presses followed by double unders. Hopefully this goes better today for me.

On another note.

So, a while back I posted a link to a 60 Minute story about how sugar and corn syrup are basically killing us.

Yep. Bottom line is, get your sweets from fruits or not at all.

They did a follow up this past Sunday: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57481946/is-sugar-toxic/?tag=contentMain;cbsCarousel

From what I could tell, a portion of the new information in the latest report is that glucose attaches itself to cancer cells and FEEDS IT.

That is messed up. Open up your fridge and look inside. See that cake? It's evil. That ice cream? Toxic.

That Komoda Bakery cream puff? That's Satan himself waiting to kill you from the inside with his pitchfork.

This makes me sad because some of my favorite foods involve sugar: guri guri, cookies and cream, blueberry cheesecake, that fancy dessert at Hy's Restaurant in Honolulu where they drizzle fresh fruit with melted chocolate . . .

No more. No more.

But how do I stop my son from eating sugar? That's the tough one.

That and how bad do I feel for HC&S? They're growing acres and acres and acres of sugar and now this report comes out. I wonder if this has affected their operations or profit margin.

I can't help it, I'm a Paia boy. The sugar industry raised my family and put food on the table for my mom and my aunts and uncles.

Sigh. Getting off point here a little, sorry folks.

See ya at the box,

Rod