CrossFit at Midlife (aka Embodied Dedication as We Age)

It’s been a marvelous swing in which to find myself again--CrossFit-Peloton-ing. I’m easing back into the ‘end of summer/start of new semester’ rhythms, which means more work meetings and more complicated calendars after 9 a.m. This has sent me to the 6 a.m. CrossFit session most days, though I still enjoy the easing into the day slowly before the mid-morning WOD. It’s been good to dance between that and Peloton, each informing the other. [Image: Returned dude12345 , CC0, via Wikimedia Commons] For instance, I’ve learned how to stabilize the mental game on the Echo/Assault Bike! Peloton trains you to focus on the resistance and cadence, particularly if you’re into a Power Zone ride. Some instructors aim for cadence focus, choosing the musical tracks to challenge the riders in cardio or strength-oriented ways. High cadence, cardio; lower cadence with higher resistance, strength-oriented. What I learned was that the 11 calories/round I got to do on the Echo Bike this past Sunday was mu...

I am happiest when I’m moving, as I told my hormone doc last week. I’m also happiest when the bathroom scale is back under the bed . Settling back into a gratitude practice, a regular CrossFit rhythm, exploratory Peloton and yoga complements, I begin this Monday with a sense of anticipation, pleasure, ease. The scale is back under the bed where it belongs. My vision is set to prioritizing my body’s fueling and rhythms, loving what I do. I can’t say I succeeded at the Rest Day, as advertised in my previous post. Whoop doesn’t register much strain at all for sprint intervals, so my rationalization to be happy moving. I enjoyed the 45-min sprint intervals session with Christine d’Ercole, challenging my starting resistances a little. I continue to be stronger sitting down for the sprints. Perhaps someday I’ll learn the power-force or posture required for standing-starts. I continue to be grateful for the protein-hack the owner of Centerville CrossFit shared earlier this year: egg whites in...

 A good cardio day to balance out the strength-training and metcon things of the week so far. Five rounds, a minute rest between rounds, 800m c@ bike (though rounds 2&4 chose a 200m run instead), 20 air squats (30 round one, ooph), and 350m row. Made the time-estimate goals, with a good sense of steady pacing. I'm thankful for the chatty interaction with a 5 a.m.'r, for the growing recognition of teammates for the day's efforts, for a sense of completion before a spacious day of work, home-improvement, rest and sacred listening begins. Chose a slightly higher carbs day as well, with a bit of fruit/nut muesli that's been soaking in the fridge this week. Smaller breakfast and lower protein intake to begin. May not make the protein goal for the day, but just wasn't hungry for a large fueling meal.  Rest day tomorrow...or a sprints-interval workout (which never registers 'high strain' on my Whoop band). We'll see how it feels...

I wonder if my internalized voices would alter in any way if I kept a more consistent blog practice? I've tended to reserve this space for quarterly-ish progress reports or substantially-new insights, learnings. How might a gratitude practice here more regularly undergird my learnings, my rhythms, achievements and struggles? This morning, I find myself thankful, curious enough to see what rises. Perhaps when I land in the 6 a.m. class, a brief reflection afterward, to ground the day? Some of the institutional-side of my job is kicking in these weeks of August, requiring me to tend to my CrossFit habit early if I'm going to get it in at all. The first morning was a bit stiff and creaky, yellow-recovery in Whoop terms given the sleep inconsistency. But the next two mornings were easy, with Green-to-Go and a sense of stream-lining my day that I've forgotten of late. Post-book publication, I've let my sense of "drive" sit in the corner, reading a magazine or watch...