CrossFit at Midlife (aka Embodied Dedication as We Age)

This post offers my own musings on how to thrive in a partner-WOD, regardless of the box-culture or history in which you find yourself. I had a fantastic workout this morning, the first day back after two weeks of travel-holiday-family time. Had I attempted this 8 years ago, however, the environment would have ejected me from ever wanting to try anything like it again. But I am 8 years wiser to myself, my own head-talk, my body’s movement because of the CrossFit methodology held in a variety of boxes. I love my current box AND I recognize it’s been through the ringer over its decades of existence. Or perhaps this is simply a generational thing and I’m the older woman becoming invisible to younger generations who can see me less and less. It doesn’t really matter to me, because I repeat, I had a fantastic workout and loved being able to move precisely as I did. I DO find myself curious and in learning mode as a longtime religious-and-non-traditional-community-participant and organizati...

“It really is the end of an era,” I heard myself say as a favorite water bottle shattered under the weight of my dropped barbell. Oops. Hadn't seen it so close there. The loud music continued as the EMOM carried on in the box. I scurried around picking up pieces of shattered plastic, mopping up the water and electrolytes now spreading onto the mats around me. The coach came over to help, laughing along with me. I missed my round of 15 wallballs in the 24-min EMOM–a happy event, really–but I was saddened to have caused the bottle's demise. I received the water bottle maybe 6-7 years ago from my 8 a.m. OG-CrossFit box friend, Attiga, whose business put her in the position of personalizing water bottles for each of us who often showed up for that WOD. We were a particular crowd, with a complicated mix of personalities dancing while we worked out in whatever fashion was programmed for the day. 8 a.m. had an energy of mothering about it, constituted by mothers and nourishing-caring...

Living on a sacred mountain for 10 days has had some interesting and unexpected impacts upon my sense of self–expectedly–but also on my body, body composition. Given I am finally feeling re-settled into my weekly/daily rhythms from the experience (nearly two weeks later now), it seems time for a little musing on what I’m learning on the CrossFit way, embodied dedication, etc. Most significantly, my 56-year-old body was quite prepared for the rigors of primitive camping in community, with a base-camp and then three days ‘solo’ on the mountain. I’ve not lived on the land quite like this before, to be honest, so I learned a lot . I loved being reminded I am a mammal, like other mammals. Bodily waste is natural, normal, if needing coordination when camping in a community. Enter The Pooper (also know as The Shitter ), the latrine trench dug a good 200 feet from any of us and the basecamp kitchen area. Covered up and buried upon our departure. But my body was so very well prepared. I loved...

Think bigger than a smaller pair of pants. (Christine d’Ercole) I was struck by this catchy aphorism this week, purchasing my first pair of jeans in a very long while. For the last, oh, I don’t know, 5-7 years, I have consciously chosen what I call “womb-friendly” pants. I’ve spent most of my life trying to hide my abdomen, out of touch with how amazing a womb is , then I learned the power hidden there for my own groundedness, self-cherishing. So finding “womb-friendly” clothes was a step in honoring the comfort of my body and prioritizing that instead of trying to minimize or hide. I still catch myself hiding my middle, of course. Decades of habit. But I’ve relished the blood-mysteries my body participated in for decades, even as I now relish the beyond of those specific mysteries.  Going on a “women’s fast” mountain listening journey soon, I realized I don’t have any jeans. At all. I’ve worn capris or black/colored leggings for so long, jeans were unnecessary. Hoping for “wom...

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...