5
Jun

SPARTAN PERFORMANCE                                 CROSSFIT SUFFOLK

 

Back Squat: 1X8 @ 75%, 1X5 @ 80%, 1X5 @ 85%, 1X3 @ 90%, 1X3 @ 95% – rest 1:00-2:00 between sets.

Notes: Percentage is based off of 120515

-then-

“Diane”

Compare to 120207

21-15-9 of:

Deadlifts 225/155#
HSPU

For time.

Notes: Use Regionals standards for HSPU.

 

 

CrossFit Suffolk-5-19-2012-178

 


 The Spartan Sprint in Tuxedo Park, NY–Thoughts And Observations

Barbed wire–not a fan!

That's the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the 3.5 mile obstacle race that took place in the hills of Tuxedo, New York.  When I reflect on the barbed wire I realize it really isn't the barbed wire that has become my foe.  It's the rocks underneath the barbed wire.  Small rocks. Big rocks. Sharp one and round ones, in every square inch of the 100 yard long barbed wire event.  I found myself picking up rocks of various size and having to fight back the urge to throw them as hard as I could.  I mean I would have except I didn't want to waste energy and I didn't want to hurt the other racers.  So I chilled.

While rolling and crawling beneath the barbed wire placed about 16" above the bed of water and rocks, I looked over and saw another racer bleeding from his face.  Outstanding I thought.  The race gets a little more real for me when people bleed.  Is that bad?

We need to run hills more.  That was another thought.  We negotiated the hills without incident, but It was a great reminder that adding hill running to conditioning workouts would propel the workouts to another level, no pun intended.

Rope climbing is fairly difficult, more so when the rope is wet.  Make a note.

Here's something I just don't get.  The spartan racers who hope to climb the high wooden walls by running top speed and smashing their body into the wall.  Some people made me wonder whether they were attempting to climb the wall or just break through it like you see in cartoons.

I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to grip the monkey bars.  In three Spartan Races the monkey bars haven't been an issue.  Lisa doesn't like them, but, one of Lisa's strengths is sandbag carrying.  Mules are in awe of Lisa's legendary ability to carry a heavy pack.  I don't like sandbags and they don't like me.  Shortly after coming off the monkey bars I heard a glove wearing racer state, "What did they do, grease the monkey bars?"  The gloved racer's friend said, "Did you notice everyone who slipped off the monkey bars had gloves on."  I had to agree.  I don't use grips, gloves or chalk in the gym.  When chimps in the wild use chalk or gloves to swing from branch to branch I"ll use chalk and gloves.

Just as I was telling a racer about Lisa's leg breaking incident at the Super Spartan on Staten Island a woman racer says to me, "Supposedly there is a woman here, racing today, who broke her leg during the Super Spartan and finished the race anyway."

"She is here, in fact", I said, "that's my wife and she's running right in front of you."

The end of the race made me think of Navy SEALs selection where during motivation week potential SEALs are kept cold, wet and tired.  I've only read about this experience or watched it in a documentary or two.  What struck me was my overwhelming desire to get my wet clothes off and shower as soon as possible.  This made me think of the Naval Special Warfare commandos and how they spend days on end in the cold, wet and tired state.  I was starting to get irritable a few minutes after the race was over and I was in the warm sunlight.  I could see why the men who make it through Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs (BUD/s) training are so few and far between.  It also made me appreciate the mental toughness of SEALs a little more.

Running in the grass, on the hills and through the woods feels much better than running on the street, a track or a treadmill.  It feels like we should be running in a "wild" environment.  There is something primal about it, something that brings you back to childhood.  

The best part of the race is running with my wife and my friends. We encourage each other and laugh, but not necessarily in that order.  When the race is over the festivities begin and together we celebrate life and survival–which means we eat, drink and laugh some more.

By George Demetriou

 

 

 

 

 Training And Dietary Considerations For Women  "Many people look at their diet as either bad or with varying degrees of good. In other words, as long as someone isn’t eating Pop-Tarts and ice cream for breakfast and snacking on cupcakes all day long, they’re eating well in their mind. The majority of my women fall into this category. They eat Kashi cereal, drink fruit smoothies daily, and snack on yogurt and cheese instead of Hostess snacks. Therefore, they categorize their diets as good. Unfortunately, this way of eating and thinking rarely helps them achieve their desired results. Sure, if they’re currently eating true junk food all day long, eating like this will cause a significant improvement. But if they’ve been eating “healthy” for some time and still aren’t satisfied with their current physique, a different approach must be utilized."David Allen for Elite Fitness Systems

 

 

7 Responses

  1. Lauren

    Great story, George! I’m so sorry that we missed this one. Well….missed everything but the whole barbed wire thing. I remember in Staten Island, the mud crawl, the rocks left indents in my arms for a few days. That was pretty annoying! But definitely not as annoying as the 4 week poison ivy issue. Hopefully no poison ivy for you guys this time. 🙂

  2. Barbara Olsen

    Great story George! I love how you write. I agree with hill and trail running. Maybe a weekend run club if sorts. It felt great running with the group. Everyone had strengths and weaknesses and we all helped push, pull and whatever else it took to make it through. These races are a great challenge both mentally and physically. They torture you and make you feel on top of the world all at the same time. I can’t wait too see if there will be videos of the “slip and slide” as I would love too see me fly through the air!! Lol it was a great time and I can’t wait for the next one. Who knows what the “Friendly Beer Distributer” will have in VT?!?

  3. George

    Thanks Lauren! i don’t think I have poison ivy, but time will tell.
    Dana-If there was trail nearby we WOULD be running in the woods.
    John-Thanks for the video link..it reminded of the Spartan Beast without the obstacles. My only issue with “Fell” running is the runners look like marathoners. I DON’T want to look like a marathon runner–ever!
    Natural Supplement moron–stay off my blog forever. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits!
    Barbara-Thanks Barbara! Regular scheduled hill runs are in our future! What a great bunch of people to run with!!

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