Happiness on a 1/2 Acre: One year Anniversary

Today, August 12th, is a big day for me. Its my anniversary!

My one year Crossfit Vapor anniversary.

One year ago today I went to my first class at Vapor; it was a foundations class that taught the basics of crossfit.

August 12th 2013, on my way to my first Crossfit Vapor workout.

Two months earlier, I got off the couch (thats a figure of speech, we all know moms don't have time to sit on the couch!) and joined my neighbors, the Joneses, for a garage style crossfit workout.

I was super nervous because I was going from doing practically nothing cardio-wise, to working out with my super fit fun neighbors. For part of the warm up we were supposed to run 800 meters. I couldn't do it without stopping and walking. There were lots of things I couldn't do.

But we had a fun group of 6 or 7 neighborhood moms last summer working out in the garage and we were all the encouragement we needed.

The awesome garage.

I was in rough shape.

I couldn't do 10 sit ups without peeing my pants, no joke.

I couldn't do a box jump, so I did 7 or 8" 'curb jumps.'

I couldn't do a legit burpee.

50 single jump ropes were all I could breath through.

I found out I ate a lot of GARBAGE!

I got so much better that summer just working out in the garage with my girlfriends. It was my favorite part of the day. I even cleaned up my eating a bit (cleaning up to me then was less bread and more eggs) and I lost 19 pounds in 2 months.

I bought my first pair of size 7 pants since my Freshman year of high school. (9th grade was a really long time ago!)

I would have been happy as punch doing my garage modified style of crossfit forever. Lots of cardio, some strength work, and a little bit of weights.

Then my other neighbors, the Scotts, opened Crossfit Vapor, the only real crossfit gym in town.

McCall and Jaren Scott, owners and coaches at Crossfit Vapor

I look back now and laugh at a conversation I had with McCall Scott in May of 2013. I remember talking to McCall that summer even before I started working out in the garage and before they opened their gym. It went sorta like this:

McCall: I love working out, I love lifting heavy, I wish Heber City had an awesome Crossfit gym.

Me: I hate working out. I hate sweating. I would just rather not really eat than worry about exercising.

McCall: Oh, not me. I love food. I love to eat. I workout so I CAN eat.

Me: (only consuming 1100 calories a day at the time) Really? It works like that?

Yeah. I had things backwards. I was truly counting every calorie and not going over 1100 of those babies while nursing a baby full time and not doing an ounce of exercise beyond normally Rachel-mom life. Backwards living.

So, my new life at Crossfit Vapor began 1 year ago.

We moved weight. A lot of it.

When we worked out in the garage, the Joneses said that what we were doing wasn't true crossfit because we weren't lifting very much. His garage wasn't equipped for all of us to lift.

I learned what true, real, crossfit was. And I wasn't sure I totally liked it.

Even when I started at Vapor, I still kept going to the garage gym for a few weeks with my neighborhood gals because I just loved it so much. But that didn't last long. With the crossfit workout I was getting in the mornings, and the cardio garage workouts in the evenings, I was just crushed tired. Dog tired.

So Crossfit Vapor became my thing.

The second workout at Vapor I did was FILTHY FIFTY (50 reps of 10 different activities). I threw up doing the 50 wallballs and didn't finish the workout. But I kept going back, 4 times a week. And strange things happened. I got better and stronger. And some muscles.

In September I did my first rope climb in a workout.

I did a one rep max on my power clean at 105 pounds.

I did FRAN (21, 15, 9 reps of 65 pound thrusters and pullups) in 7:27 with a band to help me do pullups because I couldn't do a pullup.

And I still peed doing sit ups and box jumps.

In October I got a 95 pound snatch one rep max.

I did a 205 pound deadlift.

And I got my pullups!

In November I rocked 10 rope climbs in a workout.

I got a 125 pound power clean max.

I learned how important core strength is in many movements, like the overhead squat.

And I learned that I needed a whole lot more core strength!

In December I bought a few more pairs of fun fun jeans (my sister is going to die laughing because I just used that word) I would NEVER have bought before. I also gained some weight, about 10 pounds since September. But the fun clothing still fit nicely. WIERD! I was worried. I talked to McCall, she was not worried. She actually smiled.

I also did 100 power cleans in a workout and learned I should really be using that hook grip they keep telling me about.

In January I turned 39 years old.

I felt better at 39 than I have in years and years.

I saw this picture of Kendal telling me what to wish for before I blew out my birthday candles and was surprised. I had arms. I figured out where that 10 pound weight gain might be!

In February I did FILTHY FIFTY again with these friends.

I didn't throw up and I finished it.

And it was awesomely awful.

I learned that's how most of the workouts are, but that's the way I like it!

I also finally learned that I like to lift. I like it a lot. It makes me feel empowered.

Crossfit Vapor had a winter nutrition seminar and I decided in March that eating healthy really DID make me feel better and it really DID help me perform better in my workouts.

I cleaned up my eating even more and totally stopped counting calories. The fuel you feed your body sure does make a difference in how you feel, think, and perform.

I hit another power clean max at 155 pounds.

In April I did a 275 pound deadlift that was super exciting for me.
I did sit ups without peeing, 24" box jumps without whimpering, and burpees like a pro.

And I participated in the Crossfit Open Games. I participated with a quarter of a million other people around the world and it was incredible. It helped me push harder than I normally would have and I worked harder than I thought I could work.

After one of the Crossfit Games Open workouts.

In May I worked on double under jump ropes and still had to run to the bathroom in between sets.

I did the FRAN workout again and did it RX (as prescribed) in 6:38. A major improvement from my FRAN time and skill level from a few months before.

I learned that sometimes my body hurts, but that my mind is stronger.

I realized I LOVED my time at Crossfit Vapor.

I love the fun relationships I have made there. There is something great about doing something hard with others and getting through it. It binds you.

I love being stronger.

I love being able to do more.

I love pushing myself.
I love back squats and front squats!

Back squats aren't awful anymore because I finally have some muscle back there for the bar to rest on. Although Matt makes fun of my football player neck and shoulders!

Sometimes I even love it when my body hurts so badly,

I wake up and know I am still alive because I can feel sore muscles.

Or sore hands, or healing rope burns, or stiff knees.

And I love sleeping like a rock.

In June I went to the Regional Crossfit Games and saw some incredible athletes compete to go to the World competition. I was inspired, I was in awe, I was so proud to be a part of something so great, I was amazed, my heart was filled with pride and compassion for all of the athletes that competed that weekend and sometimes came up short.

I saw and felt the vision of Crossfit. And yes, I am a crybaby. I cried. A few times. When that last guy crossed the finish line and everyone in the stands was cheering and clapping for him and the athletes that had already finished, congratulated him, I cried. When that one gal couldn't get one last rope climb in before the time clock sounded, I felt that frog in my throat and a few tears leaked out. It was wonderful.

In July I ran my first 5K EVER and I didn't even die! My name is on that board in 39th place. Of course I didn't kill it, but I did it in under 29 minutes. That was a big deal for me.

In July I also wore a swimming suit in public without being COMPLETELY MORTIFIED!
Just a little self conscious.
July was a good month, I also back squatted 195 pounds.