Not THAT Fran

In September of 2010 Melanie asked if I wanted to watch her compete in the Games at the Bondar Pavilion. She had been working out at Catalyst for some time and was very happy with the training. She had continued to follow the Crossfit program in Kuwait while teaching there. It was during that time I realized that Crossfit was different, not your ordinary program. I had seen enough of ordinary, very safe, usual and frankly, boring. I had a bit of a bout of knee troubles given running as the basis of my fitness routine, I was in trouble. I had always used progressive weight training as a method of conditioning but was disillusioned with the results. I was very concerned that I would not be able to downhill ski with the intensity that I loved for very much longer. I was curious and motivated.
I went to the Games and watched Melanie with awe! I saw Lori and Betty-Lou doing skills and movements that I was not capable of doing at the time. My other daughter, Kate and son Tom were also finding success and motivation in the Crossfit program. It inspired me to learn more.
Melanie saw that I was inspired and came home the week after the games to tell me that Barbell Bettys was starting in two weeks. Kate and Tom encouraged me to get in there!
I had been a swimmer and runner in the past. I knew that muscles had memories. I would get back some of my strength and capabilities, so “Eek”, I thought, “ put on your big girl pants and get in there!”
I started in late September /early October 2010 with Bettys I and then Bettys II. We had planned a ski week in March and I was terrified that I would not be strong enough to enjoy the week. I love downhill skiing. I don’t remember learning how to ski but I have pictures and I was little. ( I have some of Melanie too at about the same age if anyone is interested!)
The first week of Bettys I, Tyler put us in the racks to do back squats and that was it, I was all in. I needed to learn all of the movements and wake up some sleeping muscles. In January 2011 I joined the 7 am WOD group and found my home. I try to attend 5 mornings a week; Monday to Friday with my new XFFF.
I have a 6 day ski week in the mountains at the end of January with Bob, my husband and ski buddy. I am working on my strength.
Downhill skiing demands strong core and super strong legs, so I add squats of some kind three times per week depending on the posted WOD. The fast Olympic lifts are challenging and rewarding so I am enjoying that skill focus right now too. Each one of the superb Crossfit coaches has a slightly different approach. That helps with these difficult lifts. When I am struggling with a skill one of them will use a unique queue and there it is, one step closer to the 10,000 hours to mastery.
As an older cross fitter I need to make sure that I am warmed up before the WOD warm up. I spend a lot of time on the rower, as the running is not feeling so good these days. I have added one Yin Yoga class every two weeks to check in on flexibility and attend to trouble spots.
I find that I enjoy any combination of run/row and lift. The long workouts ( filthy fifty and chippers) are really hard to read at 6 am but so rewarding that I have to rate them pretty highly as well.
Doing Snow Angels with Heather after Filthy Fifty last winter was the best ever. Thanks for that Heather and every high-five every week day!