“Elizabeth”

I was wide awake at 3:53 this morning. For one brief moment I thought that I had either not set an alarm (my alarm is always set) or slept though the alarm (I’m a very light sleeper). And then I realized that I’m just very anxious about Luke’s scheduled ACL surgery tomorrow. Yup, I truly am.

Benchmark Week continues, and I coached the first 3 sessions and then attended the 9:30 session led by Deborah and attended by, among others, Karina Abdul Jabbar.

Elizabeth (Time)

21-15-9
Clean, 135#
Ring Dips

Elizabeth has to be one of my least favorite benchmark WODs, and I haven’t completed it in ages (although I’ve programmed at CrossFit Surmount as recently as just a couple of months ago). Why haven’t I completed? It was either scheduled on a rest day, a BBC day, and/or I just didn’t want do to it.

I hate squat cleans as much as I love ring dips. Yes, I hate squat cleans that much.

My only goal today was to complete the workout as prescribed, as I’ve always decreased the weight of cleans. I was feeling lethargic at the start of the session and I informed Deborah that I’d determine if I was going to work out based upon the warmup. The warmup went well, so Deborah partnered me with Karin Abdul Jabbar. I heart KAJ. I went first, but before doing so loudly pronounced, “This is the first time I’m attempting this workout as prescribed. There’s likely to be much swearing.”

There was surprisingly very little sweating, and I only said f@ck at the completion of the round of 21 cleans and just before the very last clean. I did, however, grunt. And make very strange faces. (I’d post some pics but Deborah is the world’s worst photographer and every picture she took is blurry. I’m sorry, that sounded harsh. Deborah is actually the universe’s worst photographer. Yes, if there are multiverse’s she may very well be the multiverses’ worst photographer. Hugs, Deborah!)

I completed each clean one rep at time, ensuring that I squatted below parallel and finished the lift at full extension. I didn’t miss a single rep. Yay! I did, however, drop the bar at the end of every lift. (I didn’t slam the bar to the floor as I witnessed during one of the earlier sessions. You can’t imagine how much that pisses me off.)

I completed round of 21 ring dips in 3 sets of 7 reps, round of 15 in reps of 11 & 4, and last round of 9 unbroken. I could’ve easily completed all rounds unbroken but I kept thinking “The faster I complete dips the sooner I have to start cleans. Why not rest?” At least I’m being honest.

Karina Abdul Jabbar was an excellent judge. She counted reps, let me know how many reps I had completed when asked, and didn’t cheer for me one single time. No “You got this!” No “Niiiiice!” She didn’t coach. No “Pull yourself under the bar!” No “Hips forward!”

I thanked her afterwards and she said, “I knew exactly what to do. I’m married to a Type A personality.” Ha! I always considered myself a Type A+ personality.

Time = 10:34

Certainly not blazingly fast, but I’m very pleased with my performance nonetheless. By the 45th rep of the clean the weight felt like it was about 1135#. I cleaned 80% of 1RM and 90% of body weight.