My Baptisim

So yesterday was the day from hell.... Woke up with a soar throat, and I was very frustrated with the fact I could feel my body getting sick and breaking down.  I really dont have time for that, espeically not now!  I decided to try and tough it out and went to the gym regardless of what my body had to say about it.  After about 30 minutes of not being able to breath, no power, no strength, I just decided that was it.  I have never really given up in a gym workout so the frustration within grew.  I threw my rope and headed to the sauna.  I spent about 20 minutes just mostly stretching and was really upset with myself. 
I headed to the shower and in all my pouting rushed home to try and get some rest.  Thank god for Ms. P.A. who catered to my tantrum.  Homemade chicken noodle soup, some rest, lots of vitamins and orange juice, and some T.L.C..... 
I wake up the next morning and despite the fact that I now have a cold taking over and I am having a hard time breathing decide to pack my things and at least get in a short 1-2 hour run after work.  As I get my gear together I realize I left my running shoes, Ipod, running sock, and baseball at the gym!  I must have thrown the biggest fit ever.... I really got upset with myself.  What was god telling me?  To slow down?  Quit?  I just felt overwhelmed...everything that is going on, all my training, finances, fundraising, sacrifice, time, why was my body breaking down and my armor lost?  My Ipod and Shoes are my current heartbeat, and I felt tired of all the money, and emotions being spent.....
So Ms. P.A. gave me just the right combination of kick in the ass and compassion.  But I realized at that moment that this is what the Death Race is all about.  What are you going to do when life is not fair.  When things don't go your way.  Quit?  Cry?  Give up?  Or are you going to pick yourself up and march on.  I always prided myself on being a guy who broke through the wall and here I was crying over a cold, ipod, and my shoes...... 
So I realized what God is trying to tell me.  First Balance.  Its just a race.  Its doesn't define me, but it can be a huge part of my personality moving forward.  Its very much like wrestling...people wont understand what I am doing or why, but in the end this is about yourself, pushing through your limits, and finding yourself.  For me this race is about so much more than a finish line.  Finish or not I am going to that farm and I am going to leave everything I have there.  I will leave with no Regrets, and it will all be left at the Amnee Farm.  This is a funeral of sorts.  I am leaving behind everything I never finished and I am coming home a different person.  This is about a wrestling career left unfulfilled, a failed marriage, a wasted youth, any missed opportunity, I am going there on my 38th birthday and coming home finished with any regrets and ready to move on to the next chapter of my life.  There is so much to look forward to.  I am marching up there to stare regret, defeat, and self doubt in the face and give it my everything.  Whatever that is I know I will be at peace...this is my baptism and I am ready......

So a few days off, Rest, and I am going to hit May with everything I got.  Watch out death race...here I come

"The Funeral"

I'm coming up only to hold you under
I'm coming up only to show you wrong
And to know you is hard; we wonder
To know you all wrong; we were.

Really too late to call,
So we wait for morning to wake you
That's all we got
to know me as hardly golden
Is to know me all wrong, they were.

At every occasion I'll be ready for the funeral
Every occasion, once more, it's called the funeral
Every occasion, know I'm ready for the funeral
At every occasion, oh, one billion day funeral

I'm coming up only to show you down,
For I'm coming up only to show you wrong.

To the outside: the dead leaves, they're on the lawn
Before they died, had trees to hang their hope

And every occasion
I'll be ready for the funeral
And every occasion once more
It's called the funeral
And every occasion
Oh, I'm ready for the funeral
Every occasion
Of one billion day funeral

Ummmm....for some reason i have a soar throat.  I cannot and will not get sick.  I feel ok, but this begs the question.....do I dare take some days off this close to the race and just rest?  I really don't feel like my 3-4-5 days a week is enough as is.  Yuck, no getting sick. 

Very light day..... was planning on finishing out at Boot Camp, but everyone seemed non-boootcamp-motivated.  I hope we keep it going for the next few weeks...I know Yesel and I can certainly use the work and the suppport!!!

Took the day and had Madison :)  She always breathes new and refereshing life into me.....


Starting to talk to other death racers, and its really enjoying to talk to other crazies..... not too many people can understand why we do what we do, why we push our limits...i think some are just born a little crazy.... I told Yesel, and I believe this to be true....being this type of athlete can be very lonley...I think I adjust well because it is very similar to be a wrestler....

Every time I turn around seems Cross Fit Endurance is brought up....I feel like I am missing out.  However I am pretty sure what I am doing breaks what they do.  I want to go sign up for a month, but I am afraid it wont be enough.  What should I do, Tom?

Oh and special thanks to Ms. P.A for keeping me in check!

DB Incline Rows, Good Morning, BB Curls, Iso DB Curls, TBar, Power Crunch, Jump Rope
3x
7 Min Elliptiacal 15 Behind the neck pull ups
2x
Rear Deltoid, Iso Preacher, 2 Arm Preacher, Rear delt row, 1 arm 1 leg curl, Butt Blaster, Stair Jump (every 4th stair)
3x
15 Min Bike Random Hills level 9

Doctor Visit

So I am begging to feel like I have more to give in every workout...that's a little scary because I have really stepped things up.  My circuits are way beyond what I thought I could do.  Hope I don't peak to early.  The plan has always been to peak out in May, taper off in June....

Now it comes down to planning and hoping to be as prepared as possible.  I enjoy talking to other racers to try and get their thoughts, suggestions, and ideas.  Yesterday I went and got a physical and my doctor is going to send me to a sport specialist which I am very excited about.  I'm tired of the shin splints, etc...its time to get my mechanics worked on by a professional.  I do worry at times that I push it a bit to far.  I can feel my body at times agreeing with concerned people....at the same time I am in the best shape of my life (very thin and lean at 157.  Trying to get used to this thin body).

Yesterday target was Chest and Tricep
DB Bench, Skull Crushers, DB Fly, DB kickback, Dips, Power Crunch, Jump Rope
3x
7 Min Elliptical, alligator Push Ups, Dips
2x
Pec Fly, Chest Press, Tri Push Down, Iso Tri Ext., Burpies w/PushUps, Tri Extenstion
3x
3 Stairs, 3 Laps, 15 Pull Ups
3x
Iso Lat Decline Press, Iso Lat Behind the neck Press, DB Pushups, DB Tri Ex. Overhead, Iso Lateral Incline Press, DB Jumps
3x
Sauna 47 Minutes Hard!!!!

Take that Death Race!!  I'm reaching a new level....

"When you exist in the great state of gratitude, you become a person who only wants to give. You become so grateful that it takes over your life, and you can't find enough opportunities in a day to give. You give joy, you give love, you give money, you give appreciation, you give compliments, and you give kindness. You give the best of yourself in your job, in your relationships, and to strangers.

You will know when you have really found true gratitude, because you will become a giver. One who is truly grateful cannot be anything else"

I wont quit

So this past weekend brought a lot of self thought which is always a good thing....  I had a great workout on Friday (see below), rested Saturday, and Sunday evening did the "Rose Bowl Hill Runs" that Tom turned me onto. 

I realized that I am too much of a reactionary.  This race is all about teaching yourself to get through adversity no matter what.  I tend to perform and do my best when my surroundings are doing well.  And I get frustrated when things are not.  So this race has been perfect at helping me to try and understand balance.  That's one of the things I love about Tom....no matter what is going on, he keeps his cool.  True leaders have that quality and I am doing much better at it.  This race has opened my eyes to that. 

Had a great Easter with a nice mass on Thursday, Easter Egg Hunt with Madison on Saturday, and Sunday Mass with Madi.  Did some shopping, had a nice dinner on Friday, so all is going well.  Taking it all in one step at a time and reminding myself life is a marathon not a sprint!

One thing that keeps me going is the fact that this race wants to break you.  There is certainly an element of us (racers) vs. them (race directors/promoters).  I find myself when I begin to get tired to hear Andy and Joe telling me to quit.  I actually play them saying "quit, quit, go home".  It pushes me knowing there is this big great white out there that wants to break me.  I typically don't perform well under that type of negativity, but I think i understand what it is all about....this race is my Can Tran, my fight with Booze, my struggle with anything.  The question is what are you going to do when life tells you to quit?  Give up and go home, or push through..... I am going to do my best on this thing.  I actually find myself saying out loud when I am tired "to hell with you Andy and Joe".  "Take this Death Race".  This race is about so much more than a finish line.....  I am thankful to be a part of it all....

Friday
Target - Legs (calf and quad) - Biceps
I am amazed how far along I am....I can feel my body and endurance level changing...
Split Stance Squat, Iso Preacher Curl, Butt Blaster, Curls, Med Ball Squat Jumps, Med Ball Abs, Jump Rope         
3x
13 Min Stair Master (1.4 Miles, 70 floors), 2 Shuffle Steps around the track    
2x
Cable Cross Over Curls, DB Lunges, Power Crunches, Jump over DB, Pull Ups, Cable Curls, Seated Calf   3x
6.5 Min Elliptical, Alligator Push Ups, Dips
2x
Incline DB Curls, Incline Squats, Wrist Curls, Power Cleans, Med Ball Lunges, 1 Lap with Med Ball over head
3x
Sauna Stretch
35 Min Sauna Cardio work...(17 exercises)

Sunday
Rose Bowl Hills (I have learned to pace myself....problem is I always feel like I can do so much more)
2 hours - not sure of distance figured about 12 miles or so.  I don't count miles anymore its all about the quality and time of workout....this run I one time around the Rose Bowl, hitting all the hills.  I didn't like just doing the hills so each hill I made myself do something extra at the top.
Hill 1 - Step Jumps (every 4th or 5th step), Box Jumps 2x
Hill 2 - Same
Hill 3 - Rock over head
Hill 4 - Dips
Hill 5 - Shuffle Steps up, Push Ups
Hill 6 - Squats
Hill 7 - Rock over head
Hill 8 - Box Jumps
Hill 9 - Side Steps Up, Burpie Push Ups
Hill 10 - Bicycle Abs
10 50 Yard Sprints
High Knees
Lunges
Shuffle Steps
Hill 11 - Jumping Jacks
Hill 12 - Mountain Climbers

energized

I seem to be gaining positive energy by the day..which is great timing!!  I am so happy that everything is falling into place now, as we hit this final and most intense push..... there was a period where personal life, training, and even our own group seemed to be fraying.  But things for everyone seem to be really headed in the right direction..... That is the push I needed and probably Yesel needed.... small things like stress, sleep, diet are what will separate the finishers from quitters. 

So I truly feel much more energized.  I now look forward to going back to the gym, and training in general.  Everything just feels right....the big balancing act now is time with Madison and work.  I truly feel like I could be doing a lot more in my training, but I am not a professional athlete so I have to do what I can when I can.  I am happy that I have found a sense of balance in my life which I previously lacked. 

Things look great, and even my personal life for the first time in a while has taken a great turn.  I feel supported and that is a huge difference.  I am truly lucky to have what I have and I am ready to kill this damn race....

Note to self...does that mean I am a narcissist when I put myself on a tshirt?  Ok...no one answer that...
Wed workout....
Target Hamstrings and Shoulders

Leg Curl, Leg Extension, Shoulder Raise, Freemnont Shoulder Press, Jump Rope      3x
3 Stairs, 3 Laps, 12 Pull Ups Ran last lap with 25 lb. weight overhead     3x
Linear Hack Press, BB Shoulder Raise, DB Shrug, DB Lat Lung, BB Shrug, Power Crunch     3x
Elliptical 6.5 Min., 50 Push Ups, 2 Sets of stair Squats       2x
Seated Leg Press, Fly, Shoulder Press, Seated Leg Curl, 2 Sets of Stair Jumps       3x

Sauna Stretch
Sauna work - 30 Min - Non Stop, cardio busting action!

On to my evening with the most beautiful girl I know...Madison! 

Life is good :)

Vision Quest sit ups are back!

Yesterday had to get in a quicky at the gym, then ran up to boot camp.  Boot camp was fun as Yesel and I ran it for the first time.  I think (hope) they enjoyed some of the things we did.... The Vision Quest sit ups are always a winner!

I would do more, but really appreciate Tom running it for us.  I am looking forward to next year when we are back at Annunciation and Tom, Yesel, and I can really utilize the website, promote, use the campus, and have fun!

I feel very very motivated...actually I truly feel like I am not doing enough.  Perhaps I need to start 2 a days?  Some people tell me to slow down....but should I?  Am I doing enough?  Too much?  Its hard to plan for something you have no idea what is in store! Some people are doing, more, less, all I know is I am not injured right now and that is the most important thing. 

Looking forward to some serious training....  I have Madison this weekend but I am thinking of doing a rose bowl run Sunday Night.  Tom, you want to hit the Rose Bowl hills Sunday night? 

Here was yesterday....

Target... Biceps/Back
Curls, Pull Down, Iso Curl, Low Back, Jump Rope      3x
Elliptical 7 Min. Behind the Back Pull Ups, Regular Pull Ups    2x
DB Curls, BB Row, DB Hammer Curls, Good Morning, 60 Mountain Climbers     3x
15 Bike - Random Hills
2 Arm Preacher Curls, Low Row, 1 Arm 1 Leg Iso Curl, Pull Down, 30 J.Jack, 30 Lat Jacks    3x

Boot Camp
Bungee Runs
Shuffle Runs Bungee

Circuit 30/each - Partner Drills
Vision Quest Sit Ups
One man in push up other person jump over
Med Ball Hand Off
Leg Push Downs
Jump Over Partner in Base

5 Min Stairs every other Up Jump Stairs
7 Min Stairs - bottom set leg climb - Push Up up the stairs - or Leg Squats Up - Dips or leg lifts at top