I accidentally fell into a night of French Champagne this week, and it put my training and nutrition plans back - go figure!!

It is clear I don't have the desire I once did to compete to win, and you know what? I am cool with that. So I will get back on the training bandwagon this afternoon.

Clean running

Ok so I am not talking about my running style, but i fact my the last 2 WODs at CFB. I am not the world's happiest runner, however I need to work on all body weight exercises and running is high on the list. I have been adding one run week and have been tracking my rate, and yesterday I brought my 5km average down from 7min/kms to 6:30 min/ kms from about one month ago. I did have a "triathlon period", so I do know I can get that down to about 5min/kms with some effort.

On the total opposite end of the spectrum today was a strength day and I was cleaning it up at CFB. I have done a lot of hang power cleans (from a hang position to the shoulders in a half squat), but not a lot off the floor into a full front squat. I love this type of training and was happy to do a 52.5kg PB with reasonable technique and more in the tank. I am definitely a strength/power girl.

The work outs for the Crossfit Rocks Hard'n up Challenge have been posted

WOD 1

3 rounds for time;
15 x Deadlift, 8kggs (60kgs)
15 x Box jump, 20"
15 x Kettle Bell Swing, 24kgs (16kgs)

WOD 2

21-15-9 reps for time;
Hang Power Clean, 60kgs (40kgs)
Burpees

So let me do a pre comp review of how I think I will perform...

As I am just recovering from the calf in jury my metabolic conditioning has been impacted quite heavily so I just won't have as much juice in the tank and even the exercises that I would normally cane will be performed slower. I am also not sure how the calf will hold up to box jumping as I haven't tried it out yet. Under normal conditions the first WOD is right up my alley, but the lack of fitness will really tell but I still think I should be able to push through with a decent time.

The second WOD will be a different story, the Clean is a heavy weight for the number of reps, and while I am able to perform it I don't have the long background in Olympic lifting that I do in powerlifting. Being out of condition and not training the heavy lifts and serious met con over the past 8 weeks will really tell and the burpees will cost me massively. My aim is to suck it up and get through at Rxd.

This is only my second Crossfit comp and I am more interested in having fun with my friends and getting some idea of how much work I have to do in the next 7 weeks before sectionals.

This is what I am up to tomorrow...

........off to Crossfit Rocks ( a new affiliate in Brisbane), for a competition with my Crossfit buddies. I am certainly not in any real condition, but I am expecting to have a blast!!!!!

I am really liking Kettlebell training. I had never picked one up before Crossfit, and while we only train with them randomly I find I really enjoy the work out. What ever it is that makes me naturally good at deadlifting seems to translate to KB, so I don't have to work as hard as the others at the technique - some posterior chain/power thing. I guess it is easy to like the things you are good; maybe we are good at them 'cause we like them.

Yesterday's WOD was 150 KB swings for time. Every time you put the KB on the ground to rest there was a 5 burpee penalty. It ended up being a cracking 8:30 WOD consisting of 150 KB swings and 15 burpees for me.

The humble push up

Since I have been training at a Crossfit gym, I have had the occasion to do the odd push (or 100). I have to say that I have never seen an exercise so universally badly done as the push up, and in the first few months of being at Crossfit I will admit to being included in that group of badly executed push ups. I injured my calf in October and as I was limited to the type and intensity of exercises I decided to focus on technique. At that time I committed that from then on I would only ever do a 100% compliant push up - which is;

• chest and thighs touch the ground, full lock out on every rep.

This is a tough exercise and since that time I have had to scale my workouts to reduce the number of reps in a WOD. Despite watching many "short" push ups around me in the world I intend to stay committed to the cause of compliant push ups.

Today is the last day of my holiday in Melbourne, and it is also 8 weeks today to the QLD Sectionals. A good enough day as any to officially start a "mini preparation". I say mini cause it is important enough to put the effort in, but not at any cost - like in the past.