Goodbyes are not the End

It was recently announced that founder and co-owner of CrossFit Queens, Paul Coviello, is pursuing other ventures in Florida.  His departure is a loss since our box is such a tight knit community of members and trainers.  CFQ seems to also be at a new height of success- holding competitions, events, new classes, adding equipment, and introducing new programming.  Paul's absence will be obvious in the gym and he will be sorely missed.  Upon the announcement of Paul's departure, I was prompted to share a few kind words about my coach.  I wanted to share these here as well...

"Paul,

Like my friends, I cannot say you taught me how to burpee or back squat, but I can say you have added so much to both of our lives. Recently, at Tomy’s birthday party, I had to take a moment to reflect on this past year. Just over a year ago we walked through your door, not knowing a soul. We landed in Astoria, despite having friends and familiar boxes in most of the other boroughs, because we immediately felt as if we were home. A year later, we are surrounded by friends where ever we go. We are inundated with events, invitations, and get togethers with our CFQ friends. You can get strong, flexible, and healthy on your own. But CrossFit builds families, friendships, self esteem, and memories. Community is what I consider the prime benefit of CrossFit. Paul, you formed this community. And you did it juggling two jobs and a family. We wish you the best of luck in your new adventure. And where ever this path takes you make sure you are always part of our community."

You may know an athlete in Cali's fran time, dog's name, and new favorite Life as Rx tee, but you have never "met".  Our world is much smaller than it feels sometimes.  CrossFit brings thousands of people together to celebrate fitness.  We cheer each other on in the box and in life.  We also pick each other off the floor when weight and life get too heavy.  No matter how far away, stay wodding and stay connected.

Ignorance is decrepitness

This blog is in response to comments made on an article "The Most Dangerous Man in American Healthcare".   Here is a blog written by a doctor telling people that we have found the cure to all your diseases.  We have found the fountain of youth.  Immediately after reading, comments are made focusing on the few and rare injuries in CrossFit.  Now, in my experience I have made excuses for these negative reactions. Sometimes it's jealousy, sometimes fear, but mostly ignorance.  CrossFit is extremely difficult to explain.  How does one put into words the comradeship, the internal drive to improve one's physical ability, the pride in our battle scars.  CrossFit is a unique experience that doesn't latch on immediately.  It took me a year to "get it".  Before that pinnacle moment in 2009 sitting on the bleachers in Aromas I did my workouts, recorded my times, weights, and reps in my journal, I bought my t-shirts; but when I got it, I got it.  Explaining CrossFit is like explaining love to a frying pan.  One has to experience it and not just once, but over a long period of time.

Here is my response to the comments made on the aforementioned article regarding CrossFit injuries:

"Just like main stream society, there are idiots in CF too.  Injuries happen with every sport and CF is no different.  A CF athlete may push his or her body beyond its capacity for the sake of the win (wikipedia NFL athletes, college baseball players, etc.).  These types of human beings are the elite, the few, in all of our society. Then there are people who are simply dumb about fitness.  They don't listen to their trainer.  They ignore the warnings and show up to their CF gym 7 days a week, then run a marathon, or play 3 games of soccer on a 100 degree day.  The average, below average, or intelligent CFer will NOT get rhabdo.  They may get hurt every once in a while, but I'd rather break my skin on a 24""" jump than fall while getting out of the shower because I have no balance or strength to hold my body up.  This is a sport that EVERYONE can do.  It makes you breathe, sweat, and sometimes bleed.  BUT it also saves lives.  CrossFit gives people a reason to live and reminds us that getting old doesn't have to equal a life in a nursing home.   Is Glassman the most dangerous man in American Healthcare?  I don't know.  What I do know is his fitness model has gotten me off every Rx drug I was on.  No more asthma, no more eczema, no more chronic upper respiratory infections, no more seasonal allergies.  It works for me and it just might work for you if you give it a chance."

Now, go out there and sign up for a class, buy a ticket to your regional CrossFit competition, fly out to CA and watch my 54 year old father-in-law sweat in the sun as he competes in the CrossFit Games Master's Division.  Or don't.  But don't tell me it doesn't work until you've tried it and REALLY tried it. 

Highs and Lows

Katie of CrossFit Invictus

With less than 50 days until our wedding day I am looking forward to seeing our friends and family come together to celebrate our love.  However, I don't think I am alone in this, but this crunch time has got to be the most stressful time in my life.  I'm wrapping up the semester (my worst scholastic performance yet) while trying to think up all the little things I haven't considered doing yet for the big day.  On top of this, Nick and I are both putting in more hours at work and our bank accounts are PRing in debit transactions.

Our wedding day has been planned to exude a comfortable, laid back atmosphere and so far I have felt the same way about the planning process.  From invites to attire to wedding cake I have left many of the decisions to the professionals and greatly appreciate being relieved of having to choose fabrics, colors, and salt and pepper shakers.

With all this stress I know the one thing I should be doing is throwing weight around.  It clears my mind and gives me the confidence to tackle any obstacle thrown at me (including flowers).  But like most of us, the gym falls short on the list of priorities.  I made the very difficult decision to forgo the box during the month of May.  Saying I am not wodding, lifting, sweating for a month is simply put depressing.  This is especially true now, when my physical appearance will be documented by photographers in just a few short weeks.

What's a girl with limited funds and time to do with her deteriorating muscles?  Well, I've graciously accepted the offer to use my friends gym in her building.  It has one bar, 300# of bumper plates, no locks, and no dropping.  But I have been able to put together some short body weight/light weight wods for myself.  If nothing else the act has improved my self-esteem while I'm at this low in my CF "career".  Happy wodding in and out of the box!

I Love Pollen

67 days til the big day...

Spring. The weather is warmer, the trees are budding, the birds are chirping... This is the time of year when life returns to the Northeast.

My favorite thing to do on a beautiful spring day is run.  Running reminds me of what I did not have before.  My lungs fill with oxygen, laced with the sweet aroma of grass and flowers.  My skin forms beads of sweat that do not burn or itch.  And finally, my greatest pleasure in running is not having to puff an inhaler to keep going.  My muscles dictate my speed and longevity, not the pollen.  

Not that long ago, spring was my most dreaded season.  This was the time of year my allergies were at their worst.  When I was a kid my sister and brother would tease me by counting my sneezes.  I could get 20+ "ahhh choo's" in just a few minutes. Allergies meant stuffy nose, swollen eyes, wheezing gasps for air, and itchy ezcema.  I avoided flowers, grass, and budding trees like they bred the plague.   This was my life for as long as I can remember.  No kickball with friends in the field, or picking wild flowers for this kid.  Everyone hoped I would grow out of my allergies as I grew up, but no, they actually got worse.

It wasn't until I met my fiance's family that I even considered a holistic means of relief.  Even before CrossFit and Paleo, I was never keen on choking down benedryl and rubbing steroids on my rashes.  I did the best I could to get through each day with a box of tissues and cortisone cream. 

Nick's dad, Steve Lobotsky, suggested a paleo diet to help remedy my seasonal and food allergies (I'll save food for another time).  To my astonishment, meats, veggies, nuts, and fruit were my cure!  For two years I have welcomed spring.  Because I lived so long locked inside, hiding from spring, I appreciate each sunny day more than anyone could imagine.

Happy Spring!

Ch-Cha-Cha-Changes

It's been way too long since the last time I filled y'all in on "CrossFit Bride".  Thank you for your patience, it is greatly appreciated.  As Nick and I count down to the big day the stress level has skyrocketed for me.  I am now just realizing why my friend, Heather, took off a semester from school to plan her wedding.  I know, I know a wedding is only one day and my education lasts a lifetime, but it is so hard to not think about shoes, flowers, and my bridal bod on a daily basis.  With the big day getting closer these things have become more important than Differential Equations and Intermediate Symbolic Logic.  I'm sorry!  I just can't help it!



Lot's of things are happening at this month.  Probably the biggest life change for Nick and me is selling our car.  I hardly ever drive it, and when I do, I get a ticket or get hit.  So iadios! Civic and HELLLOOO public transportation.  Down in NYC a car is an unnecessary luxury, but our home away from home commands driving from point A to point B.  What does that translate to?  It's a true test of our relationships with others.  Who cares enough to see us to meet us at the train or come to the city to visit?  But really selling the car is a symbol of our marriage to New York (at least until we start our careers).  We'll climb or descend the stairs to the N and 6 "in sickness and in health" (the sickness part sucks, I had a sprained ankle and had to hobble the steps sans crutches for 2 weeks).  

What else is happening?  The CrossFit Games of course!!!  Nick is currently at the 70th position halfway through the Northeast sectionals, Papa "Master" Lobo is 21st in the world, and Greg (my brother from another mother) is in 76th.  What does this mean for me?  Well, all three athletes are still in the race.  But none of them are comfortable.   Which means I'm not comfortable. 

82 days til the big day!

The 2009 Games were a huge inspiration to me.  I consider that my "bug" moment.  There are CFers that have the bug and those that do not.  Unfortunately, I have not been as dedicated to the sport of CF these last few weeks, but I look forward to my upcoming spring break and the end of the semester this May as my time to shine in the gym.  Even only attending classes 2 or 3 times a week my pull ups, double unders, and gymnastics work have all improved.  I know May and June will refine my skills and turn me into a lean and strong CrossFit Bride. 

I'm not in

2009 Regionals, Nick Lobotsky and Dave Lipson

It's officially the start to the CrossFit Games 2011 season.  All I'll hear about are WODs, scores, times, and big name atheletes for the next 4 months.  Oh, and the big question I'm hearing is: "Are you in?" The answer: no, I am not in.  When I commit to a goal, like competition, that goal is my priority.  Maybe in a year or two, when I have double unders, hand stands, hand stand push ups, dead hang pull ups, and the list goes on... I may consider competing.  But right now, I need to focus on simply getting strong and being healthy.

As the CrossFit Games grows in scale each year, I see CrossFit members divided into two categories: health and fitness, and competition.  I think all us "in it to get fit and healthy" people look up to CF athletes.  They are the motivation to be better.  The crux of CF workouts is to push yourself to the extreme.  Beat yesterday's me.  Beat the girl next to me.  Get it done faster.

For now, I'll cheer on the side lines, one of my favorite past times.  I'll watch my fellow CFers sweat, bleed, and survive the CrossFit Games and be proud that I can be a part of such an amazing sport.  This is motivation and success.  This is CrossFit.

Two Worlds Collide



Days til the big day: 119





So today's theme was "fitness on the farm" meets the queen of crossfit.  Since Steve and Greg Lobotsky had to make the trek to CrossFit Virtuosity for their level 1 exam Hudson Valley CrossFit hoped in the car for a pre-#2 pencil wod at my box CrossFit Queens. 

It was a great end to a great weekend filled with three wods, lots of friends, and NO grains.  Although the main reason for making the weekend visit to "Upstate" (GASP!), NY was my gal pal's baby shower; I was able to squeeze in visits with my wedding planner, maid of honor (my amazing sister Chrissy), and pick up my self designed save the dates (they turned out awesome!!!).  Oh yes, I also wodded Friday, Saturday, and Sunday AND chipped away at homework.  How did I do so much in so little time?  I crashed at 9:30 every night.  No boozing for this paleo bride. 

I was up at the crack of dawn (or before) and ready to roll.  Ok maybe not full steem ahead, but I was on point.  One must make the most of every moment when time is of the essence.  Two aspects of my life:  what needs to get done and what I want to do are how I organize my life and they are prioritized in the order.  If I procrastinate I'll still have plenty on the "to do" list and no time for the "want to do".  What are the things I want to do?  Visit with friends and family, veg out, read, etc.  I never get to do these things unless I complete the necessities.  So much to do, so little time!

Constantly Varied Boxes

Part of CF is constantly varying workouts, but I'm also a big fan of visiting different boxes. Why? Well, sometimes you know you suck at something. Maybe it's double unders, or oly lifts. But maybe you have the heaviest dead lift or you are the burpee queen at your box. Head out for a WOD on vacation and guess what? There is probably someone better than you. Despite our best efforts as crossfitters to work our hardest to improve, it's hard to push oneself if you think you are the best.

I know I'm not great at any CF movements. Why? Because I head to a different box every few months. Does this discourage me? Get me down? No. It makes me want to improve. I see a 250# dead lift, by a girl 20# lighter than me and I say I should do that. I see girls completing Fran asRX and I want those pull ups. You don't have to be a world traveler to see what other gyms are doing. Head to the cf community online to find your heroes. There are plenty of blogs, youtube videos, and facebook friends that can tell you whats up around the world. Get humble and get stronger, faster, and better.

CrossFit Affiliates

Off to the races

Days til the big day: 121

Living two hours from what Nick and I called home and our wedding destination has put a whole new swing on planning. I'm headed back North on my awesome weekend off from work to meet with the wedding planner. I'm also super excited because we are finally getting our "save the date" announcements out this weekend.

Honestly, I feel so lucky to have the great resources that Dutchess County offers for brides. I am pretty laid back when it's come to planning this celebration. However, for any other brides out there here's some advice: work with people you trust. I know most of my vendors personally or professionally from my years working at De'S Jewelers and let's face it, Poughkeepsie is a very small town. Knowing that my girlfriend of 8 years is DJing, Nick's aunts are our florist, and my aunt and uncle are doing photography takes such an edge off when it comes to reliability. So what do you do if you don't know anyone in the bridal industry? Ask friends. Ask the one vendor you think rocks. And stick with your gut feeling. A fast talking meeting will make for a fast talking photog when (s)he's an hour late to the ceremony.

So, I've bored all the other people who also read this. Sorry. I know you read this because it says "CrossFit" in the title, but read the rest. It actually reads "CrossFit Bride". So stuff like this will come up sometimes. However, a life lesson can be taken from my wedding advice as well. Do we always trust those closest to us in life? Try not to ignore the signs of drama and deceit in day to day life and what makes a "laid back" bride makes for a laid back human being.

On a side note I had to embed this awesome video by CrossFit Fairfax:

Caveman Bride

Days til the big day: 123

Yes that is a pint of Haagen-Daz "five" chocolate ice cream in the trash. And no, it is not empty.  I've realized that regardless of if I want to lose weight/body fat or not that I am a caveman bride and HD icecream is NOT part of the paleolithic diet.

The last 6 week Paleo challenge at CrossFit Queens was a personal failure.  I made every excuse for why I went "moo" paleo (adding dairy to the list of consumptables).  I also indulged in alcohol, desserts, and bread (that I don't even enjoy anymore).  At the end of the challenge I had actually gained 5lbs.  I didn't even gain that over the holidays!

So why now?  Well, I have to do this for me.  Not a prize.  I'll probably lose some body fat, but more importantly my stamina will improve.  Believe it or not, I'm not only a CF bride.  I'm also a full-time student at Hunter College in New York City, and I work between 25-40 hours a week (sometimes for weeks straight). And this crazy schedule has sacrificed my grades, distracted me from wedding plans, and made me neglectful of our closet size apartment.  So, I need my energy.  I need to not get the lethargic feeling I get after eating gluten, or the migraines I get after too much sugar.  I also need my immune system at its optimum.

How does a paleo challenge do all these things?  I have no idea.  If you care that much read Robb Wolf's books and listen to his POD casts.  All I know is that all these awesome things happened during my first challenge.  So, I need to rock it caveman style again and keep at it.  Will I never drink again?  No, but my alcohol consumption is so limited as it is, what's a few weeks without?  Will I miss any bread products? Absolutely not.

Starting Monday (and probably even this weekend) I'm caveman bride.

Do I look fat in this dress?

Days til the big day: 124

One of my biggest wedding day concerns has been fiitting into my dress.  This is a difficult issue to deal with since I LOVE my growing muscles and don't want to lose them.  Actually, my CF brain really doesn't want to lose any weight or muscle.  But I feel the pressure to ensure I don't need my b'maids to have Orlando strength to zip me up on the big day.  Oh and there is the dreaded "back crack" to be concerned with.  And that is a major no no.  So, I think I've resigned myself to staying committed to working out as much as possible, doing my best to stay strict paleo and crossing my fingers thaat the top can be taken out a bit. 

Will this get me to a size 4?  Probably not, but I've never been a size 4 and my dress is not a size 4 either.  That is something I have accepted. I've been pretty much every size from 6 to 14.  I am a very happy 6, because I know that where my bod likes to be.  I wasn't even a size 6 in high school, or middle school for that matter.  But a size 6 at 140-145# seems just right.  CrossFit is like autocorrect for those stats.  I put a few pounds on over winter and start running 400m in my warm up and the weight is gone.

I'm not even really sure why I'm obsessing about this issue.  I've been CrossFitting for almost 3 years now and I've not met a "bulky" CF gal.  At my peak performance (which is not now), I was lean and toned and looked amazing.  And I did that the same way I'm doing it now.  So, Sarah get over it!  Eat better, workout harder, and shut up!

What's a CrossFit bride?

Days until the big day:  126

Well, it’s the morning after my first competition.  I went into the Hail to the Queen Throwdown with realistic expectations and a hope to overcome obstacles.  I came out of the day beaten and bruised and in last place.  But, I did the best I could and I pushed it til the very end.  Yesterday was day one of no more excuses.  Actually, that started when I registered for the event.  I opted into the event as RXed even though my pullups were weak, the weight was HEAVY, and my double unders...pathetic. 

Coach Brandy of CrossFit Queens (CFQ) asked me to write about my experiences being a CrossFit bride.  And I mean “CrossFit Bride”in every sense.  I’ve been training for two and a half years at Hudson Valley CrossFit (HVCF) and CFQ.  Oh and I should mention that I’m marrying into a hardcore CF family: my husband-to-be is trainer and athlete Nicolas Lobotsky, and father-in-law-to-be, Steve Lobotsky, placed 11^th in the Master’s Division at the CrossFit Games in 2010.  I can guarantee handstands, burpees, and a paleo menu at the reception.

So what should you expect from me and this amazing blog?  I can guarantee discussions of budgeting time, my workouts, body image, weight, diet, and maybe some wedding plans.  Hope you enjoy!