Woody Gap to Blood Mountain Trail Run

March 8, 2009 · Filed Under Crossfit Metro Blog · Comment 

What a great weekend for training.

Kennesaw Mountain

Saturday, I ran 20 miles at Kennesaw Mountain with my buddy Sean O.

Kennesaw Mountain is a popular trail running destination with rolling hills, and for the most part, wide, runnable trails. The climbs can be challenging, but short - just enough to feel it.

But, we also ran the paved road portion which is 1.75 mile lung-busting ascent, and then anouther 1.75 back down. That was the hardest by far.

Woody Gap to Blood Mountain

But today, wow.

Today, three of us left in the foggy dark, out of Woody Gap, and headed towards Blood Mountain, the highest peak on the Georgia section of the Appalachian trail.

This was an incredible run with beautiful, runnable trail, long climbs and fast descents.

A trail runners dream.

Might not have gotten any CF in, but I worked hard none-the-less.

Next week, 50 miles.

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CrossFit in Gwinnett County, Metro Atlanta, Georgia

March 6, 2009 · Filed Under Crossfit Metro Blog · Comment 

Last year, I was all gung-ho to open an affiliate. I have an affiliate, CrossFit Metro, and an established web site, gym insurance… etc etc etc

…just no box.

I was offered the dream career jump at the end of last year, and had to take it - but of course, that sidelined my dream of running a CrossFit gym.

Now, I am looking to invest in a gym as a partner. I am eager to see something get going in the affluent area of lower Gwinnett County where there is a very strong, athletic and high discretionary income demographic

This way, I can be a “partner” in a CrossFit facility, have a great place to train, and maybe even teach one or two clasess.

I have my Level I, Oly cert, running and endurance cert, and expect to add kettlebell cert this month.

If anybody out there has been on the fence regarding getting something started, please reach out to me.

email: surftrip@gmail.com
web sites: http://run100miles.com & http://CrossFitmetro.com

Christian Griffith

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yup …still going strong

March 5, 2009 · Filed Under Crossfit Metro Blog, Work Out of the Day · Comment 

I’m a little concerned that all my attention to ultrarunning and ultramarathon races is cannabilzing my CrossFit training.

Running 30 or more miles requires a bit more recovery than traditional athletic training, and I can see my CrossFit times and loads being affected - slightly.

But that’s not going to stop me.

I love both disciplines.

Today’s WOD

Run training

  • 3.2 mph powerhike - 5 minutes + every minute 2% incline increase
  • 5 mph run, at 10% incline, for 5 minutes
  • alternating run 6.0 mph / walk 3.2 mph, every minute, at 10% incline
  • warm down starting at 10% incline, + .2 speed increase with -2 incline, per minute

Skills (light)

  • berg warm-up
  • snatches with 65 lbs & 95 lbs
  • 11 overhead squats with 65, and 95 lbs
  • handstand push-ups, 4 & 3

The hill training wiped me out, making the light skills training sort of a joke.

Lots of races upcoming with a trip to meat grinder, a 50-60 mile timed event race March 14, and the ING Georgia Marathon, March 29, 2009.

This year is playing out well so far on the trails with PRs (personal bests) at both the mountain Mist 50K, (6:19), and the Mount Cheaha 50K (6:48).

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Back to Accountability

February 23, 2009 · Filed Under Crossfit Metro Blog · Comment 

I am very pleased with my progress thus far.

  • Not only have I learned bar muscle-ups, I can now do a max of 30 in a training session
  • The weight, while bouncing around, is staying well under 195lbs
  • My running continues to improve - taking 30 minutes off my last 50K PR
    • speed
    • efficiency
    • form
  • I have trained my feet to run in the minimalist of shoes, for distances up to 50 miles

The point here is personal accountability. I have made comments. Set goals. Profiled my training, diet, and mis-steps.

This personal accountability is key to success.

Don’t hide behind the lies.

Exposing yourself makes it easier to be successful …and garner that much needed support too.

Full speed ahead.

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Muscle-ups a’plenty

February 5, 2009 · Filed Under Crossfit Metro Blog, Work Out of the Day · Comment 

Ok, now I’m flat out addicted - gotta get to the rings.

Today I managed 20 bar muscle-ups. I amazed at how quickly and easily they are coming to me - after a month of trying them religiously.

What helped? scaling.

Learning bar muscle-ups

I don’t know if it’s the same with rings, but for bar muscle-ups, it really helped me to, first, get my kipping pull-up up to chest level on the bar.

Concurrently, I would practice jumping into the muscle-up, off of a box, to get that momentum start. All the while continuing to work on hip drive strength and core.

Then, it just happened.

 

Bam! …I kipped, drove hard out of the bottom, caught myself in bottom of the dip, and drove up using my shoulders and arms.

Building on the bar muscle-up

So now, the goal becomes tow-fold:

  • how fast can I do, say, 30?
  • how much more strict can I get with the technique
Naturally, being able to roll-up into a muscle-up from a dead hang would require even more strength and technique …plus, I gotta get to the rings and make I can nail them there too.
This is a great step though - the little win I needed to stay jazzed and focused on the upcoming CrossFit games event in Jacksonville.

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