December 30 WOD: Making it count!

Before leaving for a lunch date this morning, I packed my gym stuff because I was planning to go to the last class at the box. After having eaten too much and consequently feeling bloated however, I was hesitating about working out. But when the lunch group broke up at around 2:45, I took it as a sign that I had to go to the box.

When I got there, the coach divided us into 2 groups -- probably because there were too many of us -- and he put me in the easier group. I say easier because the other group's WOD included 2 2-mile runs, squat cleans, and box jumps (gulp!). My group had to do 20 mins AMRAP of:

- 15 toes to bar (again with the toes to bar!)
- 12 push presses
- 9 pull ups
- 6 pass throughs

For the toes to bar, I again did leg raises; for the push presses, I initially used the 35 lb bar, but the coach saw me struggling after the second set so he gave me the 25 lb bar.

I was able to complete 4 rounds and made it up to the 9 pull ups of the 5th round. I felt good about it but my hands sure didn't.

Growing calluses

I'm starting to learn that calluses, bruises, and even wounds come with CrossFit territory. My knees have semi-perpetual bruises because of the lunges and push ups we do, and I still have scratches on my shins because of the dead lifts we did some days ago. Battle scars is what they are.

December 28 WOD

I attended the 12:30 class today (the perks of being on holiday) and we did 15 mins AMRAP of:

- 5 hand stand push ups

- 10 chest to bar pull ups

- 10 wall ball shots

- 5 toes to bar

I did modified versions of all but the wall balls. For the hand stand push ups, I did them kneeling on a box with my head upside down. For the chest to bar pull ups, I used the rings again. And for the toes to bar I did leg raises instead.

But I sucked at wall balls the most. You're supposed to hold the ball with two hands, squat, then launch the ball and hit the red line on the wall. Then you catch it with your two hands and squat again in one fluid motion, and repeat. I used the 7 kg medicine ball, and for the life of me I could never hit the red line on the wall! I generally don't like balls, especially ones that look like they're going to hit you.

I did 4 rounds and made it up to 5 wall ball shots.

Tomorrow (or maybe the day after tomorrow) is another day!

Joyeux Noël!

Every year just before Christmas, the family agrees on an outfit "theme." The year before it was blue; last year we wore floral print clothes; this year we wore purple. Even our decor had a hint of purple.

The sea of gifts shows just how big a family we are!

Traditionally, every family member gets busy in the morning of Christmas Eve to prepare for Noche Buena. This year we prepared ham, potato shrimp salad, chicken relleno, parsley rice, molo soup, charlotte russe, and fruit salad. When everything was set, we got ready for the 8:30 pm mass at the chapel just in front our house.

After the mass, we tried to have our annual family Christmas photo taken, but it was a tad too difficult coordinating a big family that includes a dog, a baby, and two little boys.

Our family (no in-laws and kids)

The entire family now

Following the "pictorial," it was now time to eat a little then have the Christmas family program, which is usually just a mishmash of performances by family members willing to look silly for a night. My niece played the guitar while my brother-in-law sang Wonderwall; the two boys sang and danced to Justin Bieber's Never Say Never; and Miguel did a reading of Si Inggolok at ang Planeta Pakaskas.

Rocking out

Miguel reading his book

After all that, it was finally time to open the gifts, which of course made the kids bounce with excitement.

Total chaos

When all that were done and the kids were busy playing with their toys, it was time for the mamas to unwind.

Mango margarita - cheers!

Now the countdown to 2012 begins!

December 26 WOD + dinner

I'd been gluttonously gorging on almost everything I see on the dining table the past couple of days and that made me dread going to the box today. I was expecting a benchmark WOD since CFMNL posted that Libis will be doing "Jumbo Jackie" today. But when I got there we did a running WOD instead. I think it's because the floor was newly painted that's why we had to do the WOD outdoors.

Today was 15 mins AMRAP of:

- 5 kettlebell presses
- 100m run
- 3 tuck jumps
- 100m run
- 3 long jump burpees
- 100m run
- 6 lunges (per side)
- 100m run

The kettlebell press is supposed to be done using one arm but I did a variation using my 2 hands and a 12 kg kettlebell. For the tuck jumps, I couldn't do it right so I just did squat jumps. And even then the coach kept shouting at me, "Squat lower!" Ah, well. I was able to do 3.5 rounds.

From the box, I went to dinner with high school friends plus Neil. We had some good laughs talking about our memories of Tin. Neil took it upon himself to give Christmas gifts to Tin's godchildren, and it makes me want to cry. We miss her. The priest at her funeral mass hit the nail on the head when he said, "We are sad because we know that nobody will love us the way Tintin did."

Holiday nails

Orly's Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Pardon my masculine-looking hand -- I like to keep my nails super short.