Tag: funny

fitness and nutrition

Locked Down

2chicksandapen

Just two days out. Focusing on sleep and recovering to be ready to perform at my highest level. Consistent training was on the menu for the last 45 or so days. Lots of burpees, running and stretching to help with mobility challenges, in addition to cardio on the tennis courts.

Lots and lots of smack talking has gone on with the participants we are familiar with. A cheering team has been assembled. The bag is packed and the outfits are picked out. It will be go time soon. Four workouts. Competition. Friends. Spectators. The podium. And I suppose the podium is the focal point of the chatter. Who will rise to the occasion and who will fall short.

As adults we sometimes opt for choices that hinder peak performance. A cocktail. A fast food meal. A sleepless night. Any or all of these can impact performance. Some compete for fun and could care less about results. Some compete for competition and train. Some just want to prove they can complete the workouts and not die. It’s a mixed bag for sure but one thing is constant: the chatter of who will win which is hilarious in itself since nobody is eyeing a spot on the Olympics team or signing a big NIL contract. 

Interview questions:

Which workout was the hardest? Workout 2 for sure. The run had my heart rate up. The transitions slowed us up a bit. All in all this was a bumpy one and the results showed it.

Were teams co-ed? Yes. Not all comps are co-ed but this was and it definitely created a unique competition dynamic.

Which workout was the easiest? Workout 3. We are both strong and performed at our best even under fatigue at the end of the day. We celebrated with personal bests in our lifts. Double win for us.

What was the funniest part of the day? The team names and the outfits are always a highlight. See below for a glimpse. 

Who made the podium and was it expected? Our team made the podium and took third place in our division. We planned for it but it wasn’t an easy road. Others may have underestimated our efforts under pressure and over inflated their confidence. Strategy is always key along with consistent effort.

Would you do it again? Yes, of course.

What is your biggest takeaway from this event? The camraderie at these events is awesome. Strangers cheering for you. High fives from many. Kudos for hard work. Celebrating fitness, milestones, first time competitors. A great experience to watch or participate in.

The group above represents so many backgrounds. The librarian. The physical therapist. The realtor. The gym owner. The entrepreneur. The college student. The banker. The sales rep. The insurance guru. The mechanic. The office administrator. The construction guy. All brought together by a common bond of fitness. CrossFit. Some may never experience CrossFit but for those who do, they understand the benefits are far reaching. Friendship. Fitness. Community. 

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my day of fitness, competition edition. What a sweaty and fun day with many like-minded folks. Another fun fact: my team had the oldest combined age of 108 years old and we still managed to squeeze in third place on the podium. What a rush for us competing with kids in their 20’s and showing them what we could do!

adventure

The Crystal Ball

2chicksandapen

Recently I got a gift. It was a strange gift. The gift was a crystal ball. Can you believe I got a crystal ball? It was funny at the exact moment but it got funnier as time progressed.

The person who gifted me such a unique gift said I bought this for you because you always say “I don’t have a crystal ball” whenever I ask you a question that I really want a clear answer to.

I never really thought about that key phrase until that moment. You see, I say it a good bit. I am not psychic so I can’t predict the future. If I don’t know the answer I may say that phrase with a little sarcasm. And I just happened to say it multiple times to this person. Pretty funny if you ask me.

I thought about where I would put my crystal ball. I opted for a shelf in my office. It’s all shined up and positioned nicely on its base stand. I’m sure I’ll have to dust it often. I will do the dusting to make sure it remains nice and shimmery. I’m sure it will be talked about often. The gift that becomes a talking point.

I will often look at it when I’m using the key phrase about not having a crystal ball because now I have a crystal ball! Maybe that means I’ll have to consult my crystal ball instead of using the phrase. Of course a crystal ball can’t really give answers so who even made up that saying?
Today’s random thought post is about the crystal ball. What would you do if actually had a crystal ball? Since I have one I may just have to put it to the test.

Enjoy your week and if my crystal ball is accurate, you might even get a giggle out of this post.

author moments

Big Bang Theories

2chicksandapen

At the beginning of a race, you might expect to hear a gunshot or even two.

At the shooting range, or on a hunting trip, out in a field in the country, sure. Gunshot makes sense.

But in a Mexican restaurant on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Salem, Virginia? Where we just happened to stop in the middle of a marathon whiplash road trip?

Well, maybe I am naive (ok, definitely), but it wasn’t the first place my mind went when I heard the huge bang with a slight echo. It *was* unusually loud, and I shared glances with a few other guests, but my mind told me it was a huge tray being dropped, which I then told the rest of the table. We kept eating.

One of my daughter’s friends saw the police pull up out the front window a few minutes later. Several officers casually walked back to the restroom area, where a man was seated. They put on gloves.

Many of us started to murmur, to wonder. What was all this about? All the while, we keep eating. More baskets of chips and salsa arrived with the same fanfare as the police walked in. Nothing to see here, or so it seemed.

Next, the ambulance. And then, the firetruck, all with lights flashing.

Again, the EMTs casually rolled the stretcher in. They loaded the man on. His jeans were cut open and he held a towel over his thigh. They rolled him out to the ambulance. He had really shot himself! In the bathroom! In the leg! On accident!

!!!!!

The waiter brought our check. We paid, uncomfortable and astonished. I did an 18-point turn to get out of the parking lot, weaving through the emergency vehicles. We continued on our way.

For the next hour or two as we headed down the road, every once in a while I or one of the others in the car would blurt out a “What if…” comment. What if the gun had been pointing another direction? What if I had gone to the bathroom at that time? What if his injuries had been more serious? What if there had been an argument and he had shot someone else? What if there were more guns in the restaurant?

Even years later now, I am shocked reading this. And today, in early 2021, I spoke with someone who showed me a picture of an acquaintance who had shot himself in the leg just days ago. An experienced and knowledgeable gun owner, he was planning to shoot into the ground but instead he will live with a bullet in his bone.  It could have been much worse.

Be careful out there. You never know who’s packing.