Mountain Goat's (Mis)Adventures

2010-02-07T22:54:00.000-08:00

What a gorgeous day for running a race with old friends.

The last time I ran this race was at least 5 years ago. It was a tradition set by my former bosses at the law office where I used to work. That was before I really understood how to train my running effectively. At that time my pace was close to 10 minutes a mile for this course; today I ran it at a 7:40 pace..and that makes me very happy! I am older, I just turned 49 and yet I am faster than I was 5 years ago. Why? Training..training with PURPOSE, MOTIVATION AND DIRECTION. Things I learned as a bootcamper under my coach Eric LeClair. Now, I, as a trainer, aim to motivate my clients with these same ideas. I am proof that training with purpose, motivation and direction really does work.

Here are my stats from the REDONDO BEACH SUPERBOWL SUNDAY 10K 2/7/2010:

Hope Langevin #8265 Monrovia, CA Age: 49 Gender: F
Distance 10K
Clock Time 47:55.7
Chip Time 47:30.9
Gender Place 69 / 1751
Division Place 10 / 185
Age Grade 72.1%
Pace 7:40
All Place 460

What you will find in racing these faster and more popular courses is that the talent pool is huge! I faced a very tough group of runners in my division: 1st place lady was 39:59 and she was 47 years old! 2nd Place was 40:36 and 3rd was 41:45. With that kind of competition I am grateful to have achieved 10th place in Division and 69th woman out of 1,751 and 460th overall out of a total of 3,843 runners (male and female) ain't too shabby.

Playing with the big dawgs is a whole different ball game..but it was fun and exciting to try and hang in there.

Now a new chapter to my training is about to begin in March. Crossfit Endurance (CFE). I will be my own experiment. CFE is a very different way to train for endurance events; it breaks a lot of "rules" that the endurance community lives by. We'll see. I am very excited...

Community & Team

2010-01-14T23:20:00.000-08:00

COMMUNITY

"com⋅mu⋅ni⋅ty Pronunciation [kuh-myoo-ni-tee]

1.a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually prec. by the): the business community; the community of scholars."

TEAM
1. a number of persons forming one of the sides in a game or contest: a football team.
2. a number of persons associated in some joint action: a team of advisers.
3. to gather or join in a team, a band, or a cooperative effort (usually fol. by up, together, etc.).

Synonyms:
10. combine, unite, ally, merge.

Tonight was track night for our group: Team Crossfit Elite Fitness Academy/Bootcamp. What I saw out there makes me feel a little better about humanity in general. I will explain.

Even though I was training with them, during my recovery time I was able to look at what was taking place on the track.

What I saw was a community of people who, while training as individuals, simultaneously encouraged and motivate one another. We had a very diverse field out there. From walker/joggers to some of our top runners. So what do I see? Our fastest cheering on our beginners, motivating them to finish. Many runners while at rest, watching other runners come in, yelling words of encouragement, "you got it", "nice work", "don't stop." The individuals of this community became a team..of their own volition.

We have some strong athletes in our fitness community. I may not know every one yet, but I know a lot of them. I'm around them enough to see what type of attitude they take towards each other and towards our beginners. I have only come across a few jerks and they are gone. Seriously, too many gifted athletes can be jerks. Conceited, self-centered, condescending and just plain rude. Those kind don't stay with us. Good. What I see is support, respect and an honest care and concern between our members. Sure, there is competition too, and for some more than others. It is a healthy motivating kind of competition, coupled with good sportsmanship.

Our community comes together to train and works together as a team, inspiring one another to not only get the work done, but to do it well. I've been part of this group for 7 years, almost since it's inception and it still moves me to see us in action. I am blessed to be part of it.

There is a Season..

2010-01-10T23:25:00.000-08:00

…A time to keep silence, and
a time to speak...

The past 9 months have been a season for silence and reflection for me and now I am ready to speak, or in this case write again.

Why have I not blogged for so long? All of the usual reasons people usually give, I suppose. Changes in schedule, too many things taking up my time, but in the end, maybe it’s just because I have not had a lot of things that I wanted to blog about. I’ll keep this simple and just say that I’ve had a lot on my mind these past 9 months. Not necessilary bad stuff, just life. Things to sort out in both the personal and business arenas.

Frankly, my head has not been wrapped around my own training, but now a new year has begun and I have set some training goals for myself. I’ve had a physical issue going on. Not anything to be really alarmed about. It is a posterior chain tightness that I am finally getting some help with. Seems that tight muscles have caused a sort of hip alignment problem, or maybe the hip has been dysfunctional for so long it’s causing the muscles to operate in a dysfunctional manner. Who knows, either way I think I’ve had this for a very long time. It’s gotten to the point where my sciatic nerve is also being irritated. I am trying a combination of chiropractic and soft-tissue work to see if I can find some relief. I am able to train, but I just try not to over- do and sometimes I have to take an extra day off from running.

One area that I am very pleased with is the progress my lady bootcampers have made this past year. They have not only made gains in fitness, but in confidence. They have set and met race goals, including half marathons, mud run, several 5 and 10ks. One of them raced The Army 10 Miler in Washington D.C. All of this makes me very happy. As a coach there is nothing better than seeing clients get excited about their training because they have now found a purpose and direction for it. Aside from general fitness for life, which is the main reason my ladies are training, they are now seeing that they can have fun challenging themselves to try new things. They are realizing that they are far more capable than they initially thought. Now they want more...they want to get stronger, faster and fitter and they are putting in the effort to achieve these goals. They have organized themselves into two teams of five for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run this June. I am so very proud of them.

So what about my training? My last blog was about the Pasadena Marathon, and so my first blog of the year will begin with THE PASADENA MARATHON because I am giving it another go on FEBRUARY 21, 2010.

I have been training for the marathon with our Rouge racing team. I’ve done a decent job of keeping the training schedule and I am finally seeing some improvements in running times. I finished in 4:38 last year. I would love to pull that back to a 4:15. If I can shake this hip thing, I should be able to do it. I have the endurance. My 5K pace, my 400’s my 800s all tell me I should be able to pull a 4:15. Good hip health, relief from tightness is what I need to focus on if I am to achieve my goal finish time.

So...the silence has been broken, and a new year has begun, and I am happy for the new beginning.

Mountain Goat signing off for now.

One Week Later: Marathon Reflections

2009-03-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

6:20 A.M. Pasadena, California. Dark, cloudy, drizzling on and off; temperature somewhere in the 50’s, chilly and a little breezy. It is ten minutes before the gun goes off for the inaugural Pasadena Marathon (both full and half) to start at 6:30A.M.
4,487 people waiting under the glowing street lamps for the signal to start their 13 mile or 26 mile journey, depending on which they choose. For some of us, this will be our first full or half marathon. More seasoned runners are probably seeking to break a personal record and some will choose to walk and be happy with completion. Everyone has their own reasons for entering this race and they are as diverse as the entrants themselves.

Suddenly the drizzle becomes a downpour. We had been warned that it might rain, most were prepared for it in one way or another. Some wore raingear, or plastic trash bags, and then there were those who stood there in tank tops and shorts. Groans , laughter and cheering rose up from the crowd as the rain poured down . The announcer made a joke about how it never rains in Southern California. He did a good job trying to entertain a now freshly soaked crowd of participants who could not start running for another ten minutes. Five or so minutes later the downpour let up. At last we all counted down the final 10 seconds to the start, gun went off at 6:30 and we began to slog through the wet streets of Pasadena.

I have never run a marathon before, nor even attended one as a spectator. What impressed me most was the diversity of the people participating in this race. There were people doing the FULL marathon who I would have thought would have trouble walking around the block. That’s not being mean, just truthful, they were not in any way fit enough for this event…yet they were doing it. I think this a fine example of what people can achieve when we put our minds to it. I am impressed by the human spirit and its willingness to take on a challenge.

A Few Thoughts On Distance Running:

I finally felt it for myself, distance really makes a difference and of course if you choose to attempt to do more than walk and try to race the distance..this makes even more difference. To date, this is the hardest event I’ve entered. I have spent 9+ hours on an Adventure Race that started at 3AM on a very challenging course. I have run the Mount Baldy race 8.6 miles all uphill starting at 6,000 feet, ending at its 10,000 foot peak– a total of a 4,000 foot gain. I’ve run Mount Wilson as fast as I could, 8.6 miles(2,100 gain in the first 4.3 miles). I’ve run some of my fastest 5 and 10k distances this year and I am always challenged and exhausted at Crossfit training. All of these events are difficult, but this…26.2 miles was still the most difficult thing I have ever done….why?

The obvious answer is the distance, but what exactly is it about distance that is so hard? What it is for me is the stress placed on the body of doing the same action for such a long time. Sure, you can choose to walk and stretch, which I did at times, but you always work to get back to pace (if you are racing) and this ultimately is what got to me and slowed me down, especially by mile 19. The time spent on the legs and the number of steps you take, make running form a critical component . Think about it…every step you take, every WRONGLY placed step, magnified over many hours..thousands of steps.

Recap of my race:

Weather: personally loved it. Yeah, it was cold at the start with the downpour, but as soon as I started running I warmed up and felt really good. Dumped my old jacket by mile 2.
Met up with Jim Ward by mile 3ish. He suggested we could run together and help pace each other. I was concerned about my left leg issues and told him that I would like to run together, but that he may end up having to go ahead. Pacing with him was helpful and I think for him too. We were actually able to chat, which was good, because we both wanted to run a conservative first half. The time went so much faster having someone to run with.

We saw friends along the course..this was so much fun; took my mind off of the stress of running and it was so great receiving encouragement and giving it to others.
I wanted to hit the half way point no sooner than 2 hours and no later than 2:10..we hit it at 2: 04…nice. Running it any faster than 2 hours would’ve burned me out too soon. Jim seemed happy with this pace too. We kept going.

Mile 15ish, saw Shannon F. running up ahead of us on Raymond, heading North (uphill to Washington). We passed her, I made sure to give her a thumbs up, and we exchanged a few quick words of encouragement.

Mile 16..along Washington. My left leg started to tighten up from the hip down. I had to let Jim go on..I slowed to walk, stretch and drink. I knew I had to manage this or I wouldn’t finish. Shannon wasn’t far behind, she passed me and was close behind Jim.
The leg was well enough to keep going, but I knew I would have to slow to walking at times to manage it.

Mile 19..the suckfest really starts. Thankfully, Michael Keating was there to pace me in the last 7 miles. He had volunteered to do that for me and I had left extra Cytomax and a goo for him to bring to me at that point.

Michael was patient and listened to me grouse about my leg. He provided encouragement and again, the company was helpful in providing me a mental break from my discomfort. So..walks and jogs for the last 7 miles. Coming around Pasadena High School heading North on Sierra Madre Blvd., the rain clouds began to break a bit, the sun peeked out and the San Gabriel Mountains stood before me in all their stoic beauty. I made sure to look at them and take my eyes off of the painful road. I knew at that point I would finish, though slower than I had hoped, yet truly grateful for every step that I took towards the finish line.

Last mile mostly downhill. It didn’t feel like it was downhill, my legs were spent. Michael made sure to remind me to save enough energy to run through the finish line. I was wearing my SUA SPONTE shirt so I made sure I had enough to run through that finish line. As I ran towards the finish, total strangers were calling out, “great job”, “you did it!”. How nice! They threw out their hands to high-five me as I ran by. People I didn’t even know! Then there were my awesome friends… Dave and Joanne who waited in the cold for me to finish, as they were already done with their half marathon (thanks..I owe you guys) and Carol, Dave and Jane who all made a special trip just to see us all come in…Thanks so much!!! (Oh, and Jane brought us each a bottle of celebratory beer). Jim W and Shannon were there, they finished 4:20 and 4:21 consecutively and I came in at 4:38.

Was this hard?? YES very hard! Would I do it again..absolutely and I hope to be a little faster next time.

I thank God for my friends, the rain, the mountains and the ability to complete the event.

P.S. Something to remember for next time: Carry more of my own nutrition. I needed more Cytomax.

Revisting Virtuosity

2009-02-23T00:22:00.000-08:00

“Virtuosity is defined in gymnastics as “performing the common uncommonly well.” Unlike risk and originality, virtuosity is elusive, supremely elusive. It is, however, readily
recognized by audience as well as coach and athlete. But more importantly,
more to my point, virtuosity is more than the requirement for that last tenth of a point; it is always the mark of true mastery (and of genius and beauty).
(Greg Glassman-Head Coach, Crossfit). (Image from Posetech.com)

On Sunday 2/22 I participated in my third running clinic. This clinic was conducted entirely by Coach LeClair. We were put through various drills for improved running mechanics, we were filmed and critiqued and we tested what we had learned in challenging workout at the track.

What I came away with today was a rather large slice of “humble pie”.

I have run quite a few races in the past five years. I have gotten faster, I’ve done well with divisional placement and earned a few medals. However, what I saw today on my running film was not the form of a good runner, it was mediocre. When my first run was viewed and critiqued..it hurt. Here I sat, one of our “better runners’, someone whom others look to for help. In my defense, I often do know what to do, and I can spot most gross form faults and offer corrections. However, when it comes to “fixing” myself, my problem is no different from everyone else’s..that is connecting my brain with my body so that my body does what I want it to do.

It only took me about a minute to get over initial “ouch” (ego wound) because I wanted to really hear and understand what I needed to do to improve. So, swallowing my piece of “humble pie” was good medicine. I listened, kept working, did some things better and still need to work on others.

Coach LeClair asked us the question, “can you keep running like you are?” The answer is yes, but clearly we should not. The answer for me is obvious, because while I have become a stronger runner, a faster runner, I still suffer with various “aggravations” that are not going away. I am concerned about this, seriously concerned. I want to compete in longer runs; I have a marathon coming up in less than a month. I want a healthy run, I want to run injury free, and I want to run for as long as I can, therefore, my bio-mechanics need correction…period.

“There is a compelling tendency among novices developing any skill or art,
whether learning to play the violin, write poetry, or compete in gymnastics, to
quickly move past the fundamentals and on to more elaborate, more
sophisticated movements, skills, or techniques. This compulsion is the novice’s
curse—the rush to originality and risk. " (Glassman)

While I might not be consider a “novice” runner because of how long I’ve been running, my lack of sound bio-mechanics says otherwise. What the film tells me is that I have forgotten some of my basics...and I know they were there. I can feel during a run when I finally "get it", running actually does become more effortless. What I need is CONSISTENTLY good form, which means quelling the compulsion to go faster than my form can take me, not allowing my anxiousness for speed turn me into a sloppy heel striker. So..as they say, back to basics: drills and more drills and out comes the “tempo trainer”..my little beeping buddy.

I want to excel in Virtuosity!

2009- The Quest..Dreams into Realities

2009-01-02T23:40:00.000-08:00

Goals, dreams..they seem interrelated to me. Don't we dream of the goals we want to achieve?

The quest then is in pursuing the dream, setting the goal and turning it into a reality.

2009 is off to a good start for me in some areas, but I've got to get it going in other areas -- and do so while the year is still young.

SUCCESSES TO DATE... and it's only the first week of the year!
1. I have a new work schedule...more work, which is good for me financially. I'll be learning new skills and expanding my "universe" ..so to speak.

2. BOOTCAMP is off to a great start! I am so proud of my Lady Boot Campers. Five of them in particular are training together on their own in addition to attending Bootcamp. They've already set a race schedule for the entire year! They are so motivated, this is what I live for as a coach. They get it! They understand that their training is more productive and even more fun when it has a purpose outside of itself, i.e. activities and/or sport they can apply it to. They are making the discovery that they are capable of so much more than they thought.

3. PERSONAL TRAINING BIZ: Two of my personal clients have made impressive achievements in weight loss this past year and are becoming "mentally tougher" during their training sessions. They are also getting better at keeping active when they are not training with me. One of them has found a hiking friend, but my client wants to run more and ON HER OWN has put them both on a conservative running program that they will work for 30 days to gradually improve their running. Again...I LIVE FOR THIS! She wants to achieve more...it's not my goal for her, it's her goal.

NOW FOR THE CHALLENGES:

1. Getting my own training nailed down for the goals I've set.

2. Growing the Women's Bootcamp program.

3. Growing and developing the personal training side of my business. Have some ideas, but need to make them materialize.

This requires more self discipline in several areas: A. Time Management B. Personal Health, i.e. improving nutrition and rest. C. Learning business skills such as writing a business plan, budgeting, learning to use the resources I have on hand more effectively. In other words, becoming a better business woman.

I've heard it said that:

"Dreams are good, but Realities are better." I agree.

I'll be working to turn some of my dreams into realities in 2009.

So, THIS is Christmas....

2008-12-26T22:58:00.000-08:00

I spent Christmas Eve with my parents and my niece, Davina who is 7 years old. It was just the four of us because my brother and his wife spent Christmas Eve in the pediatrics unit of Mt. San Antonio hospital. My 5-year old nephew, David, had a serious asthma attack that day and was admitted to the hospital for a series of treatments and observation.

This might sound as if this was an awful Christmas, but not so. In fact, it was one of the best Christmas' I have spent with my family. The true spirit of Christmas, that of sacrifice, giving and thankfulness filled our home and lifted our spirits.

We spoke to my brother on the phone, and he told us that Davey was doing very well, was in no pain, but that he still needed further treatment the next day (Christmas day). He and his wife would be taking turns spending the night there.

I had a really lovely Christmas Eve getting to know my niece better. We watched Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, along with my mom and dad. How cool...this was the 1971 version with Gene Wilder..my favorite! I was 10 years old when I first saw it in the theater...great trip down memory lane for me. My mom, Davina and I also assembled and painted a set of really cute cardboard insect models as a gift for Davey. My dad got a kick out of how "into" the project my mom and I got.

My little niece surprised me with what a really good kid she is. She decided on her own to make her brother a "Get Well and Merry Christmas"card and she did just that. Wrote everything out herself. She never fussed about having to wait to open her presents from Santa which were at her house. We had a few things for her to open from us on Christmas morning, but she knew that she would be waiting to open the rest once they were all able to return home.

So Christmas day we headed off to the hospital to bring Christmas to Davey and spend the day with him and his mom and dad.

The pediatric nurses and doctors were wonderful. Sure, they are paid to be there, but they did so much more than the minimum. They worked to keep the environment cheerful, playful and full of Christmas while carrying out their duties...really great people. When we arrived Davey was excited, in fact, a little too excited..he needed to be reminded several times to relax as he was not quite ready to be released yet and needed to rest. I noticed he had a new huge bright red fire engine and a street cleaning truck on his bed. When I asked if Santa brought them I was told "no, they were from the people at the hospital". They provided gifts to all the sick children. How sweet.

Later that day we were all in the playroom and in comes a family who introduces themselves and as the "Smits". The Mom, dad and four kids came to bring some Christmas cheer to all the sick kids. They too were handing out toys. They even gave one to Davina although she was not a patient there. What great parents teaching their kids about giving at Christmas..giving not only toys, but some of their day to bring happiness to less fortunate kids. (This makes me tear up even now).

I don't think I've ever spent a more meaningful Christmas with my family. Pulling together in a time of need, supporting and loving one another in a circumstance that could have made everyone very grumpy, ungrateful and depressed. For the record, my brother and his wife were amazing, they were tired and yet remained positive and worked beautifully together with no bickering. I'm not a parent, but I so respect and admire that job, especially when it's done well. I'll be there as "auntie" to help in any way I can.

Davey is back home and doing well, and we are thankful.

This is Christmas.

A Christmas Present to myself

2008-12-22T23:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight at the Academy we worked FRAN...she is one mean lady. Standard weight is 65lbs for women and 95Lbs for Men. Exercises are Squat Thrusters and Pull-ups, reps are 21-15-9 for time.

I went into this with a lot of trepidation. I've not attempted the 65lb standard weight before. I can do kipping pull-ups, so I was okay with those. Well...I managed the 65lbs through the second set (15's) but had to reduce the weight to 55lbs at the 9's. I just could not clean the weight from the floor, that 10lbs makes a huge difference and I was then able to do the 9 thrusters. My last 9 pull-ups were agonizing because my forearms and grip were shot! I finished with a pathetic time of 14 mins?? or so. But you know what..I'm okay with that, because I came so close to the standard. I'm convinced that it won't take me too much longer to get strong enough to manage the 65lbs throughout the workout...my time probably won't be great, but it will be to standard!

Testing limits..smartly,..indeed brings confidence. Once again, facing fears and defeating them one rep at a time..a little Christmas present to myself.

Speaking of the Holidays...here's wishing all of you:

A MERRY CHRISTMAS

HAPPY HANUKKAH

NO MORE STRESS, be done with all the stuff that doesn't matter and

HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY!

It's A Wonderful Life

2008-12-15T23:05:00.000-08:00

"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"

"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends."

Quotes are from: Clarence Oddbody - The Angel in "It's A Wonderful Life" A film made in 1946

One year after the end of WWII

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MOVIE? If so, please post your thoughts, comments. If not, you NEED to see it. Everyone has something to gain from seeing this film.

This movie speaks to the important questions that most of us have asked ourselves at one time or another: "What would the world be like if I had never been born?" or "What would the world be like if I wasn't here anymore?" " Has my presence in this world made a difference...either for good or bad?"

Realize that we make an impact on our community, for either good or ill. Realize that not doing anything has an impact too. George Baily, the main character of the film, has spent his life "doing the right thing" -( before Spike Lee made the phrase so popular). George is a good man, yet, when things go very wrong...he almost gives up, until he is shown what the world, and in particular his corner of the world, the town of Bedford Falls, would have been like if he had never been born.

I see our Crossfit/Bootcamp community as microcosm of the larger world we all live in. This is our "Bedford Falls". What we do or do not do in this world not only directly affects it, but is also a reflection of our character. I'm not just talking about the physical aspect of training together, I'm talking about what we do and say while training, after training, and in other situations outside of the Academy. I'm talking about the friendships I've seen blossom, the talents I've seen grow in others and in myself. I'm talking about potential made into reality because of the support and encouragement we have given to one another.

I pray that I have a positive effect on my world. I know how much I've benefited from being part of it. You have all in some way touched my life..thank you.

Goat Races..and Goats Racing!

2008-12-11T22:55:00.000-08:00

Take a look at our upcoming race season:

FEBRUARY

2/8/09 China Town "FireCracker 5K & 10K

MARCH

Pasadena Marathon 3/22

Great Race of Agoura 3/28

APRIL

Santa Anita Derby Day 5k 4/4

MAY

Mt. Wilson Trail Race 5/23

LA Marathon 5/25

JUNE
Camp Pendleton Mud Run 6/6, 6/7, 6/13

Wow...so many choices, what's a goat to do? Well, Pasadena Marathon is a must for me. So...with all the training for that during the next few months, I should be well prepared for Derby Day because I'll be getting back to track work, including those nasty "double 5k's! Continued hill work will be critical for Wilson and hill work makes you stronger for EVERYTHING!

I probably won't do the Agoura race because it follows too close to the Pasadena Marathon and I don't know how long it will take me to recover from that. So far I'm not planning for June 's Mud Run..but who knows, a fickle goat can change her mind, so long as she does so before registration ends! As for the L.A. Marathon; depending on how I fair in Pasadena and how I feel after Wilson, there is a sick thought in my mind that this could be an interesting challenge for me. I wouldn't expect to run L.A. well, but it would be good training for an Ultra to do both races so close together. I'll have to run this thought by my more experienced Ultra friends.

So what are you all planning to do this race season? A curious goat wants to know.

Check out this link...Goat's really do race! BAAAAAA!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11xwIbjuUrQ&NR=1

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT ON MANY FRONTS

2008-12-07T23:17:00.000-08:00

SATURDAY 12/6/08: Grand Opening of our new Crossfit Academy.

[ Winning the fight against sloth, indiscipline, and mental weakness]

The whole celebration was inspiring to me. Once again our extended community came together, pitched in on many levels to make this event a resounding success. My faith in human beings to be decent to one another is so often shattered...but rarely within this Crossfit/Bootcamp community in which I spend a lot of my time. I have seen this group...and a rather diverse group at that, continually lend a hand when needed, encourage those who are new or at a lesser fitness level and cheer each other on during competitions. Yup, that's right..cheering, not jeering, fellow competitors. That's awesome, and that's rare and it makes me proud to be part of this community.

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT DURING "FIGHT GONE BAD"

On a personal level, competing in the FIGHT GONE BAD (FGB) event was something I really needed to do. Honestly I don't like attention when I train, I prefer to "suffer in silence" with my own group and with my fellow coaches there to push me when needed. This large group made me even more nervous about doing FGB than I normally am. That's right, FGB makes me nervous. I would rather run up and down the Mt. Wilson trail twice in a row than to do FGB. It's so f*&#ing tough both mentally and physically. I KNOW how bad it's going to hurt (yeah, good hurt, but still hurt) and on top of that, I now have the mental pressure of trying to keep my score above 200.

Since I'm a trainer, a Bootcamp coach and an intern at the Academy, there is an expectation that I will perform well. It's my expectation of myself, but it's also the expectation of of our Crossfitters and Bootcampers. This doesn't mean that I will be at the top of every WOD or that I won't have a bad day sometimes, no way. I hope no one would expect that of me. What it does mean is that I must always put forth my best effort and set an example for our members. In other words, this community not only holds each other accountable, but they hold me accountable too. I must "practice what I preach" or be perceived as a hypocrite. This is sometimes a daunting task, but I'm glad to take it on and I'm even grateful for it because ultimately I too become a better human being by upholding those values and principals which I preach. Warning: because I'm human I will not do this perfectly and that's when I am grateful to have this community there to pick me up when I fall (after making fun of me first :)).

Well, in the end,I got over my nerves, focused entirely on the work at hand, forgot about the crowd and scored 203 -- hell, I'll take it! Special thanks to Kelly for being my scorer and not letting me chicken out (cluck, cluck)!

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2008....FIGHTING ON ANOTHER FRONT

A SIGHT TO BEHOLD: As I was driving East on Sierra Madre Blvd., not far from La Salle HS,I heard the sound of a LARGE jet aircraft, and what did I see gracefully cruising the sky above me? The STEALTH BOMBER!!

I thought it was in honor of PEARL HARBOR DAY, but turns out it was part of a funeral service for a man named Verne Orr who was our former Secretary Of the Air Force during the Reagan Administration. He was 92! A very interesting and important man in matters of the defense of this nation. I learned a lot about him from this article:

Verne Orr, Air Force Chief Known for Fight Against Waste, Dies at 92

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/washington/06orr.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

I'M SO GLAD THIS IS OURS:

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT: DEC 7, 1941 - OUR FIRST DAY OF INFAMY

I do not forget that we are vulnerable...that we have always had and will continue to have enemies....

Look at this photo...can you imagine seeing enemy aircraft invading your country and dropping bombs on you? This happen before most of us were born. Then again on 9/11/01 in a completely different way, we were briefly invaded and thousands died. Complacency kills.

I took some time today, to remember and to honor those who have fought and continue to "Fight The Good Fight".

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETARY "WREATH LAYING"

There is a time to fight...know why, know who, know how and know when....that's my goal.

Sometimes the battle is within myself, like it was for FGB...those are really tough battles.

Be well and FIGHT ON!

The Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus)

2008-11-23T23:35:00.000-08:00

I don't remember exactly when, or who started calling me "Mountain Goat". I know it's because I love trail running and for some reason I get up hills pretty well. Runs or hikes leading to peaks are my favorite journeys. The high country, those places above the tree-line of 9,000 feet or more, hold a fascination for me. The warm sun, crisp air, alpine passes and meadows, the surrealistic blueish green waters of cirque lakes...all have a kind of divine magic about them. That's where the mountain goats dwell.

A RATHER MAGNIFICENT ANIMAL, DON'T YOU THINK?

I really love them, I wish we had them in our mountains. In the united states they live in the Rockies. There are varies species of mountain goats located in other parts of the world. We do have BIG HORN SHEEP that live in our local deserts and mountains. I once saw a herd of them on Mt. Baldy. I'll write about them another time; today I devote my first blog to my namesake, the Mountain Goat.

Here are some very interesting facts about Mountain Goats from Wikipedia:

The Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its name, it is not a true goat, as it belongs to a different genus. (Antelopes not goats). It resides at high elevations and is a sure-footed climber, often resting on rocky cliffs that predators cannot reach.

I love getting to the high places; just like this goat pictured on the left. Maybe I'm avoiding predators too!

I've got to get to the Rockies..never been there. Though I have been to some pretty spectacular places in the High Sierras.

Both male and female mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15-28 cm in length, which contain yearly growth rings. They are protected from the elements by their woolly white double coats. The fine, dense wool of their undercoats is covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. In warmer seasons, mountain goats moult by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies (males) shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies (females) shedding last. In the winter, their coats help them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 Fahrenheit (-46 Celsius) and winds of up to 100 mph (161 km/h).

A male goat stands about one meter (3'3") at the shoulder to the waist. Male goats also have longer horns and a longer beard than nannies. Mountain goats typically weigh between 45 and 136 kg (100 - 300 lb.);[1] females are usually 10-30% lighter than males. The mountain goat's feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes, sometimes with pitches of 60 degrees or more, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can spread apart as needed. Dewclaws on the back of their feet also help to keep them from slipping.

(Note that the Nannies are FIESTY!)

Nannies can be very competitive and protective of their space and food sources. They will fight with one another for dominance in conflicts that can ultimately include all the nannies in the herd. In these battles, nannies will circle each other with their heads lowered, showing off their horns. As with fights between billies during breeding season, these conflicts can occasionally lead to injury or even death, but they are largely harmless. To avoid fighting, an animal may show a posture of non-aggression by stretching low to the ground.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.