After two days of C&J’s and easily power cleaning 50kg I started thinking about Grace on the way to the box – more specifically ‘Grace Off’ which is happening this weekend at SF Gym as a breast cancer fundraiser. I was thinking about whether I should do it and if so if I should register as intermediate or Rx thinking I could probably do Rx but knowing that it would take a bit longer – I’ve been wanting to Rx ‘Grace’ for a long time and knowing I can now do it was really cool – I figured it’d be awesome to Rx ‘Grace’ on my 36th birthday (Saturday conveniently). As I was going through these thoughts I also vividly recalled watching Coach Match write both ‘Grace’ and ‘Isabel’ on the PR boards in the box on Monday night knowing that we’d (clearly) be filling them in soon – I thought we might do ‘Grace’ soon as we’d just done heavy C&J’s but didn’t think he program it the very next night – still, it was on my mind.
As I walked into the box I saw Tim doing some shoulder mobility and he looked at me with that twinkle in his eye and asked me to guess what we were doing – I got a bit excited then – knew I would like it – and as he was starting to say ‘what you did last night’ I was bursting forth with ‘grace?’ (and there may have been a little happy dance that followed). I knew right then and there that I would be Rx-ing ‘Grace’ – I texted Cam to tell him exactly that – there was no doubt. I was ready. More than ready.
We did a warm-up. There were burpees and shuttle sprints (and I didn’t mind the burpees again, what?). I raced Tim a bit just for fun even though we were just warming up. Shonelle and I partnered up for some partner resisted sprints with the bands and we did other stuff – really I was just going through the motions super excited to meet ‘Grace’, full on this time.
WOD: Benchmark 'Grace'
30 Clean & Jerk (45/60kg)
5:51 Rx(!)
Coach Match informed me that there was a 10 minute cut-off. Ok, that’s three reps a minute just to finish – easy. I checked out the times of the other girls who Rx-ed earlier in the day – there were only three – Kayla, Tash and Chriselle – and knowing Kayla (pretty much) warms up at 45kg and that Tash is the unstoppable energizer bunny in every WOD (superfast) I just hoped I could keep up with Chriselle. Goal was under 7 minutes – that meant about 4 a minute. Then I upped that a bit – figured I could do probably do 5 every minute and if I did I could get under 6 minutes. Game on though I knew it’d be tough.
Tim had told me to try and push jerk the reps if I could rather than split jerking which would take more time. Noted. Coach Match also suggested minimizing rest time between reps as this was the biggest hurdle in getting a good time. Noted. I heard Jack and Tim discussing a game plan and I made the comment that game plans were dangerous (you never know how things are going to go) but I clearly had one – 5 reps a minute until I was done. Go.
The first rep I push jerked and it was tough. I also tried to lower the bar back to the ground, also tough. From then on I split jerked each rep. I also did single reps dropping the bar every time. The bar would take one bounce, I’d pat it down and pick it right back up again focusing on tightening my shoulder blades and getting a solid clean (ignoring the protest from my already bruised clavicle) and then part two – quick jerk with focus on locking out my arms over head. I stopped for chalk after 15 reps but quickly got back on the bar. I was racing the clock. I managed to get up by two reps in the first minute (7 reps done) and lost a few somewhere after that – four minutes in I had 10 to go. I could do this. I was on track.
Because I was dropping the bar every rep the collars became quite loose though in my mind I had no time to fix that – I needed to pick the bar right back up, the game was most definitely on. I pushed through the last 5 starting them with one minute remaining. I worked really hard for every single one but hearing the others cheering me on really helped and as I dropped the bar one final time I burst out into the hugest grin. I had won. 5:51. Done. Tim came over for a high-five and he got a hug. I was beaming. I truly was. I still am. It is a huge achievement for me – something that I’ve wanted for so long – I final made it. I beat ‘Grace’. All of ‘Grace’. There is no looking back now. Next up is ‘Isabel’. I have a lot more work to get there but I’m eager. Aiming high.
As a follow up – I was too excited for the follow up text with Cam to let him know I did it… he got a call as soon as I got home – the excitement that had built all through my drive burst out at him. The awesome part – he was just as excited for me and let me repeat my accomplishment a gazillion times. Oh, and he reminded me of it again this morning – made me smile all over again. Thanks!
Post-WOD
Once recovered, run 1 mile or row 1km for time
4:00
After all the excitement and joy of finishing ‘Grace’ I didn’t
have much left in me but knew I had to get this done. I went for the row as I already have a mile
run time on the PR board (even though it was from a day I was sick and I know I
can better it). It hurt. That’s about all I can add here. I wanted to quit many times though kept
pushing through and tried to find a nice efficient rate/ combo of strokes per
minute and 500m split time. By the end
my glutes were cramped and I crawled off the erg but I got it done. Four minutes exactly. Done.
Mobility (and gossip with Angie – and Jaimie)
Glutes
Pecs
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