PFT Time Again

Saturday is "D-Day". I'm a little nervous, but I'm fairly confident that I have the sprint and the sit-ups for sure. It's been 3 months and I was only 4 seconds off on the sprint. I think I can knock off 5 sec. and get to 51 sec. for 2 points. I feel pretty solid about shooting for 48 or 50 sit-ups for 5-6 points. Push-ups haven't progressed as I'd hoped, but I haven't done them to failure in a while. Maybe I'll try tonight to know what I'm in for. I'm gonna shoot for 45, that'd be 4 points. I did 36 last time (again 3 months ago). I was 2 min. and 14 sec. off on my 1.5 mile last time. If I shaved off 2.5 minutes, that's 2 points. SO, I think I have it. I hope so. This is pretty much my last shot at running outside or else, I'm going to have to do it on a treadmill. If I don't pass, then I need to pull a Rocky and run every morning at 5. I should have been doing that months ago, but Christ!!!

On another note, weight loss has somewhat stagnated, but things continue to shift. Since March, I am down 30 pounds in weight. I am up almost 14 pounds in muscle mass. Overall, I've dropped about 10% body fat. I need to drop another 5-10%, but that'll take another 6 months.

Here's a pic from last week:
Me in mid-snatch.















Post script: I applied to the Secret Service a few weeks ago and got my packet yesterday inviting me to take the Treasury Enforcement Agent (TEA) test in a couple weeks. I like my odds for one of the two. The ATF is hiring too. I'll probably throw an app. their way as well, just in case. With 3 shots at this type of career change, something's gotta stick.

New Personal Record...405# Deadlift!

Workout Pics

Pic from late April '09 from 1st week of CrossFit - Goblet Squats


















Early May running.


















Early June Deadlift


















Early July Push Press

Getting Nervous...

It's been just over 4 months since I began CrossFit and I believe I've seen wonderful results. I feel great and am beginning to look better. However, I'm getting nervous about the PFT. I have about 4 weeks left to work on upping my push-ups by 10, sit-ups by 10, and shave 4 seconds off my sprint, as well as a whopping 2 minutes off my mile and a half. I'm not sure if the timing is going to match up with my progress. I need to get the PFT form submitted and move ahead. I don't know if there's an indeffininte period that my status remains active. Time to redouble my efforts!

Quote of the Day

"I can't" means "I won't".

Progress

Well, I took the PFT again on Saturday. The results were encouraging. I dropped 20 seconds on my 300 m sprint! Added 11 push ups and 9 sit ups. My 1.5 mile run was almost 4 minutes faster. So, overall I think the training is working. I am about were I had anticipated I'd be at this time after beginning the CrossFit training; or should I say, I am about where I need to be to stay on track for the timeframe I set for myself.

My weightloss has somewhat slowed. Forward progress continues, but shedding the lbs. is much slower. Inches continue to dwindle and clothes fit better. However, pealing off another 10/15+ by the end of August would significantly improve my running times and probably help the push ups/sit ups as well.

I believe that I am still on track for an end-of-August date for passing the PFT self-evaluation. That would put the official test at least another 2 months out (Oct.-Nov.). Plenty of time to boost the scores.

Quote of the Day

"Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay it's price." - Sun Tzu

"You're only hurting yourself."

That's what I keep telling myself whenever I miss a workout or have a cheat meal. But, Christ! You have to live too. I'm making excuses here, but sometimes life does get in the way.

Now that the above pathetic little whine is out there, I need to say that the Zone Diet has been tough the last couple weeks and I really have to crack down. Camping hurt. Too much junk food and beer around the fire.

I don't think my weight has suffered, but I surely didn't lose either. Still far too flabby. I'm feeling fitter, but the weight isn't falling off. I cannot afford to take a week or two off!

Anyhow, no sense in bellyaching about it. Back on the saddle. It's ok to fall down, as long as you get back up, right?

This week should be a full workout week (at least 4). No reason not to get all 4 in. But, the diet is key and I have to get the food locked down.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to take the PFT again, so I am a bit nervous about progress. I have to run through it on July 11, or I can pick a Thursday evening. I'm worried that my progress isn't where it should be.

Time to step up!

From Phase I Testing Day

This is an old picture from back in March when I took the Phase I test.

Behold, the FBI Field Office in Cleveland, Ohio.

I was impressed when i saw it.

Deadlift = 325 lbs. (only 315 & 265 lbs. in pics.)

Rise Above - Black Flag

Jealous cowards try to control
Rise above, we're gonna rise above

They distort what we say
Rise above, we're gonna rise above

Try and stop what we do
Rise above
When they can't do it themselves

We are tired of your abuse
Try to stop us it's no use

Society's arms of control
Rise above, we're gonna rise above

Think they're smart, can't think for themselves
Rise above, we're gonna rise above

Laugh at us, behind our backs
I find satisfaction in what they lack

We are tired of your abuse
Try to stop us it's no use

We are born with a chance
Rise above, we're gonna rise above

I am gonna have my chance
Rise above, we're gonna rise above

We are tired of your abuse
Try to stop us it's no use

Rise above
Rise above
Rise above
We're gonna rise above
We're gonna rise above
We're gonna rise above

Progress Report

Since April 20 or the beginning of my CrossFit training, I have lost 14 lbs. Overall, since MArch I am down 22 lbs. This is a pretty good rate right now of about 12 lbs. per month utilizing CrossFit and the Zone Diet.

My body fat percentage has dropped 4%. Still a ways to go here, but again this is significant progress for 4-6 weeks!

My lean body mass is up about 1.5 lbs. I feel stronger than I have since high school.

I've dropped 4 inches off my abdomen (at the bellybutton). Clothes are fitting looser.

One Day as a Lion

"It's better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb."

Taken from the infamous 1970 black and white, captured by legendary Chicano photographer George Rodriguez featuring a center framed tag on a white wall in an unspecified section of Boyle Heights.

Quote of the Day

All right Mister, let me tell you what winning means… you’re willing to go longer, work harder, give more than anyone else.

- Vincent Lombardi

Not that I am really all that motivated by trite little quips, but I am draggin' ass today and looking for any port in the storm to keep me going, so for today, this trite little quip might actually be the nudge I need to keep going.

New Baseline PFT & Diet Results

Saturday saw 40 mph winds in T-Town, of course, because this was my new baseline Physical Fitness Test (PFT) for the FBI self-assessment. At least it was warm and sunny.

We (a few brave souls came with me; one was an ATF agent) did the test at a local high school track.

Results:

Sit ups: 31 = poor. Actually went down in number from my March test, but I think I had an off day in general due to wind and poor sleep during the week. Not an excuse, just a qualifier for comparisson to the next test in a month.

300 m sprint: 1 minute 16 seconds. This is the same time I had in March, but this time I finished running hard. This will be a challenge for me to get a passing score.

Push ups: 25 = improved. This is a 5 rep. improvement from last time and in truth, in the last two weeks, I have seen my strength grow in this. I believe I can grow by 10 reps per month and really rack up the points in this event to offset poor running numbers.

1.5 mile run: 18 minutes, 26 seconds. Again, for 1/2 the track, we were running into heavy winds, so I am unsure as to how accurate this is. Given it's 6 minute split from where I need to be to pass, I'm not sure no wind at all would have helped that much. Again, the biggest improvement here for me was that I finished the run, and finished hard. Whereas in March, I died about 1 lap in after the other events. So, finishing this run and the test as a whole is a marked improvement.

Overall, this was somewhat frustrating to finish and see the work that remains before I am able to pass and move ahead in the FBI hiring process. I am buoyed by the progress after 2 weeks in CrossFit and continuously remind myself to have patience.

On another note, the Zone Diet seems to be pairing nicely with CrossFit and I am please with the results of my progress since my initial weigh-in two weeks ago. I have lost 5 pounds overall, reduced my abdomen, chest and shoulder measurements by 2 inches, and decreased my body fat % by about 2.5%. If my math is correct (and I'd liek to think it is), I've lost 9 lbs. of fat and gained about 6 lbs. of muscle.

At this rate, I should be able to pass the PFT by the end of August at the very latest. This is a conservative estimate, but I thin it best to not get too hopeful at this point. I have a long way to go, but am relived to note such progress in such relatively little time.