Welcome Back to CrossFit Tuscaloosa

This weekend I got to go to Tuscaloosa, AL for a wedding shower.  My old roommate is marrying my best guy friend from law school.  No I was not the match maker.  But I love this couple.  Equally as awesome as a wedding shower is I got to go visit my home at CrossFit Tuscaloosa.


I was definitely looking forward to seeing them all week.  So entering the door of the box, and seeing Twinkie, Carla, Drewseph, and Sarabeth all in there made my uber excited.  1) Drewseph is also a firefighter, and somehow manages to never be around when I visit.  2) While I had seen Sarabeth just the weekend before for the Talon Throwdown, I can never get enough 3) Given the demons I've been facing, seeing Carla and Twinkie just puts me in the right mindset going into a WOD.  To make it even better, Dayna showed up a few minutes after me, bringing along Zoe (her precious daughter that I will kidnap some day and manufacture dolls that look identical to her and become a bazillionaire). 


CFT has made some AMAZING improvements to the gym since I left.  With I'm sure the egging on and hardwork of Twinkie, they have new weight racks for the bumpers and bars - the design of which I love so much, Twinkie better get on sending them to me so I can have a welder up here replicate them.  New spin bikes, a new rack for wall balls, new wall ball targets and ready for this....


the KB's were cleaned up and in order.  My OCD heart be still!  If you're in the Tuscaloosa area, this is not a suggestion - this is a straight up "GET YOUR BUTT TO CROSSFIT TUSCALOOSA!".  In just over a year, they're hitting 100 members and will soon outgrow their space (or I think they'll just have to have times all day long and hire a gym manager, in which case, Rhett Butler and I may fill out an application for full-time employment). 


Looking at the whiteboard, it looks as though everyone's kicking butt and taking names.  But sad face, I didn't recognize half the names.  Has it really been that long?  Are the days past that I would hang out there all day and get to meet EVERYONE in the family?  Have I now taken the spot of the long-lost cousin that people vaguely remember hearing stories about at reunions?  How could this happen?  Someone must immediately start a letter writing campaign to lower gas prices so that my visits can be frequent enough that I can at least be recognizable to 75% of the family. 


While I know my training is super exciting, and the reason I have such high traffic on this blog (thanks btw to everyone who reads and has been posting on fb and pinterest!)...I'll leave that to the end.


Follow up a pretty good training session with Cracker Barrel.  Yes, this means it wasn't Paleo.  Yes, this means it was no where near remotely healthy.  But what it does mean is....Carla and I enjoyed the Harvest Granola Pancakes IMMENSELY.  Now before you go "Opal how could you?!" or start to lose faith in me, or think....wow she really is battling demons and has gone off the deep end, diving nose first into pancakes, and has become delusional thinking she's staying healthy by having granola pancakes...LOOK AT THEM!

Yes, they're just as delicious as they look.  As in I'm salivating right this second.  But fret not, they're seasonal and definitely just an occasional indulgence.  Actually, I'm not sure I would enjoy them away from Carla.  Maybe that's the appeal - to share in the sin with someone you love so that you'll both be going to Paleo hell.  :P 


Round out the meal with bacon and eggs, and Carla and I were ready for a day of lounging by her pool with Dayna and Sarabeth.  Wait!  Don't stop reading just because you hate us now.  Remember during the week I am often at the office until well past 6:30 (actually 7 and 8 pm so far this week).  So grant me this weekend of indulgence with my CFT family.


You couldn't stop reading could you?  Because you have to know what indulgences followed.  How about this - first crawfish boil of the season.  Mmmmm crawfish.  Worth every bit of the work to pry those suckers out of their shell.  (Christa - why you and Max brought burgers instead of enjoying this, I'm still puzzled over) Made all the more amusing by the fact that Drewseph is recovering from severe 2nd degree burns all over his hands, and is still so hungry for the deliciousness, that he goes through pounds upon pounds of spicy cajun seasoned crawfish.  I kid you not about the hands....

The story would end here.  A perfect day with CrossFit Tuscaloosa family, relaxing, resting, and enjoying life.  Except, sometimes you need 2 days.  So I followed it up with a little girls (Carla and Dayna - and Zoe - bold move bringing the child closer to Nashville where I could ) trip to Birmingham for Chuy's and Lululemon.  What a combo - cheat with chips, cheese dip, and amazing hand made tortillas and then buy athletic clothing to go WOD in.  Don't knock it.  Some weekends are for just being spoiled and enjoying the ones you love.


So here's a big shout out to everyone at CrossFit Tuscaloosa....the crazy girl who is on hiatus in Nashville loves all y'all and can't wait to meet the rest of the ridiculously huge family!


Oh yah....training...


Skill
-4x10 unbroken wall balls (14), 60 sec rest


Strength
Technique work:
-Front Squat: 3x3 (45), 60 sec rest


-Hang Squat clean (knee) 4x3 @ 7-8 RPE
Warm up: 3x65 - 3x85
Work Set: 3x95 - 3x95 - 3x95
-Front Squat:
Warm up: 3x95
Work Set: 3x105 - 3x105- 3x105


Metcon
Every minute on the minute for 5 min. do 30 sec max double unders followed by 195# touch-and-go deadlift, adding a rep each round


Score: 41-45-43-34-15 (deadlifts took up my time on the last two rounds to get in the double unders.  FRIED shoudlers)