Hey guys, So, I have been training for a fundraiser called "Fight Gone Bad III" taking place on Sept. 27th, sprained ankles and all! It is a fundraiser for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Fund. I am doing this in honor of my late Grandfather Fructoso Gonzalez who I lost to cancer. :(
The Fight Gone Bad workout consists of five exercises, performed for one minute each, with one-minute breaks given after all exercises have been completed. This grueling five-station rotation is then repeated three times per person.
I really need people to step up and donate to these charities. Not only do you get to write it off, you get extra Heaven points too! ;)
MY TRUE LIFE STORY
Current mood: peaceful
Category: Life
Yesterday, I was sick in bed all day so I was able to watch everything on TV from Maury's Baby Daddy drama to "Dirty Jobs." I was able to catch an episode of MTV's True Life "I am deaf" and this one moved me. It was an episode where a teenage boy gets a cochlear implant and gets to hear for the very first time. It demonstrated the difficulties of communication between the hearing and the hearing-impaired. The boy gets to that age where he is ready to bridge that gap by undergoing surgery. He wants to have a regular relationship with his new hearing girlfriend. Four weeks after the implant is placed, they turn it on. He becomes amazed and overwhelmed with the sounds all around him. His parents cry the first time he is able to hear their voices. The sound of his girlfriend saying his name,"Christopher," sends chills down his spine. He begins to explore his surroundings, tapping and knocking on everything. It will still take him a few years before he will be able to understand what people are saying and he is just happy to have the opportunity to hear them at all.
It really got me thinking about how much we take for granted. Life is so precious. We are so busy with the hustle and bustle that we forget the beautiful things that surround us, or the important people in our lives. Back in 2000, I was in a horrible river-rafting accident and had to be airlifted to the UC Davis Trauma Center. I was unable to feel my legs for several days. As I laid there for 4 days paralyzed from the waist down, I began to think back to all those years that I complained about my legs, "too skinny," "too white," "too muscular," "too flabby,"....etc. I felt selfish that I took for granted the fact that I had any legs at all. Some people are born without them, some lose them. How could I be so vain? I told myself that if I was ever able to walk again, I would never complain about my body, or take life for granted. I would live each day as though it was my last.
It has been 8 years since that accident. I still suffered from horrible chronic back pain daily from the accident and just accepted the fact that I would have to live everyday in pain. That was the life I had known since I was 8. (In 1986, I was in a bad car accident and suffered muscular strain, the accident in 2000 only made my pain more intense and some days unbearable.) CrossFit saved me. Since Chris has been coaching me, the pain has disappeared. No exaggeration, it has changed my life. I feel like a kid again. At 30, I feel reborn. As I type this, teardrops are falling on the keyboard.
I sometimes forget the promise I made to myself. Stories like the teenage boy's help me to remember. I hope my story helps you to take a step back and realize that life is too short to waste stressing out all the time. If you have learned anything after reading this, I hope it is that you will love yourself, love life and never forget to stop and smell the roses.
"I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet." -Anon.
Our Grand Opening celebration was a success! I am thankful to everyone who made it out! Life has been pretty crazy in the most positive way ever! Yes, the rumors are true.... a reality show pilot is in the works. That's all I will say for now. :) In the meantime... check out these links or pick up a copy of the Oakland Tribune, etc...!
GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION TODAY!!!!!
Current mood: chipper
TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL GRAND OPENING OF LaLanne Fitness!!!! Please come down and help us celebrate from 12-3 pm at 590 Howard Street, SF. Come meet Uncle Jack LaLanne!!!!!
Today's WOD was Jackie (a CrossFit benchmark workout).
1000 meter row, 50 thrusters, 30 pull ups. (for time) My time was 9:29 minutes
My *bleepin* arms were on FIRE when I was done!! Somewhere during the heat of it all, my literally threw my socks and shoes off. Your mind plays crazy tricks on you when you are in the"red zone." My picture looks crazy! I look as though I am gonna KILL someone! Yikes! I am just a little lamb. :)
Today’s epiphany
Current mood: blessed
Category: Life
Some years back, I was in a staff meeting and my boss had everyone draw a line across the page and write down the year it was. He then had us write down the year we think we are going to die. He made us draw a half circle linking the two dates. In that circle we were told to fill it up with our bucket list (things we want to do before we die). This became an emotional event for some of the older staff members who feared they may never do some of those things. I filled that half circle up to the brim!
That list has been taped to my fridge since then. Every time I complete something from that list, I highlight it. After today's intense WOD, I walked down Howard Street to catch my breath. As I was coming back towards the gym, I saw our sign in the window, " LALANNE FITNESS." I realized that I get to pull out my highlighter and cross another thing off that list. One of my dreams was to make my husband's dream of owning his own gym a reality. It JUST hit me a short while ago. I am still a little choked up thinking about it.
My dream since I was a little girl was to be a singer and model. My dream came true over ten years ago. I am very blessed to have lived my dream. Now HIS dream is reality, thus making MY dream come true.
energetic
stoked
adored
awake
peaceful
excited
cooky/wacky
blessed