Knee update

The knee is coming along alright so far. The main problematic area is the back of the knee, which is sore and very tight; probably swollen. There's also some gimpiness at the front-right of the knee, but it's pretty minor.

I've been icing it in the evening, taking ibuprofen at night before bed, and today (for better or worse) I started taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM. Dunno if the Gluc/Chon/MSM will have any effect, but (1) I'm getting older, and (2) this is the same knee that had the torn MCL (and I think even some torn cartilage) a few years ago. Couldn't hurt.

I went in to the gym today and rowed 2 kilometers twice, rolling out on the foam roller after each time. The knee didn't complain much, but it wouldn't really let me fully straighten the leg either. I also did some brief stretching of the hamstrings and lower back.

I think this will just be a minor setback. Hopefully it won't turn out after a few days to be worse than I thought. Just need to give it some good active rest and take care of it.

- Mark

A Crossfit week of ups & downs

An exciting and frustrating week it was. This week I got into size 36 jeans for the first time in decades, got my first-ever kipping pullup, got my first-ever deadhang chinup (note: I'm really saying "first-ever as an adult"), and for the first time did a very tough workout Rx'd (12 DL @ 225, 40 WB @ 20lb, 9 DL, 30 WB, 6 DL, 20 WB, 3 DL, 10 WB).

Unfortunately, I then went out and injured myself at yesterday's free workout, which was fairly routine, non-technical, and should have been pretty risk-free. Somehow, while coming up out of a basic air squat, I managed to tweak something in my right knee and/or hamstring. I don't think it's a severe injury, but the leg's mobility is pretty limited today, and I'm sure it's going to need at least a few days of rest.

This is the same knee that had the blown MCL 3-4 years ago. I don't think there's any ligament damage this time, so I'm not too worried. Rest, ice, elevation. Maybe some ibuprofen to help manage the swelling.

I hate injuries.

A day of firsts

Despite taking a rest day yesterday, I still went in to the gym to watch the WOD and get in a little bit of active rest. After getting in a leisurely 2K row, I wandered over to the pullup bars just to see if I was anywhere close to being able to pull off a kipping pullup yet.

Surprise surprise...I successfully pulled off my first kipping pullup on my first attempt!! Just as other folks told me would happen, it just kinda "clicked" for me.

After that, Chad Vasquez (one of the gym owners) encouraged me to take a shot at a dead-hang pullup. I failed on that but then successfully managed a dead-hang chinup on my first try. This was a first for me as well, not counting all the chinups that I did as a kid.

Finally, for the first time in at least two decades, I am in size 36 jeans. When I started Crossfit in late October 2009, I was starting to come out of size 42 jeans. Five and a half months later, I'm in size 36's.

Crossfit -- and good diet -- works.

- Mark

Paleo challenge - March 31, 2010

(This being March 31, this is the last of the Paleo Challenge food logs.)

Breakfast
- 3 free-range eggs scrambled in bacon fat
- several clumps of steamed cauliflower
- small yak cutlet
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 6
- cup of coffee, black

Lunch (Chuy's)
- Mexicobb salad. Salad greens w/ diced avocado, Hatch chili, egg, tomato, and cheese. Vinegar & oil dressing.
- iced tea

Pre-wod
- 4-5 strawberries

Post-wod
- 4-5 strawberries 

Dinner
- 12-15 shrimp
- ~ 1/3 plateful of steamed cauliflower

- ice water
- Fish oil x 5
- CaMgZn x 2

Paleo challenge - March 30, 2010

Breakfast
- 3 scrambled free-range eggs w/ green chili sauce
- 1 crown steamed broccoli
- small grilled pork chop
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- cup of coffee, black

Lunch (Cool River Cafe)
- Beef tenderloin salad; very good tenderloin on top of mixed greens, a tomato, and some cheese. Vinegar & oil dressing.

- iced tea

Dinner
- grass-fed yak cutlet (yes, yak, and no it didn't make me yak)
- one each grilled zucchini and yellow squash
- seven strawberries
- ice water
- Fish oil x 5
- CaMgZn x 2

Paleo Challenge - March 29, 2010

Breakfast (Kerbey Lane Cafe)
- good-sized chicken omelette w/ black beans & very small bowl of fresh fruit
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 2-3 cups coffee

Lunch (Opal Divine's)
- Newport Club Sandwich, minus the bread. Basically, a grilled chicken breast with cheese, a couple of slices of bacon, and sliced avocado.
- Grilled broccoli crown on the side
- iced tea

Pre-workout
- 5-6 fresh strawberries
- ~1.5 oz. beef jerky

post-workout
- 3 more fresh strawberries


Dinner
- crockpot bbq beef
- leftover steamed/sauteed turnip greens w/ garlic powder and red pepper flake
- ice water
- Fish oil x 5
- CaMgZn x 2

Paleo challenge - March 28, 2010

Breakfast
- two small grilled pork chops
- 1 crown steamed broccoli, w melted butter
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black

Lunch
- didn't really lunch. Had a leftover salmon burger patty.

Dinner
- baked chicken breast & pork chop
- gobs of steamed/sauteed turnip greens w/ garlic powder and red pepper flake
- ice water
- Fish oil x 5
- CaMgZn x 2

Paleo challenge - March 27, 2010

Breakfast
- three eggs scrambled in coconut oil, w/ green chili sauce
- steamed cauliflower
- a few raspberries
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black

Lunch (Z Tejas)
- migas w/ spinach, mushrooms, & avocado. Ate the black beans. Gave the potatoes to Rachel.
- Bloody Mary
- 2 cups coffee
- ice water

Dinner
- 1 1/2 baked chicken breast
- steamed cauliflower, w/ EVOO & paprika
- ice water
- Fish oil x 5
- CaMgZn x 2

Paleo challenge - March 26, 2010

Breakfast
- 1 small eye of round
- shrimp w/ kale
- 1/2 grapefruit
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black 

Lunch
- beef fajita fixins minus the tortillas, beans, & rice

- ice water

Dinner
- 1 1/2 salmon burger patties
- ~ 1/2 head steamed cauliflower, w/ EVOO & paprika
- ice water
- Fish oil x 5
- CaMgZn x 2

some store-bought beef jerky while watching basketball

Paleo challenge - March 25, 2010

Breakfast
- two small eye of round
- sh*tload of sauteed/steamed kale
- 1/2 grapefruit
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 6
- 1 cup coffee; black

medium cappucino on way to work

Lunch

- pork bulgogi w/ side of sashimi (salmon, some sort of white fish, tuna)
- several cups of hot green tea
- ice water

Dinner
- ~12 shrimp sauteed with kale, red pepper flake, and garlic
- ice water
- Fish oil x 5
- CaMgZn x 2

Paleo challenge - March 24, 2010

Breakfast
- three eggs, fried in EVOO
- 1 steamed broccoli crown; ~ 1/3 plateful
- 1/2 grapefruit
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black

another cup of coffee at work

Lunch (w team at work)
[forgive me Chad, Dale, and Mike, for I have sinned. Going out by myself wasn't really an option though]
- three pieces of pizza 

Dinner (Iron Cactus downtown)
- grilled tiger shrimp, steak, & veggie skewers
- ~12 grilled asparagus
- iced water & iced tea

- 3 Corona beers at some piano bar (gaah!)

Paleo challenge - March 23, 2010

Breakfast
- two small grilled eye of round
- 1 steamed broccoli crown; ~ 1/3 plateful, with about 1 Tbsp EVOO
- leftover mustard greens; about 1/2 cup
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black

another cup of coffee on way to work

Lunch (Mimi's Cafe)
- Chicken picata w/ double helping of steamed asparagus
- several glasses ice water 

Dinner
- two small grilled eye of round
- 1 large steamed broccoli crown; ~ 1/2 plateful, with about 1 Tbsp coconut oil

- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water
(and, yes, this is basically a recap of what I had for breakfast. Lazy dinner.)

Paleo challenge - March 22, 2010

Breakfast
- leftover grilled pork chop with green sauce (jalapeno pepper & tomatillo)
- three scrambled eggs w/ same green sauce
- 1 grilled zucchini
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black

Lunch (Bone Daddy's)
- That #7 Club Salad again. Smoked ham and turkey in typical salad fixins. Left off the croutons and fried onions. Vinegar & oil dressing.
- several glasses ice water

Pre-workout munch 
- several pieces of beef jerky
- ~4 oz. fresh blueberries

Post-workout munch
- remaining ~2 oz. blueberries

Dinner
- two salmon burgers
- mustard greens sauteed in bacon fat, then steamed for ~5 mins and served with the crisped bacon (not a heck of a lot of flavor, but mustard greens are pretty good for ya.
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water

Paleo Challenge - March 21, 2010

Breakfast
- leftover grilled pork chop and a little bit of grilled turkey breast
- ~ 1/2 plate of steamed broccoli, with about 1 Tbsp of melted butter
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black

Lunch
- didn't really have lunch. Had a few handfuls of walnuts while I was out shopping with my daughters. That, and (drum roll please) one small bite of cheesecake.


Dinner
- 1 1/2 baked chicken breasts with salsa
- steamed broccoli and a little bit of steamed kernel corn

- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water

Paleo challenge - March 20, 2010

Breakfast
- grilled pork chop
- 3 eggs scrambled in tsp of bacon fat, topped w green chili sauce (just crushed chilis & tomatillo)
- sh*tload of kale w garlic & red pepper flake
- handful of blueberries
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black

Lunch
- ~10-12 medium shrimp
- leftover kale and zucchini
- 1 apple


Dinner (First Chinese BBQ)
- roast duck & chicken, skin off
- a lot of Chinese broccoli w/ oyster sauce
- a few bites of snow peas and carrots
- hot tea
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water

Paleo challenge - March 19, 2010

Breakfast
- grilled pork chop
- about 1 1/2 large grilled zucchini
- handful of blueberries
- handful of almonds
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- 1 cup coffee; black

Lunch (Bone Daddy's)
- Leftover chili; ground beef, bell pepper, some red beans, onion, & spices
- ice water

Dinner
- grilled turkey breast
- store-bought meatballs (not exactly paleo, but I only had a few)
- two sauteed zucchini
-1 banana
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water

Paleo challenge - March 18, 2010

Breakfast
- grilled turkey breast
- 1/3 plateful of steamed cauliflower, w EVOO & black pepper
- small orange
- CaMgZn x 2
- 1 cup coffee; black

- another cup of coffee on way to work

Lunch (Bone Daddy's)
- #7 Club Salad - smoked chicken & turkey in iceberg lettuce salad fixins. Oil & vinegar dressing. Removed croutons & had them bring it w/out the fried onions
- ice water

Garage Workout 
21-15-9 of
- 20 lb DB thrusters
- strict pushups
- squats
This one is meant to be a fairly quick metcon, to keep helping me get used to this extra workout per week.

Time: 7:15; this was pretty routine, but db thrusters are no joy whatsoever.

Dinner
- grilled turkey breast, with about a tbsp of EVOO on it
- 1/3 plateful of sauteed / steamed kale
- handful of blueberries
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water

Paleo challenge - March 17, 2010

Breakfast
- two small grilled eye of round
- 1/3 plateful of steamed cauliflower, w EVOO & black pepper
- small orange
- CaMgZn x 2
- 1 cup coffee; black

- another cup of coffee on way to work

Lunch (Chili's)
- Chicken Margarita; grilled chicken breast with chopped tomato, jalapeno, and double side of broccoli

- ice water

Pre-workout snack
- 6oz raspberries
- handful each of almonds and walnuts

Dinner
- 6-7 braised beef short ribs; probably had some sugar and ketchup in the braising sauce. Yummy though.
- 1/3 plateful of steamed cauliflower

- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water

Paleo challenge - March 16, 2010

Breakfast
- grilled eye of round, about hand-sized
- sauteed/steamed kale, about 1/2 plate full
- fish oil x5
- CaMgZn x 2
- 1 cup coffee; black

Lunch (Cafe Java; Metric & Braker)
- "The Scrambler;" scrambled eggs, sausage, ham, bacon, onion, bell pepper. This was basically the only thing on the menu that wasn't either breaded, accompanied by bread, or served with some sort of starchy side.
- cup of coffee
- ice water

Dinner
- 1 1/2 pcs steamed tilapia
- peas & carrots (took the easy way out on veggies tonight)
- microwaved apple with a sliver of cheddar cheese and apple pie spice on each. The spice is cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice -- no sugar.

- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water

Paleo challenge - March 15, 2010

Breakfast
- three eggs scrambled in EVOO
- steamed broccoli
- ~15 almonds
- fish oil x6
- CaMgZn x 2
- 1 cup coffee; black


Lunch (buffet place over at Parmer/Mopac)
- squid salad
- a lot of steamed broccoli w/ mildly spicy pepper sauce
- chicken with broccoli
- what I "think" was marinated & grilled beef     :-)
- 4 chunks of honeydew melon
- ice water

Crossfit Sectionals WOD #1
- 2K row, then 10 seconds to start max rep deadlift at 225 lbs. (note: Sectionals Rx was 275, but I was really tired from all of the weekend's volunteer work). For each DL rep completed, knock :05 off of the row time.

Row was 8:11, then 5 deadlifts. The 5 DLs knocks 0:25 off of that time, to bring final time down to 7:46. I faded badly at the end of the row, but considering that I moved a sh*tload of weight this weekend, this wasn't too horrible.

Dinner
- grilled eye of round
- steamed broccoli
- other half of grapefruit from this morning
- handful each of walnuts & almonds
- CaMgZn x 2
- fish oil x 5
- ice water