CrossFit Ireland Invitational September 2010

So at the weekend I flew over to Dublin for my 3rd CrossFit Ireland Invitational. 


The workouts were - 



1A
5 Rounds for time:
5 Burpee Pull Ups
7 Push Jerks, 60Kg/40Kg
9 Box Jumps, 24"/16"
Cut off: 10 minutes
1B
2 minutes to complete a 1RM Power Clean

2A
21-15-9
Overhead Squats, 60Kg/40Kg
Ring Dips (pink assisted)
Cut off: 15mins
2B
400m, 20 seconds after completion of 2A (the length of time it will take to walk across the gym to the starting line)

3
3 Rounds of:
10 Squat Cleans, 60Kg/40Kg
20 Wall Balls, extremely accurate
30 Kettlebell Swings, 24Kg/16Kg




I managed to get 6th place which I am really happy about

the first workout was good for me as 60kg push jerk ( anyway over head was allowed so i push pressed most of them ) was heavy but not too bad. I finished it in 9mins 23secs so just under the cut off time

I then had 2 mins for the power cleans. I did an easy 80kg, then a 100kg and still had time for one more lift. I contemplated 115kg which would have tied for 1st but played it safe and got 110kg

the OHS and ring dip workout was the only one that really worried me, but there was no way I could do it with 60kg so scaled back to 50kg. Even with the scale I didnt manage to finish the workout in the time allowed, just could not stabilise the bar overhead. That will teach me to miss out overhead squatting.

It was then onto a 400m run, we had 20secs after the 15min cut off to get to the start line, then it was time to run. Or shuffle in my case. Cant remember my time for this but it wasnt fast 

Lunch was then cosumed, supplied by one of the members who catered for us all - lots of meat, veg, fruit etc and it was superb. I had loads and had a plate put away for after the event.

The last event suited me - 60kg squat cleans/ very accurate wall ball / kb swings. The squat cleans were tough after the other events but were still manageable - think I did first set in a row then split other 2 sets up into 5's. The wall ball was to an iron beam, 10ft from the ground and there were very specific consitions to a rep counting - ball must hit flat surface of the beam, not the underneath, can hit top, must be caught. I didnt miss too many of these - I guess being tall helped. Then onto the KB Swings - easy enough as I really like swings. 

I was the first person to finish this workout, did it in 13mins 08secs. Not sure where i placed on that workout, will need to check the scores when i get home onto my own laptop

Had a fantastic weekend, a few Guinness last night and woke up in bits on Sunday morning with shoulders that feel like someone has ran over them in a truck, but no injuries!

CrossFit Ireland Invitational February 2010

This past weekend, I made the trip to CrossFit Ireland in Dublin for my second invitational. I arrived really early on Friday morning ( 7.30am ) and spent most of Friday helping shift equipment, write up the score board, get the gym ready for Saturday. The gym is a fantastic place for both MMA and CrossFit.

Friday night was also the now compulsory pre invitational cinema/ice cream trip with Ruiari and Colm, but we also had a trip to a fantastic restaurant where you build your own burger!

Saturday morning was the usual mix of nerves, excitment and trepidation of what was to come during the day. The workouts were known since last Thursday but I was starting to try and figure out how to take them on.

The first workout was a tabata mash up of 100kg deadlifts and chest to bar pull ups. I played it very easy on this one, getting a max of 6 reps on the deads and a low score of 3. I cant remember my scores for the pull ups but missed a few reps by not getting full ROM. I came last in this event but was just happy to not wreck my back

Second event was AMRAP 10 mins of 3 hang squat snatches, 6 toes to bar and 9 calories on the rower. I scaled this back to 30kg as my back was really tight after the deadlifts. I managed 6 full rounds and was 7 calories off the 7th round when the buzzer rang. My right shoulder was a bit funky after it. I moved up from last place to 14th.

Now the last workout suited me down to the ground -

3 rounds of
1min thrusters 45kg
1 min box jumps
1 min kb swings 24kg
1 min rest

Because of my standing after the 2nd workout I was in the first heat, so didnt have any idea how to pace it or what kind of score to aim for. So I just went for it. I totalled 175 reps at the end of the workout which was enough to win the workout outright. I just clocked up the reps and tried to not stop too often. I also had some great encouragement for Tony from CF Ireland who was my judge and Dominic from CrossFit Central Manchester.

The guys that were placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd put up some impressive numbers and absolutley killed all 3 of the workouts. As usual, CrossFitters are just very cool people - I had a fantastic time during the day of the invitational and also that night at the meal and then at the pub. I was a weak performer though as I headed back early after just a couple of pints

On Sunday I had a fantastic tour of Dublin with Ruiari and Colm- visiting Trinity College, Temple Bar, the Guinness Storehouse and then a trip up the bay to Howth for a meal before getting dropped off at the airport. More photos to follow

Video of WOD 3

Think this is from Marcus who was at the invitational - check out my speedy double unders...and super slow running!

CrossFit Ireland Invitational

Had a week off after the Glasgow Half Marathon, then an easy week leading up to the CF Ireland Invitational. Wanted to be fresh for it, but tweeked my back on the Monday of last week, so wasnt sure how it was going to hold up on Saturday

Flew over early Friday morning and spent the day in the gym helping Colm get it ready.

Cinema and Ice Cream on Friday night seemed like great preparation for the fun and games ahead.

On arriving at the gym, I could see a few faces I recognised from Facebook and frums etc, but also a lot of faces I didnt know. I also spotted a lot of nervouse faces too. There were 18 people taking part on the day - 16 guys and 2 girls. After regiserting and saying hi to some new people and some old ones, it was time for the formal introductions and movement standards from Colm.

The first workout was -

7 rounds

7 overhead squats 45kg
7 pull ups
7 wall ball

Time limit of 12 mins

I managed to get 6 rounds plus 2 wall ball, with the last set of OHS killing me, just couldnt stabiles it over head. This got me tied for 5th place.

Next event was -

As many reps in 3 mins of

75kg ground to overhead



Was feeling good for this one, but wasnt sure how my back would hold up. I started off doing push jerks, but after 5 or 6 got a pain in my back and had to unceremoniously dump the weight and recompose myself. I managed another couple of reps but changed to split jerks ( which I should have done from the start ). Got 9 reps in total for this event which moved me up to 3rd place overall.

The last event was a suck-fest -

5 rounds of

400m run
15 clapping push ups
15 double unders
15 overhead lunges with 10kg plate

The runs were ok up to round 3 , the last rounds were a right slog. I managed to do most of the lunges without getting too many not counted. The double unders were nice and smooth too Now...the push ups sucked a fat mans ass as H.Q's Karl Steadman would put it. Every set broken, down to singles on most of the sets, but thankfully no face plants

So over all, I finished in 4th place. Im so chuffed that I managed to get such a high placing as there were some fierce competitors there, especially the guys from CF Ireland. Colm is making some future monsters.

Saturday night was a meal at Captain Americas in Dublin, followed by a pub ( cant remember the name ) but I was so tired, I was nearly sleeping standing up!



Sunday morning was not pleasant, with almost everything apart from my hair hurting. Colm, Ruairi, Peanuts and me sat and watched a couple of episodes of That 70's Show before Colm gave me a lift to the airport. Flight was a bit delayed but managed to get home for 3pm.

I had a fantastic time, with great people and some great workouts.

This is why I CrossFit!