Late post tonight but went out to the farm in Pittsfield. Some of you might know what I am talking about when I say the farm, for others Amee Farm (Home of the Death Race). To have dinner with my friend Jess who lives there. So the post is coming out late, but my stomach is full of some awesome homemade curry chicken. Thanks Jess for an amazing dinner and evening of company!

Today, I met with Steve who will from now on be training me on Mondays, I call it Cross Train Monday. I can say I won’t be able to post much as each week will change and part of the fun is NOT knowing what each week will be like. Steve owns, Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center in Rutland, VT. He is the kindest person and at the same time a BAMF! Exactly what I need to prepare for Spartan Beast, World’s Toughest Mudder and ultimately the Death Race.

I arrived at the gym, a little anxious about what the hour would hold. Steve gave me two choices know the whole workout before hand or just learn each exercise as we go along. I choose the later, if you know what’s next you will try to hold something for the end or freak out about what is coming next. I choose to be in the moment. So below is basically what we did, all in one crazy power hour.

Warm-up
Bouldering around the Gym
1st fall – 5 push-ups & start at the beginning
2nd fall – start where you fell and more push-ups

I made it about 3/4 of the way on the first try and got stuck, fell did my push-ups and started again. I fell at the similar spot. Steve saw that I was struggling and instead of making me do push-ups turned it into a learning moment to help my climbing technique which is somewhere above beginner but not too much higher. After the task was over and I was drenched in sweat already we headed to the next activity.

Old Picture, of kids I coach Same machine I was on today

Rowing Machine
250 Meter pulls at a time
10 sets each alternating with a partner
Total Distance: 5000M or 2500M each

My experience on rowing machines is very little Steve started out showed me the technique and we were off. We each did 10 sets pulling 250 meters at a time. I had to keep the time below 1:55. I was pouring sweat, at this point I was down to a sports bra and shorts and the grunting as I pulled harder and harder. The hardest sets were the ones in the middle. By the last two I had some rhythm down and was able to pull much more efficiently. The whole time as I was getting fatigued and slowing up, Steve kept yelling, “GUT CHECK TIME.” GUT CHECK I heard over and over again in those last 100 or 50 meters when I was ready for the rest.

Post Climbing hands, luckily you can’t see the pain

Mental Games
3 sets holding yourself on slanted wall
1:00 minute
0:45 seconds
0:30 seconds

This one was the mental portion of today. It took taking the pain from my hands and arms refocusing myself. This was truly the hardest part of the day. If I fell off I had to start from the time I fell and add an additional 10 seconds. I fell once on the minute set, none on 45 seconds and once on the 30 second set. Keeping my grip was the hardest part. I felt my fingers give away a few times. I was a little bummed and KNOW I can do better in the future on this task.

Strength
We moved over the wall to the pull-up area. I still can not really do pull-ups so negative pull-ups it was today. The first set started with 3 push-ups into 1 negative pull-up which you have to climb to get to. Second set 6 push-ups into 2 negative pull-ups, third set 9 push-ups into 3 negative pull-ups.

At this point I was a pool of sweat, had drank a full Nalgene of water and we still were not done for the day.  I could feel the real burn at this point and was at the same time happy for the intensity of the workout, something that you truly cannot do alone.

Climb Time
Last task of the day, three climbs with five push-ups in between each one. Sounds easy, right? Well take all the tasks before and add in some fatigue and try it. Oh did I mention each time you fell off the climb you had an additional 5 push-ups.

The first climb I fell twice, 15 push-ups when I got to the bottom. Second climb no falls, only 5 push-ups. I had 15 seconds to make it to the top for the last climb, each additional second was an extra push-up. I ended on 16 push-ups and we called it a training session.

My arms are toast tonight. My hands feel like they have been taken through the ringer. I think I left a few buckets of sweat on the floor but I still have a grin on my face! I feel really good and really happy about making the decision I made to call Steve and ask for his help. So from now on Dirt In Your Skirt officially is calling Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center my home gym. If you are in Rutland stop and and climb.