WOD 5.20.19

Aerobic Recovery Day

40 Minutes for Quality:
A) 400m Jog (or about 2:00)
B) 10e Half Kneeling Band Chops 
C) 65m Each Single-Arm Farmer Carry (medium-heavy load)
D) 20 Dead Bugs (hold a hollow)
E) 20 Walking Lunges (load with dumbbells as needed/desired)

Rotate through the exercises above at a low intensity/aerobic pace. If you wear a heartrate monitoring device, then aim to say below about 150 bpm. Otherwise, you should be able to breathe through your nose the entire time and/or hold a conversational pace.

Post work to comments.

May Athlete of the Month: Lizzie Donahue

As told to Chris Fox

What brought you to CrossFit?

On the gorgeous warm and clear day of October 28th, I was hanging with my dear friend Bjorn Bellenbaum. He was telling me about the iron man competitions he used to run. I exclaimed how amazing it would be to run a marathon. That I couldn’t even run a block without pain in my shins and knees. He told me that’s because the muscles around my knees are weak.

“I’m not going to a gym.”
“Of course not, but I think you should do CrossFit.”
“Oh that. No way. I’m too old”
“We’ve got members in their 80s”.
“Hmmmm”.

Bjorn, by the way, is one of the long time CFSBK members who worked out with David in St. Mary’s park.

What were some your first impressions?

My first impression when I signed up for the Free Intro Class was a calm sun drenched concrete box with notes of rubber. The garage doors were open, the sun was shining, a few folks were sitting around. A few were pushing iron up and down. The music was interesting. The vibe was very chill. I dropped by after 2pm on Friday, October 28th, 2016, and signed up for the Free Intro Class on Sunday, October 30th.

Are you one of those people who remember dates and weather?

No. The reason I remember is because exactly one month before, on September 28th, 2016, my dad died. Don’t say sorry. I mean, of course you can. But I’m not bringing it up to create a somber moment. Both Bjorn’s strong knees and my dad’s death were inspirations for me to get strong. My dad was 88 years old and had cancer of the everything. He had always been very athletic and somewhat of an endurance queen, so up until the day he died his vitals were excellent. He had a strong death.

A strong death?

Yes. It’s a story. But the short of it is that after his death I felt like I had zero vitality left.

Did CrossFit recharge you?

Shazzzzam! Not just physically but it’s one of the most spiritual things I’ve ever done. Busting your hump with other differently abled humans is a type of communion.

Communion. Hmmm. Were you raised Catholic by any chance?

Very much so.

What brought you to Brooklyn?

The usual boring reasons. Another question could be did you ever think you’d end up in Brooklyn? HELLS TO THE NO!!!! Born and raised in Staten Island. Manhattan was the skyline. Mecca. Brooklyn was where my parents and their ancestors came from. I only went to Brooklyn to visit my grandmas in their smelly apartments.

Staten. Island.

Staten Island, but the North Shore. It’s a distinction I desperately hold on to. Certain members of the Wu-Tang Clan went to my junior high. Sure, a couple of years after I graduated. But I cling to it, nonetheless.

Are you happy to be living in Brooklyn?

Yes! Absolutely. Extremely grateful to be living with my beautiful partner of 11 years, Jasmine. And our two cats. Viva la cliché! We also live two blocks from our nephews which is beyond delicious. Jasmine has been a regular at Short Circuit for the past several months.

What do you “do”?

I’ve worked for over 20 years as a tv and film editor. While I really love the process of editing, I don’t love the business. I think it was a hobby that I gave a bit too much time to.

What would you want to do instead of editing?

Lizzie: I’m very interested in helping people access a peaceful death. Especially people who don’t have family or friends. I’ve been taking Thanatology classes and various trainings that have to do with end of life situations.

How do you know this isn’t a hobby?

I don’t. But in the meantime it’s an extremely useful skill set to have and it will come in handy with my friends and family. Just recently I helped my aunt access a peaceful transition. Yes, I just wrote that. I am still figuring out the language around this death business.

Let’s discuss another kind of death. Subways.

I have this fantasy that the MTA only allow ads that address subway etiquette. Companies must create campaigns that revolve around subway do’s and don’ts. For example: “We all want to get home to our comfy Caspar mattress, but first we must step aside and allow our fellow sleepers room to exit”.

What have you struggled most with at the gym and what are you working on now?

Everything has been a struggle. But I love the struggle and the struggle tolerates me. My current goal is 3 Pull-Ups in a row. I usually use a red band when I do Pull-Ups. Recently I’ve been making myself do my first Pull-Up without an assist. During an AMRAP a few weeks ago I did 2 in a row without assist, 4 times. Which came to 8 strict Pull-Ups in about 16 minutes.

Is there anything you’re most proud of yourself for improving?

Consistently pushing myself outside my comfort zone. Walking has been my primary source of exercise for most of my life. I’ve swam, biked, ran, done aerobics, yoga, but I’ve never maintained any of the hard stuff for long.

What’s one of the most invaluable things CrossFit has taught you?

Core strength and what it’s good for: everything.

What do you love most about CFSBK?

The coaches. Of course. You people are magic.

What advice would you offer for someone just starting out in CrossFit?

Listen to what the coaches are telling you. Again. And again. And again. Don’t be a size queen. Focus on form before weight. Ignore the voice in your head that says you don’t belong here. She may be right, but who cares. Ok, maybe it’s not always coming from outside your head. Again, who cares.

What keeps you coming back to CFSBK?

All the lovely humans who inhabit this community. The high I feel as I’m walking home after class. Being able to pick up my nephews with ease. Catching things with my left hand. Running.

What qualities are important to you for a future Athlete of the Month?

The fact that you picked me for Athlete of the Month makes me think this feature has jumped the shark. I guess I’d insist that they have a heartbeat and an active membership at CFSBK.

News and Notes

• A new group class programming cycle starts today. Woo hoo! The next 2 weeks, from today through June 2nd, will be a “floater” period aimed at bridging the gap between yesterday’s CrossFit Total and Memorial Day’s “Murph.” A 6-week cycle will start on June 3rd.
• Hey, speaking of… how did your Total go yesterday?! Tell us in the comments!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: CrossFit Total
Me, Myself, and My Numbers NY Mag
“Botanical Sexism” Could Be Behind Your Seasonal Allergies Atlas Obscura