Wrestlemania!

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Coco

Yesterday I spent 9 hours in a highschool gym. Voluntarily. And I wasn’t taking a CPR class.

This is my son’s third year on the varsity wrestling team, and yesterday was his school’s big annual Holiday Classic tournament. There were 10 schools competing, and with only 2 mats (some schools with bigger gyms have room for 4 or even 6 mats) and 14 weight classes, we all knew it was going to be a long day.

wrestlers

 

My son’s day got off to a rough start, but it ended well. He lost his first match, getting pinned after being slightly ahead points-wise. He won his next two “consolation” rounds, which put him back into the semi-final rounds. He won again, and qualified to compete for third place. The boy who beat him in the first match lost at some point during the day, so the final match ended up being a re-match of the first. I know my son was surprised to have been beaten in the morning, but there is no question that the other boy was a good wrestler. It was a very close match and came down to the last points and the last seconds. The whole team was on their feet cheering and I was doing my best to twist and grapple to help my son from the sidelines. When the final buzzer went off and my son was ahead, I jumped for joy.

 

The win was awesome, but even more special was seeing the big grin on my son’s face. He was so thrilled and proud of himself. He got a big congratulatory hug from his coach, many back-pats from his teammates, and congratulations from the other parents. And, he got to celebrate with a big steak dinner with his teammates, who don’t have to weigh-in for a full week. (Thank goodness my son is wrestling “up” so he doesn’t have to worry about making weight.)

The first year my son wrestled, I wasn’t into it at all. I didn’t really enjoy watching the boys, and felt so barbaric cheering them on. As the season wore on, I understood the sport more, could follow the scoring, and figured out why you need to “lift his head!” when you have your competitor on his back (to force the shoulders on the ground to earn a pin).

By last year, I was totally into it. Well, I still don’t like it when the boys seem to bend their necks more than they should be able to go, or when arms and shoulders get twisted back too far, but for the most part the boys wrestle “clean” without hurting each other.

What I have really come to appreciate is how demanding wrestling is as a sport. Sure, a round may only last for 2 minutes, but you try keeping your shoulders off the ground for even 30 seconds using only your core strength while someone your weight is on top of you using all of his weight to try to push you down.  I’m not even sure that I can hold a plank for 30 seconds with only gravity working against me!

Wrestling offers so many lessons:

  • It ain’t over until it’s over. You can be way ahead in points, but if you get careless, or tired, or the other guy gets lucky, you can find yourself on your back with the referee counting out a 3-second pin. The good news is that this holds true when you are behind. There is always a chance that you can pin your opponent and win as long as you stay in the match and keep trying.
  • Every second counts. A match can change direction so quickly. The wrestler who initiates a take down may quickly find himself flat on the mat. The wrestler on the bottom may be able to flip around if his opponent is too high up on his back. Once the referee starts counting a pin, you have 3 whole seconds to escape and it can be done. Sometimes it seems that sheer determination earns a win.

 

  • The number on the scale doesn’t tell you everything. Each weight class is separated by 5-17 pounds (at the higher weights) and most boys try to be at or near the high end of their weight class. That means that boys in the same weight class should weigh about the same, but they often look very different. There are boys with tall and lanky builds, boys with short and stocky builds, and every build in between. It’s not clear that either build necessarily has an advantage. More often it is skill (and maybe a bit of luck) that determines the winner–I’ve seen boys with different builds dominate their matches.
  • You need to work with what you have. If you are tall and lanky, you need to use that height (and leverage) to your advantage. If you are short and stocky, you need to make that strength and stability work for you. No matter what your size, you can hone your skills and agility so you will be able to respond to your opponent’s strengths.

Another thing I really enjoy about following my son’s wrestling team is the team “family.” Parents (and grandparents!) make an effort to come to the matches and everyone cheers on each wrestler. It is fun to watch the boys grow and mature as the season goes on, and it is great to get to know the other parents as we pass the time between matches during the day-long tournaments.

Tonight, we are putting that “family” to the test. Our boys are going to one wrestler’s house for a New Year’s Eve party. We have used our bleacher-born connections to make phone calls, verify itineraries, and do what we can to make sure that everyone makes it to practice on Monday.

Have you experienced Wrestlemania?

Posted in Fitness, Life | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Running Out Of 2010

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Coco

Today I went for my last run of 2010. I know there is one more day left in the year, but I am planning to start the new year with a long run on Saturday and I prefer to keep my runs to alternate days. Plus, I needed a good hit of cardio to balance out the rest of my day sitting in the bleachers at my son’s wrestling tournament.

The day didn’t start the way I planned. First, I woke up at 4:44. That’s too early on a work day and WAY too early on a day off when my first “appointment” is to check out BJs with my husband when they open at 9:00. I had set my alarm for 6:00 and still thought that was a good plan, so I stayed in bed and luckily fell back asleep.

When I woke up again and checked the time it was 6:30. Ack! Well, I still had plenty of time for my run, but I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a bottomless cup of coffee afterwards. (It turns out I’d turned on my 6:00 am “weekend” alarm, and of course it’s not the weekend yet, even though it feels like it. Sometimes a smart phone can be too smart!)

It was a “balmy” 30F, so I put on my lighter running tights, new fuzzy top (with thumb holes), windbreaker, hat and gloves.

Getting a head start on my Runner’s Resolutions, I walked for about 1/3 mile before starting my run. I chose my “Xmas Run” playlist and started on my “usual” 4.5 mile route. Everything felt good (my ITB just whispered) and I could tell that my pace was good.

Somewhere along the way I decided that I should end the year with a 5 mile run. I could have added a lap or two on the high school track, but I didn’t want to risk embarrassing my son in case any teammates were running laps to make weight. So, I had to add another segment on my neighborhood streets, which meant another hill.

I hit mile 5 a bit sooner than I expected, but I stopped running to leave myself a decent distance to walk for my cool down. (Maybe there is something to this notion of writing down your goals!)

As soon as I got in the house, I started the coffee pot and headed to my basement gym to stretch. I even threw in some time on the foam roller. I am willing to do what it takes to stay healthy, even if it means waiting 10 more minutes for that cup of coffee!

My Garmin tells me that I covered 5.06 miles at an average pace of 9:36. That includes my usually slower first mile (9:45) and several slightly faster miles (9:25). It seems that my pace is getting faster, and I’m sure the fact that my ITB doesn’t feel like a cable wound too tight is making a difference. I also have to give credit to finally losing those “last 5 pounds” and my three-days-per-week weight training routine.

Running is just plain awesome when all the pieces come together.

I’m so glad to be ending 2010 on a “runner’s high” note. What are you doing to finish the year strong? How are you going to start 2011 on the right foot?

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My Runner’s Resolutions

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Coco

This year I don’t need to make a resolution to “exercise” or “lose weight,” but there are definitely some things that I could do more often or more consistently to improve my chances of staying healthy as a runner.

  1. Warm up.  When I run on the treadmill, I usually walk for 5 minutes, run at an easy pace for at least 5 minutes, and then work up to my planned pace over another 5 minutes or so. I think that’s a decent warm up.  When I run outside, I might walk for 5 minutes, but I have a hard time easing into my running pace. And, depending on my route or how cold it is outside, I may only walk for a few minutes. I really need to commit to a solid 5 minutes of walking and 5 min of easy running.
  2. Cool down. My treadmill had a built-in 5 minute cool down, but that’s probably not enough, especially if I am running hard to the end of the program time. For my outside runs, I usually walk for about 5 minutes from my stopping point back to my house or car, but I don’t really have any running cool down.
  3. Stretch. I actually have gotten much better at this. A tight ITB will convince you of the importance of stretching. Still, if I’ve run outside and get distracted when I get back to the house or if I’m in a hurry to get home from my running trail, I may skimp on my stretches or skip them completely.
  4. Strength train. This is another thing that running injuries have brought into my fitness life. I used to view weights as a necessary evil, but now I really enjoy my weight workouts.  And, I really do think that they have helped me keep injuries at bay.
  5. Cross-train. Running is my favorite form of cardio, but I don’t do it every day. I try to mix things up with the elliptical and walking outside in my hilly neighborhood. I also have exercise DVDs that get me moving and sweating. Like strength training, cross-training with different forms of cardio helps keep my body balanced and adds variety to my routine that fends off boredom.
  6. Yoga. Yes, I said yoga. Another thing I used to resist, but I found some Rodney Yee programs that I really like. They feel sooo goood.  And, they are only about 20 minutes long! Even so, I couldn’t tell you the last time I did one–maybe in my hotel room on a business trip in early December?
  7. Listen to my body. I know it’s good to set goals and make plans to accomplish them, but when it comes to running I need to listen to my body. If I am tired from my previous day’s workout, run down from lack of sleep, or worn out from a hard day/week/month at work, I need to listen to my body and opt for an easier workout or even an extra rest day.

How long do spend warming up? What does your cool down look like?

Do you have any resolutions to improve your fitness in 2011?

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Fitting Gifts

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Coco

I’ve been running for almost 10 years, but it didn’t take me long to learn that the best way to be motivated for a holiday workout is to get cool running gear for Christmas. Even though I am pretty well-equipped now, my family surprised me with some great stuff.

  • Two new pairs of gloves:

One is medium weight and perfect for most of my runs. The other is heavier and with “touch” fingers that actually work with my iPhone–perfect for cheering my son on during those early season lacrosse games.

  •  Two new running tops:

The one on the left is thick and fuzzy and has those thumb-hole sleeves. I wore it today and it was awesome! The other is bit lighter and has a little LED light near the right cuff. You can use it as a flashlight or set it to flash to make yourself more visible. Perfect for my o’dark-thirty runs.

  • And, I won’t show you the purple Patagonia panties my daughter picked out for me. 😉

The other thing motivating me is my “new” (refurbished) Garmin. After 3 1/2 years my Garmin just wouldn’t hold a charge anymore. When I finally got around to calling customer support, they said I could get a refurbished one for $89. It has a 90 day warranty, so I need to put it to the test!

In the two weeks since I’ve had it, I’ve taken it out for 5 runs:

  1. 12/16: 4.5 miles, 44:44 minutes
  2. 12/20: 5.0 miles, 50:23 minutes
  3. 12/22: 5.16 miles, 51:25 minutes
  4. 12/24: 6.6 miles, 1:06 hour/minutes
  5. 12/26: 8 miles, 1:14 hour/minutes

Not a bad record for this hectic time of year, especially considering that weather has been a complicating factor.

Do you have any awesome new fitness gear? Have you tried it out yet?

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Basking in the Glow of Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Coco

Our Christmas sermon drew on this passage from Isaiah 9:2:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

It is such a beautiful passage, and can be interpreted and applied in so many ways.

Church At Christmas

Our priest drew on the message of Jesus being “the Light of the world,” and noted that that theme took hold in early Christendom, long before the Virgin Birth and Holy Trinity became part of our doctrine. He encouraged us to really celebrate the light of Christmas.

From the bright star that led the wise men to find the little baby born in a manger

 

To the divine light that shines in our own lives in moments of darkness–when we find comfort, strength, or hope in the midst of trying times.

 

Reflecting on times when we have felt that Light in our lives can bring more meaning to Christmas. As we celebrate the holiday, we can bask in the Light, with awe, wonder, and joy.

White Christmas Tree

Today, I soaked up everything Christmas–relaxing by the light of the Christmas tree, enjoying our favorite Christmas music, exchanging gifts with my family, playing games with my children, eating my fill of Christmas cookies and chocolates. As I wrap up this Christmas, I am feeling truly blessed to have so much Light in my life.

 

How did you feel blessed this Christmas? What Christmas memory brought light to your day?

Posted in My Faith | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments