13.4
I am speechless!
Let me start by saying, I have been doing CF for less than a year. I LOVE it. It is my new hobby. If I could work there…. I would! In a heartbeat!!!
So yesterday, in anticipation of 13.4, I was ready for anything. I have done my best on all the Open WODs thus far and continue to be overly excited about each one. Until I heard what 13.4 consisted of!!! Or the weight rather. You see, I few months ago I found my 1 rep max to be 85#. To pop out several 95#??? Undoable in my mind. But, not in my husband nor my friends at my box! My husband encouraged me all day. I walked in tonight and everyone said, “You got this!” I told one trainer the above and he said, it was my one rep max until tonight. Little did I know they were all correct! Busted out 9 C&J’s at 95#!! It felt amazing. Not only to be able to bust out the workout, but to have my friends cheering me on! It was awesome! Thank you to everyone!!!
CrossFit is awesome! I love it! I’m addicted and I drank the Kool-aid!

Peace out!
Have a great workout and a great weekend!
Stay active! Stay strong! Eat clean!

13.3 is in the books! I gave it my all just hoping to get to the double-unders. The verdict… 156 reps! I accomplished 6 DUs! Something I’ve not done in a WOD before! The priceless moment was the fact that my friends were coaching me throughout and up to the last minute when I didn’t think I had any time left. I started to do a single then a double, and kept going til I didn’t know up from down. This was the hardest I’ve pushed my body since 13.2 (bwahahaha ha)! It really is an amazing feeling to have such support in our box! Still doing the whole life challenge… We have just a few more weeks! It has become a lifestyle for me and I am enjoying the fruits of my labor ;-)! Taking one day at a time and enjoying every moment! Peace out… See you at the Box!
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13.3 is in the books!
I gave it my all just hoping to get to the double-unders.

The verdict… 156 reps! I accomplished 6 DUs! Something I’ve not done in a WOD before! The priceless moment was the fact that my friends were coaching me throughout and up to the last minute when I didn’t think I had any time left. I started to do a single then a double, and kept going til I didn’t know up from down. This was the hardest I’ve pushed my body since 13.2 (bwahahaha ha)!
It really is an amazing feeling to have such support in our box!
Still doing the whole life challenge… We have just a few more weeks! It has become a lifestyle for me and I am enjoying the fruits of my labor ;-)!

Taking one day at a time and enjoying every moment!

Peace out… See you at the Box!

Crossfit Addicted!

Yes, you could say I am addicted. I have found a new hobby. I used to love the flagline. It was my life 7 days a week. I loved performing and seeing what I could do. Now, I found something I can carry over to my children long term.

Some say that I am in the “honeymoon” phase of Crossfit, i.e. my first year. Well, I beg to differ on that theory. With so many variations and so many opportunities for growth, I don’t see the “honeymoon” phase being over anytime soon.

Unless my name is Lindsey Valenzuela, then I have work to do!

3…2…1…GO!

13.1 Wow… I am speechless. The feeling I have after doing the first open workout is indescribable! I have found a hobby/lifestyle that I truly LOVE. This is the first time I have ever been involved in anything like this and it’s great. Tonight I got to the box and there were a bunch of people there. The best part is that my friends that normally come at 6pm, they did the open workout too! I am sooooo proud of them! We were ALL in BEAST mode tonight. Whether you’ve been doing Crossfit for 2 months or 2 years, I encourage you to enter these games. They are truly inspiring! Love my box and my fellow crossfitters! The game is on!
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13.1
Wow… I am speechless. The feeling I have after doing the first open workout is indescribable! I have found a hobby/lifestyle that I truly LOVE. This is the first time I have ever been involved in anything like this and it’s great.
Tonight I got to the box and there were a bunch of people there. The best part is that my friends that normally come at 6pm, they did the open workout too! I am sooooo proud of them! We were ALL in BEAST mode tonight.
Whether you’ve been doing Crossfit for 2 months or 2 years, I encourage you to enter these games. They are truly inspiring! Love my box and my fellow crossfitters! The game is on!

4AM Thoughts…

Sitting here at 4AM while I cannot sleep, but the rest of my family is sound asleep (dog in background snoring), I am thinking how excited I am about our new endeavors for this year. 2013 is going to be real great! The fact that Crossfit and my new way of eating has pushed me into single digit sizes again, which I haven’t seen since I was in college. It makes me feel so good and confident!
With that said, I have been thinking about what it would be like to be a competitor at the Crossfit games! What would it be like to get paid to do Crossfit on a daily basis? To have sponsors calling you to do what you love?
Sounds to good to be true! Even so, I’m going for it! So here in the next couple of years, watch for my name as you might see it on ESPN! Yeah… That would be nice!

thisfearlesslife: “On May 4, 2011, I had no idea that going to the post office was going to change my life. The post office? Well, the post office is in the same building as the health clinic, in which I had no intentions of visiting, but when I saw a flyer for free flu shots at the clinic I figured “might as well stop by and get this swollen lymph node in my neck checked out real quick since exams are over and there probably isn’t a wait.” I didn’t have any other plans that day so I stopped in and told them my situation. My lymph node just above my right collar-bone had been swollen for about 6 months…and I know your thinking “Why didn’t you go sooner!” but I had gone in January and the doctor didn’t seem to be too concerned with the size of the gland and wrote it off as being inflamed due to skin allergies.  So I asked for a different doctor this time. I couldn’t have been blessed with a sweeter, more caring doctor to start on the mystery in my neck. Dr. McKay seemed very concerned with the swollen gland, so she ordered blood work and chest x-rays, and suggested a fine needle biopsy in the next couple of weeks. I went home a little worried, but my church group meeting that night took it off my mind. Plus, my next appointment wasn’t for another 2 weeks… The next morning I woke up to my phone buzzing. Sleepily I answered and to my surprise I heard “Hi, this is M—- McKay from the Health Clinic”. Half asleep I said ” Hi, M—-” and then I felt bad for not saying ‘Dr. McKay’. She told me she wanted to go over the results of my chest x-rays in person. The rule of thumb with doctors is no news is good news; in person is not good news. I knew what in person meant, so I called my mom and told her I had to go discuss the results in person, and I could tell she knew what that meant too. As I walked to the clinic, I prayed all the way the way there. “Please don’t let it be the worst thing possible” which in my head was the c-word….if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you will catch on soon. If it helps, it rhymes with ‘dancer’. I just don’t like using it, it’s such a negative word because when I hear it I don’t think what it scientifically means, but of all the terrible things that follow it. Anyway, just like my gut feeling, she told me that I probably had lymphoma and that they found more swollen masses in my upper chest. I couldn’t help but break down. Receiving the news by myself, I immediately turned to Dr. McKay for comfort and asked if I could hug her, and she said of course. Embracing this sweet stranger, life didn’t feel real. This wasn’t happening to me. My life was perfect with Elevation and my summer was planned out to continue to help build the church. I was thinking “ I’ve already had my fair share of hardships, life just got good…do I really need this one now?” I became completely transparent in front of Dr. Mckay who I had only known for one day. I had all these questions and thoughts going through my head and coming straight out my mouth. How am I going to tell my Mom? How am I going to tell my boyfriend? I’m supposed to go to the beach this weekend. Am I not going to be able to go anymore? I don’t have any money. I’m only twenty years old. (that one went through my head alot) When I was able to breathe again I called my mom. She already knew what I was going to say. I didn’t tell her anything, I just said “they want me to get that needle biopsy sooner than in two weeks–as in tomorrow.” and she was like “ok.” Then I said “so…want to drive up here?” and she said “yep”. And that was all. She was at my apartment 7 hours later. It’s amazing how moms just know. Later that day I met with another doctor, she told me the same thing about the lymphoma. I was a little more prepared this time with my roommate by my side and already having heard it once that day. The next day my mom went with me to get CT scans. Then I went to the beach. While I enjoyed a long, refreshing beach trip in Hilton Head Island and became a fiance!!!!!, Super Mom did her thing and got me 3 appointments at Vanderbilt Hospital  for a biopsy, blood work, and meeting with an oncologist, so I would have the best treatment at the best hospital. Thus, I packed all my summer clothes and drove back to TN not having any idea of how long I would be staying. The oncologist told me that he strongly believed I have lymphoma. Shocker! Now its a waiting game to find out what type and confirm the diagnosis. Monday morning I am meeting a surgeon, and Friday I have to get PET scans and a bone marrow biopsy. February 2012 “The only thing scarier than finding out you have cancer is finding out you have cancer again.”I have a long road ahead of me. We’re talking months and months of treatment. I have a lot of really important decisions to make, and I’m not sure what I’m going to do about my wedding yet. The whole treatment process is going to be harder this time for many reasons, but I know I can make it through. Cancer isn’t supposed to happen to healthy 21-year-olds. I really can’t believe it. I really don’t want to do all of this. I’m supposed to be finishing my senior year and getting married in a couple of months. Though it wasn’t something I was planning on hearing today, I wasn’t floored when I received the news. I think after hearing things like that a few times before, it doesn’t surprise me anymore. As for how I’m feeling, well it certainly does put a damper on things now doesn’t it? But believing God for who He says He is, I know that He has a plan to work everything out for my good. May 2012 “You have cancer.” “You have cancer, again.” “You still have cancer.” I’m not sure which of the 3 is the hardest to hear, but I got the third one today. How can I even react this time? And today: Last week I had my final dose of radiation! It went by so fast and so smoothly! My only side affect was mild fatigue and a little redness at the radiation site, which was to-be expected. I am excited to be done with my treatment plan, so I can start living life again. I am hesitant to say that I’m done with cancer for good, because I said it once before, around this time last year… I don’t know the magic number or the “chances” of my cancer relapsing nor do I want to. I made the mistake of taking comfort in the 95% cure rate last time, so the statistics don’t mean much to me anymore. If God’s plan is for you to be the 5%, believe me, you will be. I’m just going to try to keep trusting God with His healing process and believing that my cancer is never coming back. And hopefully, when I reach the 5-year mark, my scans will be clear and they will say the 3 words I long to hear: “You are cured.” I have enjoyed reflecting on my blessings and celebrating thankfulness this past month. I don’t want to take anything for granted, because I have been beyond blessed with what God has done in my life and provided me with. I would like to point out that I am especially blessed to have such great parents that have done an amazing job of taking care of me and making sure I have had everything I needed my whole life and throughout cancer. And a big thanks to all you that are reading this right now for continuing to keep up with my progress and supporting me through this long journey to health. These were excerpts of blog posts written by a girl that I went to high school with. I kept up with her blog since finding out about her Lymphoma, and honestly, it was scary, a wake-up call. It was a realization that this could happen to anyone, regardless of age, health status, etc. It could have easily been me. She was so faithful in her journey and such a big example of hope—one that I would hope to be for others if this were to ever happen to me. She never stopped living her life and fought with everything she had. And now? She is in remission.  Just another reminder not to take anything for granted, and make the most of every second you have. Appreciate the beauty of the world, the love of your family and friends, the time you have to reflect, and hobbies you love to do. Taking every opportunity to smile, laugh, and choose happiness over anything else. So true! I see this daily! Live life to the fullest!
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thisfearlesslife:

“On May 4, 2011, I had no idea that going to the post office was going to change my life. The post office? Well, the post office is in the same building as the health clinic, in which I had no intentions of visiting, but when I saw a flyer for free flu shots at the clinic I figured “might as well stop by and get this swollen lymph node in my neck checked out real quick since exams are over and there probably isn’t a wait.” I didn’t have any other plans that day so I stopped in and told them my situation. My lymph node just above my right collar-bone had been swollen for about 6 months…and I know your thinking “Why didn’t you go sooner!” but I had gone in January and the doctor didn’t seem to be too concerned with the size of the gland and wrote it off as being inflamed due to skin allergies. 

So I asked for a different doctor this time. I couldn’t have been blessed with a sweeter, more caring doctor to start on the mystery in my neck. Dr. McKay seemed very concerned with the swollen gland, so she ordered blood work and chest x-rays, and suggested a fine needle biopsy in the next couple of weeks. I went home a little worried, but my church group meeting that night took it off my mind. Plus, my next appointment wasn’t for another 2 weeks…

The next morning I woke up to my phone buzzing. Sleepily I answered and to my surprise I heard “Hi, this is M—- McKay from the Health Clinic”. Half asleep I said ” Hi, M—-” and then I felt bad for not saying ‘Dr. McKay’. She told me she wanted to go over the results of my chest x-rays in person. The rule of thumb with doctors is no news is good news; in person is not good news. I knew what in person meant, so I called my mom and told her I had to go discuss the results in person, and I could tell she knew what that meant too.

As I walked to the clinic, I prayed all the way the way there. “Please don’t let it be the worst thing possible” which in my head was the c-word….if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you will catch on soon. If it helps, it rhymes with ‘dancer’. I just don’t like using it, it’s such a negative word because when I hear it I don’t think what it scientifically means, but of all the terrible things that follow it.

Anyway, just like my gut feeling, she told me that I probably had lymphoma and that they found more swollen masses in my upper chest. I couldn’t help but break down. Receiving the news by myself, I immediately turned to Dr. McKay for comfort and asked if I could hug her, and she said of course. Embracing this sweet stranger, life didn’t feel real. This wasn’t happening to me. My life was perfect with Elevation and my summer was planned out to continue to help build the church. I was thinking “ I’ve already had my fair share of hardships, life just got good…do I really need this one now?”

I became completely transparent in front of Dr. Mckay who I had only known for one day. I had all these questions and thoughts going through my head and coming straight out my mouth. How am I going to tell my Mom? How am I going to tell my boyfriend? I’m supposed to go to the beach this weekend. Am I not going to be able to go anymore? I don’t have any money. I’m only twenty years old. (that one went through my head alot)

When I was able to breathe again I called my mom. She already knew what I was going to say. I didn’t tell her anything, I just said “they want me to get that needle biopsy sooner than in two weeks–as in tomorrow.” and she was like “ok.” Then I said “so…want to drive up here?” and she said “yep”. And that was all. She was at my apartment 7 hours later. It’s amazing how moms just know.

Later that day I met with another doctor, she told me the same thing about the lymphoma. I was a little more prepared this time with my roommate by my side and already having heard it once that day. The next day my mom went with me to get CT scans.

Then I went to the beach. While I enjoyed a long, refreshing beach trip in Hilton Head Island and became a fiance!!!!!, Super Mom did her thing and got me 3 appointments at Vanderbilt Hospital  for a biopsy, blood work, and meeting with an oncologist, so I would have the best treatment at the best hospital. Thus, I packed all my summer clothes and drove back to TN not having any idea of how long I would be staying.

The oncologist told me that he strongly believed I have lymphoma. Shocker! Now its a waiting game to find out what type and confirm the diagnosis. Monday morning I am meeting a surgeon, and Friday I have to get PET scans and a bone marrow biopsy.

February 2012

“The only thing scarier than finding out you have cancer is finding out you have cancer again.”I have a long road ahead of me. We’re talking months and months of treatment. I have a lot of really important decisions to make, and I’m not sure what I’m going to do about my wedding yet. The whole treatment process is going to be harder this time for many reasons, but I know I can make it through.

Cancer isn’t supposed to happen to healthy 21-year-olds. I really can’t believe it. I really don’t want to do all of this. I’m supposed to be finishing my senior year and getting married in a couple of months. Though it wasn’t something I was planning on hearing today, I wasn’t floored when I received the news. I think after hearing things like that a few times before, it doesn’t surprise me anymore. As for how I’m feeling, well it certainly does put a damper on things now doesn’t it? But believing God for who He says He is, I know that He has a plan to work everything out for my good.

May 2012

“You have cancer.”

“You have cancer, again.”

“You still have cancer.”

I’m not sure which of the 3 is the hardest to hear, but I got the third one today. How can I even react this time?

And today:

Last week I had my final dose of radiation! It went by so fast and so smoothly! My only side affect was mild fatigue and a little redness at the radiation site, which was to-be expected. I am excited to be done with my treatment plan, so I can start living life again. I am hesitant to say that I’m done with cancer for good, because I said it once before, around this time last year…

I don’t know the magic number or the “chances” of my cancer relapsing nor do I want to. I made the mistake of taking comfort in the 95% cure rate last time, so the statistics don’t mean much to me anymore. If God’s plan is for you to be the 5%, believe me, you will be. I’m just going to try to keep trusting God with His healing process and believing that my cancer is never coming back. And hopefully, when I reach the 5-year mark, my scans will be clear and they will say the 3 words I long to hear: “You are cured.”

I have enjoyed reflecting on my blessings and celebrating thankfulness this past month. I don’t want to take anything for granted, because I have been beyond blessed with what God has done in my life and provided me with. I would like to point out that I am especially blessed to have such great parents that have done an amazing job of taking care of me and making sure I have had everything I needed my whole life and throughout cancer. And a big thanks to all you that are reading this right now for continuing to keep up with my progress and supporting me through this long journey to health.

These were excerpts of blog posts written by a girl that I went to high school with. I kept up with her blog since finding out about her Lymphoma, and honestly, it was scary, a wake-up call. It was a realization that this could happen to anyone, regardless of age, health status, etc. It could have easily been me. She was so faithful in her journey and such a big example of hope—one that I would hope to be for others if this were to ever happen to me. She never stopped living her life and fought with everything she had. And now? She is in remission. 

Just another reminder not to take anything for granted, and make the most of every second you have. Appreciate the beauty of the world, the love of your family and friends, the time you have to reflect, and hobbies you love to do. Taking every opportunity to smile, laugh, and choose happiness over anything else.

So true! I see this daily! Live life to the fullest!