Filthy Fifties on Friday the Fourth

Today was awesome.. Poor Jaxi is sick as can be from some little bug that is lingering in his tummy after California, but taking it in stride! After a few bouts of vomit, all Jaxi wanted to do was sleep. Tommy and I (and two little munchies) tucked him back into bed and headed for the gym.

I had mentally prepared myself all week for today. I usually have from 8pm the night before, until I walk through the door at 7:15 am, to gear up for the torture of a new day. Today was different. Jason told me about the RX'd workout, for Friday, on Monday. I watched the video everyday, sometimes two and three times. I am no dummy. I know my strengths. I know my weaknesses. I know better than to admit either, in front of anyone. I knew that this workout was gonna be a killer. I was ready.

Who the heck was I kidding?

I got smashed. Like a bug to a windshield. It was brutal. I had to modify one of my exercises because I came down way too hard the 3rd time I went up the rope on Monday and my knee has been hurting since. I hate modifying.

The filthy fifties are as follows:
50 Box Jumps
50 Jumping Pull Ups
50 KB Swings 53m/35w
50 Walking Lunges (50 steps, not 50 ft)
50 Knees to Elbows
50 Push Press 45m/30w
50 Back Extensions
50 Wall Ball 20m/14w
50 Burpees
50 Double Unders


One round for time. I watched the machine we know as Kelly, rip through this...in 39:08. She is an animal. She is 40 and I want to be in the kinda shape she is in. I tend to dream big.


Funny thing is, for me, this is no longer about the workout..or the training as it is referred to at our gym. It is about inner and outer strength. I love watching the women and men push their bodies harder and faster and more than they ever thought possible. I love knowing that my kids are seeing their parents get strong and learning to push past the everday stresses and problems that so many people complain about.


I love feeling my muscles twitch, involuntarily, 20 minutes, after I have finished my last round. Seeing the sweat drip off my fingertips when I am holding a kettlebell, feeling the burning in my thighs as I throw the wallball up and praying that I catch it without my biceps giving out. To me, this is inner emotional and outer physical strength. Beautiful, ripped up strength. Waking up everyday, waiting, knowing, I can take anything someone throws my way. It is a great feeling. It is trickling over into our entire families attitudes and our physiques.


Friday's filthy fifties brought out some serious challenges for us. People almost fainted when they got to the wallball. Some had to lay down to regain focus and some ran for the bathroom. Not one single person quit. No one stopped for good and everyone cheered everyone on. We were all a team and no one was going to be left behind.


I actually did the 50 double unders at the end of this workout. I was so physically exhausted I didn't think I would be able to jump rope (it was a 10:1 ratio for single jumps) let alone double under. I did it. My time, well, to me, it wasn't so sweet. 47:01 or something like that. My time didn't matter. (In the end, I was in the top 4. Still not good enough for me though) I helped three people push themselves harder than they thought possible when they walked through the front door. I had Tommy yelling at me to get it in gear or I was going to go above his time, while double undering. I had sweat dripping off every muscle my body owns. My lungs were on fire and my legs were numb. I have never in my life felt so physically and emotionally energized like I was, when I finished this.

Today I could have taken on the world. Our kids are seeing how this is changing the way we see things. How we feel about ourselves and others and how happy feeling so fit makes us.

A long time ago, Tommy told me, "the couple that works out together, stays together." If the past 17 workouts are any indication of this statement... this man is stuck with me for a long, long time.