Compression socked my way to a PR!

This week has been pretty rough on the ol' legs. Lots of squats. Lots. I've stuck with my usual 'run it off' plan, and it hasn't gone super well. Let's recap a bit.. This week started off with the usual strength stuff at crossfit, but going ever so slightly heavier, which you start to feel after so many reps. But it was going well. I actually have felt really good about my lifts lately and feel like the 'program' is doing what it's designed to do.. so that's a good thing! The workout on monday was a nice little triplet of double unders (jump rope), GHD's (sit-ups bending way back off of a 'glute-hamstring developer' thing.. I think most often used for back extentions), and box jumps. It went well, though I messed up and used the wrong box height.. but oh, well. Tuesday's workout was the beginning of the end for my poor legs. We had lots and lots of squatting to do in the workout. I'll even write it out here, just for future reference.. The workout was: 30 squats (135#) 30 CTB (chest to bar) pullups 30 front squats (115#) 30 HSPU (handstand pushups) 30 overhead squats (95#..this was kind of big for me! these used to give me major issues, so I've come a long way with a lot of work) 30 ring dips After this day.. OUCH!!! from my entire legs and also from my triceps. I mean, my legs hurt to touch. I'd try to roll them out on the foam roller, but it would hurt SO bad. I ran later that day. Just a short run, but it was kind of a death march. I also swam that evening..the reason for the swim was a mixture of wanting to enjoy the outdoor pool a bit more before it's closed, another attempt to shake out the soreness in my legs, and needing to continue to swim to get ready for the next tri.. Again.. kind of a death march..but at least the pool was enjoyable! I also swam on monday and am planning to swim again after teaching gymnastics tonight (thurs), so 3 whole swims this week! Never mind that each swim is only about 30min long.. that used to be laughable, but now seems super adequate! Anyway, so my legs were pretty mad at me after tuesday and wednesday wasn't exactly going to provide me any relief. The lifting stuff on tap for tuesday was pretty tame, but the workout included Muscle Ups (MU's.. yay!) and weighted pistols (single leg squats holding a 35# kettle bell). It was 10,8,6,4,2 reps of each.. so 30 MU's in a workout again! No misses this time.. starting to feel fairly good about those, though they can always use work.. for example.. starting to string them together and/or using non-false-grip (that probably means nothing to most, but I can't think of a way to explain it, so I'll just let it be..). So. My point is.. my legs weren't going to get any less sore by doing weighted pistols. YIKES. And to add to the fun, I had a spin and run waiting for me that evening. I enjoy the spin and run, so wasn't going to bail, but I knew going in that it may not be a set up for the best workout ever..and I was right. I spun, but it didn't feel like I was working as hard as usual.. I think my body was involuntarily holding itself back.. somehow.. Same thing for the run. I think we held a fairly honest pace, but definitely couldn't push at. all. I rolled and stretched some more..and then I reached for the big guns.. my good ol' surgical compression thigh high tights.. And guess what.. I feel significantly better today! I mean a LOT better. Probably should have ice bathed and compression tighted tuesday night, but better late than never, I guess. So today, we had a relatively easy going strength session.. mostly power snatch and cleans (meaning no full squat needed.. legs likey!), though we did have some squats.. Then the workout was a mix of rowing and progressively heavier snatches. I asked coach what he wanted me to go for, as far as the weights for the workout, and he had a doozie for me.. How 'bout you build up to a PR at the end of the workout?! OooooKaaay.. Actually.. As I mentioned, I've been feeling pretty good with my lifts, so I felt pretty confident about the workout and was excited to take it on.. new PR's are always fun. So started off.. nice, smooth rowing; nice, easy lifts.. knocked out all the snatches at the 85/95/105 and 115# weights, which 115# was actually my previous PR.. But the 115# snatches went up nice and easy and I was feeling good! The workout was a little something like this: 500m row 5 snatches (85#) 400m row 4 snatches (95#) 300m row 3 snatches (105#..things are going well..) 200m row 2 snatches (115#..still nailing it.. don't get too excited..) 100m row 1 snatch (125#.. first attempt I only managed a 'high pull', which isn't even close. Next attempt I went for it, got under the bar, but not quite enough. Had a couple more of those.. getting closer.. With the help of coach Mike and encouragement from a few others in the gym.. up it went!! PR!! Felt good. Really good.. So, yay!) So that's where we are now. Basking in the glow of a new snatch PR.. which isn't so 'glowy' when you try to explain it to your 5 yr old.. "mommy picked up a heavier thing today at the gym!".. "oh..that's cool".. The words were right, but the enthusiasm was lacking. This may end up being an expensive PR because my 'purchase finger' has been hovering over the 'buy now' button on some spankin new lifting shoes for a few days now.. I don't know how much longer I can hold out and this excitement over the lift might be just the push I needed.. Tomorrow is a 'rest day' of sorts.. Might work on a skill or 2 at the gym, but no lifting session or workout planned. I'll probably get another easy stroller run in.. the weather has been so perfect for running this week.. gotta get out to enjoy! Hopefully it will feel a little better than the other 2 runs this week.. Saturday we have a friendly competition at our gym and I'm excited for it! A whole day of workouts..not much better than that! I'm still also attempting to get faster at biking and running.. I guess we'll see how that's been working out for me in about a week at the next sprint tri.. Ooof. Still looking forward to it. Just not sure how much faster I can go. In family stuff.. Mason is loving kindergarten and seems to be doing really well there. He mostly loves the bus. And lunch. And recess. But I can tell he's learning a lot already, too. And he's staying out of trouble.. at least while he's in school!.. Home is another story.. though I think it's getting a little better. He's just been exhausted and trying to adjust to the new schedule, which, lucky for us, tends to mean more fits at night.. But we're getting there. Miles.. is Miles.. Smiling. Crawling. He's been pushing his push toys around more and more.. some times on feet.. sometimes on knees. Just a few weeks from the big #1!! So that's about all that is happening around here! Good stuff.