Rum River 5K

Coach Ryan at CrossFit Beyond Sport challenged us to run the Rum River 5K. Many of our members hadn't yet run a race, some had run a 10K in the WOD a few weeks ago for the first time, others had only begun to run days prior.  Everyone was up for the challenge!  


Ryan volunteered to help out with the race and before he knew it he was setting up, tearing down, registration, timer, oh, and running the race, too!


I ran this one a few years ago with the women I coached in Big Lake. We picked this one out as their first race. I was excited to go back and run.


Troy had a baseball tournament at 1000 so I would be running.. and running off to the game. No time to chit chat afterward and I wouldn't be able to take part in the CrossFit for Hope workout. Maybe next time.


It was a warm morning, so nice to only drive 15 miles to the start!  We took photos, registered and tried to calm nerves. It was so much fun to see so many first timers ready to take their first race steps!!


I wore my watch as I find that when I don't my mind gives me trouble. I am running hard, breathing hard, and thinking I'm not running hard enough? Then I think I am running too hard. It's ridiculous. I began my watch as I crossed the start and paid attention. I didn't want to over run, I was going to run fast (for me) but not so fast that I bonked early.


As I looked down I saw 734 pace. Too fast, back off. Let's aim for 8s. I passed a large group of people and just ran steady. The route was an out and back, so I could see CBS members as they came back. Ryan was out front. As I came back I cheered on the runners that were in back of me. Everyone was giving it all they had.


Across the finish line and there was a PR for me!  The watch paid off, I kept it steady and was able to maintain my pace. I cheered in our runners and then had to head off to the game for Troy.


When I reached the field I saw that Susan had posted to FB a photo of Ryan with my 2nd Place Age Group winner medal!  Sweet!!  I didn't realize I had placed. The age group was 35-49. Cool.


Three of us placed from the gym. Here are some photos and details:

17 Beyond Sport CrossFitters ran the Rum River 5k on Saturday. Not only did we show up in force but as it turns out, CrossFit helps you become better than average at running without doing it all the time! (Despite what Trish might say about us). Our team took home 3 silver medals out of 8 divisions. We were also joined by our friends from CrossFit St. Cloud who turned out several athletes and threw down a workout after the race.

Rob Gutkaes 2nd, Men’s 50+ Division

Julie Berg 2nd, Women’s 35-49 Division

Coach Avery 2nd, Men’s 18-34 Division

CrossFit MURPH

1 Mile Run
100 Pullups
200 Pushups
300 Squats
1 Mile Run

I didn’t post an outcome for the CrossFit Murph workout last week!  It was just awesome!

You know, I wasn't sure if I could do it..then figured why not at least try, right?  Yay!

I had spent the weekend in Virginia so drove home early Monday so that I could be in St Cloud prior to 1:00. I wasn’t sure how the workout would go down. Would we all complete it at the same time-there were 50 some people taking part. I figured I would learn the details soon enough.

I had never visited another box so was curious as to how CrossFit Fast Factory would look. I drove along, looking for the building and sure enough, there was the long building. It was a warm day so it was very nice that there were big garage doors open, letting in lots of air.

As soon as I checked into the desk area I saw members of my box-CrossFit Beyond Sport- waving me order. I signed a waiver, was given a shirt and dropped off a tray of fruit and chicken wings to offer toward the paleo picnic after our workout.

There were many many pullup bars, all intermingled together, lots of bands for scaling the workout, boxes to help us up to the bars and tons of space for the push ups. It is a pretty large box. 

We watched a quick film on Murph-the soldier whom this workout is named after and then we were ready to get down to business.

Groups of 15 or so began to line up as heats for the 1 mile run. I decided to begin in heat 3. Three minutes after Heat 1 began, then Heat 2 would begin. We were given an outline of the mile we would run-cross streets-etc. I figured I’d just follow the group. 

Heat 3 began and off I went!  I didn’t go real fast, just steady. Needed to save my legs for 300 squats and another mile run at the end!

The end of the mile returned me to the CrossFit Fast Factory. 8:10. I ran to the pull up bars, one with a black band and began my pullups. My plan was to break up the workout in sets of 20 for a while. 20 pull ups, 20 pushups and 20 squats. Squats were easiest for me, they were a break from all of the upper body work. Back and forth I went, pull up, push up, squat, repeat 20 times!  It was quite the workout! I was a sweaty dripping mess and wishing that I had a head band on to keep the sweat out of my eyes!  I was looking forward to the mile run to finish this up. My arms were on FIRE! 

I looked around and everyone was just working incredibly hard!  The determination, the power and the focus. It really was cool to look around and take it all in.

Finally I counted off my last set and was ready to rock the run.  Out I went, feeling the sunshine and stiff breeze. I realized a storm was brewing!  About a half mile in to my run it began to rain, nice and cool, perfect!  My last mile was 9:16. Sweet. 

39:43 was my final time for the Murph.

I sat down on a box and tried to get the sweat to stop pouring off of my face!  I didn’t think about bringing anything to change into-I was soaked.  After cheering in my CrossFit Beyond Sport members I was ready to head home and shower.

Great workout-can’t wait to try it again without the scaling!  I used the medium band this version for pull ups.  I didn’t have to scale the push ups. I'd like to string together strict pull ups so I can try the Games next year-and complete Murph without any scaling.

My lats and shoulders were sore for three days!  Going into Minneapolis Marathon a few days later I could still feel the DOMS.

CROSSFIT: MURPH: Entered!

 Getting My STRONG on!!

The last day to enter the CrossFit Murph event was May 7. I went through a scaled back version in my garage and decided yup, I can do this!

1 Mile Run
100 Pull Ups
200 Push Ups
300 Squats
1 Mile Run

I'm psyched!  No, not psycho! Psyched!

Sprint. Jump. Pull. Push. Press. Squat. Sprint. RUN.

That's CrossFit. Sprinting, jumping, pulling, pushing, pressing, squatting and more sprinting. I love it. I'm having such a great time!  I began with two sessions a week and then found myself attending three each week and last week I attended 4. Sweet progression.


I am PRing in everything. My strength amazes me. When I compare myself to others in the box, which I try not to do, I am pretty close to the bottom, but when I compare myself to where I began, I am certainly getting better. My disc damaged side is much weaker and I really struggle with that..but I'm doing the best I can. 


I find CrossFit much more fun than lifting for 45 minutes at the gym, by myself, same lifts, same thing. With CrossFit I am still lifting heavy but doing so much more!  The workouts are varied, fast, incredible moves that I have never completed before.


Steve and Troy built me a jump box!  Yes, a box which I jump onto. It's 20 inches tall, wood, portable. I haul it from the garage to the grass. When I first completed box jumps at CF I was afraid, I held Susan's hand because I was sure I was going to kill myself.  It was a 14" box!  I moved to 16" and now am not afraid of a 20". They will be building me a 24" box soon, I am sure!


We are running a competition right now. Last Saturday we completed "FRAN" which consists of thrusters and pull ups. I completed my workout in 13:30. We had our time recorded, our body weight, our weight lifted, measurements. In 4 weeks we'll see how we progressed. I love it!


On Memorial Day there is a "MURPH" workout contest at a box in St. Cloud. MURPH consists of this:


1 Mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run


7 members of our box are entering and I think I'm going to as well. It will be difficult, but if it was easy I wouldn't be interested. I have to register by May 7 so I need to decide. Quickly.


I'm increasing my mileage on road for the next few weeks as I have the Minneapolis Marathon the first week of June.  I enjoyed it very much last year and since I'm out for Kettle 100, Minneapolis Marathon will do :)