Follow up

In my last post I talked about the athletes of Ute Crossfit. The results are in from their regional competition in Denver. Tommy managed to get 2nd in the Mens division. Not really a surprise, but the way he did it was impressive. He did not have a good showing in the first workout and finished 20th. He managed to place in the top five in the rest (5) of the workouts winning 2 of them. Taylor won the womens division. It is even more impressive since she recently gave birth in the last 8 months. She is a testament to the rewards of hard work. The Ute team also managed a spot on the podium bringing a 2nd place finish back to Utah. They were very dominant over the rest of the teams and were neck and neck with the winners. Ryan and Mary had high hopes but fell a little short. They did perform well and make all Ute crossfitters proud with their efforts, both managing to win at least one heat each. Placing in the top 3 allows competitors the opportunity to go to Carson California July 29-31, to compete for the fittest on Earth. Realistically Tommy,Taylor, and the team have a great shot of placing in the top 5, if not winning it all. I wish them all the best and look forward to training with all of them next week.

UTE CROSSFIT.

In May of 2010 I decided to change my workout routine. I had heard about crossfit and it was very similiar to what I was used to doing in the Marines. After checking out a few of the crossfit gyms in the valley I joined Ute Crossfit. The main reason I chose them is because of the owner Tommy Hackenbruck. He was the starting middle LB on the first U of U BCS team. He also happened to be the second fittest man in the world at the time. I sleep easy knowing I made the right choice. He and the other trainers and athletes at the gym have helped me to get into the best shape of my life. That is saying something given my background. This weekend as we speak many of the athletes from the gym are competing in Denver Colorado at the crossfit regional competeition. I want to take this opportunity to wish them all well. Tommy and Ryan are competing in the mens. Taylor and Mary are competing in the womens. Ute even has one of the top teams in the country competing at regionals. They all have a legit shot of placing in the top 3 to move on to the games in July. Qualifying for the crossfit games is the epitome of fitness, and surrounding myself with that kind of athlete will only continue to motivate me to get better.

PALEO DIET

Since March of 2009 I have been on a diet to gain weight. I have consumed between 6000-9000 calories daily. This is well over the recommended daily intake. For the first 2 years the results were decent. I got bigger which was the goal, but I was not getting bigger fast enough. I was also getting stronger and faster, but also not as quickly as I would have liked. About 4 months ago I was turned on to the Paleo diet. It basically means eat like a caveman. Only eat what man had access to during the paleolithic  era. This means no preservatives, starches, sugars, dairy , or alcohol. Since my change I still consume at least 6000 calories a day. The results have been better than expected. I have gained weight, gotten bigger, faster, and more explosive. I feel better and have actually lost body fat while gaining weight. It has come with costs. I have to eat every 3 hours. It becomes a chore if I need to eat and I am not around something familiar to ensure I know the ingredients. It is more expensive to buy specific foods. I also crave desserts and salt. So far it is worth the price I am paying. It is also not just a diet but a lifestyle change that will require a lot of discipline. If your friends and family around you are on a completely different program, it also becomes a hassle, having to always do or suggest something different than they are accustomed to. I do reccommend everyone give this a try.

ROLLER DERBY

Owning a bar has given me the opportunity to experience many things I may have otherwise not gotten to do. One of those things is sponsoring the Wasatch Roller Derby Girls. It is one of the cheapest, yet most entertaining ways to spend a saturday night. Their bouts are filled with raffles, prizes, and great action on the roller floor. All of the money raised goes to charity as well. The girls not only put their bodies through rigorous bouts, but also have raised insurance costs because of it. They then do all of this for a good cause. I am impressed. The girls are surprisingly good athletes as well. They take a beating and continue for the whole 1 hour bout. The leg strength needed to build up speed quickly is impressive. The Derby names of all the girls and officials are quite entertaining as well (Harry Slaughter, Skull Candy, Penny Slain, Skatey Gaga to name a few). I am also surprised at just how strong each of the girls are. I had a pre conceived notion that all roller derby girls are lumberjacks or bounty hunters in their free time. This is not the case. Many of the girls are very petite and feminine. It just so happens they are very tough and like beating each other up in their free time. I would like to personally give a shout out to the girls that support Willies Lounge and put on a great show for the public, all in the name of charity.

NBA finals

Last night was one of the best NBA finals games I have ever seen. My favorite teams were not playing. There was no one play that I will remember forever. The only thing that will go down in NBA history folklore was the comeback. The Mavs came back from 15 down in the 4th quarter to beat the Heat. There are several reasons this made me happy. First I think the contributions that Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki have made to the game will always be overlooked if they do not get a championship. When you look back on their careers it is hard to imagine them not already having one. The second is it makes it that much harder for Lebron James to get one. A lot of people argue that I should not be anti Lebron just because he went to Miami. That is not the reason. I am anti Lebron because of the way he went to Miami. He spent the first 7 years of his career in Cleveland extorting the team for all of the special treatment he could get. He then held numerous press conferences at the end of every year promising he would bring a title to the city. He then meets privately with the 2 best free agents on the market and decides to join them in Miami. He then not only doesnt tell cleveland his plans, until the same time he holds a 1 hour special and tells the rest of the world. This is akin to getting a divorce but letting everyone else know at the same time you tell your wife. Also anyone who wants to be regarded as one of the greats should work with what is around them or getting other stars to come to him. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson would never have done things that way. That is why they will always be regarded as the best.

68 FORD

I am not the most materialistic person in the world. Very seldom do I get excited over possessions. The one exception is My 68 Ford. It is truly my prized possession. It is a 68 Ford Ranger F100 shortbed. It has been 6 years in the making. The engine is a 390 that has been built from the block up with aftermarket and performance parts. The body and paint have been redone, including finding all original decals and symbols. The interior is immaculate ( though not original). The interior also includes a state of the art sound system. It has many customizations, including shaved gas tanks and a fuel cell with a fuel cooler. A couple of reasons I am so enamored with it, are it reminds me of me. It is older, high mileage, and not even close to being the same it was 6 years ago. It is better than it has ever been. More power, better looks, and overall better performance. It also reminds me of my first vehicle, which was a 74 Ranger. I would have been a little cooler back then if my 74 was as nice as my 68. It reminds me that just because I am getting older, with more miles, does not mean I cant get better.