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The Fit As F*ck blog has a great little interview series going that hits the topic of random vs. structured training in CrossFit. I’ve been thinking about this a lot as I’ve begun to compete and my own training has diversified in the last few months. I thought I’d use their format and blog my perspective on the subject. Be sure to read the original posts with Samantha Briggs and Asger Frøsig Sørensen.

My training plan for 2012

I started on a new plan that has me doing regular CrossFit 2 times per week, but those sessions also have a Wendler strength component. I do Olympic Lifting at another gym 2x week, and then see a strength coach 2x week. I actually go to three different gyms each week! The Oly lifting and strength is highly structured while the CrossFit, obviously, is random.

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Here are blogs in the CrossFit niche I recommend. These have some combination of good readability, high value content, solid writing style, and a distinct voice, all things I look for in a good blog. Some of these crossover into other subjects, such as Olympic lifting, nutrition, and training in general.

This is by no means a comprehensive list and these are in no particular order. If there’s a site you think is awesome, recommend it in my comments section. I’d love to discover other bloggers.

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GR2The GR2 is the new flagship product from GoRuck, a backpack and gear company that has it’s manufactoring facilities in Bozeman, Montana. Also called the XL Overnight Ruck, the GR2 has a gear swallowing 48 liters of space and weighs just over 5 pounds unloaded and dry. I’ve had the good fortune to ruck with the original GR1 on several occasions, also a significant pack, and when I pulled my shiny new GR2 out of the box, I was a little bit startled. It’s a beast of a bag, much bigger than the GR1.

Looks-wise, it has a restrained and minimalist handsomeness while still catching the eye because of it’s size, shape, texture, and color. Casual backpackers will likely ask about it as you roam around town and a closer inspection by the bag aficionado will reveal it’s killer craftsmanship and high dollar materials without screaming ostentation.

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I’m totally pumped about this interview…some solid material here. Jason McCarthy is the founder of the GoRuck gear company and the GoRuck Challenge, something I’ve blogged about here and here. I’m a big fan of GRC for many reasons, not the least of which is that it changed my perspective on training and being a mentally strong athlete. See my full GoRuck page for an index of posts.

In this interview, Jason talked about the origins of GoRuck and why he does what what he does. He also reveals a few products they have in the pipeline for 2012.

What I like is how passionate Jason is about the team concept and what the GoRuck experience is all about. You can tell, clearly, that GoRuck is not just about profitability or selling bags, but rather about delivering a mindblowing experience and a great product first and foremost. Check it out.

Total time: 31: 46.

Video after the jump.

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I did my second GoRuck Challenge over the weekend. It was every bit as challenging and unique as the St. Augustine 007, my first GRC, last December.

Logistics

The Tampa Challenge — Class 083 — met at 0100 hours at Ballast Point Park, just north of MacDill Air Force Base. We started off with 25 members and finished with all but one. Cadre leader was Brian Richardson, a former Green Beret medic and all around badass. The total journey was about 27 miles, with 21 miles of rucking and a 6 mile truck ride! Finish time was around 1430.

Our team weight was an ammo box filled with coins and a bottle of rum. Individual weight was either 4 or 6 bricks, depending on your body weight, which was a change from past challenges. My pack at the beginning of the event weighed about 45 lbs.

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Quick post before I leave for GoRuck Tampa…btw, I can’t believe 1) I’m doing GoRuck Challenge again and 2) that’s it’s here already. That really snuck up on me. In other news, I did an email interview with Talayna Fortunato […]

Like all competitive sports, CrossFit has a significant risk of injury associated with it. If you train hard and compete over the course of a year, you’ll probably encounter at least a couple of minor issues. Hopefully you haven’t encountered a major injury or something that puts you out for a long period of time.

I see three reasons for the injury problem: heavy loads, poor technique, and unstructured training. I define “unstructured training” as training volume and intensity that isn’t periodized, or at best structured in a haphazard way.

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When me and my crew did Mega, we had the good fortune of chatting up Dave Hunter on the Friday prior to the race. Dave is a great guy and made us feel really welcome, despite the fact that we were starry eyed n00bs from Florida :). Dave has been the race director for Megatransect for the last 3 years and he’s one of the original organizers of the event, which just completed it’s 9th year.

Originally a road racer, Dave eventually moved to marathon distance–his PR is 3:34. He ran eight marathons before finding new joy in training on trails.  To quote David:

I found that trail running is a totally different sport. Pace is impossible…. it is all about effort.

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Immediately after doing GoRuck Challenge in December, me and my crew plotted our next big event for 2011: Megatransect. Megatransect is a near marathon distance run/hike up, over, and through Bald Eagle Mountain and the Bald Eagle State Forest in Central Pennsylvania. The distance this year was a cool 25.5 miles. If you’re considering Mega after reading this post, know that the 850 slots filled up in 48 hours and organizers are expecting an even faster sell-out for 2012. Next year will be Mega’s 10th anniversary.

Before we get into the review, let me say this. You can bet your sweet ass I’ll be on my computer with credit card in hand on January 1 signing up again. Mega totally rocks.

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