I’ve realized something this week. There is no family like CrossFit family. Earlier this week, fellow mother and CrossFit athlete, Katrina Lawrence, passed away while giving birth to her 6th child. You can read the KSL article HERE.  Katrina was an athlete at Viking CrossFit (my old stomping grounds and where my love for CrossFit started), and though I didn’t know her or her husband, Justus, that well, I was still deeply affected by the loss of a fellow mother and CrossFitter. Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones. Maybe it’s the fact that she lost her life while giving her son his. And that fact hits close to home. What mother wouldn’t give her life for her child?

Viking CrossFit mentioned yesterday that they were planning a WOD to honor Katrina and her husband and 6 kids. And I knew then that I had to go and honor her this morning. The WOD was perfect.

34 Box Jumps for Justus (24in/20in)

Then 6 Rounds of the Following:
-14 Kettlebell Swings / for KAI the Intellectual (1.5pood/1pood),
-12 Front Squats / for TE the Karate Man (135lb/95lb),
-11 HSPU / for MAYA the gymnast,
-8 Burpees / for DAX the crazy man,
-3 Squat Cleans / for KOA who loves to leave everything clean (NOT!) (135lb/95lb)
-1 Thruster / for Jet Li the new baby thrusting himself into this world! (135lb/95lb)

Then finish with 36 Box Jumps for Katrina (24in/20in)

the reps are the ages of Katrina & Justus and their kids, and the rounds (6) for their 6 kids.
I had to modify a few movements and weight, but that’s not important. I was just happy to be able to be there with the other Viking CrossFit athletes and with their great coaches, Marcee and Vance, and honor the Lawrence family.

All day, Viking has been putting up pictures of people doing the WOD, including other gyms that have done it.

pics taken from Viking CrossFit’s facebook page

The thing that really got to me was this letter that Vance wrote to CrossFit HQ -

To Whom it may concern at CrossFit HQ,

My name is James Vance, I am an avid CrossFitter for 4 years now, police officer full time with Orem Department of Public Safety, level I certified trainer with Viking CrossFit in Orem, UT and father of 4. I’m emailing you today to see if it was possible to make a certified Hero WOD after a very close friend and fellow CrossFitter, who passed away this past Monday.

I met Katrina Galbraith Lawrence at our box three years ago and during that time our families have become very close. Her husband, Justus Lawrence and I have competed in three open season’s and she has always been there to support us in our different competitions throughout our county and State. I have copied and pasted right off our web site what is going on and the support our local CrossFit community is giving the family. To summarize Katrina gave her life this past Monday giving birth to her 6th child. She and Justus thought they were done a 5, but later felt strongly they were suppose to have another. She did CrossFit Mom until the doctor said no more and put her in the hospital for the past month. Katrina was a fighter and after 20 pints of blood given during her fight to stay alive she moved on and went to the other side to be with her Creator (trying not to get too religious on you).

I feel with today’s CrossFit family and who is doing CrossFit across the world she represents what it has become. Normal people doing extraordinarily things. Hero WODs are a part of my weekly programing and believe nothing says Hero like a mother giving up her life for her children. I’m not implying our fallen soldiers aren’t worth their WODs, but I believe if you had known Katrina Lawrence you would feel she is more hero then anyone I know in Law Enforcement professional and anyone else I know.

Please look into this and please get a hold of me on Facebook and see what is being done locally here to honor her. As far as I know there are at least 5 other gyms locally doing her WOD today. It was completed by our gym and any who wanted to join us. I’m not asking for any donations or organized activity to raise money (though that would be cool), I just think it would honor the best person I have ever had the privileged to know.

Thank you for your time,

James Vance

I was moved to tears by his words.
THIS.

THIS is why I love the CrossFit community, and the family that is formed inside the gym. The fact that we would do anything for our family. That we love our CrossFit family like our own flesh and blood.

Please send your thoughts and prayers to the Lawrence family.

Here’s what we had to do:

Clean Ladder

2 RM Squat

Max Box Jump

40 yard Dash Tournament

Surprise Grip Challenge

I was just hoping a few pregnant girls would show up so I wouldn’t have to compete by myself.
I was surprised when I checked in and saw another pregnant girl, and let’s just say I highly underestimated the girl.

The clean ladder was definitely my favorite event. I worked my way up through the first row (up to 115 lbs) and then got to the second row, and got 125 lbs, 135 lbs, and 145 lbs with some ease – I think it was adrenaline. When I got the 155 lbs clean I was pleasantly surprised, plus it was a 10 lbs PR for me. It wasn’t pretty – here’s some evidence:

this is when I tried to clean 165 lbs. Apparently I have to hold my breath and puff my cheeks out like a chipmunk.

I tried to clean it twice, because Van only speaks “strongman” and told me to “pull”, which I assumed he meant ‘pull’ the bar higher, etc. And what he really meant was ‘DEADLIFT’. So I got 4 deadlifts for some extra points.

My pregnant friend (which is what I called her for most of the competition – real name Shantai) was right on my tail the whole time and when I quickly realized that I had severely underestimated her. She cleaned 155 lbs as well, but got more deadlifts.

Shantai 1, Ashley – 0

Then we moved on to box jumps – which I haven’t done in a long time. I just feel super unsteady when I do plyometric exercises and feel like I have to pee with every jump. I was happy I could still get 24 inches, and then decided to go for (wait for it… wait for it…) 25 inches. Shantai had more balls than me and went for 31 inches. I was happy to give her the win on this one. I was honestly happy I could still get my ass up on the 24 inch box!

Shantai – 2, Ashley – 0

a few more box jump pics of my ECF girls:

Jenie making it look EASY!

Kris going for a huge PR!

Cayson also making it look easy!

Becca going for a big jump!

Then it was on to the 2 RM Squats. Diz got bored and didn’t want to take pics anymore… so sadly… this portion will be photoless. For this part of the competition, we were given 3 attempts. For my first attempt, I started at 135 lbs. Shantai followed me and started with 145 lbs. So for my second attempt I did 155 lbs. Shantai did 165 lbs. (Do you see a trend here? lol). I chatted with her a bit to try to gauge what she’d try for her 3rd and final attempt. She said she’d stayed around 155 -165 lbs lately, so I assumed she’d go with 175 lbs. I chatted with Diz and asked him what he thought I should do, I was feeling great (no worries about the baby or anything) but I still wanted to gauge how he felt about what I was doing and he whispered – “beat her!” LOL. So for my final attempt I went with 180 lbs.
AND… she went with 185 lbs.

Shantai – 3, Ashley – ZERO

Then it was on to the 40 yd dash. I thought… maybe, just maybe I could take her on the run.
And then we ran… and she beat me. TWICE.
I may have uttered (loudly) a few naughty words and then busted up laughing and told her that I was pissed she kept winning!

Shantai – 4, Ashley – zero, zero, zero

I went up to Diz and I was like “WHO is this girl?! She’s kicking my trash!”

When it was our turn for the grip challenge (which is definitely a weakness of mine) I was not looking forward to it… at all. and rightly so.
and just to keep track -

Shantai – 5, Ashley – big FAT zero

So WHO is this epic-ly awesome pregnant chick? Well… she works out at SLC CrossFit and they all kick ass. A large group of girls came down and we were all in awe of them. They showed us up in the clean ladder, squats and box jumps. And they all have legs that are TO-DIE-FOR! Just amazing. And it’s no wonder they’ll be going to REGIONALS this year as a team. And my pregnant friend, Shantai, went to Regionals as an individual last year. (No, I’m not a stalker, we found this out during the competition…). So, I don’t feel too bad about being beat by a regionals competitor.

Our awesome Coaches at ECF (and judges) – Tanner, Alan, and Tyson (and that’s Kevin on the far left who also helped judge)

All the awesome ECF girls after the competition. (me, Becca, Cayson, Jenie, & Kris)

Jenie ended up in a tie-breaker Deadlift competition for first place and kicked ASS with a 255 lb deadlift!

So even though I was just a little sad that I got second place, (*cough cough* out of 2 people *cough cough*) I really did have a good time competing with Shantai (and all the other girls, too). She’s pregnant with her first baby and it’s a boy, too. And she’s a few weeks ahead of me (she’s 23 weeks). It was great to see someone else who’s pregnant doing CrossFit (and doing it WELL!). We got to chat about all things Pregnant Chick/CrossFit related.

I honestly would NOT have pushed myself like I did if Shantai hadn’t been there. I didn’t realize how much strength I still had in me. Not only did I underestimate Shantai, but I’ve been underestimating myself, too. Granted, I can’t (and don’t) push myself ALL the time. But it was nice to see a little bit of the old (pre-pregnancy) me and makes me really look forward to getting back to CrossFit 110% after the baby gets here.

And I am extremely proud of my fellow ECF girls who got new PRs! Jenie on her deadlift and squat, Kris on her box jump (even though her shins took a serious beating), & Cayson on her squat.

Huge shout out to SLC CrossFit for bringing their kick ass REGIONALS team down and giving us motivation to be able to meet them there in 2014!

Size of Baby? weighs around 10.5 oz, 6.5 inches from head to rump, and about 10 inches from head to heel. About as long as a banana.

Maternity clothes? Hit up a sale online at Old Navy and got a bunch of tops and a maxi dress, have some capris. For the most part I’m in scrubs all week at work, but I did have to get some new scrubs. My thighs and hips are expanding and I’ve ripped the crotch out of some of my scrubs… so to DI I went for some new, bigger scrubs. I’m not paying full price for new scrubs. Those things last forever and I haven’t had to buy new ones since I started working. If I’m getting new scrubs, it’s gonna be after baby gets here!

Weight Gain? just the right amount, thankyouverymuch.

Stretch marks? No new ones. YET.

Sleep: Doing better. If I wake up in the middle of the night I have trouble getting back to sleep, mainly because my mind starts to race about all the things I want to do to get ready for baby!

Best moment this week:  Our 20 week ultrasound and going to Buy Buy Baby and picking out our carseat and stroller.

the BOB Revolution. I want it.

the carseat Diz picked out. of course it’s an exclusive color combo ONLY available at Buy Buy Baby. No luck finding this on Amazon for cheaper.

Miss Anything? Coffee. the smell gags me, but I still miss it.

Movement: Nothing definitive. I sometimes think I can feel flutters and bubbles. But I’m not 100% sure. Sometimes I think I’m just imagining it. At our ultrasound, we found out that the placenta is anterior, which acts like a big pillow, so until he really starts kicking, I probably won’t feel it.

Food cravings: Sonic Diet Coke with cherry and lime. It’s like a drug. OMG. I’m trying to only get one or two a week, and will start getting regular coke. I’ve heard too much bad stuff about aspartame. And I’m still excited for the snow shacks to open this summer.

Anything making you queasy or sick: The smell of coffee is gaggy. Nothing makes me sick

Gender: BOY!!!

Labor Signs: No way!

Symptoms: Some round ligament pain here and there, usually after I run.

Belly Button in or out? Still an innie.

Mood: Happy. Until I get pissed off.

Looking forward to: Getting the nursery ready. Gonna be doing a little remodeling in the closets so we can have room for baby’s clothes and things.

Profile shot of the babe! look at his cute nose!!

Like many others, I am deeply saddened by the tragedy at the Boston Marathon yesterday.

Yesterday, at work, our morning consisted of watching the live feed of the elite runners and tracking some friends on the course.

After lunch, Ann texted me and said there had been an explosion at the course finish line.

Our afternoon was consumed with watching live news updates, trying to check in on our friends who had run to make sure they were safe, and trying to understand what the hell was happening.

A few friends called and texted me to make sure my Mom was safe.

She was supposed to run Boston this year. Had her bib, had a hotel room reserved, everything. She ended up backing out last month. I was supposed to go with her. Be at the finish line. The time on the race clock when the bombs went off – 4:09 – a very probable time for her to be crossing the finish line. And I could have very easily been on that side of Boylston St waiting for her to cross.

The crazy (and great) thing about the running community is that we are ALL family. As a runner, I feel like this attack was specifically targeted at MY family. I may not personally know any of the victims, but the fact that they were there at the race, cheering on their family and friends, makes them my family, my friends.

I saw another picture on facebook this morning that said “You just pissed off a lot of people who run faster than you and NEVER give up.”

How true is that?

And on a last note, I have to share Robin’s post from earlier today. She said it better than I ever could. Read her “I am a Runner. And I am Undeterred” post.

How Far Along? 17 weeks!

Size of Baby?  He’s about the size of my palm, weighs about five ounces, and is developing some body fat (join the chub club, baby Urie!).

Maternity Clothes? I have a pair of jeans and capris and a few tops. During the week I can still wear most of my scrubs, but I feel like my ass is more pregnant than my belly so I may need to break down and by some larger bottoms.

Weight Gain? None of your business, thankyouverymuch.

Stretch Marks? girlfriend, I’ve had stretch marks since puberty. However, no new ones yet.

Gender? baby BOY

Sleep? Getting up once or twice a night to go to the bathroom, and I have a hard time falling back asleep – but that’s mainly to Diz’s snoring and Olivia (the biggest bed hog ever).

Food Cravings? Slurpees.

What I Miss? My energy. I miss running at a decent pace. I wish I could go out and run my 8 mile loop but I’m afraid it would take me 2 hours and that just doesn’t sound fun!

Symptoms?  No more queasiness. Still tired, but not near as bad as the first trimester.

Best Moment of the Week? Coming home from church on Sunday to find our crib put together. Thanks Diz!

What do you think we’re having?

boy or girl??

Diz swears it’s a girl.
I have no clue. I go back and forth. At first I swore it was a girl, then I thought it was a boy, then I went back to girl, but 2 nights ago I had a dream of the ultrasound and it was a boy. (Yay for crazy pregnancy dreams)

my Momma thinks it’s a girl. She’s even wearing pink scrubs at work today to prove her point.
& the majority of my coworkers think it’s a boy.

What do you think?

Well, let me just tell you a few things…

1. I don’t have a chalkboard, or a chalkboard wall (like my cute blog friend Amber).

2. I don’t have a cute pregnant belly. I just feel fat.
the only belly pic I’ve taken so far:

and I’m pretty sure it’s not baby… it’s just chub.

3. None of my clothes fit. Like… NONE of them. Worst of all, I’ve resorted to wearing sports bras because my boobs are growing at an OUT OF CONTROL rate. It’s mind boggling.

4. I really don’t feel pregnant.
I’m not sick. I had some queasiness during my first trimester but have not thrown up once. The queasiness was handled by eating – which brings me back to point #2. When we had a lunch date with Janae,

Candice asked me how I’ve been feeling, and I was like, “Oh, I’m good. How are you?” Not realizing that she was asking me because I had just announced the pregnancy the night before. Pregnancy brain, I has it. All that being said, I am so lucky that I haven’t been sick. I’ve had an easy pregnancy so far and I’m very thankful!

5. My workouts have been less than stellar. I’m still going to Elevated CrossFit 3 times a week. And I’m trying to run at least 3 times a week. But so far, I haven’t managed more than twice a week. For some reason, running has been exhausting me. And I’m only going 3-4 miles. It has gotten a little better these last 2 weeks, so I’m hoping I can get 3 runs in this week. As far as CrossFit goes, I still feel pretty strong in the strength-centric WODs, but the metcon style WODs just kill me. I did the CrossFit Games Open WOD 13.1 last week and didn’t do too bad.

and that’s pretty much why I haven’t been blogging.
‘cuz I feel like I have nothing to say (certainly nothing entertaining or thought provoking) HA.

So… who wants to go on a fro-yo date?
baby likes fro-yo.

Started off with the safety lecture… (thank goodness we were not on the Carnival Triumph and we never needed to put our life jackets on again!)

Our first stop was at Princess Cays. Which is Princess’ (our cruise line) own private island in the Bahamas. We were basically lazy bums and just laid in beach chairs all day. Diz snorkeled and saw some cool fish. My Dad and Josh played a few games of beach volleyball.

AND I’m a failure and GOT no pictures that day. I’m still waiting on pictures from Shae (Josh’s girlfriend), so I’ll have to post more later when I get her pics!

Then we had an ‘at sea’ day – which meant even more relaxing and doing a whole LOT of NOTHING. Read some cheesy cowboy romances and napped. Then we got all dressed up for dinner.

We look HOT.

Our next stop was in St. Maarten. We shopped until we dropped! We found so many cool little shops. Everyone was sampling the island rum, we bought some fresh jam (for gifts), and found some cool clothes. We stopped at this restaurant on the beach called Captain Jack’s. It sucked. Don’t go there. We were so exhausted from all the shopping that we all headed back to the ship and zonked for a while.

St. Maarten… gorgeous beach. We got rained on for about 10 minutes and then it was back to sunny warm weather!

Next we had St. Thomas. We took a ferry to St. John for some snorkeling. It was windy, so the water was really choppy and made it hard to see anything while we snorkeled. We did see some cool fish, but all the coral was covered up in sand. The beaches in St. John were AMAZINGLY gorgeous. Some of the bluest bluest waters I’ve EVER seen!

we did have an encounter with some WILDLIFE right off the dock… YIKES!

That night (it was Valentines Day) we had our second formal night.
Had to take a picture with our waiters at dinner. They were awesome! Alfie and Christian were the BOMB!

Our last stop was in Grand Turk. We had the most AMAZING snorkel & stingray encounter. We are KICKING ourselves for not taking our cameras (and the waterproof pouch) and taking pics while we snorkeled. (We didn’t think the snorkeling would be great, since St. John was kind of disappointing). But OH MAN… we were WRONG. When we jumped off the boat the first thing I saw was a damn shark! NO shiz! Thank goodness our guides quickly informed us that they were nurse sharks and NOT aggressive. Well, imagine our shock when our guide dove down to bring the damn thing closer to us. I’ve never swam so fast in my life!!! LOL. Eventually I got enough courage to touch it (felt like really rough sand paper) and then I even HELD it later on! CRAZY! We saw SO many fish and so many critters! It was so cool! SO DAMN COOL!
We got back on the boat and headed around the island for our stingray encounter.

my Aunt Judy! She was a champ! She didn’t want to snorkel, but when it came to stingrays… she was ALL about it! Went right up and started holding it.

meet our friend, Mrs. Ray… she’s saying ‘HI!”

Josh and Shae kissing the barb for 7 years of good luck!

Mom & Dad with the ray!

Then we had to stop at Margaritaville. It was one of those experiences when you’re not sure if the food and drinks really taste that great, or if it’s just because you’re SO damn hungry. BUT… the Volcano Nachos were AMAZING and the margaritas and pina coladas WERE YUMMY!

We barely made it back to ship in time… 10 minutes to spare. It’s a long story… (but not going on the blog… LOL… well maybe later…)

Then we had our last day at sea. Another day to relax and have fun!
We went on the kitchen tour and I almost stayed behind to get the fettuccine alfredo recipe. It was divine.

doesn’t everyone carve their cantaloupe into sea turtles?

And to top it all off, my Aunt Judy got to dance with our waiters at our last dinner. It was awesome! Everyone was hamming it up for the camera!

It wasn’t fun coming home on Sunday. We’re having problems readjusting to Utah weather. It’s too damn cold here! LOL. I miss the tropical weather! I want warm sunshine!