***Important Announcement***
Beginning today, we will hold five, 30-minute information sessions to announce our Running Team, and our Barbell: Weightlifting and Powerlifting Team, which will launch the week of January 3, 2011. If you would like to learn more about these new programs, register in MINDBODY for one of the following Team Briefings:
- Monday, November 29: 7a and 6p
- Thursday, December 2: 7a and 7p
- Saturday, December 4: 11a
as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
30″ handstand hold
30″ squat hold
30″ L-sit hold
30″ chin-over-bar hold
It has been a year since I had surgery on my spine. By and large, I have recovered. Indeed, I’m actually stronger than I was before. I’m also a bit more limited, but I’m okay with that.
I’d love to tell you that it was simply a matter of mustering my courage and facing my fears (Que the inspiring music montage video).
Instead I’ll tell you that a lot of it really sucked – it sucked to wait, it sucked to hurt, it sucked to be impatient and fail, it sucked to find I couldn’t easily do things I used to be able to.
But what cut through all of it, what helped me most wasn’t my true grit or my determination – what helped me most was the MPH family. From Neil, Christy, Chudy, Steve D – i built new friendships – From Ted and Amy and Rosalena, I heard warm concern and hope – and from my coaches a steady focus on healing, on measured progress.
I will frankly say on my own, sore and frustrated, I let the doubts beat me up – I almost gave up, several times – but the MPH team never did.
Thank you all very much.
Tod
Tod is proof that smart people with balls do CrossFit.
great post brother and keep squattin’
steve d
Well said, Steve – and Tod, congratulations and well done – you’re so generous but please give yourself a little more credit for perservering and getting even stronger than you were before in what’s turned out to be a very short time!
–Scores–
Kris C.: 5 rounds + 27″ handstand hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Rob K.: 6 rounds
Alex M.: 6 rounds
Ralph A.: 4 rounds +… 30″ squat hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, red)
Christine S.: 4 rounds + 1x wall walk (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold)
Larry B.: 3 rounds +… 15″ jump-stretch covb hold, hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, blue)
Derek B.: 4 rounds +… 30″ N-sit hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Tamra F.: 5 rounds +… 20″ covb hold (sub: v-hold)
Mayra C.: 4 rounds + 2x wall walk (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, red)
Josh O.: 4 rounds +… 20″ covb hold
Mike S.: 6 rounds +… 10″ L-sit hold
Brian T.: 5 rounds +… 20″ covb hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Caitlin S.: 5 rounds +… 15″ covb hold (sub: v-hold)
Diana D.: 4 rounds +… 30″ squat hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Cristian D.: 6 rounds (sub: wall walk hold, v-hold)
Pete S.: 3 rounds +… 30″ v-hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Jon H.: 5 rounds (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, blue)
Sean M.: 4 rounds +… 23″ covb hold (sub: v-hold)
Jen M.: 5 rounds +… 15″ squat hold (sub: v-hold)
John B.: 6 rounds +… 27″ squat hold
Josh M.: 6 rounds
David O.: 6 rounds +… 15″ covb hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Steve D.: 5 rounds + 20″ handstand hold
Michael F.: 4 rounds + 15″ covb hold
Livia S.: 5 rounds + 4x wall walk (sub: 5x wall walk)
Jeremy N.: 4 rounds + 30″ handstand hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Jeff W.: 3 rounds +… 4″ covb hold (sub: 5x wall walk, N-sit hold)
Ted K.: 4 rounds +… 9″ N-sit hold (sub: 5x wall walk, N-sit hold)
Noland C.: 3 rounds +… 15″ covb hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Kevin C.: 3 rounds + 4x wall walk (sub: 5x wall walk, bent-knee v-hold)
Veni M.: 4 rounds + 5x wall walk (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, blue)
Linda K.: 4 rounds + 2x wall walk (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Mark C.: 4 rounds +… 10″ sit-up hold (sub: plank hold, sit-up hold, bodyrow hold)
Dave R.: 6 rounds +… 21″ squat
Lisa C.: 4 rounds + 2x wall walk (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold)
John G.: 6 rounds (sub: v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, red)
Tod C.: 4 rounds +… 30″ v-hold (sub: v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, red)
Marco M.: 3 rounds +… 25″ squat hold
Andrew R.: 4 rounds +… 25″ covb hold
Keena S.: 8 rounds + 5x wall walk (sub: 5x walk wall, v-hold)
Meghan M.: 4 rounds +… 8″ covb hold
Thomas M.: 6 rounds +… 8″ squat hold (sub: v-hold)
April H.: 5 rounds +… 30″ v-hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Sean F.: 4 rounds +… 30″ N-sit hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Wayne C.: 6 rounds +… 30″ squat hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Anna H.: 4 rounds +… 5″ covb hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Keith H.: 6 rounds +… 10″ covb hold (sub: bent-knee v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Laura D.: 5 rounds (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, bodyrow hold)
Amy D.: 8 rounds +… 10″ covb hold (sub: plank hold, v-hold)
Johnny A.: 6 rounds (sub: v-hold)
Jonathan H.: 6 rounds + 10″ handstand hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Jennifer M.: 6 rounds + 30″ handstand hold (sub: v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, blue)
Andrew Y.: 4 rounds +… 10″ covb hold (sub: v-hold)
Jerry C.: 2 rounds +… 23″ covb hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, red)
Rajesh N.: 5 rounds (sub: plank hold, v-hold, bodyrow hold)
Ricky B.: 3 rounds + 25″ N-sit hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Katherine C.: 6 rounds + 10″ v-hold (sub: v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, blue)
Set S.: 4 rounds + 3x wall walk (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Jeff B.: 4 rounds +… 15″ covb hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold)
Sara J.: 4 rounds +… 28″ jump-stretch covb hold, green (sub: N-sit hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
David S.: 6 rounds +… 5″ squat hold (sub: N-sit hold)
Ryan B.: 4 rounds +… 25″ squat hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Bobby M.: 5 rounds +… 4″ jump-stretch covb hold, green (sub: v-hold, jump-stretch covb hold, green)
Sidra C.: 4 rounds +… 29″ covb hold (sub: 5x wall walk, v-hold)
Leota B.: 4 rounds +… 29″ covb hold (sub: bent-knee v-hold)
Erez Y.: 6 rounds + 24″ handstand hold
To follow up with Tod’s post, I too have witnessed some extraordinary performances by fellow MPHers, received some amazing coaching and experienced the wonderful and supportive MPH community. MPH had a profound transformational effect on both the physical and mental aspects of my life. I remember first coming into MPH feeling intimidated by the grunting, huffing, MPHers going at a wod with a furious intensity. I wondered how I would fit in or even attempt do what they were doing.
Change is an integral part of all of our lives and within a few months at MPH I started to see and feel a physical change but I also experienced a positive mental shift in attitude. A 2000 m row wod or a 150 wall ball challenge was initially daunting but we all made it through. Over time I learned, as we all do, not to let the wod defeat us before even starting.
In addition to these mental and physical adjustments, there were other changes going on. I am delighted to announce that my wife Erin H and I are expecting a baby in April and I am so excited for this new addition to the Hirota family! However with this change to our family, it also involved a change with my MPH family.
I live and work in the Ballston area of Arlington and cross over the river into DC (20-30 minutes each way) to go to MPH. I actually have two crossfit gyms (soon to be three) within 5 minutes of my house (and a fourth under construction CF gym 10 minutes away) but MPH won out in the search and for that I feel so lucky.
I finished my last day at MPH about three weeks ago but could not tell many people since the details of the pregnancy were not made public until recently. Actually, Mel and John knew about 2 months ago but kept it under wraps (thanks guys!). I wanted to continue on at MPH but given these life changes and some other issues in preparation for the baby; accommodations had to be made which includes having to go a local crossfit gym (Potomac Crossfit in Clarendon). I am sorry I was not able to formally say goodbye to people but I want you all to know that you really have a great thing going at MPH.
Tod summed it up well. The coaches and members of the MPH community are the essence of the place (even the banter on this blog is so different from the other gyms). Thank you MPH community for giving me the opportunity to wod besides some amazing people and experience that which makes MPH so special. You will not be forgotten.
Koji Hirota.
Tod, congrats on a year well done. Your attitude is always encouraging, thank you!
Koji, I’m sorry to see you go, but with great reason– how exciting! Best wishes to you, Erin and the little one. Be sure to tell the little one the great story of how you earned the NOTORIOUS t shirt.
Steener
Great post Tod. I am glad to see you are healing. Koji, I am sorry to see you go. Congratulations on the baby!
Tod – I have been impressed with your dedication to your recovery, and I’m glad you’re feeling so much better. Thanks for your post.
Koji – congratulations! You’ll be missed around here, but we all wish you and your family the best.
Congratulations Koji and Erin! Never forget you’ll always be part of MPH.
Tod, amazing progress this year, friend. You’re an inspiration.