x Valkyrie x

On 1/12/2018 at 11:58 AM, Elastigirl said:

I love that you are making sure to eat enough for muscles and BJJ awesomeness

My sister in law is breastfeeding and eats almost nothing, I want to tell her she needs to eat more, cuz I know the baby weight would fall off her if she was actually eating an adequate amount, but she’s where I was a year ago, thinking food is the problem when it’s actually the solution. 

P.S. Minnesota is a frozen-over hell. People that live here must be part Yeti. And my nephew is the cutest baby ever.

So far, week one has been pretty good. I'd say I think I gave myself a LITTLE bit too much, as I've been working the last 7 days straight, but I've actually been doing pretty well with it. Today, I'm flying to Minnesota to visit my brother, his wife and their new baby. I haven't seen them in almost 2 years, and the baby is just a month old, so I'm really excited and...a little nervous. We haven't had the closest relationship the last few years, but my parents went yesterday and they say that they're being very welcoming, and I'm looking forward to seeing them and loving on my nephew! 

So, this weekend, I am giving myself a pass on everything EXCEPT journaling, and I want to hit my protein goals and be mindful of fats. Mom said that dinner last night was what she and I usually eat, split into 4 servings, so I'm gonna make sure I load up on hotel waffles before I go over each day so that I'm not drastically under eating and/or becoming hangry lol. 

Macros: So far, so good. I reckon I'll be under on carbs and proteins and over on fats this weekend, but I'm just going to do my best to keep my good momentum going! I want to get rid of my winter insulation that has accumulated since about October...it's so hard when my daily activity decreases so much because I hate going outside in winter and it's not a big enough priority for me to go out of my way to increase steps/activity outside of my workouts. I guess I may need to make it a priority. Maybe next month I'll do a focused step goal. 

Lifting/BJJ: BJJ 2/2, there was never any doubt, It's my number one priority on Tuesdays and Thursdays! 

Lifting: 2/3 I don't have time to go to the gym today, so i'm going to get off my butt as soon as I post this and do a body weight workout:

Budget: I finally made my budget this morning! I'm excited because I have one full paycheck and one partial paycheck left and I've saved half my goal. I'm really hoping I can save the other half with my final checks. I'm also praying that I can transition to home health for 6 weeks when I finish up at the nursing home so that I can make a bit more money till March, when I'll be ready to go. 

Minimizing: This has been not happening. Ugh. I NEED to do it, but it's still not a true priority to me and I need to change that. If it's important, I'll make time for it, so when I am back to normal life on Tuesday I am going to make it happen. I will get up ten minutes earlier, or spend ten minutes less on my phone, and work hard towards my goal. It isn't fair to leave a room full of stuff for my parents to be stuck with when they could use that room for something after I go. 

Name Change: I've done the research, next week I"ll get the forms and get the ball rolling. It shouldn't be difficult, just a bit of a pain. 

Journal: I fear I fell asleep last night before I wrote in my journal, but otherwise I've written in it everyday, and it's been nice! 

Guitar:  This hasn't been a huge priority, either. Like I said, maybe I gave myself too much to do this week, but I HAVE been working with the music reading flash cards and starting to learn to read notes, which is exciting! 

Roleplay: My buddy hasn't gotten back to me yet, so I'm off the hook with this one...But I'm a writer who never writes, and I think I need to make my own private writing more of a priority, so I'm going to try to work on my fantasy story a few times a week when I don't have a role-play reply to work on. 

22 minutes ago, jonfirestar said:

 We have a ton of Nerdy OCR meetups happening this year, just sayin  

I know!! I'm doing the Spartan Super in Naas Ireland in May, because that's basically my new hometown lol, but I don't think I'll be doing any English races this year. It's too expensive with the move and everything. But I'll be cheering you guys on!!

9 hours ago, Kestrel Grey said:

Just checking in on how your week is going.  

Aw thanks Kestrel! (Love your username, by the way, so neat!)

8 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Somehow I missed your challenge, and the exciting news. Big congrats on your wedding! Any pictures?

And a Pandemic theme, I love it.

Thank you! I’ve  gotten one or two pictures as a preview, I should get the rest next week, then I’ll share!  

2 hours ago, jonfirestar said:

I'm catching up with things, but Wait what!? That happened woo Congratulations! Although heartbreaking that he's now in Ireland  March isn't far away!. I'm following of course!  

Thanks Jon!! I’m looking forward to being ocean neighbors, I know there is a meet up in our futures! 

Macros: Yes, Sodium was little high but not bad.

Minimized: I cleaned for 10 minutes this morning, it counts.

BJJ: it was great! So, so nice to be back on the mat after my break. My finger swelled up afterwards, but oh well, it’s gonna do that for a while. I’ll tape it next time. 

Journal: yep! 

Guitar: I found a music theory flash card app and I’m relearning everything I’ve forgotten about music. 

13 hours ago, Kestrel Grey said:

 

It is scarily easy in Canada.  Somehow it felt like a legal name change should be a more serious thing.

I knew I had to do my driver’s license and SS card, but I hadn’t considered my professional license! It’ll be fine, it’s just a pain lol. 

13 hours ago, Kestrel Grey said:

 

Sorry for the double post, computer issues.

 

It's great that you can get back to BJJ already!  Good luck with the finger.

The finger held up well, I was cautious (kept my fingers curled up in a fist a lot to protect it) and should probably tape it for a bit longer just to be safe, but it was so fun.

    Monday 1/8/18

Western World/Macros: yes, hit my low day  (which ain't that low anymore...I'm sitting pretty on about 2300 calories on my low day and I like it, lots better than my old ways) and I fit in ice cream, score!

Southern Hemisphere/Lifting: Yesss!!

.

Mid-East/Adulting: Looked into what I need to do to get my name changed, learned I have to get the name on my license changed...this is such a pain in the ass. Maybe I"ll just keep my last name after all....lol mostly kidding....

Haven't looked at my budget yet, but I will, still early in the week. 

Cleaned like...5 minutes. I"ll be using my Event Card for that category this week. It's hard to make time for that when I go to bed so early. I come home, eat dinner, go to bed, most nights. I need to do it in the morning before work. There is nothing productive done once I get home, and I need to know this about myself and adjust accordingly. 

Far East/Quality of Life:

Journal: Yes, yay!

Roleplay: YESS I got my post done! (BONUS POINT!) 

Guitar: I downloaded a sight reading app last night...haven't looked at it yet...Tonight sleep is more important, and I still have 5 days in the week to meet my goal. 

Super excited that tomorrow I go to my morning BJJ class! I haven't been in THREE WEEKS (a record for me since I started in May), because my husband (hehe) was visiting, and because the day before he came I tried to stop myself from being swept and landed right on my outstretched right ring finger and busted some of the tendons and ligaments pretty good...It's MOSTLY healed, I'll see how it goes tomorrow to see if I'm ready to come back. Who knew one small finger could put an entire body on hold?? 

Jon, I’m so excited for your year of awesome! 

Hopefully this weird fog will blow the bad air away! Glad to hear lifting and meds and everything are going well

Omg a solo trip to Japan!? That is so amazing!!!

1 hour ago, Marauder said:

 

I saw nothing of this!  Sneak attack wedding!

 

CONGRATULATIONS to you both!  

Thanks Marauder!! We haven’t posted it on Facebook or anything, and we kept it very simple and private. My mom was the officiant, my dad and a family friend were our witnesses, and my mom’s friend was our photographer! We are going to have a reception in Ireland next year since none of his family were able to make it for the ceremony.

I love these stages! I have been in Informed Pessimism and Valley of Despair for a while wrt moving countries (“let me just think of every single reason this is going to suck and none of the reasons it’s going to be awesome”)and I’m finally creeping into informed optimism and it’s good. Weird how it can take sooo long to make these transitions, whether it’s a lifestyle change or a relationship or what have you, but it makes sense; The stone arches in Arches National Park were formed over thousands, maybe millions, of years of erosion creating subtle change, and the result is something beautiful and utterly unique and wonderful. Gives you hope for the long game, doesn’t it? 

Saturday, -2 days to start

I only slept 5.5 hours last night and less than 6 the night before, so I skipped my lift today in favor of recovery (I lifted last night and...everything hurts, which is apt because that’s the name of the template I’m using). 

My roleplay post is coming coming along well, and I’m excited to embark on a new writing journey with a very dear penpal that I’ve been writing with for over a decade. 

Guitar hasnt been started yet, but I’m going to start with learning to read guitar music. 

Journal, done  

Macros, Hell to the yes. I finally am getting on top of my macros, and not undereating like I have been for about 2 months. I need to eat all the food to fuel muscle growth! 

Budget and other adulting things haven’t started yet. I work all weekend, but that’s no excuse, tomorrow I will get started.

Placeholder for weekly update:

It is day -2, things are really going to kick off on Monday, and if I said I was anxious to get my research started, it’d be the understatement of the year. Oh, who am I? I’m The Scientist, and a good thing, too! The world is being over run by disease, a pandemic we have never seen in our time or any other. It’s up to me to find the 4 cures and stop the spread, before it’s too late! 

If there are 4 Infections, or 2 Outbreaks, all is lost, and it’s really getting down to the wire. The only way to win is to stick to my scientific guns, buckle down, and do whatever is necessary to prevent the infection from spreading while my research is in progress. In 4 weeks, I will have all the pieces I need to put together the cures and end this madness once and for all. I am the only hope humanity has. God help us all. 

A lot has happened lately! I got married a week ago Saturday to the love of my life, and yesterday he went back home to Ireland, where I will be moving in March. We have a fun year ahead of us, including a Spartan Super, a probably a couple more BJJ tournaments, a lot of international travel (all our friends are also with foreign people and getting married throughout Europe, yay!), and lots of board games, including my current favorite, Pandemic! 

Role: The Scientist

Special Ability: I only need 4 cards of each color to cure disease (aka: 4 weeks)

Event Card: One Quiet night: Play at any time to skip an Infection or prevent and Outbreak.

Objectives: 

Western World

Hit macros 7/7 days

Southern Hemisphere

Lift 3/3 days, BJJ 2/2 days

Mid-East

Budget: make a budget, comply with it, check it every week to stay on target to save for Irish car and insurance.

Name change: work each week towards changing all official documents to new name, complete process if possible by end of month. Start with SS, go from there.

Minimize: 10 minutes, 5/5 days, get rid of stuff I preparation for move. Bonus points if I donate stuff. 

Far East

Journal: 7/7 days, a line or a novel, whatever. 

Guitar: Practice 5/5 Days, bonus for 6/5, includes music theory practice. 

Roleplay: Work on roleplay post 10 minutes 5/5 days. 

Bonus (Complete one or more to earn extra Event Cards):

1. Sodium <2500 4/5 days

2. Steps >8K

3. Finished and sent roleplay post 

How To Lose:

As in the game, there are a lot more ways to lose than to win! 

Missing one goal for the week causes an Infection cycle, missing more than one in a single week causes an Outbreak. There can 4 Infections or 2 Outbreaks before it’s game over. I have one free Event Card, “One Quiet Night” to prevent an Infection cycle or Outbreak(instead of an Outbreak it would downgrade to only an Infection cycle), and I can earn more Event Cards by completing my bonus actions above. Event cards can be used at any time.  

How to Win: 

Make it to the end of 4 weeks without losing via methods above.  Each week my “research” progresses and I will fill in a line on each vial, after 4 weeks they will be full and the cures will be completed! I just need to keep the world alive long enough for that to happen. 

2 hours ago, jonfirestar said:

To begin with you don't need to be able to clap when you propel yourself off the ground but just push off with enough force to lift yourself off the ground. It might just be an inch or so at first. I was never able to clap but I did start getting better (until I hurt my shoulder. It wasn't from these but I'm still not confident enough to try anything that will put impact on my shoulder).

Yeah I hear you! , clapping is in my distant future, but clearing the ground would make me ecstatic! Just to have the strength and coordination for that would be great.

Now that the tournament is over, I’m on Phase II of the challenge. Not much of a difference, really, but instead of Make Weight, it’s Maintain Weight  I couldn’t give a flying fig what the number on the scale is, now! What’s awesome is that that is a fairly recent change. I was always owned by the scale, and saw one number (less) as better than another number (more). Now, I don’t want to be less. I want to build muscle  get stronger, perform better, and I couldn’t care if I weigh 140 lbs or 155, as long as I’m progressing towards my goals. I would be over the moon to put on 10 lbs of muscle and weigh 155! 

So, what are my goals now that the tourney is over? That took over my entire life for 5 weeks, training for it and being strictly 95/5 with my food choices (rather than my usual 80/20...I like candy and lattes with sugary syrup). I forgot what salt tastes like. (And actually, now I find some things I used to eat a month ago are too salty for my taste!)

I feel a bit...at a loss for what’s next. I took 3 days off of strictly following my macros (Sunday I ate the most gorgeous donuts, and then Monday and Tuesday I think I actually underate, but it was all junk food lol), but I’m ready to hop back on the ETP train, especially where my water intake is concerned. I feel great when I drink 3-4 L a day, and I feel like shit physically and mentally when I drink less than 2 L.

Reflecting on my fight, I gassed once she got me into side control and I couldn’t quite get the power to create space to escape, and every failed attempt left me more gassed.

I know I need to work on explosiveness and the cardio requirements inherent in those kinds of powerful movements...hiit needs to happen. I’d like to be able to do an explosive push-up motion (like a clap push-up or able to crow hop in plank, know what I mean?) The core control, the shoulder stabilization and the coordination all elude me for those kind of motions, all 3 elements are helpful when performing escapes from a 600 lb person (ok, she only felt like 600 lbs)

I struggle to close the deal when it comes to submissions. I had that first girl from the get go,  I was dominant the entire time, it was my game, but I couldn’t quite finish. I was afraid of losing control and giving her space to escape when I had her in side control, and I couldn’t get her arms isolated enough for an armbar from mount. Both situations had something in common, I realize as I type this: I had insufficient control of her arms, so I couldn’t move forward with the submission. The fix? I think to improve my technique for controlling in those positions. Like, in side control, I see in the video that I’m almost there, but if I had moved my hips a little differently I could have trapped the arm close to me well enough to attack her other arm for Americana. I also need to drill these submissions more so that when I get the opportunity, there is no hesitation to try to remember how to complete, I just do it. Basically, sounds to me like I need more time on the mats, with focus on getting it right every time in the drill so that I get it right in the fight. 

So...

Maintain Weight

1. Hit Macros

2. Sodium: 2k-2700

3. Water: >2 L

4. Sleep: >7.5 hours

5. Steps: >8k 

For Fitness

1. Train BJJ 3-4x a week (I will miss 2 days next week because vacation and then I’m actually leaving the Wednesday after. holy crap where did the time go!? I am gonna miss my professor a lot, but I’ll keep training in Utah)

2. Abs and HIIT 

   - Abs and push ups every day I don’t train

   - HIIT Thursdays and Sundays (we’ll see how that goes) 

FOFNW:

I have done this every day since I started the challenge and it has helped me to be more positive and stay in the now. I will continue  

4 hours ago, jonfirestar said:

Woo well done! You are such a badass!

Haha thanks Jon!!

4 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

That's a great performance! Well done.

Thank you! I’m thrilled with how it went, and I learned so much. 

These things are always a game of “hurry up and wait”, but Valkyrie didn’t mind. She watched her friends fight, cheering them on, and shouting unsolicited advice from the side of the mat. 

The time finally came, and she stepped up for the official weigh in. 68.1 kg, thank you very much! 

The other two girls in her weight division fought first, so she watched with her coach, seeing straight away that one of the girls, a dark haired girl named Jen, was a force to be reckoned with, and won handily against the blonde, Marina. A few fights later a staff member called, “Valkyrie!?” 

She jumped, her heart racing now, she clapped hands with her coach and he said, “you can do this!” 

Approaching the mat, she saw she was fighting Marina, the girl who lost the last fight. Adrenaline coursed through her bloodstream and as she shook hands with the ref and her opponent, everything else faded away. 

They both kept low, hips back, reaching for the other’s collar and sleeve, both clearly wanted to pull guard. Valkyrie got her grips at the same time as the other girl, and the girl tried to pull guard. Valkyrie defended, immediately bringing her knee up, and suddenly it clicked. Knee up, other leg steps forward to control the opponent’s leg, head down on her belly, climb up, swing legs over to pass the guard. Oh shit! Get the underhook, get the underhook! Got it! 2 points for passing guard. Control the arms, get into position...3 points for side control. The girl defended well but couldn’t get any leverage against valkyrie’s pressure. Valkyrie heard her coach shouting, “stay there, stay there, take your time. You are winning!” Valkyrie passes her arm over, sees the opportunity and takes mount. 4 points. She can’t hear it at the time, deaf to everything except labored breathing, but her corner erupts in cheers. Her coach’s voice breaks through, “keep your head down!” 

The girl bucked wildly, and managed to flip Valkyrie over. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t even think in complete sentences but the fury of the “NO!” inside her head gave her the strength and she flipped the girl back over to recover mount, fast enough that her opponent didn’t get points for the sweep. 

They struggle in this position for the remainder of the match, Valkyrie trying to position herself for armbar, her opponent defending and neither hear the ref calling time at first. They shake hands and the ref holds Valkyrie’s arm up in victory, 9-0! 

 Arms and legs like jelly, Valkyrie received a victory kiss from her mister, who was there supporting her the whole time. 

“You did very well, Valkyrie,” her coach said, clapping her on the back, “keep loose and stay focused.” 

A few fights later, it was Valkyrie’s turn again, facing Jen, the winner of the first round. The girl was young, only 17, but had a fierce quality about her that shook Valkyrie’s confidence. They shook hands and the match began. They both fought for grips, and Valkyrie attempted to pull guard, breaking her opponent’s posture, but the girl defended well against her de la riva guard and before Valkyrie knew it, she had passed her guard completely.

What came next was a blur, and even after watching the footage, it was difficult to piece together how it went. Valkyrie got full guard at one point, and almost swept her, but Jen defended well. 

The turning point came when Jen slammed Valkyrie onto her back. The wind whooshed out of her lungs and for a stunned second she couldn’t breathe at all, couldn’t move, couldn’t think. She tried to react, but it was too late, Jen had her in an obnoxiously tight side control. The girl’s shoulder dug into her throat and she felt like she weighed 300 lbs on her chest. She glanced at the clock and saw 2 minutes left. “Oh fuck,” she thought as she struggled to make space to breathe; that was when Valkyrie stopped believing she could win. She couldn’t regain her breath after having the wind knocked out of her, and her muscles fatigued from the struggle to escape from side control, which, incidentally, she was doing backward, grabbing the wrong side of her opponent’s gi, which is why the escape technique wasn’t working like it should.

Jen tried for mount several times, but Valkyrie defended well, refusing to give her anymore points in this match, and defended against Jen’s attempts at an Americana on her left arm. She didn't believe she could win, but there was no way in hell she was going to get tapped out in the last minute.

“Time up!” The ref called the match, finally, victory to Jen, with a score of 4-2. The girls shook hands and hugged, and made their way to the podium. 

She didn’t realize until she watched the footage later that she was only 2 points down, and a sweep away from tying the match up. Maybe if she had known, she would have found some reserve of strength and turned the tides, though perhaps not. Either way, she was proud of her performance in both fights, and Valkyrie vowed never to give up again. Oss! 

1 hour ago, jonfirestar said:

Yeah. I'm  crediting all of the pre-spartan hill training I did as to why I wasn't feeling it too badly. I need to make sure I don't stop doing that hilly route even though I'm not training for a anything right now (I've got a crazy-person marathon to think about)...

 

 

You absolute beast! I’m so excited for you

Hey guys! It went GREAT!! 

There were 3 of us in my weight class, and I fought 2nd, won my first fight and lost my 2nd, earning me a silver medal for my class! The write up is coming, but here’s the videos for my fights for anyone interested in 5 minutes of pajama wrestling

Valkyrie rolled out of bed, wakened by the fake bird sounds of her alarm. All the real birds were in hiding, because Storm Brian had arrived and was pelting the quiet houses outside with wind and rain. Valkyrie thought for a moment of staying home. Without a car, travel involved a fair bit of walking and catching a bus that may or may be on time, if it showed up at all. Then she remembered- the tournament the next day! She gathered her things and ventured out in the storm, umbrella clutched tight and tilted to keep it from the gusts of wind. The bus was late, of course, and she stood in the rain for 10 minutes, reviewing arm bar technique in her mind’s eye as her jeans were soaked by sideways flying rain. 

She caught the bus and sent out a What’s App message to her club, with a half joking request for a pick up at her bus stop in Dublin, a 15 minute walk to the Gym. One of the lads stepped in and saved the day, and Valkyrie became more determined to have a bloody car by the first half of next year, and was grateful for the camaraderie and kindness of her training friends. 

Training Notes:

I drillled pull guard to take back, it felt shaky and unreliable today, but I was shown an extra step I have been missing and that helped a lot. You have to step forward with the back foot to help you get close enough to get the leverage you need...it’s ok, I know what I mean by that. :p

I worked with a young guy, only 16, and brand spankin’ new, it was fun helping to teach him scissor sweep and armbar from mount, and he was a good sport being MY balloon while I practiced taking the back, cross choke and rear naked choke (poor lad, he really was a great sport!), as well as side control to Americana and side control to take mount. 

Im at the familiar stage I know from college, where the test is tomorrow and I know what i know at this point, no use cramming anymore. I’m gonna drink loads of water, eat all my Super day food (2700 calories, yay!)go to bed very early, and wash my gi and sports wear. hopefully the gi will dry in time....

12 hours ago, Wild Wolf said:

 

#Nostalgia. This brings back memories from when I did MMA/BJJ. There were times were I would get smoked and turned into a pretzel but the sheer technique of the guy I was rolling with. I remember one time, the lead instructor used me as an example of how to execute a move to the class...lol, and I was the balloon, he was the balloon artists...

 

 

Keep kickin butt

 

Wolf

This is the perfect analogy!! Sometimes you’re the hammer, sometimes you are the balloon giraffe. 

12 hours ago, EmeraldEagle said:

Wow your training sounds intense! It's also really obvious in the way you write how much you love it, I can feel the smile coming out of my computer screen  Good luck for your comp! If you've been training against guys I'm sure that wil stand you in good stead against women your own size. 

There’s never a bad day when it includes jiu jitsu  Thank you! I’m nervous because I want to make my coach proud and do well, but I’m just plain excited for the experience, win or lose! 

15 hours ago, Laghail said:

bacon mac n cheese makes you both a genius and officially fall basic. You welcome

It would only be basic if it was pumpkin bacon Mac and cheese! (I have in fact made pumpkin mac...it’s orange but it ain’t that cheesy #cantfoolme)

Make Weight:

Still looking good for weigh in! And they posted the brackets, looks like there’s 3 of us in my weight class and 3 matches listed, so I think we each fight twice (like, say it’s me, “Carol” and “Stacie”, it’s me and Carol, Carol and Stacie, and Me and Stacie?) but maybe I’m wrong, I don’t know how it works lol. 

Anyway:

+Sodium: 1640 

+Water: 170 oz (I’ve started drinking from a 2 L bottle, that helps a lot!) 

+Sleep: it was a bit broken, but I got 8 hours.

+/-Steps: I sort of got them and sort of didn’t, I got 5k actual steps, and then ETP has this conversion chart for LISS activities that convert to steps, so I converted cooking time to 60 steps/minute, according to their chart and that got me to >8,000....it’s cheating, I think, but I’ll take it. 

FOFNW:

Gratitude journal done  

1. Grateful for my mom for being my best friend

2. BJJ, finding my passion for this sport has changed my life

3. My coaches in Ireland and at home, and all my training partners who teach me every day and keep me humble. 

For Fitness:

BJJ training: 90 minutes

Yay! Nice art!