NASCAR chicks with tats and some F1

Well I have been neglecting the blog for a bit, trying to focus on my daunting job search, and getting my school work done. Luckily the school work has been going great, but the job search continues. Anyways, this post is about some randomness from the end of the NASCAR season, and I am going to touch on a little bit of all of it.

 Crossfit athlete Christmas Abbott warming up. Check out her ink... Photo from Tumblr. 

Today while thumbing through my twitter feed, I come across a tweet from Ashley Parlett (@Just_AP) that says if I haven't googled Christmas Abbott yet, then do it. She has good insight and opinions of the sport. She is a former road mechanic, currently works for Speed on the show Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, and was touted by Matt Clark (@MattClarkMC) as the woman in line to break the barrier of a female Crew Chief in NASCAR. If that isn't enough street cred, then I don't know what is. Anyway, when I find the pictures of Christmas, this was the first one I came to below. 

 Christmas Abbott is working her way into NASCAR with Turner Motorsports. Photo courtesy of Corey Lowenstein from thatsracin.com. 

            Here is the article that this picture was pulled from by Scott Fowler. "Is NASCAR ready for Christmas?" In the article, Christmas has an awesome quote when asked if she wants to be the pit crew version to pit crews as Danica is to NASCAR drivers. 
            “I’m going to say no,” she said, “because I want to be the best and she hasn’t proven to be the best yet. I don’t want anything given to me because I’m female. I go in there and I have to work twice as hard just because I am female and because I look a certain way. I want this because it’s an opportunity that intrigues me.”
            She has competed in Crossfit in the past, and you can tell that by her making it this far that she is serious about the sport. I am all for it, she is certainly easy on the eyes, covered in tattoos, and in my opinion is on the verge of having the one of the best jobs in the World. Good luck to Christmas. 

 Alexander Rossi is the closest American driver to making it to F1. Photo courtesy of theaustingrandprix.com.

            With the Grand Prix of the United States concluding Sunday, and Lewis Hamilton taking the win in the successful return of the series to America, Alexander Rossi comes to mind. He is working his way up the ladder on his way to race in Formula 1, and proudly represent the United States as the only driver in that series. Scott Speed was the last American to compete in the series, but was released because of performance. That leads me to this interesting point. Through one of my random searches of Kyle Busch the other night, it led me to articles about him trying out an F1 car. I guess I was under a rock when all this happened, but I was astonished and actually saddened that he never got the chance in one of those cars. His initial test with Toyota in 2010 was stopped by NASCAR, when they ordered him to the Nationwide banquet instead. The US F1 team that wanted to have him in their car ultimately folded and he is still successful in NASCAR. I like Formula 1, but having an American in the series to cheer for would make it that much more exciting to watch and follow. 

FIGHT GONE BAD

NOVEMBER 16 WOD

A. Hang Clean + Clean (no re-gripping)

- 55k. 
B. "Fight Gone Bad!"
     Three 1 minute rounds for reps  
     Wall-ball
     SDHP 35kg
     Box Jump, 20     
     Push-press 35kg     
     Row (Calories)
     Rest 1 Min

- 200 rx. I need to work on my push press and use my legs more! 

Christmas Abbott

PR FRONT SQUAT

JANUARY 2 WOD

A. Front Squat 3-3-3-5-5

- PR 75K X 3:) My pr in June was 75k so I'm happy!
B. In 10 Minutes Perform
     "Annie"
     50-40-30-20-10
     Double Under
     Sit-Up
   
     AMRAP D.B. Thruster 50/35

*Score Is D.B. Thrusters

- My annie time was 7:47 and I did 14 thrusters before time ran out. 

Christmas Abbott

I'm addicted...

I've been off this blog since I became a teacher. Let me update, then I'll tell you why I was gone. We moved on up like George and Weezy (thanks to my bills notebook that helped me know what we could afford--see previous post) to The Woodlands. I am no longer a Kindergarten teacher. GASP! I taught Kinder for the first 9 weeks and then they needed a 2nd grade teacher. So, I gladly took the 2nd grade spot! :) Now, I've got a whopping 4 students and it's A-mazing! Now, why have I not been blogging? Because of my addiction. I think about it all the time, talk about it all the time, spend all of my extra time doing it.

 Crossfit.

Yep, this heifer started working out. Wait, not working out...crossfitting. I can't sell this short. It's SUPER intense and I'm getting great results from it. Look at these chicks:

Isn't that crazy??? The last 5 pictures are of my new role model: Christmas Abbott....isn't she the cutest thing you've ever seen that could put you in a choke hold with her fingers?! 

Oh my. (Boys can have their man crushes on Tebow, this is my chick crush)

Now, with that being said....Tomorrow we start a new lifestyle...Paleo. 

What is that? It's all grass fed meat, veggies, limited fruits and good fats. No added sugars and no starches. We're doing a challenge at our crossfit box (that's what they call the locations- boxes). 

I just want to scream it from the rooftops what God gave us by moving here. A whole new lease on life and our marriage. Had we stayed in Dallas we would have NEVER done this for ourselves. Ever. We would have worked and ate and worked and ate and worked and ate and slept.  I've got a bunch of goals that I'm going to post for 2013. I'm not doing a resolution because you break resolutions, you don't break goals. I'm kicking my life into beast mode. :) 

More to come about Crossfit and Paleo and my goals for 2013.

Iron Kitty Crossfit Rules

IRON KITTY CROSSFIT RULES 

1. Surpass your goals. One muscle up is nice but 3 or 4 in a row is way more impressive. Always surprise yourself with what you can do*

2. Cake? What cake? Ditch you're deadly cravings!! Crossfit+Bikini= NO CAKE. HA! OK MAYBE A SLICE BUT NOT A WHOLE ONE. 

3. Make your weaknesses your b/tch***PRACTICE. No one ever got better at something by just watching instructional videos. Put in WORK.

4. Don't get lazy with technique. I'll never clean 80k with a round back and starting now will only develop bad habits...and break my back.

5. Train for the Games...What? I'm allowed to think BIG. In fact, everyone should. Success never came to those who didn't believe in themselves.

6. Don't get discouraged too easily. You won't PR everyday. Some days are better than others and failure is common. Just be patient and remember that it's fun and you'll drop the sassy attitude.

7. Rest days are important! Take a day off, it won't kill you. 

8. PROTEIN. Food is important and a sloppy diet will negatively effect your training. Don't waste your time in the box if you're going to "reward" yourself with carbs and treats!

9. If you're failing at something and want to quit, look at #3 and shut up.

10. You are your own competition. Who am I kidding! Battles are fun just don't get too carried away.

                                                  HAPPY WODDING:)

Christmas Abbott Thinking Of Crossfit Rules...Hmm,What Would Kitty Do?...:P

"Drivers and Danica!"? Have Women Come as Far as We Think?

At Sunday's kick off of NASCAR's 2013 Season, the Daytona 500, Driver Danica Patrick took the pole position.  For those not familiar with racing, this is a BIG deal.  Not only is this her first season racing NASCAR (she's a former Indy Car driver) but she took the pole position (aka, the top spot) to start the race.  Patrick continues to break barrier after barrier for women in racing.  The majority of her fellow drivers will tell you she's earned it, never relying on her role as the "female driver" to get ahead.  

So why did James Franco feel the need to single her out at Sunday's race?  Franco was the Grand Marshal of the race, aka the guy who traditionally says "Gentlemen, start your engines!"  This is when the crowd goes crazy and you feel what racing is all about...the roar of the engines, the rattle of the track, and the excitement that builds in your chest...its palpable.  Its fair to say he choked.  At least we hope so.  He hasn't yet come out and said what happened.  It's likely however that he was trying to decide what to say.  Should it have been "Gentlemen and Lady" or "Drivers"?  What came out was "Drivers and Danica" a slip that could happen to any of us and would be an embarrassment for sure.  

Franco's snafu aside, it has me wondering if women have come as far as they think in the world of racing.  Patrick is not the first female driver.  In fact, 15 other women have gone before her with the first being in 1949.  Her most recent predecessor, Shawna Robinson, hasn't raced since 1995 and none of the women before her were the skilled athlete that Danica is.  Race fans would be hard pressed to even remember the female drivers prior to Patrick.  

With so few strong female athletes in the sport, are women really achieving equality or are they still a novelty to a traditionally white male audience?  

Christmas Abbott, NASCAR's 1st Female Pit Crew Member wearing less than her uniform

For the first time in the sport's history, Christmas Abbott, a female mechanic, has made it on to a pit crew.  She's the first female pit crew member and will be working for a female driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (think traditional NASCAR with really fast trucks).  She's suspected to gain momentum and make it the Sprint Cup Series (aka the mother of all NASCAR circuits-Daytona 500 is part of that series).  

The simple fact that women like Abbott and Patrick continue to be photographed in bathing suites, looking like pinup models, instead of their uniforms or street clothes tells us that while these women have what it takes they're not being respected as true athletes like their male counterparts.  When was the last time you saw Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., or Mark Martin (the top 3 finishers at this year's Daytona 500) in their bathing suits or even with their shirts off? And while I support any person's right to pose in as few or as many pieces of clothing as possible, the promotion of women like this by NASCAR & Indy Car is only detracting from their skills and athletic ability.  It's as if the officials, as well as many of the fans, are saying, "Sure, you can play.  Just make sure you give us something to look at along the way, sweetie." 

Yes, the sport is FINALLY welcoming women but it has a long way to go before women are looked upon as equals for their talent and athletic ability.  

When your dreams are big the facts don't matter.

This is my current meditation given to me by a friend who's encouragement and honesty I sincerely appreciate. We have big dreams we're working to achieve. To many the path to them would seem impossible or at the least unlikely. It can be hard to stay encouraged when you're dreams seem bigger than yourself so this meditation is especially important to me.  

Why don't the facts matter when you dream big?  Because when you set your mind to achieve something the facts that can prevent it become irrelevant. Amelia Earhart was often told people couldn't fly and certainly women couldn't fly, especially not alone.  Her dream was big enough that the facts didn't matter. When Oprah decided to leave the south and pursue her dreams as a journalist and as a teacher, the facts of "being a little colored girl from the south" didn't matter.  She set her course and allowed herself to be open to the possibilities that await her. When President Obama dreamed of being the first black president, the facts of this country's bias against black men in politics didn't matter.  

So we too are setting our sites on the big dreams that lie ahead and we're letting the facts fall away. We know with clear hearts, minds, and our love for one another nothing can stop us.