Ready for the first 5k of the running season?  

Join us Saturday, April 9th at Wheeler Farm for the Salt Lake City Adoption 5k and Family Fun Run and Walk.

The race is only $18 if you register now and proceeds will help fund adoptions, a cause we support wholeheartedly.   

This WILL be the Workout of the Day! 

Stacy's father passed away late last night.

The evening class schedule will be shorter this week so we can spend time with family.  Please check the schedule before coming in to workout. 

Stacy appreciates the support of her CrossFit Mt Olympus family. Please send any messages to jeremy@cfmto.com and I'll pass them on. 

Thanks to the outstanding coaches and instructors  who have been carrying a lot of the weight.  You make this the best place in the world to workout.

Joseph Richard Smith

1925-2011

Joseph Richard Smith, age 85, passed away at home on Sunday, March 13, 2011 in Bountiful, Utah. He suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, finally succumbing to pneumonia. Dad, you fought the good fight, you kept the faith and you endured to the end with a smile and a laugh, and can now enjoy your “Home on the Eternal Range.”

He was born December 18, 1925 in Kamas, Utah, the son of Douglas L and Cora Murdock Smith. Joe married Jeannette Ashton Hanks on July 2, 1954 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He was an active member of the LDS Church and especially loved his 20 years as a guide on Temple Square.

Dad was a devoted brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He lived a life of service to his family, friends, church and community. His work ethic was unmatched, his integrity pure and his honesty never questioned.

After attending the University of Utah, Joe spent his career in real estate and mortgage banking, working for Miller & Viele, Investors Diversified Services, Maple Hills Realty, Century 21 Real Estate and as broker-owner of Aspen Realty. He finished his career working more than a decade with United Savings Bank, then Washington Mutual. He was a former officer of the Utah Mortgage Bankers Association and served on the Salt Lake Board of Realtors Brokers’ Council.  In 1958, Joe became a charter member of the Bountiful Sertoma Club, and served as vice president, club president, Utah District Governor and a national chaplain.

Joe served two missions, first as a young man in the Canadian Mission, and later with his eternal companion at the Philippines, Manila Missionary Training Center. He was a counselor in two bishoprics, bishop of the Bountiful 37^th Ward and Meadows Branch President, among his other callings. He was a dedicated home teacher.

He is survived by his wife, Jeannette; his children: Steve (Melissa) Smith, Doug (RoJeanne) Smith, Shauna (Jim) Hanna, Royal (Jennifer) Smith, Joey (Judy) Smith, David (Tiffany) Smith, Stacy (Jeremy) Johnson; his sister Kay (Gale) Jensen; 24 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and great-granddaughter Emma.

A funeral celebrating Dad’s life will be held at noon on Friday, March 18, 2011 at the Bountiful 37^th Ward, 1540 North 400 East, Bountiful. Friends may call Thursday evening, March 17 from 6 pm to 8 pm at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, and again on Friday morning from 10:30 am to 11:30 am at the church.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Luis, Alice, and all of his caregivers at Inspiration Hospice for their loving care and concern for Dad.

God be with you till we meet again, Dad.

We have officially registered the Mount Olympus MisFits for BOTH Red Rock Relays!  We had a blast last year running the Zion Red Rock Relay and they have kindly added a shorter relay in Moab in May!!  We will be sending a team to both races this year. 

Red Rock Relay poses a unique challenge and is a great test of your cardiovascular endurance, speed and stamina. 

Registration

We have 6 spots for Moab and 12 for Zion.  Registration is $50 for Moab, $100 for Zion, or $125 for both.  Pay in the office to reserve  your spot, first come first served.  We will also need for volunteers to help out.

May 14th, Moab 

70 miles for a team of six will party Red Rock style in Moab. This is the first year, but the RRR team puts on a good race!

September 9-10, Zion

Welcome to 187 miles of RRR beauty!  This event travels the most beautiful running venues the world has to offer.  The race begins at 11,000 feet at Brian Head Ski resort then travels Dixie Nat’l Forest, Cedar Breaks, Snow Canyon, St. George, and ends at the entrance to Zion National Park. 

This week 13 University of Iowa football players were hospitalized after an intense workout with symptoms that point to rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition "that may arise when muscle tissue breaks down and the contents of muscle cells are released into the bloodstream. One molecule in particular, myoglobin, is toxic to the kidneys and can cause kidney failure and, in the most severe cases, death," (Ray, CrossFit Journal, p.1). 

This unfortunate situation reminds us of the dangers of rhabdomyolysis, commonly referred to as "rhabdo."  The workout that overtaxed the Iowa football players was grueling:  Jim Poggi, a 215 pound freshman linebacker reported performing the 100 squats under 17 minutes with a 240 pound bar (Morehouse, The Gazette).  Try doing 100 squats with more than your bodyweight on the bar.  I would expect a religious experience!

Should I worry?

"The athletes at highest risk seem to be those with a reasonable baseline level of fitness they have obtained through some non-CrossFit training, or those who are returning to CrossFit after a layoff. These athletes have sufficient muscle mass and conditioning to go hard enough to hurt themselves but do not have the protection that develops with regular exposure to real intensity," (Ray p.3). 

Jim Poggi's father reported that over the break, “I could tell you he didn’t do anything except eat a lot and lay around and then this was kind of the first day back,” (Morehouse). 

Dr. Mike Ray assures us, "In real terms, the risk of serious rhabdo is genuine, but it is low.... There is no way to separate the effectiveness of the training from all risk. A completely safe training program is doomed to produce only couch potatoes. The safety of strength and conditioning programs across the board, including CrossFit, is very good, especially when compared to sports like basketball, football and soccer," (p.4).

At CrossFit Mt Olympus we strive for a safe, yet challenging environment.  We INSIST you listen to the coach leading your workout.  We will push you to your limit and will also scale you back when you go too far.  Our creed asks that you leave all egos at the door.  Your ego will cause you far more damage in the gym than any of the exercises.  This shows up most often with people lowering weight in order to "compete" with a friend.  If your muscles aren't conditioned to the constant demands of CrossFit, you need to develop them.  There is a reason we call it 'conditioning,' it takes time! 

Symptoms

Dr. Ahmik Jones identifies 3 symptoms common to rhabdomyolysis:

1. Pain out of proportion to the amount of soreness you would expect, often coming on much faster than you would expect after a workout, and often accompanied with weakness.
2. Swelling of the body part involved, either with or without pain.
3. Decreased urine output or dark urine. This is the scary one and the one that gets you admitted to the hospital. (http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=38220)

Prevention

First, listen to your coach.  If the coach asks you to lower or raise the weight, DO IT.  If they ask you to stop, DO IT.  If you feel a bit off, tell the coach. 

Second, using a band or a lighter weight so your score will seem better is not only cowardly, it is stupid and could land you in the hospital.  100 pullups with a green band and pushing off a box each rep NEVER equals 100 real pullups, no matter how fast you did them. 

Third, stay hydrated and eat real food.  Water helps your kidneys and food  helps maintain an electrolyte balance.  Too much water can lead to hyponatremia, which has lead to several deaths since the increase of interest in endurance sports. 

Fourth, if you have been away from CrossFit for any length of time, allow your body to recondition.  DO NOT attempt to set any personal records after spending Christmas break sitting on the couch and eating poorly. 

Several people have taken breaks for valid reasons, then get discouraged when they return because of increased soreness and lack of performance.  Get over yourself, get back in the class and realize you are temporarily a beginner again. 

Would we even be here without the "Godfather of Fitness" Jack Lalanne?  It's a fair question.  Jack got it right DECADES AGO.  Jack began preaching fitness over a generation ago, yet his words remain pertinent. 

This video predates color tv, yet says exactly what we ask you to do.  It's common sense:  eat right, exercise, and you'll have a better life.  Jack passed away Sunday at the age of 96. 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to our friends at Lalanne Fitness in San Francisco.  We may have lost an inspiration-they lost an uncle. 

For elite fitness you need to try new things. This weekend offers a unique opportunity to test your endurance.  Give it a try.  We will compete in a number of interesting races during 2011 and this kicks off the year.

You can compete in a snowshoe 5k, 10, 25k, and even a marathon for you intrepid souls! 

The race takes place at Midway, so you also get a weekend away from the smog.  Todd Anderson has kindly offered use of his condo for any interested.  There is still room available for those who would like to stay Friday night or just have a place to warmup afterwards!  (We are offering a free month's membership to any of you who complete the full marathon!!)

Call the office at 801.935.4032 if you are interested and we will put you in touch with Todd for accomodations.  You can't beat that--a great race with first class lodging nearby.

Thanks, Todd, for the offer!