CrossFit does interest me, but ... it's 'spensive.
Dude, have you looked into Pete Kemme's systems?
http://kemmefitness.com/
Cheap and effective (so I've read. This is what jason does. Me, I just do a few specific exercises that enhance my running and keep me together in one piece).
Speaking of running, I just got back from one of those things. Wasn't going to run today but I was feeling pretty peppy and bouncy, then the weather turned bad - Howling wind! Driving sleet! Hail! Dark brooding sky! - and I thought, cool, let's go play.
So I got suited up, did some pre-run stetchy-rolly stuff, got the dog all excited about going out, and we went downstairs together. Opened the door and a big blast of rain came at us and I saw Leni's ears and tail sag to the floor. She ran out the door, stayed close to the house, took a quick wiz, looked at me pleadingly and when I said 'yeah awright', she sprinted back up the stairs.
So I went back up, fed her, told her she's wimp and enjoy her time with the cats.
Back downstairs, no dog, weather even worse than it was and now the old neighbor lady was milling around doing something, no idea what, but as I went by, she waved and me where the dog was. I told her Leni didn't want to come out in this weather and she answered, 'smart dog'. Hmm.
I really enjoy this horrible weather stuff, I don't really know why. I tell myself it's just good training because you never know what kind of weather you'll get during an ultra and other really long run, so it's best to become accustomed to the worst stuff possible. But really, I just like it.
So, after about ten minutes of 50km/h cross winds, hailstones bouncing off the side of my head, totally drenched top to bottom, it all suddenly stopped. Wind died, clouds parted, the sun came out and the whole world was glitening like it'd been bubble wrapped. By this time, I was out of the village and up on a ridge overlooking what is probably technically a 'dale', but whatever it is, it's like a postcard, with another little village, Hutschdorf, nestled at the bottom.
That's when I thought about my dog. Poor Leni, she was really missing something special here...
Well the rest of the run was unspectactular. I did the same13k route I did on Sunday, but ten minutes faster. Got home, was greeted at the door by a curious, excited Lenidog, showered, drank a little OJ, shared a yogurt with the dog and the cats ... and now here we are sitting on the couch together, writing about it.