I had competed last year in the Garage Games but in the Scaled Women's division. Last year I didn't finish as well I wanted to and knew I wanted to really improve myself as a competitor and an athlete. I needed to up my game.
My number one objective? To compete in this years Garage Games as Rxd.
Done!
This year there were 30 Rx women that competed and I finished 27th. I know, I know, not great and I spent about 1 day disappointed and feeling like I had let people down.
I had so many people tell me how proud they were of me that I finally began to realize that the only person I had let down was myself.
Sunday, as I was sitting on the couch, icing my knee, feeling every joint and muscle in me ache, feeling very 40 and having a small pity party for one in my head, I really began to think about what I had done this past weekend in Woodstock, Georgia.
I had done my very first Rx competition...and I didn't suck too bad. (although I will admit I was next to last on the run. More about that later). This was also the first time I had ever done 5 very tough WOD's in one day. I hung in there with the big dawgs! Incredible athletes like winner, Amy Wight (who I watched clean 175lbs!), Shelby Levy, Crystal McCullough and many, many more. Yes! I did it!
And what's more is that I realized how much I had improved from just last year! HUGE! Something I know I can be very proud of.
What I also learned is that humble pie can be good for you.
Walking out there full of confidence and then having your ass handed to you because of weather conditions (20 degrees and snowing...are you kidding?), or because you just ran a measly 2 1/2 miles and now your knee won't cooperate because you make excuses not to put that into your training (yep, that's me....I.HATE.RUNNING!)...yeah, BIG old helping of humble pie.
I think the one thing I was the most upset about was my clean and jerk. I was full of confidence! I had been practicing with 135lb clean and jerks weeks leading up to this. I HAD it. I was hoping to get a new PR at 145lbs. But at the 125lbs, my thoughts were already on the 135lb bar. I went to jerk 125lb and everything on my body stopped working. Even my legs went out from under me making it impossible to get out of the way. Yes, I dropped 125lbs down my back. ARE. YOU. KIDDING?!?!?!
On that event, I walked away in tears. Not from pain but from frustration and embarrassment. If you were to ask my athletes, they would tell you that I coach just as much about getting out of the way of the bar as I do about lifting it and here I had just dropped it on my back. This was a first for me.
Then of course you have to add the "Unknown". On this day, the "unknown" was the weather. This winter in the South has been incredibly mild. I think we have had only about 2 weeks of 30 degree or below temperatures, so I hadn't experienced training in this cold. This was the UNKNOWN. It was in the upper 20's, cloudy, snowing, with 40 mph winds. People had windburn. Crazy Southern weather! It was 60 degrees two days before the event and now it's back in the 60's again. Only this past weekend was it in the 20's. Another serving of humble pie.
So what is the takeaway?
I am soooo glad I participated in this event. It was fun in a CrossFit strange sort of way. I loved seeing friends that I have gotten to know through these competitions and making new ones. I loved watching my husband and Joe (one of my athletes) compete. I did REALLY LOVE IT!
I loved having my friends there from my gym cheering me, Mike and Joe on and dancing to keep warm.
I loved have my bestie there screaming at me to "keep going" and to "save the baby!" I love you Cindy!!
What can I say? I love this stuff!
What I also loved, believe it or not, is that this event also showcased my weaknesses and really highlighted what I need to work on....yes, running and stamina. This is a good thing, it really is.
The bottom line is that it was fun and I really recommend you trying it out. The Garage Games has a series for the entire year. Go to their website and get registered. They really run a great event!
Okay so, now that I am recovered, aside from the beautiful bruise on my back, (you're jealous, it's okay) I know what my next step in training needs to be. Endurance and Running.
My most important goal for 2012 is to continue to become a better athlete, not just a better CrossFitter and to become the best coach I can be.
What are your goals? Write them down! Check them off and then set new goals!
Keep going forward. If you fall, get up and try again.
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