CrossFit Open 2013

So last week wrapped up the final workout of the CrossFit Games 2013 World Wide Open competition. I think I placed about 745 out of about 3000 or so just in the southwest region.  Being almost a year into this CrossFit journey, and with the completion of the open it's sort of caused me to reflect on how CrossFit has impacted/changed/affected my life.  The open in particular was a good experience, especially doing the WOD's Saturday mornings with my girls: Madi, Peggi, Dominique, Leesa, Cheree, Rio etc... the support and encouragement from the family at the gym is truly an amazing thing.  I chose to not do my workouts at the throwdown which was each Friday night where a bunch of gyms got together to do the WOD's in groups, competition style.  I get super nervous and wigged out about competing, and I don't like people watching me, so I was a lot more comfortable at my own box with my own peeps!  Overall, I did about as well as I expected.  I was bummed that Clark and I were in Costa Rica for the first WOD so we had to sort of modify.  I intended on doing the real thing once we got back to the gym, but it never happened.  So the first WOD was sort of a downer.  The second WOD was awesome, I felt pretty good about my score (although I was ONE box jump shy of 9 rounds... grrr).  At least I didn't feel like I could have done better when it was over.  I gave it all I had.  The third WOD I feel most proud of.  It was the 150 wall balls, 90 doubles and 30 muscle-ups.  But here's a perfect example of feeling really good about my performance and bummed at the realization of the brick walls that are ahead of me.  I killed the wall balls finishing under 9 minutes, and even blasted through my doubles with a minute remaining on the timer but too bad I can't do a muscle up!  The next WOD went pretty well, it was 95# clean and jerks and toe to bars.  That 95# clean and jerk has been my nemesis since the Black Sheep competition in Cedar City last fall.  I feel like I've really gotten a lot stronger, and am winning the battle against the 95# C&J! I could have done better if I could kip my toes to bar better.  Then finally, the last workout 13.5.  Just made me M A D.  I can't do chest to bar pull-ups.  I literally just did my 15 thrusters and spent the entire rest of the 4 minutes trying to get one dang chest to bar.  so FRUSTRATING.  It was a bad day anyhow, but I had to leave the box before I started crying in front of everyone.  So all in all, it's hard to say it was a great experience, but I'm glad I did it.  I definitely identified the things I want to work on and improve on so next year I can look back and see how far I've come.  Things I feel most proud of accomplishing this past year:  pulll-ups!, Hand Stand push-ups, doubles, rope climbs, #95 C&J, #90 snatch, 225# Deadlift. 

Things that were made evident to me through the open that I really need to work on:

chest to bar pull-ups

muscle ups

100# snatches

I guess the thing about CrossFit is there is always room for improvement and that can be frustrating.  So I'm trying to focus on the amazing things I've accomplished this past year.  I mean I'm the oldest I've ever been.. I'm almost 34, I have 3 kids, I'm a working mom and I can do pull-ups and lift really heavy things!  I have to feel good about that! But I do look forward to improving and getting stronger, and hopefully leaner as I take on my next challenge of learning more about the nutritional side of fitness.  I feel like I'm a pretty healthy eater and I have a good idea of the kinds of foods that are good and not so good for me.  I have a hard time with consistency, and breaking bad habits (ie diet coke and chocolate chip cookies).  We're headed out of town for the weekend but next week I have an appointment with a nutritionalist to get started on a nutrition plan.  Hopefully that combined with CrossFit, cycling, and running I can gain more fitness.  My goals in living a healthy, active lifestyle are to live the best life I can for me, be able to be there and be present with my children, and be an example to them of living a healthy lifestyle!

The biggest road block I feel like I'm facing with crossfit is TIME.  Especially since going back to work, life has just taken a big leap in the complicated department.  I really can only go when it works with Clark's work schedule so he can be home, or if I'm able to work out a trade with one of my friends.  Either way, I always feel rushed like I need to just get in and get out.  I don't feel like I have time to spend working on the skills I'm struggling with.  So I can't be frustrated that I can't do at 100# snatch when I spend zero time working on it.  We can only do what we can do.  But hopefully by next year when the open rolls around I will have mastered the things from the list above.  Anything is possible... that I've already proved to myself!