March 1st was the beginning of month eight for me at Guns Out CrossFit (GOCF). From where I started until now, I cannot believe how quickly time has flown by, and even more so, I cannot believe how the transition from box to box has been so wonderfully fluid. This year I celebrate completing three years of CrossFit. Thanks to Coach Charles, I am heading into year four with gusto.
It was a stressful decision but I got sucked into the CrossFit Games 2016, thanks to the continuous “support the box” mantra from my Florida teammates. The first workout I had to scale beyond the scaled. I rolled my eyes, a lot! But I managed to get through all five WoDs, scaling the scaled. All I could do was what I could do. Unfortunately, I had to do the third or fourth WoD on a Monday, forgetting to put in the Monday results immediately following the workout. It did not count. It was so disheartening. Still I completed the next WoD, immediately putting my score in afterwards.
This year I have been fortunate enough to be scheduled to do the 17.x WoDs with my Coach Charles on Saturdays about 11ish, which is a perfect time for me. (I am remembering to put my results in IMMEDIATELY after the WoD this year!) What I am really enjoying is the camaraderie with some of the best athletes in the box, including my Coach.
What I learned about taking part in the 2016 Games at 26.2 CrossFit is the importance of supporting the Box by signing up. By being an individual athlete I still felt part of the team, even though I was pretty wonky as an athlete.
What I have learned so far in the 2017 Games with my GOCF Bama teammates is the joy in competing compared to how I did last year and, if my body and my mind hold up, is to give the WoD a second go to better my performance. (I learned that from my teammate, Susan Thomas – who placed 144 in the world during the 2016 games. Not that I plan on doing it this year.)
And then there is Coach Charles. We spent a little time chatting after everyone left today and he told me that I should do 17.2 again on Monday. (Not rolling my eyes.) He said it so with that charming smile. I could almost hear the ting of the flash of that smile as it blinded me in to agreeing with him. Then before I panicked, I remembered: Trust Your Coach!
So for anyone reading who is nervous about joining in on competitions, especially the CrossFit Games, just do it. Get in the game. It does not matter your skill level. It only matters that you find the courage to do. It makes a difference in you!
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