A long-time, good friend(Kalyn) told us about CrossFit and challenged us to try it. At the time, we honestly had never heard of crossfit and had no idea what is was, but we loved the idea of having a way to exercise together, as a couple. We were in the 2nd On-Ramp class and have never looked back!
My first impression was, WOW!! I will never be able to do this! It was truly “THE HARDEST PHYSICAL WORK” I had ever done. I had trained for a marathon when I was 40, and i just “thought” that was hard! Fast forward 1 year and 4 months, (Yes, I am counting!). I am no longer scared of any WOD and I no longer get a stomach ache because of what I “can’t do.” I simply tackle it the best way I know I can and try to do my best. I have learned to compete only against myself and the clock, not other athletes! At 52, I say “its’ absolutely OK to scale when I need to! I am consistently here, working hard and getting a great workout!” I love it and I look forward to it!
I am currently working on my personal goals Eric and Shannon asked us to set. One of mine seems simple to most, but has been consistently difficult for me. BOX JUMPS! I set a goal for myself that I can no longer “step up” on the box, but “must jump EVERY time” even if I am dead last to finish! This week, I got the opportunity to try it out in a WOD. I did it! Huffing and puffing the entire way…..but I did it!! Now to continue!
My greatest achievement: Well, one is certainly having the commitment to be here 3 days a week with the Rooster Crew at 5:30AM! Rain, snow or shine! And I guess the other major achievement would be climbing the rope! Many times during that day, I was about to let go and slide down, but it was because of the awesome comraderie, cheering and encouragement of my CF friends, that I pressed on and reached the top! The encouragement from the BOX is the best! It has helped build my self-confidence in an athletic arena, that I never thought would be possible for me!
My favorite crossfit memory would probably be my greatest achievement stated above! That memory/accomplishment was more about my ability to keep going (even though I felt my arms were going to fall off)because of the friends cheering me on! They believed in me, when I didn’t believe in myself!
Just a thought:
Crossfit knows no age barriers, ability levels, body size or shape, weaknesses, flexibility or lack of, or otherwise. It is accepting of all and encouraging to all! It’s about growing personally, but also being able to watch someone beside you grow. If you look closely, you will see egos fall and confidence rise. It’s about lifting each other up, and in that, we are lifted up as well! We have amazing coaches who are dedicated to us 100%. They push us, encourage us, teach us and help us all strive to be the best individuals we can be. I am so grateful for that!
