Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

Warmup: DROM for gymnastics skills

Skill:  3x thru-

3 wall walks

15 GHD situps

10 Dead hang Pullups

WOD:  10! Goblet Squats & Sandbag Burpees

Recap of WodFest 2012

Everyone has been so gracious in their support and enthusiasm regarding my competing in WodFest this past weekend that I thought I'd take the time to give you a recap of the event, as well as all the things I took away from it.

For those of you that weren't following, the event was a day long CrossFit competition held at Gas Works Park in Seattle, that included teams and individual competitors.  I competed in the Women's Open Division, which is the first time I've competed outside of a partner/team setting.  I did so simply to step outside of my comfort zone and see just how I stack up compared to other individual women from this region.  One of the downsides to owning a CrossFit gym is that your own training takes second seat to training your athletes and you often times do not workout amongst fellow athletes, but rather on your own.  Although I get great satisfaction in seeing each one of you reach new goals, as an athlete myself, I need to have something to "push" me to the next level and keep me striving for more.  As part of this "primal journey" I've been on, I committed to stepping outside the box and compete in a very unfamiliar arena.

Before I go much further, I need to explain that this competition included some of the strongest CrossFit athletes in this region.  I went into the day setting a goal of finishing in the top 20 and I finished 23rd.  But more importantly than where I finished was the experiences I had in one short afternoon.  I had some of my lowest moments (finishing last in my heat in the sandbag run) and some proud moments that reassured me of my training and why I do what I do!  Here are just a few things I took away...

The first WOD was a rep scheme of 14-12-10 axle deadlifts at 165# and burpees over a 4ft. wall.  This was the WOD that I was most reluctant about because the weight isn't necessarily heavy, but combined with those burpees I was sure it would be brutal.  I had practiced and figured on an average of 2 mintures per rep sequence so I should finish in approx. 6 mins.  Well...at the 7 min. cut off I was 2 reps shy of finishing!  Huge defeat...physically but also mentally!  I have been sick for the past week and about 5 burpees into this WOD I felt like I was doing the first workout back in the gym after being out sick for a week (you all know exactly how that feels!)  

The second WOD was 3 mins. to find a 1RM Thruster.  I had practiced this in the gym last week so had a firm game plan and knew exactly what I was capable of.  I missed the weight I had done last Thursday (with ease no less!) and felt as if I just wanted the day to be over.

The third WOD was a sandbag run up a very severe incline and for those of you that know me...you know how I just LOVE to run!  Ha...this wasn't going to end well.  I finsihed last in my heat (not last place overall, don't worry!).  It was this experience that made the biggest impression on me.  Thinking back over every sport, etc. in my life, I have NEVER experienced the feeling of coming in dead last!  As hard as that was, it is actually the most important part of what I took away from this event.  A definite first, but I survived and will do whatever it takes to never let that happen again;-)

The good news is I kicked some booty in WOD 4!!!  I had a two hour break so I could fuel up, take some Tylenol and get my runny nose and chills under control before my final workout.  I pushed myself in a way that felt so good and was only 1 of 3 gals to finish under the time cap in my heat.  I placed 13th in this event and walked away knowing I gave everything I had to give!

When it was all said and done I can say I persevered through feeling under the weather and gave everything I had to give, I stepped outside my comfort zone and competed against some seriously awesome athletes, I experienced defeat in a way I have never before and I showed my daughter what it means to go out there and face the unknown and hold your head high in the end!

Hopefully, as your Coach, I showed you that you always need to challenge yourselves in new ways, you need to get outside of your comfort zone if you want to reach new levels and if you give 100% effort you will always be fulfilled!

~Evie

*Pictures from the day have been added to an album under Photos