I have been to competing my ENTIRE life - just ask my sister, I use to elbow her out of the way to "win" the "race" up the stairs to our bedroom. I played volleyball - I've done triathlons - this wasn't my first "big" CrossFit competition - but I can't remember ever feeling the nerves and nausea I had on Day 1 of last weekend's South Central Regional event!
Why? Why was I so incredibly nervous?
Simply put ....
POTENTIAL & CONTROL
The anticipation of "what" I believed this team could do was almost too much to handle. Five of our six team members were 2013 Regional Athletes (4 individual and 1 team). Our "testing" scores said we were set to win (aka practicing the wods). We had a consistent dedicated, hands on coach for the entirety of the year. It seemed as though all we had to do was do the work and we would earn a coveted spot in Carson! The potential for greatness was no question but the expression of this greatness was yet to take place!
Also, the "team" dynamic of CrossFit was somewhat nerve racking for me - I know this will NOT come as a surprise to those of you who know me...but I am a CONTROL FREAK! While I "trusted" my team - you can only control yourself on any level. The anticipation of watching - waiting - BELIEVING that my teammates would perform the way I knew they could - the way I'd seen them do a million times - was more challenging than I expected.
At the end of Day 1 and three WODS - Team CrossFit Central (...downtown black....) had 3 - yes three 1st Place finishes! Ironically - I was the one who missed and swung from the rings like a monkey in WOD 1 - I missed my 2nd snatch attempt and I walked the shortest distance on my hands (although it was a PR!).
I rested my head that night with nerves settles - satisfaction in a great start - and more confidence in our team and the potential than ever.
Saturday was a blur - the workouts this year for team were less than 1 hour apart - which was AWESOME and left little time for anything other than action. I asked Ingrid today if she had a recap for the weekend and she said "Friday was awesome, Saturday - uhhhh, then Sunday was awesome".....or something close to that - we all know "quotes" in journalism can be used loosely :)
Saturday was the day of BRUSH IT OFF and FOCUS ON YOUR LANE!
The first workout of the morning was not our strongest - while we executed the plan to a tee - and our times were close to our goals - the team finished the sense of disappointment/doubt - Was Friday a fluke? Can we put our Game Face on and win the 2nd WOD for Saturday and stay on top for the weekend?
The feeling of disappointment left as quickly as it came - Like true champions, the team got 2nd place in the second workout of the day. This was probably my favorite workout of the weekend - we anticipated a come from behind finish on this one and that is exactly what we did! How? Well, Ingrid's power walk spiced up the comeback :) but seriously it was because we each chose to stay focused on the task at hand - aka Focus On Our Lane - don't look at the other teams - they are not us - we are not them - do what we know we can! And We Did!
We rounded out Day 2 in 1st Place overall with a 14 point lead! Our potential was being expressed!
DAY 3:
Time to CELEBRATE! It was nice to go to bed Saturday with a fluffy pillow of a 14 point lead but the team stayed focused on the task at hand - Win the Weekend not just the workout! Over the weekend, the announcers mentioned we were not that "impressive" or "show stoppers" - we were winning because we were simply consistent. I heard (as I've heard before...) that we didn't look like it was "hard" or that we were "fighting" for it. That is not to say that we didn't want it or we weren't doing our best - it is to say that we looked uncommonly calm, cool, and collected each time we took the floor. I use to get offended by this but I know that the "struggle" isn't on the floor for me - or for our team! The struggle and the fight happened over the last few months of training - during our practices and planning - during the lead up to the event. This was our "final show" and our "rehearsal" is where we left the struggle!
That said we wanted to go out with a BANG and that's exactly what we did! Anyone who saw the final pull up and overhead squat workout would agree that Team CrossFit Central "fought" and left it all on the floor for a 1st place finish - winning the event by over a minute! It was finally time to celebrate!
Top 3 factors for the team's Regional success:
- Having a coach and a plan
- Opening each day with team prayer
- Basics: nutrition, supplementation, hydration, rest and recovery ie: Ice bath, Trigger Point
What will I focus on along the "road to the Games"?:
- Staying injury free - train smarter not harder
- Mental game - vision boards, mirror scribbles
- Basics: nutrition, supplementation, hydration, rest and recovery
Thanks again to our sponsors! Trigger Point Performance Therapy, Just Go Girl, Vista Ridge Family Dental, WODLIFE, and Paleo Wagon
No comments:
Post a Comment