Upside Down! Conquering my fear!

Fear can be a good thing. It's an instinct that prevents us from doing stupid things BUT fear is not always rational. While my fears often protects me from the pain of a crushed ego, they also keeps me from the exhilaration of victory and success.

When I was younger, I QUIT gymnastics twice because I couldn't do a cartwheel. Twenty some years later, I am yet to master the cartwheel and continue to harbor a fear of going upside down - Cartwheels, diving off a diving board, handstands, flips of any kind....
My fear IS silly - it IS not rational - it IS a MAJOR obstacle on my road to the 2010 CrossFit Games.

The dreaded HSPU (handstand push-up) has been something I've avoided for months. Frustrated by my earlier attempts I swore them off! I protected my ego but didn't do much to reach my goal.
Last Monday I asked Megan to hold me accountable for attempting the HSPU as part of my warm up. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - I struggled to kick myself on the wall - let's not even talk about actually attempting the push-up part - I was glad to just turn myself upside down.

I saw Friday's WOD included HSPU and figured there was no time like the present to conquer my fear! I completed 13 rounds in 20 min - 2 HSPU unassisted and successfully finished the workout without giving a second thought to flipping upside down on the wall!
My fear WAS silly - It WAS not rational - It WAS a major obstacle on the road to the 2010 CrossFit Games.

I have the strength - I have the determination - and now I have faced my fear. It's amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it!

What are you going to conquer in the upcoming year?

Week of Weaknesses!

These photos are me doing things I "can't" do....sometimes I need to see them as a reminder :)

Coming out of a month of Holiday workouts (you all know they aren't the same...) and vacation "do what you can" workouts I was psyched to get back to the gym!

The break really made me aware of the difference between working out and training.

I am back to training and I love it. My first week back, I spent focusing on my weaknesses. The only way to breakthrough - to get to the next level - is to work on what you're not good at - work on what scares you - work on what you'd never choose to do!

• Wednesday I met with Coach JDP and we spent 1 hour upside down - more or less.
• Thursday Lindsey and Carey and I did 30 minutes of rope climbs b/c who would do that on her own??
• Saturday we did 2MU, 4HSPU, 10Power Snatch, 1 Butcher - 5 rounds b/c gymnastics scare me and power snatch isn't Carey's best friend.
• Sunday Jen C. and I threw 400m repeats in our track workout b/c we wanted to only do 200's

We literally had a Rolodex of WODs and chose the ones we wanted to do - then threw them out and worked on the 'suck' - That's how you get better!

ATTN I AM CROSSFIT FOLKS:
Many of you are taking on the I AM CROSSFIT challenge and are handed a handful of WODS to choose from each week.
How do you choose which workout to do? Do you have a coach to help you pick?
Here are my suggestions:

• Find the WOD that looks like the 'worst' one - DO IT
• Find the WOD that has a skill that you know you need to practice - DO IT
• Find the WOD that scares you or that makes you say "I'll never do that" - DO IT

So which I AM CROSSFIT WOD will you choose this week?