Happy Anniversary CrossFit

Today marks my one year anniversary of CrossFit. 365 days ago, Chris Hartwell gave me a PVC pipe, and made me squat, and squat, and squat some more. I remember the elements class like it was yesterday. I remember giving Chris a heart attack when I was learning jumping pull-ups, and I jumped, missed the box, and landed square on my chest. I'm not sure who it scared more, me or him, but I was fine, earned my first bruises and scrapes, and moved on.

Lance Cantu was my Level One coach. I still wasn't sure if I liked CrossFit or not, about two weeks into the class. I remember posting on Facebook, "Oh CrossFit, will I ever truly love you?" I didn't get it, but every time I asked Lance if we were doing this workout for time, he would just smile, and tell me, "yes, Karen, for time." I think it took me a month before I figured out that in CrossFit, everything's for time. I remember watching the "real" CrossFitters, in the "real" classes, and thinking, "holy shit, there's no way in hell I'm going to be ready for that class." Lance had to literally kick me out of Level One after my second month, and I was terrified.

After personal training sessions with Lance in the fall of 2009, and with Zach more recently, the I Am Challenge, and now the Spartan 300 Challenge, I can say that I am a CrossFitter. I love this shit. I love my affiliate, CrossFit Central (and holla to SICFIT!!), and I will do this until my body gives out. I love the people I've met, and the coaches and classmates who have pushed me to do just a little bit more, pushed me outside of my comfort zone, and made me stronger than I could ever have imagined. I have finally found "my people." I finally feel like I belong to something bigger. That I belong, period.

365 days ago these words were not even a part of my vocabulary, WOD, paleo, kipping pull-up, muscle up, hand-stand push-up, overhead squat, thruster, and my love, deadlift! 365 days ago I was a different human being. That 40-year old woman wouldn't even begin to recognize the 41-year old staring back at her today. And to CrossFit, I say thank you.

Cuz I'm a girl?

I had the bright idea of trying to include other people in my suffering, and much to my chagrin, it worked. I decided that I need to work on my push-ups, so I can crank them out faster at the final Spartan benchmark WOD on June 26th, so I invited others to join me in this 20-day challenge. The only problem is, is that NOW I HAVE TO DO 50 PUSH-UPS A DAY FOR THE NEXT 20 DAYS!!!! Or else...

I felt good about this idea of mine, until I invited the boys on my Spartan team to join us girls in our quest for push-up greatness. Forgetting, of course, that men (for general intents and purposes) have greater upper body strength than we women do (for the most part). And, they're usually better at push-ups. (Ladies, don't get all excited, I said usually) Well, after they sent me their times for their 50 push-ups, clearly they don't need any help in this department. They sent in times ranging from 1:02 to :49, are you kidding me? Up to this point, I've been hoping to get them done in under 5 minutes! Sub-minute? WTF, How?

So, I made my first attempt at greatness this morning, fresh out of bed, raring to go, OMG 25 push-ups barely, in a minute, and I had already started the "sets of 3 or 4". Boo! So disgusted with my performance that I quit right there, vowing to do them again this afternoon.

...And...they're done. 50 push-ups in 4:42. Major suckage, but there's only one way to go, and that's towards improvement! I can't compare myself to the guys right now, and I won't say it's because I'm a girl. I'm just not there yet. Talk to me in 20 days.