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Fore!
In front of a clock set for 12 minutes:
4 minutes of clean and jerks (135/95)
4 minutes of rowing (cal)
4 minutes of burpees

Chris and Laura at the Valentine's Day Couples Workout. — Chris and Laura at the Valentine’s Day Couples Workout.

Why I’m Doing the CrossFit Open, Part 4 – Laura

Oops! I accidentally forgot to post Part 4!

Laura has been a staple at Roots for a few years now. She’s a killer athlete, badass Mom, a principle, funny, works her butt off – and she’s doing the Open!

When I told my husband that Nicole had asked me to write a short post about why I’m doing to Open he looked at me and without a blink of an eye said, “That’s a short post- all you have to say is that you’re obsessed with CrossFit so you have to do the Open!” I looked at him, scrunched up my nose, tried to think of a quick comeback, and realized that while I am moderately obsessed with CrossFit his statement was only partly true.

I do the Open for many of the same reasons I do CrossFit pretty much every day of the week, and many of the same reasons I’ve done every sport I’ve competed in my entire life. I thrive off of the camaraderie, the challenge, the measurable growth, the feeling of exhausting satisfaction when I finish a really hard workout but mostly because I cannot bear to simply be ‘on the sidelines.’

When I see people participating and competing I have a deep desire to be a part of that experience as well. I’d be lying if I said I don’t have a need to prove I’m just as capable – this is especially true now that I’m ‘old’.’ But a big part of the joy for me is to cheer others on and be part of their success as well. The joy I derived from team sports as a much younger athlete is ultimately the same joy I derive from participating in the Open today.

You never know what you’re truly capable of unless you try and as I’ve prepared for the Open this year I’ve surprised myself numerous times at what I’ able to do. Getting off the sidelines can be unnerving, but the risk of trying is always better than regretting you never tried at all. Plus, when I get to share in my Roots teammates successes it’s a pretty cool experience too.