Why I'm Doing the CrossFit Open, Part 3 – Andrea

REMINDER!: The second fit session for the Roots cycling kits is today from 11:15am-12:15pm.  Details here.

4 rounds with 1min Rest between:
4min AMRAP,
10 Power Snatch (95/65)
15 Wallball (20/14)

Why I’m Doing the CrossFit Open, Part 3 – Andrea

The 2014 CrossFit Open is just 17 days away and so far, 76 of you have committed to this five-week celebration of health, fitness, community, and CrossFit.

This season we bring to you a series titled, “Why I’m Doing the CrossFit Open.”  Caitlin and Bones have already shared their reasons why.  Next up, Andrea!

I’m doing the Open because I know that it will make me stronger — physically and mentally.
 
Like most people, I encounter situations or demands that scare me. Sometimes I approach these situations with strength and bravery, and other times I shy away from the opportunity to surprise myself, and I avoid the situation for fear of failure. This happens in my career, in my relationships, and in my fitness. 
 
Almost every workout gives me anxiety. In the moments leading up to the start of the clock, my heart begins to race, and I get what I refer to as the “nervous pees” where I have to pee, but I don’t have to pee, but I go anyway, because what if I have to pee? Sometimes, I come into the gym in a strong mental state and the threat of failure doesn’t inform my decisions. I still have the anxiety, but I’m more equipped to ignore the negative thoughts that might crop up. Other days, I’m not so strong and I scale the workout because I’m afraid. I get through the workout, and usually, I still feel good, but I can tell when I’ve cheated myself out of pushing my boundaries.
 
I’m doing the Open because it doesn’t give me the choice. I am committing to myself that I’m going to show up and perform the prescribed workout, to the best of my abilities. If I fail, I fail. However, the more likely situation is that I don’t ever feel like I failed because I tried something that I wouldn’t try if it were up to me.

The best part is my accomplishments during the Open translate into higher expectations for myself and in the end, better performance.

1 Response
  1. Nicole S

    What a motivating and inspiring post, not just for the Open but for life in general. Thank you for sharing, Andrea.