The Open Growth

This year is the third year that I've participated in the Crossfit Open. I'm not anywhere near a Regional or Games qualifier; I do it for fun. I like to challenge myself with the workouts and participate in the community event. Also, when there are repeat workouts, it's fun to see how much I have improved over the last year. 

17.4 was 16.4, and I improved significantly from doing 178 reps on the scaled workout to 207. 

And it's a good thing that worked out the way it did, because if I just look at my worldwide rankings then I get depressed. One is supposed to improve every year, but my rank keeps sliding because fitter people keep joining in the Open. At least, that's my theory, because I am improving. After all, last year at this time, I couldn't do a strict pull up. 

But the biggest thing that happened in the Open for me this year was 17.5. 

10 rounds of 9 thrusters and 35 double unders, 95# for men, 65# for women. 

Of course, that's the Rx (as prescribed) version. And I have always done scaled, which was the same rep scheme with lighter weights (65# for men, 45# for women) and single unders instead of doubles. 

There was a part of me that thought, maybe, just maybe, I could do it Rx this time. I can do thrusters at 85 pounds - though not many of them. And I can do double unders - just not with great consistency. 

On Friday morning, I went ahead and did the scaled version as a test. And I passed with flying colors, going unbroken on all my thrusters and finishing in just over 10 minutes. That's when I knew I had to make a go at the Rx - after all, with a 40 minute time cap, there's no way I couldn't finish. 

And even if I didn't finish, there's no penalty. No one's going to come to my house and beat me up because I couldn't finish under the time cap. The important thing was to try. 

So on Saturday, I tried. I went in with a game plan - split the thrusters 3-2-2-2 and split the double unders 10-10-10-5. Keep breathing. 

By the time I was halfway through, my body felt like it was made of lead. I was dripping sweat and breathing like a bellows. I wanted nothing more than to collapse and forget I'd ever had this crazy idea. But somehow my muscles kept working. I was able to drive that weight overhead, again and again. I tripped up on a few doubles, but kept going, kept getting sets close to my 10s. 

I was the last to finish in my heat. The whole gym was cheering for me by the end. At the last round, I pushed hard and went 3-3-3 on the thrusters and tried to go unbroken on the doubles. I made it to 29 before tripping myself up, but it still felt epic. 

My time on that is not at all competitive at just under 27 minutes. But I did it Rx. And I took that chance because of the generous 40 minute time cap. Even a 30 minute time cap might have deterred me from going for it. I think they wanted people like me, on the edge of being able to push just a little harder, to make that try and see how much they (I) could do. 

I really hope we repeat that one next year, because if we repeat any of the others, I'd have to do scaled to compare myself and I'll probably be going Rx.