Its been one year since joining my local Crossfit "box" and the "gains" have been immeasurable.
I joined at the beginning of the year for the soul purpose of cross training for the El Camino De Santiago 6 months away and to cross train for my dream of competing and finishing a Half Ironman before my 35th birthday. Almost immediately I experienced unexpected set backs as well as life changing results. For months I was only able to go once per week due to soreness and that one day per week was unable to finish the "WOD" without experiencing severe nausea and fatigue. A few times the nausea became unbearable and had to step away for a "sneaky puke" to finish the WOD. This opened my eyes to how truly unfit my thirty something self was. Slowly I learned what and when to eat before working out and found a pre and post workout that my stomach could handle. The recovery tactics of high school sports and 1/2 marathon training were no longer cutting it. Around this same time work and life stress were at an all time high so the distraction was much needed for sanity. One day a few months in I realized something.... I was no longer experiencing chronic pain in my head, neck and shoulders. That I had learned to live with over the past ten years. The stretching, functional mobility movements and upper body workouts cured my pain. Once again my eyes were opened to the effects my lifestyle was having on my body and overall health. Stress of working over sixty hours per week at two stressful demanding jobs was taking its toll. This guided me in the decision to quit my second job and work less hours at my primary job. During the month off to hike The El Camino in Spain, I had the option to cancel my membership. However deciding to keep it active to ensure I would return to the box and continue the work started. While hiking The Camino I experienced injuries of my legs further stressing the importance of a healthy pain free body. After about the 8 month mark I started having severe lower back pain rendering me unable to finish the WOD on several occasions. Being a nurse, and having an awesome coach. I learned the pain was due to tight muscles, poor core control and strength. Those pesky pounds around the mid section acquired eating my way through Europe weren't helping. For the first time I was faced with the age old dilemma of needing to lose weight to workout but needing to workout to lose weight. I now officially had crossfit homework, Stretch, stretch stretch!!! Stretching and core exercises are working and my back tightness is almost never a problem anymore. Around the nine month mark I am finally able to go twice per week and crush the workouts. I have never slept so good in my life, I am no longer relentlessly craving carbs and my "functional anxiety" is gone. Still no budge in the scale, but am extremely pleased with the results. At the eleven month mark I start looking forward to the WOD's even checking them online the night before. My mindset is no longer cross training but embracing the actual sport of Crossfit. At the twelve month mark I decide to increase my membership to unlimited and register as an athlete in The Crossfit Open three months away. I even postpone a trip to Eastern Europe planned at the same time and use the planned time off from work to focus on competing. My one year stats: Number of pull-ups = zero, number of 20 inch box jumps = zero, Number of handstand pushups = zero...... Pounds lost = zero. Last time I had the cleanest house and best manacured dogs on the block = 12 months.
