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Posted by Andy Petranek :
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2010
Why do you train? There is a very good chance that if you're reading this, you are NOT going to be competing in the CrossFit Games (considering that a measly 0.8% of the athletes that competed in sectionals actually made it to the games). So, if you're not going to the Games, then really, why bother putting in all the effort? I mean CrossFit is H-A-R-D... ridiculously hard. And if you're not competing at an elite level, then what's the point?
For me, the point is to see what I'm made of. A long time ago, I fell in love with the idea of trying to figure that out... it started with the Marine Corps - when they constantly asked the question, and I started learning to love the process of training to see how much more I was capable of (since there didn't seem to be a limit at the time). This continued later into my sport adventures - from class V whitewater kayaking, mountaineering, mountain biking, and outrigger paddling, right into adventure racing. And when I learned about CrossFit, it wasn't such a far stretch for me, though it did represent a way for me to pursue this quest on a daily basis.
Here's the thing... I definitely don't love training. I can just as easily sit around, watch movies, surf the net and watch TV for weeks at a time, as I can go to the gym. So the way I look at it, is that every time I work out, I "get the opportunity" to see just what I'm capable of doing. Strange perspective, huh? "Get the opportunity"... to put myself through agonizing hell, torture, pain, discomfort. "Get the opportunity"... to suffer, sweat, bleed, puke, agonize. "Get the opportunity"... to persevere, find a way, to show up in spite of the fear, to dig deeper than I thought I was capable, to finish, to really see what I'm made of! I also get the opportunity to to work out with my friends, to compare my fitness/strength/work capacity with others, to support other people in our community.
That's my perspective that allows me to keep coming back and loving the process. What's yours?
Nick & John gettin' after it during yesterday's WOD
Today's Workout
Clean & Jerk 5-3-1-1-1-1-1
