Perception

“The way I define happiness is being the creator of your experience, choosing to take pleasure in what you have, right now, regardless of the circumstances, while being the best you that you can be.” ― Leo Babauta

Usually Wednesday is a rest day, but felt a strong pull to hit the WOD today, and so glad, as always, that I did. Can’t remember the last time I hit a WOD and was not really glad that I did. Regardless of mood or temperament prior.

Excellent post by Dean today, about one of my most favorite components of Crossfit: the You vs. You element. The only thing I’m competing against in here, is myself. Albeit alongside a group of likeminded folks, all here to sweat, or zone out, or relieve stress, or practice, but mostly, to get better, always to get better. There is no finish line.

Even so, in the midst of this epic journey, I still occasionally catch myself looking around the triple wide and noticing the weight of my neighbor’s bumpers, or how far along into the round they might be. This can be good, in that it can serve to push me harder, past a comfort zone. Or give me the necessary courage next time to reach for that heavier weight. But, take it past the healthy component, and comparing yourself to others is a dangerous game. That you will never win. Have you ever thought about how many times a day you do this to yourself? I never really have. Their shoes are nicer than mine, their car is cleaner, their stomach flatter, their significant other more caring. Whatever you perceive yourself to be lacking, chances are there is someone, in pretty close proximity to you, who has more strength, more charisma, the perceived better deal in life than you. Perceived, being the key word here. Because things are rarely, if ever, as they seem. So, it’s time to get over it.

It is much more productive to be thankful. I’m grateful for Oliver, and my functioning body, and my extra large family, and my beloved friends both near and far, and green apples, and whole pineapples, and really good coffee, and CF, and warm flannel sheets right out of the dryer, and love, I’m so grateful for love.

Warmup: Row 600 meters.

Practice Pistols for 15 Minutes. Note: learned some really cool things about mobility stretching today. The band stretch for pistols actually loosened up my squat, and gave it better form for the WOD. Very cool indeed.

WOD:

I. Strict Chin-ups

5 Sets Max Reps

Rest 2 Minutes Between Sets

Completed: Chinups with the green band. 10 reps, 10 reps, then 8, then 9, then 9.

II. AMRAP in 15 Minutes of:

15 Wallballs (20/14)

10 AbMat Situps

5 Pushups with Hand-Release

Completed: 8 rounds plus 2 Wall Balls. Eeegads, that’s 122 Wall Balls @ 14lbs. (Awesome.) 80 sit-ups. Knee hand release pushups (40 total). Rock on.

III. Stretching and Flexibility:

3 Minutes Each Leg in “Couch Stretch”

It is time to get better at cataloguing data. While I record the weights and reps and WODs in the log book, it has yet to be categorized for quick reference. This needs to be done ASAP. So the next time Fran appears, I can quickly look back in my CF journal and know exactly how and what I hit, and aim to do better.