Got Regrets?

This weekend was a blast.  All of it; the competing, the soreness, even the standing in the rain.  I got to meet some great people who absolutely killed themselves for those five spots.  Many of the best shows, however, were people who had no chance of qualifying but were there for fun and to prove to themselves that they belonged.  I, absolutely, became one of the latter.  It became apparent one minute into my first workout that maybe I should have done at least a little bit more metabolic conditioning.  The thrusters went up with ease (I use that word loosely) but the burpees crushed me.  I haven’t been that close to Pukie in a long time.

With tender legs, I went into the 2k Row thinking that I had a shot.  And I think I held my own, for at least the first thousand meters.  I died, almost literally.  It took me five minutes and the help of Charmel from CFSBK to get back up again.  I would have loved to have competed on Sunday, but being mathematically eliminated made my decision to watch Carlee kick some serious ass in her marathon ridiculously easy. 

As I drove off into the sunset with my two Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese, large chocolate milkshake and diet coke (I hope I’m not the only person to see the irony) I came to realize that maybe my training didn’t prepare me completely for the Crossfit Games Qualifier.  My focus on strength, specifically Olympic lifting, made me susceptible to burpees and other bodyweight exercises.  But I wouldn’t have changed a thing.  Over the course of a year, I have added over 100 pounds to my snatch and about 70 to my clean and jerk.  I’ve put about 10-15 pounds of muscle onto my frame and went from looking like an anorexic swimmer to a lumberjack (albeit the palest lumberjack on the planet). 

I had a great time in Albany.  I made some friends, worked out hard and survived my sketchy hotel.  I’m excited for next year, I just hope that one of the WOD’s is Snatch 1RM.