(Mar 7, 8:30pm) – This week has flown by… like literally flown. All of a sudden it’s Thursday night and I am having trouble on remembering how we got here. I’m sitting here in relative comfort compared to last week, but still I know the monster (pain) is still lurking around. My phone has just started going crazy with talk of 19.3 and what it holds.There is lots of talk about not doing this one RX or that it will be really hard. I still haven’t seen the actual movements yet, but this talk is not filling me with hope. I’ve already scaled 19.2 and it seems like that the trend will continue. No matter, I know that I won’t be going to the Games. I easily came to terms with that a long time ago, but it’s still fun to play and I really want to be able to keep going.
Mar 9, 9:30am) – I’m here. 30 minutes before the first heat to start warming up. I know what I’m facing now and I have to wonder what @thedavecastro has against me personally. Walking OH Lunges (or Front Rack Scaled which I will be doing), Weighted Box Step Ups, Strict HSPU and Handstand Walks. Well it seems that Muscle Ups will have to wait for another week, but every workout has been heavily focused on knees. I won’t kid myself, I’m not getting to the HS Walk and would be fortunate indeed to get a chance at the HSPU. Even 2 minutes to go time, I still wasn’t sure what I was going to do. RX or Scaled? My shoulders are still cold. Needed to spend more time getting them ready. The 50lb Dumbbell is going up easily on the right, not so easily on the left. Can I do the Lunges with it overhead? I want too. Do I? No, the smart call is to go scaled. There is no sense ruining my good shoulder by over taxing it.
Fred was gracious enough to be my judge again and as the clock chimed we set off. Slowly. When you have a know limitation (in this case my knees), you need to be smart and today I was. Be solid with each rep. Take your time. If I only get through the lunges, that’s ok too. I’m flashing back to 16.1 and the Lunges there. I did them, but I certainly should have thought twice about it. I will not finish quickly, but I will finish what I can. This paints a grim picture, but honestly it was ok. The @CrossFitCanuck family was cheering as a community and we were all doing work. I got to the Box Step Ups and starting moving. Alternating legs will be a challenge as I normally favour my healthier leg. In the end I take a bit of a run at the Box to generate momentum and reduce the stress. TIME! I cap out before I have a chance at the wall and the HSPU. I’m content. A little time sitting on the turf to gather myself. I’m certainly not gassed like the other to Open WODs, but I feel oddly happy about this one.
G avec brewski… Baz no beer…
(Mar 9, 2:30pm) – Maybe today didn’t go as well as I thought initially. I’m walking up Yonge St. and I’m not sure if I’m feeling well. My legs are heavy and I just don’t feel right. Get home. Rest. Take @RoRoFromMexico to the park. Still not right. I have an Epsoms Salt bath to try and relax my muscles and that seems to do the trick. My legs are sore and I’m starving, but at least I don’t feel ‘disconnected’ from my body like I did for most of the afternoon.
(Mar 10, 8:20am) – Coffee in hand and puppy in my lap I sit here recapping the day. I have a little bit of, not guilt, but remorse in the back of my mind. I know deep down that I could have pushed harder and gotten a chance to kick up to the wall. It’s silly. Truth is I did what needed to be done and protected my body. It’s interesting because there are lots of people who are getting knicked up (football term for an injury) and they are not continuing the Open. Their decisions make me feel fantastic because while every person and injury is different people realize that there is no reason to sacrifice their future quality of life for one more rep. Unless CrossFit is your Job, living a healthy life is more important than the Open. It got me thinking too. I do love the Open, the community spirit that it drives and the small fire of competition that it sparks, but I feel like this might be my last. I will still do the workouts (I might even get wild and have them judged), scream my face off to encourage others, but I see my Open ‘career’ sailing off into the sunset.
That’s a big thought for a Sunday morning. There are two weeks left. Two more times we will dive into the unknown and the unknowable (@CrossFit mantra) and we will finish the Open. We will all work as hard as we can, because that’s what Canuck’s (and CrossFitters in general) do. I will then tip my cap and say goodbye to the Open.
Beez
