Written by Coach Jen
As someone who never played sports growing up or been on a winning team, this competition was a new and exciting experience for me. It was the first time I participated on a team and also won first place! I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on the competition and wanted to share my thoughts with my fellow CrossFit members.
- Standing on the podium with the other Industrial Athletics team felt good.
No we did not do the best on every WOD, but we did the best we could. To win the final scaled WOD and then watch the RX team win their final was overwhelming and I could not have been more proud of our teams.
I love hearing people come up to me and saying ‘Jen I got my first double under’ or when I see someone achieve their first pullup. The pride on the athletes face is priceless. Whether it’s crushing a workout, Pr’ing a lift or maybe it’s just running a mile without stopping, on any particular day, we should be proud of what we have accomplished. So although most CrossFitters will never see the podium at the CrossFit games, every day inside our own box we should feel like winners and superstars.
- Wanting to do better will always plague me.
Finishing first place is a highlight of my CrossFit career. It is such a positive result illustrating how far I have come since starting 3 years ago.
However, despite this HUGE positive image right in front of my face, I still find myself engaging in negative self-talk thinking, “I could have done one more rep” or “If only I had not screwed up that wallball.” I think everyone does this during or after a WOD and we have to learn to control that voice. There’s always that voice that says ‘maybe I could have done better’ and that voice should be used to push us every day and in every WOD. However, it should not overpower the recognition of the great things we do every day and the progress we all make. It is a goal of mine now to concentrate first on the positive after every WOD and then let the voice in a little just to motivate me to the next level.
- Competing alongside but against friends is both good and bad.
As a coach, it is rewarding to see athletes improve time and time again. I know that athletes look to me for strategy and coaching tips. Their enthusiasm and progress are key tools in challenging myself to work harder and push faster.
We walk into the box on any given day and ask each other how the workout was or what was the worst part. We see everyone laying on the floor and think ‘oh no what am I getting myself into.’ We look to see who has been there that day and what the scores were. Most of us have that one person we look to beat, or try to stack up against. Friendly competition can be one of the best driving factors in our success and development. At the same time though, it can also break us down and make us think we are not good enough. I think it is important for us all to remember we all have our own strengths and weaknesses, our good days and bad. I think it should be more about looking up to that person who ends up beating us in a workout and less about not feeling good enough. Maybe we should be looking to that person for advice and tips instead of just trying to always beat them.
- The community and the crowd is what drove me to push harder.
Having the largest box representation and hearing people cheer us on is both amazing and a huge motivator to continue to push through a workout. Our community is the best. Seeing so many Industrial Athletics members compete and do so well makes me proud to be not only a member but also a coach.
Our community has given me so much over the last three years. It’s pushed me to do things I never thought were possible. Our members believe in our community and believe in each other. I think it’s the reason so many people come back. Even if you are new, walking into Industrial Athletics makes you feel like you belong. So come to community events, be involved, get to know these amazing people.
- The programing works.
What we do inside the box on a daily basis pays off. You have to show up and put in the work but in the end we are all getting stronger, faster, better. Trust the System!
Nicely said!