"Ruth's Happy 50th WOD"
For Time:
50 Laps 5 Yard Shuttle Run (each line counts as one, touch lines with a hand)
50 Calorie Row
Rest :50 Seconds
50 Air Squats
50 Pull Ups
Rest :50 Seconds
50 Burpees
50 Double Unders
Just
over a year ago, Chris Lene strongly encouraged me to give CrossFit a
try. He had been talking about it during my workouts and even included
a “WOD” every now and then during training. I must admit it all seemed
rather odd to me and my workout partner Joan. Quite frankly we felt a
little more than strong encouragement from Chris to give it a try. We
felt like we were getting kicked out of our comfortable gym nest! I
made my way over to CrossFit feeling sheepish, scared, nervous and
uncomfortable. I remember telling some friends that it was a little
too “meat heady” for me and that I didn’t like all of the weight
lifting. Justin and Travis were more than encouraging and patient as I
attempted to translate the strange language of CrossFit into something
that made sense to me.
As
I look back over the past year, I realize that not only did I finally
begin to understand Olympic weightlifting, I began to understand just
how strong and capable I am as woman and an athlete. I have never used
the word “athlete” before and maybe that is still a stretch, but I do
feel powerful and capable and accomplished when I think of where I came
from and where I am today. I was always a cardio junkie at the gym and
thought cardio was the only way to get and stay in shape. I would
throw in a couple of arm curls every now and then for good measure and
call it a day. Now when I drive by other gyms and see people on the
elliptical or stationary bike I wonder how I ever put up with the
tedium for so long!
I
check the CFES website first thing in the morning whether I am working
out or not. I look forward to seeing what kinds of creative torture
Justin and Travis have come up with each day. I do still feel a little
scared, depending upon the workout, but I know that it will be over
soon and I will feel accomplished and proud that I completed it. Some
days I am stronger and faster than others and that is OK. CrossFit is
my THING! It is the one thing I do on a consistent basis just
for me. Someone was asking me the other day what I do just for myself
and when I told them it was my workouts at CFES, clearly, they just
didn’t understand. That too is OK!
So
thank you Chris, for kicking me out of my comfy nest! Thank you Justin
and Travis for your outstanding guidance, teaching and coaching of
CrossFit. Thank you for your patience and for pushing me harder than I
ever thought possible. Thank you for getting me to age 50 feeling like Super Woman!
-Ruth McLoughlin
