Who (or What) Is Your Competition?

For you Sectional qualifier athletes out there, crossfitters, & competitive personalities in general this one's about us. If you read this then you're most likely a crossfitter so that's the route we're going to take on today's topic of competition.

When you're in the middle of a crushing metcon with 10 other people or 2 for that matter is your performance based on how well those other people are doing? Is there someone slightly ahead of you, motivating you to not lose pace & chase them or is someone just behind you making sure you don't slow up or they'll pass you? When they take a break do you take one too or do you keep moving? Are you competing with them in the wod because you know they're of similar ability & capacity to you & you're always close on wod times?

My question is who or what is your competition during wods? I used to and still do to a certain extent by nature compete with those doing the same wod as me at the same time just because they're in plain sight & working right in front or beside me but I've gotten away from that recently in my development. I really think that as I've continued to grow as an athlete/crossfitter I've found that I've competed with myself (I gotta beat my time from the last attempt at this wod), the clock (c'mon only :45 seconds of work left & we're done or finish this wod sub 20 mins), & most recently I compete with the wod itself (I'm doing this wod unbroken no matter the amount of pain I have to endure).

This concept of competing with the wod may sound abstract to some or right on the money for others but try to understand this concept and it may work for you in your training. If I'm working out next to you doing the exact same wod at the same time I'm not competing against you.I'm not trying to beat you. I'm hopefully so lost that I don't even see you. I'm in my own world, motivating myself, getting accomplished the goals I've set for myself pre wod, giving cues on the movements so that I ensure proper form/technique, fighting off the human tendencies of pain & muscle fatigue & then SILENCE......I'm done...TIME....back to reality. Now I hear you, now I see you, still working & pushing through the pain, fighting for your life to get through the wod. I'll cheer you on and help you get thru it now but when we're working we're not friends & the anger that I attack the wod with is also reserved for all signs of life in my way.

As you train for competition don't focus on who else is going to be there. "O his Fran time is 1 min, he clean & jerk's 450#, she can row a 1:40, 500 meters." SO WHAT?! What does that have to do with you & your performance? You can't control how others do but YOU can control the effort & performance YOU have on each wod. You don't have to beat everyone there at Sectionals to qualify for Regionals (30 mean/women qualify) so don't put that added stress on the situation.

Have fun, try your best, & you'll get what you deserve out of competition, whomever it's with.....

Weekend wods

Sunday

50-40-30-20-10 reps

30" box jumps
11' wall balls (20#)

Time - 14:34

Notes - That 30" box is a mountain! Fun to tackle it 150 times though & the higher wall balls were a good challenge which forced me to focus on hitting the target every rep.

Saturday

100 double unders
25 hspu
20 thrusters (135#)
14" box jumps
25 ring dips
20 hang squat cleans (135#)
Row 500m
25 pushups
20 Power clean - push press (135#)

Time - 19:02

Notes - Fun wod with a good mix of movements I needed work on. Appreciate Bryce, Chris, Derek, & John G for working this one in with me. Solid work fellas

Rest today then a good week ahead with lots of weakness attacking. Time is near..