So I've signed up to compete in the Charlottesville SuperFit Games 2010 Charity Fundraiser. The competition takes place on Saturday, January 30th, will feature Crossfit-style workouts, and will raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project, which seeks to provide aid and support to severely injured service men and women. A great cause, for sure.
But holey moley, what have I done? We all know that Crossfitters are hardcore beefcakes. ANIMALS. MACHINES. Mechanical animals!! Some crossfitting women, especially, scare me. And me, well, I'm no threat to anyone. The closest animal I resemble is a bird, and a clumsy one at that. I've never been very fast or strong, just terribly consistent.
However, this is why I signed up...I want to know how I'll do in a competitive setting, want to know myself a little better when it's showtime. I've always been physical in the past, but never pitted myself against anyone else. I'm more experienced at performing dance routines at recitals than I am playing a game against a team or another person. I've coached myself and friends at climbing harder routes but all while embracing the phrase, "we all win!".
Well, not this time. There will be real, strong, girls, all around me. I've got about 10 days left to train before I rest up a few days ahead. What kind of workouts shall we expect? Here's what it says on the website:
The games will incorporate a variety of different skill sets and be scaled to any level athlete. We will announce the 3 individual events 48 hours prior to the competition.
Sample Workout Formats
Event 1: 3 Rounds of Row 500 Meters, 21 Squat Cleans, 21 Burpees
Event 2: 1 Rep Max Deadlift
Event 3: Run 800 Meters, 50 Double Unders, 50 Overhead Squats, Run 800 Meters
This is brilliant because it touches on all aspects of fitness, whether you're small and fast, or big and strong as hell. It makes training tricky, though. Where to start? What to focus on? Basically, I've decided to keep doing the WODs as posted on CF's website, and to focus on a few key CF movements: pull-ups, rowing, burpees, and deadlifts. These are the movements I love and hate most, so I figure I should get better at what I'm bad at, and stronger at what I'm good at.
Diet and rest are going to be emphasized more than ever over the next week. Gone are the days of spending an extra 20 minutes on the bike just to burn calories. I need that energy to be as explosive as possible when lifting or doing WODs. And gone are the hershey kisses for dessert. Farewell sweets and the extra energy it takes to work you off.
For now, I have a goal, and that is the greatest benefit of signing up to compete. It gives a prize for my eyes, a reason to push, and later, a reason to celebrate.
