This past weekend, my daughter and I competed in Battle of the Boxes at CrossFit MOB. I did this one last year and somehow managed to get second place. This year, however, with my daughter who has to scale all the weights, we were destined for last place. Hence, there is a completely different approach to a CrossFit competition when you know you’re not going to win it.
CrossFit Competition: When It’s Better Than Expected
However, we did better than expected. We got further on the workouts and actually beat some teams. We finished a WOD without being time capped. We did fairly well. We broke up the reps (although I had to do 130 wall balls since the target was 10 feet high, which sucked), but she did most of the snatches.
As most of you know, the fitter you become, the harder it is to set personal records (PR). I haven’t had one in a while. Yesterday, at a CrossFit Masters competition in Colorado Springs, I PR’ed my thruster by 10 pounds. I was super excited! I also did really well, which I wasn’t expecting, which proves to myself I am getting stronger.
Today’s CrossFit competition was at CrossFit Sanitas in Boulder, CO. It was a partner competition called Tuff Love.
Tuff Love CrossFit Competition at CrossFit Sanitas in Boulder, CO
This was my first time doing this one. I tried last year to do this CrossFit competition but couldn’t find a partner. This year I was determined to do it. So, I asked everyone I knew to do it with me, and everyone turned me down. So, at the last minute, I convinced my daughter to do this CrossFit competition with me. Tom, one of the owners, graciously opened up a few extra spots, and let us in as I had been in contact with him for a partner as well.
My daughter was not looking forward to this CrossFit competition because we had to scale all the weights down. However, after the first WOD, which was a clean and jerk ladder of sorts, she was having the time of her life.
CrossFit Sanitas as always (this is my third competition there) was gracious and accommodating as a host, and the location has tons of food and areas to walk around. It was cold and snowy for a time, but fun. Definitely will do this one again next year. Thanks to all and the competitors who were amazing.
Today I did Diane: 21-15-9 reps of deadlifts at 155 and handstand push ups. I was 4 minutes behind my PR (personal record) of a year and a half ago. And I thought I was pushing it.
The only thing I’ve PR’ed lately has been DT — only because DT is heavy weight.
I’m stronger than I was a year and a half ago, but not faster.
Facing a VO2 Decline with Age
VO2max declines with age (about 2% per year after age 30), which measures the body’s efficiency at producing work. I’m doing HIIT workouts to try to increase this VO2max and stop the decline — or at least slow it down — but we’ll see.
If I enter CrossFit competitions with no master’s class, odds are, I won’t even place. There is a big difference between 28 and over 40. This is fine, but it still is a hard pill to swallow.
My consolation? I’m still moving, still improving, still being challenged, and still striving to be my best. CrossFit is a competition against myself. That’s all that matters.
Today I had my first CrossFit competition of the season. It was at O.F.W CrossFit in Windsor. Last year, my partner and I came in fourth. We were looking for redemption this year — and fell short.
We did well in this CrossFit competition, but the competition was stiff, and we were just plain beat.
It was fun though and ended up being a gorgeous day in Northern Colorado for a CrossFit competition. We’ll get ’em next year!
Yesterday and today was CrossFit Omnia’s annual Women’s WOD Jam.
None of the workouts played to my strengths. It was all heavy weights with moves I’m not good at (pistols (one-legged squats), ring dips, bench press, and GHD sit-ups). Throw in an upset stomach and bloatedness, and I felt not the best. Plus, I was the oldest athlete in the bunch.
If I had known the workouts ahead of time, I probably wouldn’t have signed up.
Lessons You Learn from Finishing Last at a CrossFit Competition
You are stronger than you think. I did heavy lunges today I didn’t think I could do and ring dips I didn’t think I could do and pistols.
You are forced to do workouts and moves you’d never do otherwise. All of these workouts sucked. But I did them. Not happily, but I did them.
The best part about finishing last is you don’t have to stick around for awards. I left early and got home early, so my day wasn’t completely gone. I got home and took a nap. Heavenly
individual CrossFit competition. I did this one last year and had a blast, so I signed up for it again.
This CrossFit competition did not disappoint. The day began with Fran (thrusters and pull ups), which normally I’m really good at, but for some reason I was a whole minute slower on Fran. The 8 am-10 am workout times are hard for me.
Then I had the floater which was a bike and snatches. This took place outside, and the weather was gorgeous, sunny and warm.
I won the second event of burpee box jump overs, toes to bar, and dumbbell deadlifts.
The third event had a lot of dumbbells, heavy cleans, and a row. The row slowed me down. It was fine.
I ended up second place overall in this CrossFit competition. CrossFit Sanitas is a great host. Great people. Awesome workouts and great Crossfit programming. Good day for competing!
Yesterday, I competed in a CrossFit competition called Project Uplift 4.0 (the 4th year of this event). I got placed on a team last minute whose other teammate couldn’t compete. It was a team from CrossFit Miramont, which is where I started CrossFit about 2 1/2 years ago.
This year the teams for this CrossFit competition were 4 person–2 guys and 2 girls. I competed last year (my first CrossFit competition) and it was only teams of 2, same sex.
I didn’t know my teammates. They were nice, however. The competition was fierce. We had a strength challenge of 1 snatch, 2 hang snatches and 3 overhead squats. I did okay in this.
CrossFit Snatch
The next one was an AMRAP of 16 minutes that did not play to my strengths. Toes to bar, pull ups, dumbbell box step overs, and devil’s press. All the moves were brutal. Add in the 90 degree heat, and it was definitely challenging.
During Workout #2, one of my teammates had to quit the synchronized deadlifts with his partner because of his back, so we came in last in that event.
The Floater was a bike and a run–the only one I crushed.
Overall, fun day and a great CrossFit competition. They had a lot of vendors and a ton of stuff for the kids to do. My son played in the bounce house all day long. I hardly saw him. And he came home and passed out (as did I). My daughter was my official photographer (of which you see her work here). Fun.
Such a fun venue. It’s outdoors at Whole Foods Market, so amenities (and by amenities I mean coffee) is close by. Indoor bathrooms. Definitely do this one again next year. I was a bit sore this morning but not too bad.
Thanks, Miramont, for the last minute nod. It was a blast!
Here are Tips for Outdoor CrossFit Competitions:
Sunscreen. Use it often and frequently.
Drink lots of water. More than you think you’ll need. Dehydration is a real threat.
Sunglasses. The CrossFit competition will be brutal without a good pair of sunglasses.
Flip flops. At the end of the day after sweating so much, free your feet! Bring flip flops.
Cooler. Cool drinks will be the key to staying hydrated, feeling satisfied, and feeling upbeat as the day goes on.
Damp clothes throughout the day to stay cool.
A generator if you’re going all out with a fridge, microwave, and fans.
Tents. This is a must to stay out of the sun.
Chairs. This is an ABSOLUTE must. Sitting on the ground sucks.
Food. More than you think you’ll need. This goes for drinks as well.
Eat. Even if you don’t feel like it. You have to or you won’t make it.
Book. You’ll have usually at least an hour between heats. Having something to pass the time makes a huge difference. I finished my car book finally. It was good.
Arrive early. I can’t tell you the difference a good parking place means at the end of the day when you can barely walk to your car.
Have fun! It’s not about winning. It’s about doing things you normally wouldn’t do and challenging yourself and having fun! Otherwise, you are wasting your time.
I had such a fun day with my teammates and my kids and all the other competitors. We raised money for Kids at Heart, an organization that supports foster and adoption families. When you combine CrossFit and a cause, amazing things happen. Awesome!
I mean, you waste all day (usually a Saturday), getting up early, working out all day, and dragging yourself home to a shower and bed at night.
The next day you’re sore as hell. You don’t want to do anything. But life doesn’t stop because you decided to beat yourself up (and most people don’t sympathize with you for this exact reason).
The answer: Because in a CrossFit competition you will do things you wouldn’t do otherwise (especially if you have a partner). You wouldn’t do them in a typical WOD in your box. Or ever.
But because you’re competing and/or you don’t want to let your teammate(s) down, you push yourself and you do it.
It’s the same reason you sign up for the Open. You will be forced to do things you would never do otherwise.
And afterwards?
The feeling is indescribable. What you can accomplish that you never thought possible. You will reap the rewards of this in all aspects of your daily life outside of CrossFit. What this does for the mind is incalculable.
One example from my last competition to drive home the point: In 8 minutes, we had to do 30 sec max effort on the assault bike for calories and then the rest of the time to do as many back squats as possible. I gave myself 5 minutes for the back squats. My goal: 50. What I actually did: 81. I would NEVER–I REPEAT–NEVER have done this if I hadn’t wanted to win the competition. I won the event. I was super proud of myself. And my confidence went through the roof. My idea of what my body could do also skyrocketed.
So do it! Go and sign up! Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
And the bonus:Â you’ll have an insane amount of fun!!!
So I was asked after my last CrossFit Competition, “What is a CrossFit competition?” by someone who has no concept of what CrossFit is.
My first reaction, “Well, it’s a day you pay money to get your ass kicked. It was awesome!”
But I decided against that response since it sounded like only insane people would do such a thing (I know, all CrossFitters are insane, but you get the point).
A CrossFit competition is usually a day-long event (sometimes two days) on the weekends that consists of several workouts against other competitors. They can be individual or team competitions. Obviously the goal is to win.
Anyone can sign up and compete and they’re fun! They also are killer most of the time and it takes your body several days to recover because they are designed to push your limits. Competitions expose your weaknesses and your strengths. They motivate you to do better and improve.
For me, it’s all about winning. Last competition, I got 5th. Next one I’m signed up for is February 17th. It’s a partner one. And I’m aiming to win!
