Retrospective of my CrossFit Games experience

I think competing in the World CrossFit Games last weekend was right up there with getting married and giving birth. Having never competed in anything in my life, I was completely surprised by my nerves, the adrenaline, my competitive spirit, and the attention bestowed upon me by TJs Gym team members, TJ Gym members, TJ himself, as well as strangers.

Some unforgettable moments during the workouts….

I struggled with the 65# thrusters in workout #3, and I wanted to kick the judge when I received two no reps because I didn’t hold the bar up overhead until she flagged me to lower it.   There is so much to learn about strategy…how to be sure you don’t lose reps, how to pace yourself so you don’t get gassed in the first few minutes, planning how to load your bar efficiently…I didn’t get it all right and that cost me points.

I’ll never forget, as I was struggling through my 40-  75# power cleans in workout #4, hearing my competitor’s coach yelling at her to  “get under the bar…look at how Deirdra is doing it…get under the bar!” And I was thinking, “please, don’t get under the bar.  Struggle to lift everyone of those damn cleans!”

I’ll also always remember how in the last five of the 60 Sumo deadlift high pulls, when my grip was so weak that I couldn’t hold the bar, that the screams of TJ’ers in the stands right in front of me literally gave me the strength to hold on for those last few and finish second.

When the emcee put his arm around me and stuck a microphone in my face to ask me about my bloody shins seconds after I completed that workout, not only did I not clearly hear his question, but I was so deranged at that moment that all I could think of saying was “I don’t know”.  I was sorry I couldn’t have been more articulate.

With tears in my eyes and crowds cheering for me, 53# kettlebells never felt so light when I realized I was the first competitor to walk across the stadium with them in workout #5 to a first place finish!

The support and admiration from the community has been beyond belief.  I’ve been on cloud nine since last Friday and don’t know when I’ll come down.  All the congratulations and high fives were so much fun. .

One more thought….one thing I didn’t like so much was wearing my athlete number all weekend on my shirt…all the masters’ numbers started with their decade number, so right away people knew I wasn’t thirty.  Damn! But I have to say, I don’t feel any differently than I have every felt…and every time you all talk about what it’s gong to be like to get older…you incredibly fit people will be just the same as you are now.

P.S. See pictures from event in my Aug. 3 post