My 1 Year of Crossfit

March 11th marked my 1 year Crossfit anniversary! Little did I know that first workout that I was terrified to even show up at would turn me on to something that would change my life. After that initial workout, I started going once a week, then twice a week and probably with in a month and a half I was going as much as my body would allow me. In that time too, Crossfit Midlo moved from the garage to its own location and continues to grow like wildfire.

What I have learned over the past year:

• You can squat below parallel- regularly. 
• I am a Tough Mudder.
• No matter what the duration of the workout...3 min to 60 minutes... It's going to be exhausting. 
• You are capable of more than you think you are. 
• Facing the scary stuff makes you grow. You will at a minimum survive the experience and more than likely thrive because of it. 
•  Never underestimate the power of a high five. 
•  There are amazing people in the crossfit community: from the women in my 8:30 class, my coaches, the other people at the box who I don't get to work out with often but will greet me warmly and cheer for me all the same, to the people and coaches at other boxes I have had the pleasure of visiting. I have felt welcome every where and work to make others feel the same. I always worked out a gym by myself and was ok with that so I was surprised by how much I enjoy the commune aspect of crossfit. 
• Lifting heavy makes me really happy. People talk about the flow when every thing else drops away and you have complete focus and joy. This is one of those activities for me. 
• Coming in to Crossfit, I thought I knew a good deal about working out. This changed how I think about everything which has benefitted me as well as my personal training clients. I like being reminded to keep a beginner's mind - always open to learning and questioning.
• As with anything you love, it is important to see the good and the bad and embrace all of it. Crossfit continues to be controversial. I do see its flaws and understand where the criticism comes from. I question. I read. I change things I need to change. All the same, I love it, I am working safely and continue to get better and stronger. 

Of course with all my lessons not only my brain has changed but my body too. I am finally building the body that I thought I could have that no other way of working out has been able to carve out for me. 

I would love to hear other people's experience and learnings from Crossfit! Please feel free to share or message me!  

My Highlights from the 2012 Arnold Sports Festival

I had been excited to go for months so I knew this past weekend at The Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus Ohio was going to be a good one. It ended up being amazing. If you have never been and have any interest in really almost any aspect of fitness, it is worth checking out.  I went last year for 1 day and knew this year I needed the whole weekend. This weekend was so full of amazing connections, people, lessons and experiences.
Here are a few of my highlights:

•  Meeting and getting to watch the work outs of some of the top of the top Crossfitters - amazing athletes and very nice people! 
•  Judging Crossfit for the first time - I was so nervous but so happy to have gotten this under my belt. I learned more every round I did and I didn't screwed up any one's score in the process.
•  Competing on Saturday for the Games 12.2 work out - Facing the scariness makes you grow. I grew this weekend.  Also it continued to reenforce for me the fabulous-ness of the Crossfit community.
•  Time with friends - I had some great conversations with friends I have had for a long time, some one I was just getting to know and one on one time with a person who continually inspires me. I felt honored to connect and get time with each of these people
•  Time with a mentor - Nick Tumminello was up at the Arnold this year teaching at the personal trainer conference. I have had the fortune to connect with Nick a few times but this was a cool chance to get some time in a more relaxed setting. He is so friggin' smart about this training stuff. It is hard for me not to feel completely stupid around him but I loved the time anyway! :) 
•  The Strikeforce Fights - We all went to the fights on Saturday and it was a great time to see a new woman champion take the belt and to see all the fun people at the fights. Amazing night! 
• Clarity - We went to the figure finals judging this year.  It was awesome to see all those women on stage showing off their hard work.  Competing in figure is something I have tried to convince myself I "should" do for several years now.  This year after seeing it again and having a year of Crossfit experience under my belt, I was able to just let that go completely. I want to be strong and I would love to be ripped but my goals are different than those that were up on stage. It was great to get clarity around that. 

There is more I could mention (cake batter vodka, anyone?) here but those are the big high lights!

I loved it. I am still on a high from it and I can't wait for next year!!