365 days of CrossFit

Lets face it, I am known for fads.  Especially on the exercise front.

Zumba – it was never going to work, even though I told myself I would give the relationship my all, my basic lack of coordination and general dislike of the music meant the relationship was doomed from the start.

Swimming – at one point when I was swimming three times a week, I had aspirations to swim the channel, then a veruca caused a sudden fear of council showers and swiftly put an end to that dream.

Running – The marathons, they were serious, and for a while we enjoyed a deep, close, all-encompassing relationship but in the end, they wanted more time than I could give and I had to limp away.

I have been hunting for my one true love since realising exercise was the only way to keep my old boyfriend gluttony at bay, but up until the age of 36, I had struggled to find a perfect match.

But now, I think I am finally in a relationship that is going somewhere, that has a future, where I feel fully committed and strong feelings bordering on love.

I have been seeing CrossFit for a year, and I am not going to lie, I have changed as a result.

I have parts of my body that don’t move when I shake them, others still do, but CrossFit and I, we are working on them together.  I have a passion, a desire to get sweaty, a need to immerse myself in a world I barely understood a year ago.

Some weeks I do it six times a week, if I only do it once or twice, I miss CrossFit in a way I would have deemed impossible for exercise.  I never fake a headache to miss a session.

On occasion I get frustrated.  It seems like our relationship is not going anywhere and we are stuck in a rut.  But then I only need glance backwards and see how far we have come.

365 days ago, I tried to pull myself up on a bar and crashed to the floor.  My hands couldn’t support me, even for a nano second.

Last week I repped out over 100 kipping pull-ups in an hour.  I may not be the quickest CrossFitter in town, but I am getting there.

365 days ago, I tried to jump over a skipping rope twice as it passed under my feet once.  This week I managed to do 28 in succession.

365 days ago I didn’t realise I was about to meet a tribe of people who would become close friends.  When I started dating CrossFit, I also found a community.

365 days ago, I thought an Olympic lift was an elevator at a sporting event, now I can name them all and even do a couple, in my own way….

365 days ago I couldn’t say snatch without giggling, nowadays it falls into every day conversation.  I even managed to say ‘my snatch needs some serious tidying up‘ with a serious expression on my face.

As I said I have changed….

The relationship at times may look abusive, CrossFit often leaves me bruises on my thighs, scratches on my shins, and hands which are ripped and coated in chalk.  But I know these are marks of progression, proof of our love, CrossFit kisses.

I have no desire to ever end this relationship, but aspirations to grow more within it, to learn more, gove more, improve, master the art, learn to lift heavy.

It has been a long 365 days, outside of the box, life has been challenging.  CrossFit has been my rock, my fun place, at times a sanctuary.

It feels good to love something and be part of an amazing community.

Let’s see what we can achieve next year….