I turned up to WIN Stadium on the Thursday night for registration and have to admit curiosity got the better of me so I wandered into the stadium and found a seat to just sit and reflect. The stadium was ready, the rig was up and the team bars were already loaded for the WOD 1 ‘Diane’. It was just so quiet in there, it was time to reflect and mentally prepare myself for the few days ahead. Although there were movements that I still couldn’t do, I didn’t think about that, I had to keep myself positive. I also thought about how this is my 3rd Regionals and how far the sport of CrossFit has come in such a short time, it made my eyes well. My 1st Regionals was at Randwick Racecourse and I considered it a disaster for myself, it just didn’t go well for me, and wasn’t an ideal venue for this kind of sport. My 2nd Regionals was at the Woodchopping Arena (getting better) at Homebush Bay, although I had qualified as an Individual I had opted to go Team, still for me on a personal level I walked away feeling unsatisfied, damn it I wanted better this year.........thats what I thought about while sitting in that quiet arena. Big few days ahead, I was prepared and ready, I just knew I was.
Day 1 WOD 1: Ughhh what a disaster, not a great start, but I got through it. I had learned to kip on that previous week, and wow I was banging them out, but one thing I know is that things change and strategies have to change, Plan A was a failure, when I brought my legs down to load my hips up to kip, my shortness was a disadvantage because my bum went slightly under the timber wall and when I went to kick out I got caught every time sh*t!! OK, I looked up to my Coach and thought Plan B, damn it I have to strict HSPU, I guess it wasn’t a total disaster, I made the minimum requirements and got through to WOD 2. Phew.
Day 2 WOD 2: I had a plan people!! I know I was last off the rower, last by A LOT, but that was my plan.....I knew it would be around a 9 minute row for me, I had to save my back for those heavy cleans, I still had 200 metres to go when the last person came off, but I was fine. When I was done I went calmly straight to my Pistol Squats, all OK there, now time for those heavy arsed Hang Cleans. Hmmmm, in training some days they were OK, and some days they weren’t....my Judge wanted me to demo 2 for him, I said, sorry nup, I’ll do 1, I can’t waste these on demo’s. I do my 1st, yup, no problem and look to my Coach and gave the nod, all good here, I exceeded the minimum requirement and off to day 2 I go. Big gulp because those 70lb Dumbbell Snatches are next, double big gulp.....right arm...check, left arm ummmm not check, still wasn’t able to do them to that day.
Day 2 WOD 3: I don’t know what was up with me, but I was focused and ready to go, in the warm up area still hadn’t done any on my left and none on my right that morning either, a few pulls with heavy kettlebell and I was ready.....even seeing another competitor in tears and withdrawing from competition because she couldn’t snatch that baby didn’t make me waver, I just knew I’d be fine. I walked out to the arena, waved to the CFP’ers, my kids and gave my Coach a nod, I was ready, right arm check, yikes, here goes.....left arm. Well I’ll be damned!!! I just knew I’d be fine. I did my 10 snatches and did my so called sprint.....I’ve gotta say it was more of a victory lap for me, I was having a ball, seeing the look on my Coaches face, for me priceless, it just all came together. My favorite WOD I think.
Day 2 WOD 4: Chipper, not a lot to say, it was good, there wasn’t anything there I couldn’t do, and as usual I had a strategy, save my back, so I broke my 50 Back Squat into 2 lots of 25, I was the only one, all good.
Day 3 WOD: LOL disaster. I was the 1st out, 4000 eyeballs on me and I didn’t know when I walked out I had to start immediately, the judge from HQ is just nodding franticly at me, ooops, time lost!!!!! 20 Double Under’s done without tripping, phew. Failed lift. Was a little flustered by it all, but never mind, thats life and all I can think is WOW this is what I’ve been wanting for the last 3 years of competing at Regionals. I finally have that feeling I’ve been craving for 3+ years.
HC and I butt heads at times, I guess thats what happens when you get 2 strong personalities with differing opinions, tempers and the rest. But all that matters is that it came together in the end, couldn’t have done it without you, I can’t thank you enough, for this Regionals and introducing me to the sport of CrossFit.
