The Latin origin of the word compete means “strive together”. What a beautiful concept.
How many of you have ever found yourself reading a book for a second or third time, only to find new meanings and lessons within it each time your read it? Thats me often, and I feel the CrossFit Open is sonewhat like a book this way. If you’re like me, you try to take away a little more value from your experiences, mistakes, successes, heartbreaks, and even moments of pure joy. Lessons if you will.
This will be my 5th year doing the Open. Following the logic above, you would think I have at least 5 different bits of value I have taken away from my time doing the open. But it’s just not true. I only have one lesson that has been re-enforced each year since my first breathless, sweaty time.
When was the last time you had a room full of people believe in you? When did a group demand you to give whatever you were doing at that present moment, your very best, for no one else’s benefit but you?
Short of being in a leadership seminar (where some are attending because their boss made them). You’re probably thinking of something related to CrossFit. I’ve felt similar energy in sports, and even seen it in the powerlifting community. No one cares about the number on the bar, they just want you to lift it.
That is the Open for me. It’s what I remember when I look back on years past. I cant remember the most impressive score I’ve ever seen, or the most well organized event, but I do remember my masters member (in her 60’s) doing burpees over a bar, that she couldn’t do a year ago, and 40 people cheering her on the get up after each one.
It’s isn’t what you’re doing that is so important. It’s who you’re doing it with.
Year after year, event after event, rep after rep. I remember the people I did it with and how they made me feel, and how I got to make others feel.
There’s nothing better in my eyes.
We are only 2 days away from the first open workout to be hosted at our gym for 2017. So when I tell you guys that I am honored to go into it with you. I hope this helps you see what I mean. Thanks for being one of those people I will look back and see in my memories of the Open.