I'm still flying high over my 9th place finish at "The Fittest Games!" Why am I so happy about a 9th place finish?
Upon checking in at "The Fittest Games" in Austin, TX February 13th, 2011 I inquired about the 40 and over class. "Congratulations!" They told me, "You won! No one else entered."
"I'm not doing it, then." I replied, "Put me in the Open Elite class."
The Open Elite class consisted of 2010 Crossfit Games Finalists and many girls I could have given birth to. They were a FANTASTIC group of ladies
WOD #1 - Burpees with a hurdle jump, 100m run, 30 35# dumb bell snatches, 100m run, 30 35# dumb bell push presses, 100m run. Although I thought I was going to die because I could not breathe (upper respiratory infection) I did not finish last!
WOD #2 - Maximum weight on a 3 rep BEAR COMPLEX. I started with 120 and it didn't work. I did 115# with a little drama and tried 120# again...no go! Still I finished in the middle of the Elite pack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EYA0uHgSKE
WOD #3 - Was the gymnastic WOD. Standing in line to start the workout I realized I did not blend in with my much younger competitors. "Miss Kelly," a beautiful wrinkle free face told me "I just want you to know we all think you're awesome!" The WOD was 2 muscle ups, 20 Toes to bar, 40 double unders; 2 muscle ups, 15 Toes to bar, 30 double unders; 2 muscle ups, 10 toes to bar, 20 double unders; 2 muscle ups, 10 Toes to bar and 10 double unders. I took my time on the muscle ups (they only hurt when I miss... )Some of the girls went through the entire WOD trying to get their FIRST muscle up...ever. HONORABLE. Competing when you think you can not win shows character. Those girls tried valiantly. I gave them as much encouragement as I could and finished with a good time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCvoP4rXWbI&feature=related
WOD #4 - This one scared me to DEATH! 200m run, 15 snatches at 95#, 400m run, 15 Sumo Deadlift high pull, 15 Push presses, 12 SDHP, 12 PP, 9 SDHP, 9 PP and another 200m run. This was the work out I was afraid I would not finish. I got my first 95# snatch in December. I have not been playing with heavy "snatch" weight for very long. Thanks so much to Whitney & Jamie for staying with me and coaching me until I got one 95# snatch in the warm up area for confidence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKHT40piP0M&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
I asked Whitney Welsch later if she "...heard me yell" during the squat snatches. "That was YOU?" she asked. Those 95# snatches hurt!
When I hit my first snatch I asked my judge "Was that good? Squat was good? I'm not putting this bar down until you tell me it's GOOD!" I was still holding the bar over head! When she confirmed it was good I dropped the bar. After that, every time I got a squat snatch my judge/coach shouted "Good!" Thanks again to Jayci Cormier for coaching me during the snatches. Everyone was yelling "Pick up the Bar!"' and "Do it again!" That didn't help. Jayci shouted "Shrug & jump!" Information I could use!
I did not think I would be able to finish the 15 95# snatches....but I did! I used the 400m run as a recovery and kicked butt on the Sumo Deadlift High Pulls and Push Presses! When I put the barbell down for the final time, my judge/coach said "You've got 90 seconds to run 200 meters."
90 seconds for a 200 meter run is not difficult. EXCEPT when it's your 4th work out of the day. EXCEPT when you have given your all to to workout you didn't expect to finish. EXCEPT when an upper respiratory infection has been kicking your butt for 2 weeks. I felt like an elephant running through mud when I took off on that eternal 200 meter run. I rounded the first turn and saw the rest of my competitors who had already finished the WOD. They began to run toward me. I knew I only had 15 minutes to complete the work out. When I left my judge she had said 90 seconds left. Anything more than 15 minutes would be considered a DNF (Did Not Finish.) In Crossfit the mantra is "DEATH before DNF." My competitors began running toward me. When they reached me they turned and ran the last 50 meters with me. When I finished I crumpled to the ground in the fetal position. My competitors took care of me. They rolled me over and stretched me out, imploring me to raise my arms over my head so I could breathe.
I did not die. I did not DNF. I finished in 14 minutes and 33 seconds! Not spectacular, but honorable.
I have the ultimate admiration and respect for my "competitors" whom I consider friends. Crossfit is a phenomenal sport with extra ordinary people involved in activities that can only be described as "super human."
Are you fit? Are you CROSSFIT? Join us at the finals!
