Every year, the CrossFit Open rolls around to find out who are the strongest, fastest, and most badass athletes in the world of CrossFit. For those of us who don’t necessarily fit that description, it is an opportunity for 270,000 people to find out where they rank in the world, in their region, or in their gym. It is also a chance to see how your performance compares to your last Open. The workouts are designed to test every aspect of your fitness, but also your mental fortitude. Each workout has been carefully crafted to separate the competitors from the rest of the CrossFit community. To do that, they must be difficult.
Last year was my first Open. I had been doing CrossFit for about 5 months. I had the movements, but was not… proficient nor efficient. This year, I didn’t necessarily train with any serious dedication from mid-December until the end of February, but I was still far more prepared this year than last year. My progression was obvious from my performance this year. I was not the strongest or the fastest, but I had what it took to complete each prescribed workout. I even ranked in the top 2% in the world on one of the workouts.
During the Open, the camaraderie of CrossFit shines through. Everyone completes the same workouts, embracing the same level of pain. We all share that experience and cheer our friends and family on as they push themselves to new levels. Although I have yet to fully explain my feelings towards CrossFit, the Open definitely reminds me why I love this community and the things we do.
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