The other day at CrossFit East Sacramento we had difficult warm up and WOD. The warm up included the usual stretches, plus 5x 200m runs broken up by various drills (inch worm, high kicks, Sampson, etc.) I timed my 200m runs just to see my run rate; I went 40, 42, 54, didn’t time one and ended up with a 43 for the final run. My goal would be to run a sub 7 minute mile, so I’m getting there. Then 10 pullups, 10 push ups and 15 ghd situps. Next we did 10 50m sled pushes with 90#. We did one push up to the 50m cone, our partner pushed back while the other person walked back. Then back again. It was tough.
I was beat up before we even got to the WOD. Which was 5 pullups, 5 pushups, and 10 air squats max rounds for 8 minutes. Like a mini-Cindy. Now this WOD plays to all my strengths (such as they are): upper body. I would expect to get at least 10, maybe 12 rounds.
I settled for 8. Which pretty much sums it up. I just could not get motivated. The sled pull apparently broke my resolve. My first round took about 44 seconds. Little by little I slowed down, and I have to say I just didn’t care enough to go faster. Towards the end I actually slowed down to avoid another round.
Given the WOD had no safety issues to speak of, and pullups and pushups are something I do regularly and well, I should have gone all out. What’s the hold up I ask myself? Well I think I just didn’t want to put up with failing. Which is another way of saying I lowered the intensity because I was mentally exhausted.
But that would have been the time to break through. A golden opportunity. But if you don’t give yourself permission to fail, you’re not giving yourself permission to succeed.
Cheers.
