CrossFit: A 3 Month Update

Yesterday marked 3 months from my first “official” WOD at CrossFit 516, so I figured I should post a little update.  I love reading other Crossfitters stories and seeing their progress, so I thought it might be fun to share mine.  

My number one fitness goal right now is the marathon, so I’ve been taking the fitness route with my WODs, which means my workouts include a lot more rowing and running and less Olympic Lifting and movements like snatches, and clean and jerks, although those do occasionally pop up in the daily workouts.  That being said, I don’t have any baseline vs. 3 months numbers as far as weight lifting to share.  I have, however, kept a workout journal with all of the WODs I’ve completed, including what weights I use, my times and any modifications or notes I have for myself.  

So, without focusing on numbers, here are a few of my observations from my first 3 months of CrossFit:

• My weight has stayed pretty much the same.  That’s one of the first things people ask, which is why I’m including it even though weight isn’t a focus for me and I don’t weigh myself on a regular basis.
• However, my body composition is certainly changing and my clothes are starting to fit differently.  My pants are all looser around my waist and tighter in my quads and calves (how my calves can get any bigger, I’m not sure..).  I am starting to see some changes in my upper body, but my tops don’t fit any differently yet.  Last but not least, my boobs are shrinking-I’ve probably lost a full cup size!
• I feel am stronger.  I might not have numbers to prove this to you at the moment, but I can definitely lift more weight, do more push-ups and run faster than I could back in May.
• Speaking of running, I’m not just faster, but I’m injury-free.  (Knock on wood..) I can 100% say that building up strength through CrossFit has helped me overcome ITB and hip pain that has previously bothered me.
• I am gaining confidence in the workouts.  I still check my e-mail at 10 pm every night so I can see what the WOD looks like for the next day…and sometimes it still scares me, but I am becoming more confident in my abilities.
• But I’m still terrible at counting and basic math.  And it only gets worse when I’m completely exhausted and dripping sweat.  (Stop asking me for my score! 15+7?  No freakin clue!)

And a few observations about people who CrossFit and the sport in general:

• It’s only dangerous if you make it dangerous.  Find a reputable box with skilled coaches, listen to them, scale your workouts to your ability and don’t act like an idiot.  
• It’s a little intimidating at first, but the people are ridiculously welcoming and encouraging.  It is truly a community and everyone comes together to support each other in a way that sometimes gives me chills.  If you have any doubts, read/watch this.
• The cheaters don’t get it.  I always get pissed when I see someone skipping reps and cutting corners in workouts, but then I remind myself that “they’re only cheating themselves”.  These people just don’t get it.  It’s not about “winning” or being the best.  It’s about working hard and giving it everything you’ve got, even if that means you finish the workout last.  You get out what you put in and that’s how you improve.  No shortcuts.

These first 3 months have flown by and I am still learning so much and loving every second of it. Well, maybe not every second…sometimes it’s brutal and hate it, but it’s worth it.  The next 3.5 months are all about marathon training for me and right now, I’m using CrossFit as a tool to boost my strength and improve my running.  Unfortunately as my mileage increases, I know I’ll have to cut back on WODs and focus on my running and recovery.  I really do enjoy the Olympic lifting, so I’m excited for after the marathon when I can switch focus, learn and improve in that part of CrossFit.  As a sidenote, a few girls from my gym use CrossFit Endurance to train for races, which definitely has me intrigued and could be something I do in the future.  

I hope you’ll continue to follow along with both my marathon training and CrossFit progress.  Stay tuned! 🙂

Have you tried CrossFit or CrossFit Endurance?  Love it/hate it?  Any tips for me as a newbie?