I can count on two hands the number of workouts that have completely broken me. Maybe that’s a bad thing. I mean, maybe the point of every workout is to push you harder than before? And many of my workouts have done that. I mean, most often, I have a sense of accomplishment and pride about what I’ve just done. But there are a small percentage that have literally left me in a puddle, completely broken, angry and defeated. The WOD that did that to me last week was the following –

For time:
21 Mankillers* (a burpee done with 2 DBs, a pushup, then a clean and push press at the end)
28 Plank Rows*
35 Thrusters*
42 Suitcase Deadlifts*
49 Step-Ups*

*Each move is to be done with dumbbells. Only one pair of dumbbells is to be used for the entire workout. In my case, I used 20# DBs.

Looking at it, it doesn’t sound that bad. I mean, there are scary workouts in every genre, and I have done other Crossfit WODs that were longer or more daunting (hell, I’ve run for hours and hours, ridden 125 miles, swam 5000m, pushed my body for 15+ hours in Ironman), nothing should break me, right (ha!)?

This one stuck up on me and beat me up. Maybe because I’m in the midst of changing my diet for the long-term. Maybe because I’ve been dealing with lower back pain for the last few years (which has left me really tentative about anything that makes it hurt). Maybe because out of anything I’ve done, Crossfit has had the biggest learning curve. Whatever the combo was, I just crumbled. I finished the WOD (because quitting lasts forever), went home and got in the shower, and thought about that workout.

What is it about the ones that have broken me? Tour de Cashiers, BOBBBR, Maui Marathon, ING Georgia Marathon, Ironman. I can unequivocally say that it was 30% physical, and 70% mental. All of those races and events were HARD. And Crossfit is HARD. When it’s just you and some dumbbells, you get a glimpse at where your head is. At where the challenge is. And at what you can accomplish. But it also shows you where the suck is. It doesn’t let you get comfortable with the things that might be a little easier. Because just when you start getting comfy, it kicks you in the face and you end up on the floor wondering how you got there in the first place….

I like it.