As 2013 comes to an end, I wanted to reflect on everything that has happened over the past year. This year has been full of changes, competitions, and self-improvement. I learned about myself as an athlete and a person, so here are some of my highlights of 2013:
Highlights from 2013:
1. Seeing my dad make it back to the CrossFit Games
This was without a doubt the highlight of my year. My dad made it to the Games in 2011 but did not make it back in 2012. We still attended the 2012 Games to cheer on Amy Mandelbaum and Glenn Waters, and that's when my dad decided he would be out there next year, no matter what. He spent the next 8 months training very hard, eating clean, and working with one goal in mind: make it back to the Games. Once the Open came around, he went in guns blazing. He repeated most of the workouts and pushed himself to the limit. His hard work was rewarded when he secured the 10th spot in the world for the 50-54 age division and was officially heading back to the Games. With the coaching and programming of Stephen Flamm, he increased his training even more to prepare for July. When the Games rolled around, he was ready. Seeing him compete in the Games again was both stressful and rewarding. I wanted my dad to do well and to be happy with how he performed in the workouts. I also didn't want a repeat of the bloody skull incident of 2011. Overall he got 15th place for the 50-54 master's division. He gave it his all on every single workout, and it made me extremely proud to watch him compete knowing how hard he had worked to get there.
2. OPT Athlete Camp
I already dedicated an entire blog post to this event so I won't write too much more about it, but this was one of the best weekends of the year for me. James Fitzgerald, aka OPT, came to CSC and put on a weekend athlete camp. He put us through two workouts a day and also gave lectures about everything we could possibly want to learn. The man is a genius, and we were hanging on every word. I learned so much about myself as an athlete. The time we spent with him was so valuable and beneficial and I am glad I was a part of it. I also got to sit next to him during lunch and found out that we both watch Breaking Bad, therefore securing us as best friends forever.
3. Deciding to switch to individual programming
This is one of the most important and best decisions I made this year. When I first came to CSC my programming was all over the place. First I was doing a mixture of being and whatever the hell I wanted, then in the fall I switched over to SHE, then in the winter I switched to Will, then when regionals came around we were doing a hybrid of Will and things Stephen programmed. I was never on a steady program for more than a few months and it wasn't benefiting me because all those programs are designed for different goals. After regionals was over, I knew I wanted to do my own program. I wanted something that would force me to work on my weaknesses but also incorporate strength. My goals had also changed. Instead of having a specific goal like making it to regionals, my goal was just to become a better overall athlete. I talked to Stephen and he agreed to write my programming. So far I am 5 months in and I can't even explain how awesome it is. Stephen knows my weaknesses and strengths and writes a program specifically for me to help me improve but still maintain my strength. My snatch went from 115 to 145. My clean is now at 200 pounds. I am also better at rowing, wall ball, rope climbs, and longer workouts. I have been able to maintain my strength while getting better at the aerobic stuff, and that is all thanks to Stephen. He puts a lot of work into the programming, and he is very good at it. I feel like I don't thank him enough for all he has done, so Stephen if you're reading this, thank you! Thank you for taking the time to help me improve, answering all my questions and making training fun.
4. Meeting Lindsey Valenzuela
I already dedicated a blog post to this as well,, but I obviously had to include it on the list. My dad surprised me and set up a one-on-one olympic lifting session with Lindsey Valenzuela when she was in town. She helped me improve my snatch technique and it was one of the coolest experiences ever. I learned so much from her in just one hour and it was great getting to meet her. I will never forget it!
5. Gobblers and Gobblettes Competition with Jeff
Jeff and I participated in the Gobblers and Gobblettes competition at CrossFit Covington in November. I can honestly say it was the most fun I have ever had during a competition. I have done team competitions before but this was my first partner comp, and I could not have asked for a better partner. Jeff and I had so much fun together, and we also worked really well as a pair. We were able to communicate really well during all the workouts, and our strengths and weaknesses balanced out. I never felt like he was getting frustrated with me or that he was having to pick up slack. He was so laid back and relaxed about everything, he made it easy for me to just have fun. This competition was also cool because a bunch of other people from CSC participated, so it was awesome getting to compete alongside all my friends.
6. Getting a training job at CrossFit Lebanon
This is one of the more unexpected things to happen this year. In early November my dad suggested I email a few CrossFit gyms in the area and see if any of them needed trainers. Mark Messer from CrossFit Lebanon agreed to meet with me to discuss a training job, and before I knew it, I had taken over the 5:30 AM class Monday-Friday. I cannot thank Mark enough for taking a chance on me and giving me this job. I love training at CF Lebanon. It makes me really happy to get to help people progress in the sport that I love so much. My 5:30 AM regulars (Brian, Ryan, Amber, Jason) you guys are awesome and it has been great getting to train with you every morning. I am excited to continue to meet new people and to continue my journey with CrossFit Lebanon!
This year was also about taking a step back and taking a look at myself and my goals. I learned a lot about myself and about how I want to develop as an athlete and a person, so I thought I would share a few important things I learned this year.
Things I learned in 2013:
1. Remember to look at the big picture sometimes
It is easy to forget how much we have improved over time. Instead, we tend to look at things from a “week to week” basis, or at least I do. If Stephen programs unbroken muscle ups and I string them together every time, then the next week I only string half of them together, it’s easy for me think “I suck. Last week I was doing muscle ups so well and this week they are terrible. I am getting worse”. Stephen usually has to talk me off the ledge and remind me that a few months ago, I couldn’t even string muscle ups together. And then I go “oh yeah, I guess I have improved” and then all is well. But my point is, it’s easy for us to forget how much we have improved in the last month, the last six months, and even the last year. While it is important to always be improving day to day and week to week, sometimes we have to take a step back and remember how far we have come and appreciate all the hard work we have put in to get us to the point we are today.
2. Learn to celebrate the success of others
I know that as CrossFitters we have a competitive nature that drives us, but I believe that we should be excited when someone sets a PR, not jealous or angry. I used to be guilty of this, but then I realized that getting pissed off when someone snatches more than me doesn’t help my snatch improve, so why not just be excited for that person instead? We are competitors but we are also a community. We should lift each other up, not tear each other down. If your clean and jerk is 170 and then another girl in the gym clean and jerks 180, your first thought shouldn’t be “well fuck, what the hell, she just clean and jerked 180, that’s 10 more than MY clean and jerk, ugh, I should be lifting those kinds of numbers, not her” your first thought should be “WOW, that is great. I am so excited for her, I can’t wait until I get there” because getting angry at someone else’s PR isn’t going to add any weight to your numbers, so why get angry about it? There is a difference between being challenged/ wanting to do better, and getting pissed every time someone lifts more than you. We all work hard and we should be happy for one another when a milestone is reached.
3. Don’t forget to have fun
This sounds really cheesy, but this is probably the biggest thing I learned this year. I used to be so obsessed with how I compared to other people that for awhile I lost sight of why I started doing CrossFit and why I continue to do it-because it’s fucking awesome and fun as shit. I don’t know about you, but I have a fucking blast in the gym (except on row sprint Wednesdays, just kidding). I mean, I’m in a gym with all my friends doing olympic lifting and climbing ropes and we are all improving and competing and getting better together. That is so fun. I believe training should be enjoyed. If you come to the gym and you’re miserable the entire time then maybe you should re-evaluate some things. But I don’t know how it’s possible NOT to have fun at CSC because it’s just a great place to be. The people are awesome. The dance parties are continuous. Work hard and have fun, that’s all I’m saying.
If you made it all the way to the end of this post, then props to you. Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts on 2013. It really has been an awesome year and I am looking forward to what 2014 will bring. Onward!
