Dreading and trying to catch my breath before the box jumps.

Some may recall myself doing Kelly two months ago.  It was dismal.  I haven't felt so frustrated at myself in a long long time.  Fast forward two months.

Kelly resurfaces again.

I wasn't really quite sure about it.  It's absolutely one of my most feared/hated WODs.  It is strictly a metabolic conditioning workout, which I am the weakest at.  Add also, being sick for 2 weeks straight, 2nd workout since being back at crossfit.  I wasn't confident at all.  I had no expectations.  I went in with the perspective of doing my best and forgetting the rest.  The worst that can happen was do it crappier.

I intended to work on wallballs and box jumps in those two weeks, but yea that really didn't happen.  

Anyway...  workout started and I just decided to take it easy and go with the flow.  I just hoped I wasn't going to get drawn into a coughing fit or maybe have some asthma thing going on.  I usually don't have it, but it tends to resurface when I'm sick (I'm almost 100%), and in cold weather (which was the case this morning).

I took the runs extremely easy to have some energy for the wallballs.  When my first round came, I was pleasantly surprised how well I hit them.  Seems like the little practice I had really helped.  Throughout the workout, I almost managed to do them all in sets of 10 without much problem.  The boxjumps were a little pathetic.  I can't sustain jumping 24" repeatedly yet.  I just stepped up each one for most of the workout.

Fast forward to the end of round three.  I was quite surprised that my time was 21:46!  And I still had juice left in me.  My last time was 26:26.  It was over a 4 minute improvement.  I don't think that's a very legitimate improvement though, since I think I was way too psyched out from the nature of the exercise last time and completely wasn't in the right frame of mind.  I reached my goal of doing my last time justice... and now to do what I truly set out to do today.  Finish off Kelly.

The last two rounds just.... sucked.  I was wearing the tshirt I just bought from my gym...  in the back it says "Can't Stop.  Won't Stop".  Repeating that allowed me to focus a little bit.  The runs were still embarrassing.  In round 4, I walked about 200m of the 400m run.  Wallball time.  I brace myself on the wall with my arm against it and leaned in to gasp for air.  I look down at the ball as the ball looks up at me.  "C'mon!  Pick it up!!" I hear somewhere around the gym.  Pick it up, look at it....  We're having a silent conversation of will power.  14 lbs have never felt heavier.  I toss it up a few times, and drop it drops down.  I'm seriously fatigued at this point.  I remember one point I yelled "Why am I doing this?!??!?!?!" and continued on with my shots.  Finish the wallballs and walk over to the box.  I lean over to catch my breath, and trudged it up.  Last round.

The last round is a testament of one of the aspect of why I love Crossfit so much.  The interactiveness, the camaraderie, the compassion.  The human aspect.  I was 100% ready to walk half of the run.  I was beat.  But Krista decided to come run the 400m with me.  I'm not even sure if she even worked out today.  I distinctly remember her encouragement of sloshing through the last bit as it was the last round.  I can rest when I finish.  I did walk about 50 or so meters of it, but for the most part, I jogged it which I wouldn't have done other wise.  Thank you Krista.

The last set of wallballs just destroyed me.  It was actually probably because the entire gym was encouraging me.  I normally hate being the last one doing a WOD, but it does come with its perks.  I managed to do 3 sets of 10.  I remember hearing "C'mon Meow!" in the background and a conversation of why that happened to be my Crossfit nickname.  And hearing people telling me to just stick with it and finish off the wallballs.  The last set of 10 took so much out of me.  Shoulders and quads were protesting and on the verge of not wanting to do anything anymore.  The muscle fibres were ready to take  a nap.  It was not time for that yet.  Special thanks to Ann being my counter/judge and being patient as I finished the wall balls.  It must've taken forever.

The box jumps.  I just had Harrison screaming at me to do jumps.  Thanks for that man.  I only managed to squeeze out 5-7 at the end.  If he didn't even say that, I would've just stepped up all the way.

Kelly was finally finished.  I wouldn't have been able to do it in a semi respectable time if it wasn't for the team at Crossfit Zone.  I think the last round was the round I took the least amount of 'recovery' and in my most tired state as well.  The final time was 37:39.  Not bad for being totally sick for two weeks and eating garbage for that entire duration.

I was super bagged at the end of it and desperately wanted to sit down or lie down.  Mikko Salo's words came back to me as he said he never lies down after a workout, as he perceives it to be a sign of weakness.  So I endured the post workout pain.  I grabbed my water and walked out to cool down.  And then it started.

I felt like this one or two times before after something like Fran.  A wave of nausea came across my haggard state and I leaned against the wall trying to down some water.  I've heard of people throwing up after intense workouts.  I've came close but never really did.  Apparently it was my turn.  Nothing came out as I didn't have that heavy of a breakfast.  Turns out I was intensely dry heaving.  It was incredibly unpleasant and somewhat shocking.  Usually when I puke it's after alcohol, or being sick.  Having the same symptoms after a workout was definitely a first.

Apparently "Puke is weakness leaving your body" as the Crossfit world likes to put it.  I used to think that was pretty snarky and sarcastic.  But you know what...  I conquered this workout thoroughly.  Beat my last time, broke through my self imposed limits, finished this workout and didn't quit.  Pretty sure I expelled my negative connections that was previously associated with the workout.  I'm pretty sure I somewhat became a better person after this.

My legs are going to hate me tomorrow though.  Life goes on.

Update on Sunday, April 11, 2010 by Felix

Yea, I woke up this morning, and my legs are soooo sore.  Calves are toast.  Groin is toast.  Quads are toast.  Glutes are marginally okay.  I stepped on a rock on my five finger shoes yesterday as well, so my right foot kind hurts.

I attribute part of that to a 2 hour hike after the workout.  Ooops.

I'm supposed to attend my last classes of ballroom dancing today too!  That's going to be interesting.