The Coming of the Games

Crossfit Ventura crew with CrossFit founder Caoch Greg Galssman
(L to R: Jaala, Brandon Brooks, Coach Glassman, Matt Major, Faith Reynado, Colin Jenkins, Bill Huffman)

The Coming of the Games

In July of 2009, I, along with many of my friends from crossfit Ventura, attended the Crossfit Games in Aromas, California. On the dusty hill where the events took place, we witnessed amazing feats of athleticism, strength, determination, and heart. Seeing mothers dead lift over 350 pounds, women who have survived cancer sprint through the hills with sandbags on their shoulders and drive stakes into the ground with sledgehammer in hand and fiery vigor in their eyes, men put weight over their heads far exceeding what they weigh themselves, and all of the competitors doing event after event in extreme heat only to get personal bests on lifts in the end--was amazing. Coming away from the games with anything but a feeling of inspiration was impossible; after seeing what those athletes were capable of, I got a glimmer of hope in my mind that one day I would compete as well.

Almost seven months later, here I am preparing for the first test to see if I have what it takes to make it to the games (Sectionals, March 13/14 at UCLA). Although it is a long shot, although I am not as big, strong, or fast as many of the women who have competed in past games, I am still going for it. Although it seems crazy to put my body through the training necessary to be successful, I am going for it. Although it may be uncomfortable to train alone, to eat clean most of the time, and to be so focused on this goal, I am going for it.

With all of these factors stacked against me, what is it that draws me to compete in the games?

Quite simply, it is the feeling I get each day I do crossfit. I love the competitive spirit it has revived in me; a spirit that I have been missing since my swimming days. Being a crossfitter for the past ten months has transformed me as a person; I now feel as though no goal is out of my reach (crossfit AND life in general) and to shoot for something as high and lofty as the crossfit games, although failure is almost eminent, makes my heart race. And though I may not achieve that which I set out to do, ultimately I will achieve many things along the way which will make me a better crossfitter and person anyway. I am excited to see what happens...

So, when the games arrive in July of 2010 I will be there. Whether I am a competitor or as a spectator, the coming of the games will be spectacular once again!