After all the news of last week with Reebok Spartan Race and a few other things regarding the change, the world seemed to have changed overnight. It took me a couple days to digest all the information, process it, and be able to continue moving forward. Change is something that I have always struggled with and something on my long list of things to improve. That’s the reality of it. Reeling after it all, I shifted my focus away from things out of my control and instead focused on things I can control, namely my actions, my training, and my business.

MONDAY

I stepped into the gym this week still a little unfocused, did part of a workout Monday, then decided to shift gears. Being MLK Day my boyfriend happened to be home and we have taken up skinning and skiing together. So I decided to forgo the plan and do something that really challenged me, skinning up a tough summit finishing the climb at 9,300 feet. We climbed over 2,600 feet in about 3.3 miles, the majority of the climb was done switching back up the slope.  It was the most challenging terrain I have climbed to date. At one point after struggling around a few switchbacks the summit might as well been Everest. Luckily, I had a good partner to climb with that just let me have my little fits because he knew I would keep going and work it all out. After continually putting one step in front of the other we made it to the top. We had been hiking for over three hours, but the fresh powder on the way down made up for all the pain on the way up. As I made my first couple turns in knee high fresh powder it swept away all the internal suffering I had inflicted on myself during the climb. As we raced down the trail in less than 30 minutes, it’s amazing how hard you work for such a short trip back down.

TUESDAY

Today, I woke up and just knew it would be one of those good days. I headed into Ute CrossFit with a new vigor this morning. I looked at the board and the WOD for the day, was really happy to see Hang Cleans, a personal favorite for the challenge. Then I saw the WOD consisted of front squats (another favorite) AND THEN double unders. Double Unders are when the jump rope goes under you twice in one jump. I have struggled with these since the first day I was introduced to them three months ago.

The first time I tried them, I sucked, couldn’t figure it out. Finally got one a week or so later. That was the highlight of that day. I rushed home that day to tell my boyfriend I had gotten ONE double under. A few weeks ago double unders came up as the challenge of the day, I got two in ten minutes of jumping rope. This seriously is not something you normally want to even admit to. I knew I should be able to do this, I knew I had the ability, but couldn’t put it together. So when I saw double unders this morning, instantly I thought, “Oh great, I suck at these, oh well another day to practice”.

After a really solid warm-up and challenge. It was time to step into the WOD and just get it done. I put on some weight to do the front squats and the weight just seemed light at first, it was a high rep workout so the weight was suppose to be a little lower. I started at 65lbs but ended up settling at 85lbs as the weights just seemed light. With the weight settled it was time to do the sets then tackle another day of double unders. As I lifted the first set and re-racked my weight, I knew it was time to commit to it and just do it. I took a couple regular jumps before attempting my first double under. Then tried it and to my surprise, I got it! Not only did I get it but in the first set (2 minutes) I got seven, ok not shattering any records but a new PR for me. I did my next set of squats then had the goal to do ten double unders the second time. I blew past that number finishing fourteen in that set. It was almost surreal, I was really doing it. The last set came around and I wanted to top fourteen, not only did I top it but did twenty that set.

I walked in the door today not able to do more than two double unders in 10 minutes and walked out today doing twenty in two minutes. This still isn’t breaking any records and to many is still a completely low number, but to me today, twenty was a feat I couldn’t have imagined as I ate breakfast. I left the gym on a high, it’s amazing how a great workout can set the tone. I had broken down a wall and charged on through it. Ready to see what tomorrow brings!