When was the last time you switched up your routine? Tried a new route? Ran with a new friend? Did a new workout? If you are like me, you can get mired down in the training rut and concentrate on clicking off the miles on a training plan and get a bit bored. Don’t get me wrong – I like routine – maybe more than the next person. When I’ve got a lot on my mind, it is easier to turn the Garmin on, turn left out of the driveway and go on autopilot on my 3-4 mile route through town. Last fall, after finishing marathon number 2, I was challenged by a colleague that though I was “in shape” I still had weaknesses. What in the world did that mean? I certainly could go throw down 5-8 miles no problem and felt good. But my friend was right, other parts of my 40+ year old body were weak, even for a runner. My hips and back were especially in need of attention.
Just after Thanksgving, I started Crossfit. A really good runner friend of mine encouraged me to give it a try so I took the leap and switched up my routine. Wow. There was just so much more I could challenge myself with – and so many more ways to identify areas of weakness that, if I worked on, could open up new opportunities. The first week of Crossfit almost had me crying uncle though! My legs were so sore from simple lunges and air squats that even running was difficult.
And talk about stepping way outside of where I felt comfortable – I’d absolutely never touched a barbell before. Gyms intimidated me. During undergrad, I tried out the campus weight room and the machines were just so confusing that I kept to myself in the corner on a treadmill. At that point in my life, if I didn’t consider myself proficient at something, I tended to stay away from it. While in grad school I tried to find some semblance of work/life balance, so tried two different gyms but still didn’t find one that clicked.
Then there is the Crossfit lingo – it was like another language! WOD, STO, AMRAP, HPC etc. etc. I found myself having to Google whatever it was before stepping into the gym, or “box” as Crossfitters call it, so I knew what I was in for that day. Luckily, the members at my gym are the most patient and welcoming and helped me learn the ropes (literally – I found myself pulling myself up ropes). And – the coaches modify everything for your current fitness level. Lately for me that’s meant less STO (shoulder to overheads) because of my pinched nerve/neck issue. But – that also means I’m finding strength in places that have surprised me. Last fall I was running so much that I couldn’t squat as much weight and if I did go to heavy, I felt it in my hips. But, just last week I hit my front squat PR and my legs feel awesome when I get out for a tempo workout run at marathon pace.
Finally – things have started clicking. I’ve found a place where I feel comfortable even if it seemed unlikely given my history with gyms. Sometimes we are our own worst critics. Our fear of doing something outside our comfort zone paralyzes us from at least trying to attempt something new. And, for someone who likes routine, I find that comes from sticking to a schedule. I might always go to the 9:15 class, but the class is different every day.
Remember back to when you were a kid and every day it seemed you were encountering something new and different. I think back to last summer when both of my kids were learning to ride two wheel bikes. There gets to be a point in practicing to ride a bike when you just need to try it a different way. You might just need to take the training wheels off and try to take off riding. I have gotten to this point often with Crossfit this year. You get to the point where you master a movement and then you can modify it to change it even more. Now, a year later, I am a stronger runner, because I’m taking chances and doing new things, which in turn has brought out more strength than I realize I had.
