Dinner last night was particularly good, and so simple there really isn’t need for a recipe. A pork loin chop wrapped in bacon. Seared. With steamed broccoli. That’s it, that’s really it, but it was perfect after a particularly hard workout.
Last night we did “Nancy“, which is comprised of:
5 Rounds (for time):
15 OH Squat
400 meter run
While the workout itself isn’t actually that bad, the 102-degree temperature and scorching pavement made it feel brutal. Neil plowed through it, and actually regretted not adding more weight to his bar and challenging himself further. Meanwhile, I ended up walking my third and fourth rounds and missing the last one because I hit the 25-minute time cap. We both felt disappointed, for completely different reasons, even though we both agreed that we had pushed ourselves really hard.
Afterward, I was sprawled out on the gym floor doing post-workout mobility/stretching, when my mind drifted back to where we were this time a year ago. We would have been at my old gym, with me on a treadmill, running awkwardly and trying to keep my shirt from rolling up over my stomach in front of everyone. I probably would have been just a quarter of the way through my first and only mile and already out of breath and on the brink of tears in frustration. Neil, in the opposite corner of the gym, would be trying to make the best use of the weight benches as possible, but struggling with the limited offerings and availability of equipment.
I constantly find myself in the frame of thinking that says to ignore the past and push my goals and expectations higher. I don’t know where it comes from, but I’ve noticed that especially since we started CrossFit, I constantly feel like, I’m just not “there” yet. It’s a double-edged sword. Where I’m definitely less fearful and willing push and try harder all-around, I definitely don’t cut myself any slack. I’m trying though, and nights like last night, however arduous, actually seem to kind of help me come full circle. A year ago I couldn’t run a mile enjoyably, let alone outside in July. A year ago Neil didn’t lift weights a fraction as heavy as he does now. A year ago we were dissatisfied with our health and fitness, but clueless and stuck not knowing how or what to change.
Maybe yesterday wasn’t so bad after all…
How are your summer workouts going? Ready for fall?
