Don't Be A Chicken!

Unseasonably warm temps, lot's of time outside, a brand-new workout, overnight trip with Grandma for the kiddos (score!) and date night with the hubby & friends ... yep that pretty much sums up my awesome weekend!  I didn't do ANY running.  Oh well, you win some, you lose some!  It was a perfect weekend.

On Saturday, I attended a CrossFit workout with a couple of friends who've been asking me to go for awhile.  It has been some time since I've done any serious strength workouts, so to put it bluntly, I was really scared of sucking it up.  No one likes to look like a weakling, right?  Plus, for me it's always scary to go outside the box and try something I've never done before.  I have made an effort to be more adventureous in recent years however.  Even taking up running was a new endeavor for me.  I was never a super-athletic person in school.  I danced, but never played any sports.  When I started running I was pretty sure I'd never be able to run more than a couple times around the block ... at best!  Now, I'm no marathoner or anything, but I can run a decent distance and I truly enjoying running.  If I'd never tried ... I never would have known.

Last year, I went to a Bikram (or Hot) yoga class all by myself.  I knew no one.  I'd never even taken one yoga class.  I was pretty darn scared.  But I got through it and I felt so accomplished afterward.  I wish I could say I was still doing it ... but scheduling, etc. hasn't been on my side.  I would like to go back though.  I will go back!  And I'll probably start from scratch all over again!

A couple of years ago when I started regularly going to a gym it was a very intimidating experience.  I wanted to get serious about lifting but had NO IDEA where to start.  Luckily, I have an in-house expert (the hubby) who got me started and showed me the basics.  But still, it took me a little while to feel confident, to try new things and not allow myself to be intimidated.  I can honestly say, I quickly became addicted to the invigorating feeling strength training gives you ... what fun it is to challenge yourself and see your weekly and monthly progress.  

Now, my track record isn't perfect ... I tend to go great-guns for awhile with something and then kind of slow down ... and eventually the slacker in me rears its ugly head and I find I'm doing a whole lotta excuse making for my laziness.  My strength training has essentially gone down the tubes the last 8 months or so (yeah, that's a long time!) and I am itching to get that STRONG feeling back.

Enter CrossFit.  So, I made the commitment to try it out.  First with friends -- and it was brutal, but I made it through!  And then today ... all by myself!  Again, fear and anxiety reared it's familiar head ... I'm pretty sure I came up with a hundred excuses between the hours of 8 and 9 am ...

• I'm still SO SORE from Saturday (which is no joke, wowza!)
• The timing is hard due to kindergarten drop-off after 9 a.m. and class starting 10+minutes away at 9:15 (I hate sliding in at the last minute!)
• I haven't run in days and really should get some miles in.
• I'm still SO SORE
• I don't know the mechanics of the workouts yet, I'll feel silly asking so many questions
• The puppy would rather me stay home and walk her (haha, yep even crossed my mind!)
• I'd have to really hurry, suck down a quick breakfast, and pop some aspirin or I'd never even be able to get my arms high enough to put my sports bra on!
• Did I mention how every muscle in my body is so sore?

BUT:  I found the courage, which sometimes is very hard to do and I just went for it.

• 9:02 Dropped kindergartner off, sprinted to the car like a goofball
• 9:11 Entered CrossFit Station
• 9:20 Finished a quick warm up and had such fun, I repeat, SUCH FUN pushing myself through the Workout of the Day (or WOD.) 
• 9:40 Mustered up some additional bravery and stayed to learn new lifts for the Strength workout of the day.  (I used dumbbells and machines at the gym, but I'm not used to barbells and Olympic lifts, so this was pretty much all new to me!)
• 10:15 Drove home, soreness compounded, smile on my face, and a definite sense of accomplishment!  
• I was brave!

Moral of the story ... DON'T BE A CHICKEN!  I know it's hard to put yourself out there.  But you never know until you try.  And you could be missing out on something that you will love.  Life is for LIVING!

I might need THIS necklace.

Oh, and I made myself a super-quick healthy breakfast when I returned from my workout ... whole grain toast topped with egg whites, steamed spinach, melted sharp cheddar cheese, sliced tomatoes and a little salt & pepper.  YUMM! 

Easy Peasy!