“It’s Open Season” by Cathy Cruz

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Now that the 2018 CrossFit OPEN is weeks away and we’ve begun our Open Prep Programming, it’s made me reflect on why I decide to do the Open each year. When I first started CrossFit, I didn’t see the point and I made the usual excuses like, “I’ll have to scale everything!” or “I won’t get anything out of it!”. Through the years as an athlete, coach, and eventually a judge, my perspective has changed and I’ve come to experience the real magic of the Open.

Take last year, for example. I’ll never forget it because it was the night I first met Megan Oakey and Chas Flores. We had just watched the announcement of wod 17.3. Like the crazy people we are, we got excited and decided to do the wod that night! This wod was certainly daunting for me, as it had chest to bar pullups and squat snatches, two movements that I don’t particularly care for, haha. We had 8 minutes to complete 3 rounds of 6 pullups and 6 snatches and if we made it in the time, we advanced to the next round where the reps and weight increased, and so on.

Megan, Chas, and I had made our acquaintances, and we went to warm up.  Going into the workout I knew that I’d be lucky to hit even one snatch at 95# in the second round, but when it was time, I stepped to the pull up bar and waited for 3-2-1-GO!

I couldn’t tell you off of the top of my head what score I ended up with, but what I DO remember is hearing Megan, now “Meg” to me ;o), cheering me on. She had just met me! It’s something small and maybe insignificant to most, but I’m weird and remember obscure things like that. What I think you should know is, that’s what CrossFit and the Open is ALL ABOUT.

My next memory from that night was watching Chas crush the same workout right after me. I knew she didn’t know me well, but I tried to be coach/cheerleader as she dominated the squat snatches (at weights I hope to hit one day!)

A little bit goes a long way. Meg’s cheering made me realize that it didn’t matter who we were or how well we knew each other, but we were in this little thing called the Open together, suffering, getting fit, and for me, learning something about myself.

So, before you count yourself out, I urge you to think about the good that can happen if you just take a chance. You might surprise yourself with what you learn and what you gain from the experience. I know, I did!