I thought everyone knew this about CrossFit, but I was surprised.

I thought everyone knew this about CrossFit, but I was surprised.



Let me explain. I'm one week out from my next competition, the legendary Garage Games. It's the largest event of its type in southern Mexico.

This year I've entered a harder category than in previous years: Masters DOS. It's basically Intermediate for men over 40. I'm 58.

I've competed against many of these guys before. They're absolute savages. I'm definitely in deep water.

I just did my last hard session before my Taper Week.

This is Event 6 from the comp.

For Time: 9:00 cap
28 cal row
70 single skips with fat rope
25 squats with a 15kg sandbag.
25 box jump overs with 24" box


I set up outside in a bit of shade at 34°C. To make things more interesting, I stood 50 meters away from the rower. I hit my stopwatch on my Garmin and ran to the rower.

Question: How fast would YOU go out on the rower if you were doing this WOD?

I pulled 25 strokes a minute at 1150 until 22 cals, then 30 strokes a minute to finish the row in 1:59.

The heavy skip uses a piece of rope typically used for rope climbs. It's not a thick skipping rope, it's actual rope.

I did 35 reps, set it down to untwist, shook out my forearms and finished it off. I was pleased that I could get my heart rate down a bit and breathe once I found the rhythm.

The sandbag squats were controlled chaos, just below my red line. They are fast, but you can't blow out because the box is next.

I haven't done box jumps in a few months since the CrossFit Open in February because of all the Hyrox prep. The body remembers. Steady, controlled, and paying attention.

Then the final 50 m sprint to the finish line on wobbly legs. Did I say wobbly? They were jacked like 2 Vienna sausages cooked in the microwave.

5:57.

Let's see if I can beat that time next Sunday after 2 days and 5 events.

Taper Week is eating, stretching, walking, pool, carb loading, a shake-out Zone 2 echo bike on Tuesday, chiro on Wednesday and haircut on Thursday.

Seems like a lot of fuss to go into a comp where there is a high probability of finishing last in every event doesn't it?

And that's the mental trick that is so valuable.

I'm not competing AGAINST those other men.

I'm competing against myself.

Against my test time in the gym in practice.

Against my own laziness and excuses.

Against the Hands of Time.

Against fear, doubt, and uncertainty.

One day I will be too old to do this.

But TODAY, I get to do it. It is such a gift.

I try really hard to remember that, especially when I'm lying on the sidewalk staring up at the sky with my chest heaving and sweat pouring off of me like Niagara Falls.





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