The Update Show

Confession. I kind of love the CrossFit Games Update Show. It might be cheesy. It might be over the top. It might be CrossFit trying to make itself ESPN. I don’t care. I love Pat, Rory and Sean.

So, I’ve decided, in their honour, I’m making this week’s post into my own Update Show (really it’s just an excuse/title for a post with a bunch of random updates/facts about me and CrossFit of late/follow-up from last week’s post).

Another confession: I wrote that post and was followed up by 2 days of crippling self doubt. Monday, snatches were NOT happening. I was all over the place, couldn’t squat snatch at all (like at all. I don’t know where the squat snatch went). I couldn’t even hit a weight that was 5 reps under my max once.

Tuesday, clean and jerk didn’t go any better. Again, I was missing weights that  should’ve been able to hit easily. My friend and lifting buddy Kim was there and asked if I was tired, because it was looking hard for me and she knew those were weights I should’ve had.

I had a bad case of getting into my own head and psyching myself out (AKA classic Hilary). It’s a typical move, whenever I’m on the verge of doing something big/making a big step/progress, I get in my own head and start messing things up (both in life and in CrossFit). Thankfully, I had much better snatch/clean days later in the week and got my head cleared up (I snatched that same weight I couldn’t get once on Monday for 8 singles on Thursday).

I went into yesterday’s lifting meet feeling nervous, but ok. After all, it was a meet at my own gym surrounded by friends (and plans to go out for food afterwards, always a key motivator). I knew that whatever happened, it would be ok.

Well, things didn’t go exactly as planned. I hit my first attempt at both snatch and clean and jerk easily. Sadly, I missed attempts 2 and 3 on both lifts! 😦 More frustrating still, is that 3/4 misses were total technicalities. I was easily strong enough to get the weight up there. The 2 snatches I missed were because I just didn’t quite lock out my elbows. The first clean and jerk I missed I executed the lift perfectly, I just dropped it too soon. Shoot – so frustrating!

So I’m not exactly happy with how I did, but, doing this meet did confirm a couple things I already kind of knew:

1. I love Oly lifting and it’s super fun for me, but as a part of CrossFit. I don’t like focusing on just one thing. I’m not sorry I did this meet, again, it was just at my own gym with friends, but I will say that the CrossFit competitions I’ve done were much more fun for me.

2. I love Oly lifting because it’s so technical. It’s not just about strength. And my failures at the meet drove that home for me. Strength is not the limiting factor. I need to drive home form and technique and then the numbers can go up.

So, if anything, this meet was helpful to see what areas I can improve on. I’m not sorry I did it, but glad that it’s over and I can go back to not worrying about what numbers I’m hitting and just focus on CrossFit. I also want to work on not getting frustrated, psyching myself out, and getting out of my own head (if you know how to do that let me know!).

(Side note: the one big plus of the day was that I was in a lower weight class than when I signed up a month ago and weighed in at less than I thought I would, so there’s that).

And speaking of CrossFit, I’m sure you’re all wondering about Fran. Well, she’s been pushed back a couple of weeks. My kipping is coming along, but I’m still not there. I’m all about jumping and taking a leap, but I don’t want to go before I’m ready. So I’m keeping up with my kipping practice, we’re checking in once a week and hopefully I’ll be ready to go in the next couple weeks (don’t worry I’ll keep you all posted).

Other updates for you:

I redid Open Workout 15.1 (I opted not to go for the max clean and jerk again). I’ve been working on toes to bar the last couple of months and I know they’ve gotten a LOT better for me, so it’d been in the back of my mind to redo that one for a while now. So, a couple of weeks ago, on the Monday of the long weekend, I decided to give it a go (Because what else do you do on a Holiday Monday? And keep in mind this was after I’d already been at the gym for 2 hours having done a WOD and my lifting already. Typical Hilary).

My score in the Open, February 27, was 37 reps.

Not quite 3 months later, I scored 60 reps.

I made it through exactly two rounds for a 23 rep improvement. I’ll take it! Had I been working out fresh it could’ve been even better, who knows? Just proof for me keeping at it and working your weakness pays off. And that my lats are finally working. Booyah!

Also…6 weeks out from my next team comp and starting a new lifting program today. I just love the weekend before a new lifting cycle, weighting (see what I did there? #badliftingpuns) to get a new program, and then getting into the gym and getting in gear. We’re in the amateur division for the comp, so given all the progress I’ve made of late, I’m feeling really good about where I’m at going in (we just need to find another guy to replace one teammate who had to drop out and then I’ll be feeling great).

And also, speaking of the Update Show, HOW AWESOME WAS JULIE FOUCHER THIS WEEKEND? Seriously, that girl has grit! And did anyone else see the last heat of event 7 for the Women in the Central Region? I was really happy for Stacey Tovar (I was gunning for her to get back to the games). But, man oh man. Sheila Barden on that last clean – I just wanted to give her a hug! It was painful to watch. Poor girl.

And the women of the Meridian Region were just tearing it up (I woke up early Sunday morning and didn’t want to eat before the weigh in at the meet, so watched them do event 7 in bed). I couldn’t get over Anna Fragkou in heat 3, who did ALL. FIVE. SETS. of 9 HSPUs unbroken. Seriously! These girls can move!

What has been your favourite moment from Regionals this year, now that it’s all said and done? And what’s your take on the update show? Love it? Hate it? Couldn’t care less?