I think we, myself specifically, fears most what is unknown. I find myself in unfamiliar waters and naturally want to tuck and run back to what feels safe where I know what I know works for me. But where is the fun in that? Just like the body we get stronger the harder we push ourselves. It takes breaking down the muscle for it to rebuild back with more strength.
A few weeks ago I competed in my second Crossfit competition. I trained hard for several months before. I was in the gym multiple times a day 4-6 days a week. I THOUGHT I was ready for anything that could have been asked of me, but boy was I wrong. I competed in the scaled division simply because there are still some movements, like muscle ups, that I still cannot do. This was a 1 on 1 competition meaning I went head to head with another female in my division.
If you know me at all you know that I fear/hate being the center of attention so when my name was the very first name pulled of the entire competition my nerves were uncontrollable! But giving that I love squats when my workout was named I felt confident that I would win. 25 front squats then a 400 meter sprint for time.... I finished my 25 squats while my competitor was still on about 20. Then came the sprint. I am not sure if you have ever done 25 squats then tried to sprint but my legs did not want to work. I felt like I had drop foot. I literally could NOT pick my legs up. I almost busted on my face! Needless to say... she caught me on the run. Loss number one!
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Second workout was the obstacle course... which I feared the moment it was announced the week before. I don't know how to jump walls or run through tires. This workout did not count against me but helped separate ties. So here goes nothing. A sled pull, several over the box jumps, then came the first wall..... I was ready to go I jump muscle myself up and get ready to jump over WHEN my foot gets tripped up and I DID actually fall flat on my face. I try to stumble up as fast as possible and run to the tires where I decide to walk through so I don't fall again. From there I ran and picked up a 20lb medicine ball ran with it to a balance beam where I walked across it (thanks hidden talent for allowing me to do that with ease). Next I had the great joy to jump over a second wall... in which I was able to do without busting my face again. From there you run again... which I again realize I am slower than a snail. 
Third workout in three hours. Have I mentioned that this whole competition is outside and it is 97+ degrees outside? This time my name gets pulled for guess what? ANOTHER RUN... a sled pull. Some how I actually pulled that sled faster than the girl I was going against. Win number one!
After an hour lunch break workout number four got started. At this point in time the heat was really getting to me. There were several different workouts I could have been drawn for lots that I would have been really good at. Snatches, dead lifts, overhead squats but instead I get pulled for a row and jumping pull ups workout. I was against two girls on this one. It was a 5 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) That was the longest five minutes of the day. I HATE jumping pull ups. I am tall so to go full range of motion I am having to go into a complete squat then jump above to bar... that plus a 200 meter row with the heat I was BEAT! I, for the first time, laid on the ground after a workout. 
During that workout people were starting to get actual burns with blisters from how hot the barbells were. At that point while frustrated I wasn't getting workouts that I was actually good at and could maybe win I was beyond thankful my "money makers" (yes yes my hands) were not covered in burn blisters. 
Two weeks later I tested my "science project" Does Crossfit prepare you for long distance activity? It was not like I went out and ran a half after sitting on the couch for a year. I had put hours and hours in the gym getting better faster stronger. I ran here and there but not one small bit of training to prepare my body for a half marathon. I planned on going out and running 13.1 without ever actually running a long run. After the crossfit competition I started really freaking myself out about this race. But the day came whether I liked it or not. It was a night run in Rosewell Georgia. In my mind I thought it would be 13 miles through a downtown entertainment type district with lights and people cheering us on. But with a 630 PM run when do you eat? What do you eat for fuel without feeling all bloated? How do you know what your body will need ESP when you haven't been training your body to run that distance? What happens if I cannot physically finish the race?
Well race time came quickly that day. When we pulled up to a park that was in the middle of a two way street I knew that what I had in mind for a night run was indeed completely wrong. The route was a 3.5 down and back then a 3 down and back in the opposite direction. My friend Erin and I stayed together for a whole two miles. She had worked hard to prepare for this race where I had not. We ran the Mercedes half together when she lived in Birmingham so in my, I can do anything, mind I thought I could keep her pace. Well she took off from me after I needed a walk break before she did. On mile three there was a huge hill that I took the time to walk. Shortly after the crazy hill where the first turn around and they directed us through the woods on a gravel road I was starting to panic. I did not sign up for a trail run! And the next 10 miles alone is going to suck!
About that time I was taking yet another short walk break this cute young girl asked me if I wanted to start running with her at the next big tree. I said I would love to. After some convo I find out she is a 19 year old college student who was running her first half marathon BY HERSELF! She became my new best friend for the next 9 miles! We stuck together running and walking making it mile after mile. Little did we know after the water stop at mile 5 we would not have the opportunity to get water for the rest of the race. YES you heard correctly an Atlanta running company who put on a half marathon RAN OUT OF WATER! The second half of the race was miserable to put it nicely! It was dark, I was thirsty, it started raining, and my body started failing me. My whole hip complex did not want to cooperate. Honestly I hurt more when I walked than when I was running. But Jill (my new running friend) and I pushed each other to complete the race. I finished my fourth half marathon... another 13.1 under my belt. "It will be slow, tedious, painful, probably unnoticed by poeple, but the end result will be glorious!"
I a few days later can not say that I will ever do another half. I find throwing around a heavy barbell much more enjoyable than running for hours on end. I can successfully say I have ran four half marathons and competed in two crossfit competitions. I look forward to continually growing and seeing what I am capable of. I would like to compete in a handful more competitions as a scaled competitor while perfecting some skills to be able to one day competitively compete RX and maybe even make it to regionals! "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" Les Brown
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