Pulgatory

It was July, 2013.  I had worked for almost 3 years to get to Carson, California to compete in the CrossFit Games as a top athlete in my age group, and now I couldn’t move this stupid sled! The workout was called “Pulgatory” which incorporated a sled pull, arm over arm, and it ate my lunch!

Just the summer before in 2012, I was working in Wyoming on a ranch and training each day just before or after dinner. I used a hitch rail for overhead squats, did my pull-ups hanging from a cattle gate entrance, ran my 400m runs around the ranch on dirt roads, and did wall balls using a telephone pole for a target, so I thought I was prepared for just about anything…wrong!

I’m seeing guys pass me on this WOD one by one and I’m pulling the rope that’s hooked to this 205# sled with everything inside of me, but it would only move what seemed like inches. My entire family, and even some of my best friends flew all the way out there to watch me compete and they were screaming and cheering me on trying to help, but I was failing. In my mind, I was supposed to be able to handle any task thrown at me and succeed. My nutrition was on point, my coach and I had prepared for this moment, but yet I was not able to handle the task. I finally completed the WOD and came in 18th place out of 20 athletes. 

Looking back, I’m reminded of a couple things. Most of my best lessons and stories have come from failing, and I can’t think of any one of those where I would say I wish I hadn’t tried. Trying and failing is better than never trying at all. Also, I was competing with the top 19 athletes in the entire world in our age division and I knew I had given my very best, and that's really all I could do. Just to make it to this competition was an awesome feat. An experience I will never forget for sure.

We all sometimes have those moments in life when we forget how far we’ve come because we are looking at our current situation and aren’t necessarily pleased with the result. Each of us work so hard each day in our marriage, at our job, raising our kids, working on our fitness…it’s so much to manage and keep up with at times, but all so worth every effort.

The investment we are making in all of those areas, yield results beyond what we can see with our eyes. The ripple effect transcends our own circles and into circles you and I aren’t even aware of. You never know who you are inspiring. Doing life with purpose and giving of ourselves for the benefit of others will always, in the end, produce true joy.

I started saying...“Stay in the fight”, years ago as I watched folks truly fight their way through a workout and realized how much of a parallel it is to life. NOTHING in this world worth having comes without sacrifice and a good fight, so mount up!

Some of you need to be reminded to stay in the fight in your current situation. Keep fighting, keep pushing and don’t give in or give up. You never know how close you are to breaking through. 

The coolest part…you never realize the strength you’re gaining while you’re going through the struggle, so stay in the fight!