Stay the Course

I remember signing up for my first Level 1 course in November 2010. I plopped down $1000 to go to a 2 day training with no guarantee I would come back with a certification. There was a 50 question test I would have to take at the end of the weekend, that would tall the staff if I new enough to be given that title. And…I thought I would have to pass 2 wod tests, during the weekend to make the grade as well! (There was no wod test.) No one from our area had been to a L-1 at this time and most people had not even heard of CrossFit much less know how prepare for a test on the movement standards, verbiage, cues, nutrition, etc… So off I went by myself to CrossFit Atlanta, nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs, ready to begin a new chapter!

The first person I met was a really cool guy named Chuck. He was about my age, around 37, and welcomed me by letting me know this would be a great weekend and he introduced me to a couple of the staff members. I was one of the first people there, of course…lol, so there wasn’t many other people to meet. They said arrive 8:30, so I got there at 7:55right!!!

I went though “Fran” on Saturday and a team wod on Sundaycalled “Nascar”. I thought I was gonna die!!!

The intensity level I felt that weekend, showed me I hadn’t really pushed my limits. 

I was so pumped up from a great weekend and felt like I was really absorbing all of the information that was being given in the lectures. My notes were detailed and by Sunday afternoon I was ready to tackle the written test…

…so I thought!

When I began reading the questions, I had never seen sentences worded that way. There were words I had never heard of before like “eccentric, concentric, quadrates, posterior chain, glucagon, hormonal responses….WHAT??? I started sweating immediately, because I knew I didn’t 100% know what they were talking about and I knew the $1000 I flopped down was such a huge amount of money for Jennifer and I, that I didn’t want to screw it up.

After going over my answers twice, I turned in my test and waited.

Back then, they graded your test while you waited. Then, they would call your name and give you a folder with a pass or fail certificate inside, so no one knew what your result was.

After what seemed like forever, (only 30min) they called my name and I didn’t open it until I went outside to my car. 

The paper said “FAILED” and I almost met pukey right there in the parking lot. 

What would I tell Jennifer?

What would the brand new members think?

How could I coach someone if I couldn’t pass the L-1?

Am I smart enough to coach? 

Maybe I don’t have what it takes?

I had to face all those questions and all those people and tell them the truth…I failed the test. What a pride crushing event, that lasted for weeks!

I went back through another weekend and passed the L-1. Chuck and I became really good friends and he ended up coaching me in my trip to the Games. I eventually took the  L-2 coaches course, passed, and got an invitation to apprentice on the L-1 staff.

“Where we stand, is determined by where we sit”

If we “sit” where our circumstances push us, we will never see the realization of our potential. Life is not easy!

The attitude and way we respond to our circumstances, will determine the direction of our future. It’s so easy to complain and say it’s not fair, and come up with the best excuses to justify our negative actions…but that’s not what moves the needle or inspires people!

We are people who when knocked down 7 times, get up 8 times!

We say no in the face of adversity and fight like a dog backed into a corner!

We will not follow the masses to a life of sedentary and chronic disease!

We will fight to make wise choices and not be lead by emotion!

Lead by example, stay the course…stay in the fight!