Slap in the FACE

Reality slapped me right in the face the other day. Really… Right…. In…. the…. FACE

I was reviewing pictures of me from the recent CrossFit sectional competition, and there was one thing that consistently appeared in every single picture of me. Something that I did not notice before. The expression on my face was the same in every single picture, no matter what I was doing. OMG, I have a workout face! And it is not a nice, pretty face. It is not a determined face, at least I don’t think. It is not a face that says, “Look out, I’m going to kick some ass on this workout.” My workout face is truly pathetic! It is crooked. It is strange. It does not make others shudder at the sight. It is not frightening in a good way, but instead, is in dire need of a makeover. A serious makeover.

Well, what is my workout face??? It’s hard to describe, so I will show it to you…



In every picture it is the same. I don’t get it… Where did this expression come from? What is up with my jaw??? I don’t look intense… I don’t look mad… I just look ridiculous!!! And not like I am trying to get ridiculous with the weights, but just plain ole “ridiculous“! Does making that face help me breathe better? Does it make me stronger? Does it make others afraid? Someone help me understand it, please!!!

Once I discovered this, I started looking at older pictures, and they were the same. I had the face. I have probably had the face for quite some time. Is it now a habit? Can I change it?

I pointed it out to a friend, and she said, “Well, you always look like that”, and “I didn’t want to point it out”. You didn’t want to point is out??? Really?? Do you think I would want to look like that if I had a choice? Please, point it out!!! Tell me that I look ridiculous so that I can do something about it! Being aware of it is the first step in being able to change it… Seriously, I need to change it! Soon!

But how? During my workouts I am solely focused on the workout. How could I focus on my face at the same time??? I tried breathing differently. That didn’t work… I couldn’t be consistent about breathing differently and reverted back to the face… I tried closing my mouth. That also didn’t work… Not enough air coming in… I had someone tell me, mid workout, “the face, the face”, and I consciously tried to make a different face. This resulted in me just laughing and losing concentration.

So how do I get rid of it? How do I change it? Should I change it?

I decided to look online to see what other kinds of workout faces were out there. I found ice skaters that had amazing workout faces, Full faces of make up, and funny expressions at the same time – almost comical.

There are tennis players whose faces contorted each time they hit the ball, showing the intense power used to smack the ball as hard as they can.

And I found some CrossFitters, like me, who also had some funny workout faces.

So, at least I am not alone.

But now I am aware, and with awareness come a certain amount of self-consciousness. Hopefully not enough to hold me back… I will continue to try to work on my workout face, hopefully eventually being able to change it for the better. But until then, don’t be surprised if you see it in a gym near you! And please don’t point it out to me mid-workout… That would make the workout suffer, along with my ego.

Do you have a workout face? Can you help me change mine? Post link or image and suggestions to comments

Age Is Just A Number

I am 45 years old. I don’t start today’s posting with this as a way to gain sympathy, although a little every now and again is kind of nice… I start today’s post to help keep things in perspective.

I have been called an athlete, which I thought was interesting, if not funny… I guess I don’t think of myself as the athletic type… I have never competed in any sport. I train in CrossFit, and I compete with myself, to be better, stronger, faster, etc. All the pillars of CrossFit… And I occasionally chase the “big dog”… Until this past weekend.

This past weekend I competed in the San Diego/Arizona Sectionals for CrossFit. I was one of about 40 women who competed. The top 20 women would move on to the Regional competition. I felt I had a fairly good chance of moving on, the odds were good, but I didn’t want to be cocky about it. I trained hard to prepare, and during the Sectional workouts, I pushed myself hard. Could I have trained harder? Yes. Could I have pushed myself harder? Sure. Isn’t that always the case? But I had a 50/50 chance, so the odds were even. Exactly.

But what I experienced this past weekend, and what I saw this past weekend, is nearly beyond explanation and comprehension.

I saw a man overcome physical limitations and compete as if he had none. He finished 147 double-unders with a prosthetic leg. I saw frustration in a woman, as she tried her hardest to finish the same WO, even though she could not do what was being asked, and eventually ran out of time. She did not give up. Time gave up on her. I saw a community of CrossFitters come together to cheer on the man who just wanted to finish the WO, regardless of his place in the competition. I saw people cheer and support athletes they did not even know. I saw the respect and admiration for the athletes who were in the top contenders, and I saw the respect and admiration for the athletes who just did.

I saw struggles, hardships, victories, support, honor, strength and camaraderie. I saw athletes of all sizes, shapes and colors, bound together by one thing, the desire to do more, faster and better, and an ultimate love for CrossFit and the CrossFit community.

It does not matter what your limitations may be. Limitations are self-imposed. In this community, the CrossFit community, all that matters is that you try. That you attempt, and that you persevere. That you give your best each time, knowing that your best is for that specific moment – whether a daily WOD or a competition. That you are competing against you own self imposed limitations, not any real limitations.

I am 45 years old, it is a biological limitation. It will not be a self-imposed limitation. I am 45 years old, and age is just a number.

Congratulations to all the athletes who competed in the San Diego/Arizona Sectionals.

Check out the clip from Day 1! WMV MOV

Comments??? Please post.