I love that the final workout of this year's CrossFit Games Open was identical to that of the final workout of last year's open:
A 7-minute ladder of:
- 3 thrusters (100 lbs / 65 lbs)
- 3 chest-to-bar pull-ups
- 6 thrusters (100 lbs / 65 lbs)
- 6 chest-to-bar pull-ups
- 9 thrusters (100 lbs / 65 lbs)
- 9 chest-to-bar pull-ups
- 12 thrusters (100 lbs / 65 lbs)
- 12 chest-to-bar pull-ups
- 15 thrusters (100 lbs / 65 lbs)
- 15 chest-to-bar pull-ups
- ...and so on until time runs out. You get the idea.
When I did this Backwards Super-Fran last April, I eked out just 60 reps, and didn't expect to do much better this year. In fact, I didn't expect to do this workout at all.
The CrossFit Palo Alto community's been doing the Open workouts together every Saturday at 1 p.m., but Big-O's Little League season opener was scheduled for the same time. And although I've thoroughly somewhat enjoyed getting my butt handed to me by the Open WODs, I have my priorities straight. (Usually.)
So yesterday, after packing down a big bacon, spinach, and mushroom scramble and a couple of cups of coffee, I packed the kids in the car, and got ready to watch a bunch of first- and second-graders slide around a muddy field for a couple of hours. (It had been raining, but according to the city's Little League rainout hotline, the games would go on as scheduled.)
But of course, the game was canceled by the coaches upon our arrival. I don't think anyone wanted to spend an afternoon in the rain.
So I turned the car around and drove to the gym to watch people do 12.5. But when I got there, I knew there was no way I could resist joining the fun, even though I was dressed in a button-down shirt and a pair of slacks. Thankfully, I keep a pair of Oly shoes at the gym and a do-rag in the car. I rolled up the cuffs of my pants, took off my button-down, pulled on my lifting shoes, and threw my lucky sweat rag on my head.
I was ready to go.
I was ready to go.
Result: 64 reps. In other words, I'm still terrible at this. I took too many breaks, I'm still way too weak, and I completely lost my chest-to-bar pull-ups by the end. But with minimal warm-up, a churning stomach full of food, and a pair of dry-clean-only pants on, I managed to beat my score from last year by a few reps. Progress!
(Honestly, I'm just happy I didn't vomit all over the barbell.)
