New beginnings....and a lot of bruises

Nearly one year ago, I was sitting in Kurt's living room in Traverse City. It was the weekend of my 30th birthday and I decided to spend it in Michigan wine country. That night, Kurt randomly turned to me and said "You should try CrossFit. I think you'll really like it." A few YouTube videos later (seriously, what did we do before YouTube???), and I was trying to find the closest box in GR.

In the last 365 days, I have found a new home inside a dirty steel factory in a part of town that you probably wouldn't drive to unless you needed to dump a body. In the past year, I have walked through the door of CFGR more days than I have not. I can deadlift, back squat, and clean and jerk more weight than I have been able to in the eight years of continuous post-college-welcome-to-the-real-world-where-you-need-a-gym-membership-in-order-to-get-some-activity-in-between-hours-behind-a-desk YMCA workout regime.

I know what a snatch is (don't be a douche, it's an Oly weight lifting move. YouTube it.....though maybe specify or you'll get porn). I can do a double under, and sometimes I can even do more than one in a row. I can (kinda) jump on a box. I'm no longer scared of kick-ups. I scoff at 35lb kettle bells. I love dropping a heavy bar on the ground after a tough set. I have learned that tortillas made from egg whites are.....well, they're gross. But they're paleo. And gross. However, paleo muffins are delicious and paleo eating makes me feel fantastic.

In the last 365 days I lost a job and ended some pretty important relationships. I also got a better job and gained some pretty amazing relationships with people who I can honestly say are now some of my best friends. I've yelled at, cried in front of, and laughed with my coach. I even said the P-word....he's so proud of me. I've bled, I've bruised, I've torn, I've dislocated my thumb and did some crazy thing to my knee. I've PR'd, I've underperformed, I've surprised myself, and I found my future husband (well, after he divorces his current wife and gets over the fact that I swear a lot).

Well hellooooooooo Rich Froning. Nice headband. Wanna get married? You know, after you divorce that other chick?

I still hate anything having to do with gymnastics rings.

But I'm here. I'm part of the group. I'll never turn back. I've spent a year learning about CrossFit and what it means to be part of such an elite community of athletes. As the clock moves forward and my 31st birthday looms dangerously close, my second year of CrossFit will be about learning what I can do inside of that box. What I can push myself to do if I put my mind to it. What kind of machine I can turn my body into with discipline, clean eating, and a lack of excuses. Ok, I'll still probably come up with excuses but that's where I expect my coach to call me out. I have no doubt he will. And I'll get angry and probably throw a few choice words at him and then I'll do what I'm supposed to do and I'll go home at night and know that I made the best possible choices for that day. And then I'll start all over again.

I'm ready to face 31. I'm ready to face CrossFit. Are you ready to tag along for the ride?