At my first workout, I was the only female. Surrounded by incredibly athletic, built men, ready to lift some serious weight, and I could barely do a jumping jack without getting winded. I decided to announce to the group that I was nervous – I didn’t know if I’d finish the workout, or die. They assured me that they had my back. And they did. Here was the WOD (workout of the day):
800 meter run
21 front squats
21 pull ups (modified with a resistance band)
400 meter run
15 front squats
15 pull ups
200 meter run
9 front squats
9 pull ups
During this workout, as I panted and huffed and groaned, face as red as a tomato, these are the thoughts that raced through my head:
I’m gonna puke. I’m gonna puke. No, I won’t puke. What if I have a heart attack. Yep, definitely going to have a heart attack. My legs are jelly. How am I supposed to squat again? I can’t squat anymore. Ok fine one more. I can’t pull up any more. Am I going to cry? No, don’t cry. But my inner fat girl is saying I told you so…look at all these fit people…and you were always put in right outfield because you had no athleticism in your entire body. Ok I think I can run one more time…
And understandably, all of the ripped super men were done far before me…but they had all converted into full on cheerleaders. My inner voice was silenced by shouts of exaltation. You’ve got this! You can do this! Come on! I had somehow completed all but the last 9 pull ups…and they all counted down as I finished each one, ending the workout gasping, high-fiving, and feeling victorious.
The next day, my muscles screamed with every step, reminding me that I gave everything and worked out as hard as I possibly could. With a small boost of confidence, I went back the next day, and have been going 3-4 times per week for the last two months. I still have a long way to go, but I can already tell a difference in every part of my body, and with every WOD, I feel stronger, more sure-footed, and I can now cheer on my fellow CrossFitters…from those ripped men to the newer members with the same look on their faces that I had.