Though I’ve always loved writing, which is not the same as saying I’m good at writing, I have yet to commit to blogging. Perhaps because I feel like I’m not really good at any one thing, or because I don’t have this one big thing that I’m passionate about. So talking to my boyfriend about blogging, I said if I wrote a blog, it’d be the Seinfeld of blogs – a blog about nothing. And that led me to the realization that a blog about nothing is really a blog about EVERYTHING. Not having one area of focus means I can write about anything and everything. Whereas if I had an area of focus, say nutrition, you’d miss out on all the funny/ridiculous things I go through as an HR Manager.
I have no excuse not to write. Other than writing is hard. And at the beginning everything I write is crap. But to become a better writer, just like with any other skill you want to develop, you need to devote time to it. You need to throw yourself at it. With this post, I am declaring my intention to write every day for next 30 days. I should have no problem coming up with the material. I just need to do it. So here it goes…
SuperFit Games
I’m a 30 year old HR Manager living in the suburbs. My life isn’t necessarily the picture of excitement. So when an opportunity to join a team for a Crossfit competition came my way, I thought “why not?”. I should start by saying that I wasn’t properly socialized as a kid (thanks, Mom). What I mean by this is that I hate losing. Not so much the losing part, but the vulnerability of losing. My mother is a sore loser. So she chooses not to participate in games and was never really encouraging about us kids joining teams or becoming competitive in any field. Fast forward many years later, I’m still learning how to be more chill about playing games and losing. I thought doing a competition with my friends would be great and non-threatening, and a good exercise in vulnerability. And it was! That’s not to say there was no anxiety – there was. From the planning to the actual event, I was always nervous. But sharing the anxiety and the nerves with my team made me feel better about myself. We were all in the same boat. Spoiler alert: we didn’t win. We didn’t even come close to winning. But I felt great throughout the day, and I would do it all over again. However, here are some truths I learned:
- Novice division really means anyone can join, including the not-so-novice ladies who totally dwarfed us in size and skill.
- Porta potties are an evil invention created to torture people with tiny bladders. Seriously, we were at the event for 10 hours drinking protein and pre-workout. Can you imagine what that was like?
- Adrenaline is a game changer. Though we had tested out each workout and had a good idea of how long it would take us to complete them, our estimates were WAY OFF. Once the adrenaline gets going, there’s no stopping you!
- Even when you think you’ve been drinking enough water, you haven’t. Drink more.
- Wipes for the win. Wipe your face, wipe the sweat, wipe your hands, wipe everything. They’re totally worth it.
I’m sure there are more practical tips I could offer, like pack two extra outfits, make sure to bring some pre-workout, etc. But those are still my top 5. Maybe later I’ll write about how we overdid and bought enough food and drinks to last for a week. But for now, if you’re thinking about doing a competition – DO IT. Push yourself. It’s not about winning. It’s about showing up.
