Last weekend I went to a personal development course called Choices (http://www.choicesseminars.com/).

While I can’t talk about the absolutely out-of-the-box specifics of the course (it would ruin it if you ever took the course), I will explain the emotions I felt:

There were a whole lot of unknowns throughout the weekend that I had to face, and as we know from CrossFit, the unknown is daunting. It challenged me in ways I didn’t know exist, in ways I had no idea would challenge me. It scared me to death, it ripped me apart, it inspired me, it motivated me – the list goes on.

At the end of the weekend, I was absolutely done. Physically, emotionally, mentally, my body just wanted to rest. Yet amidst the exhaustion, I felt completely and utterly high as a kite. I felt amazing.

This feeling was foreign to many of the people who attended the course. But for me, it’s a familiar place to be in; it’s exactly how I feel after competing in a CrossFit competition.

As a CrossFit coach, I often encounter clients who are scared to compete.

The biggest reason they're scared is because they equate competing in CrossFit to what they’ve seen on TSN or ESPN – the fittest athletes in the world - which terrifies them and makes them feel inadequate.

Just the other day, a male client of mine said, “I’m not so sure this whole thing competing thing is for me. I just watched 50 jacked women on TV, who can all kick my ass. I’ll never be able to prioritize fitness like that.”

Listen up: The CrossFit Games is NOT why you should consider competing in CrossFit!

After the Taranis Titan Challenge two weeks ago, I was pissed off. I was pissed off with some of the physical and mental mistakes I made throughout the weekend. But there was a feeling that soared above the anger – it was a feeling of relief, of pride, of satisfaction. And more than this, there was a feeling of coming together with others, of genuinely supporting each other to grow. 

Deanna Fester from CrossFit Vernon competed in her first individual competition in Victoria two weeks ago. She described her experience this way:

“I feel like I reinvigorated my passion for the sport, through the support I felt…I’ve never been picked up off the floor before by someone, and Taryn (Romanowich) picked me up after every workout – literally.”

It also helped Fester grow closer with the other athletes from her home box. “I saw one of my good friends and members of our gym get her first bar muscle up, and I cried like a proud parent,” she said.

Natalie Duronio competed in the team competition in Victoria. She reiterated what Fester felt.

“I was reminded of the incredible power of community and of having the support of others. CrossFit competition has this funny quality in which you feel the crazy high of intense competition while at the same time experiencing the support of especially teammates and friends, but also adversaries,” she said.

“It’s interesting to explore the feeling of wanting so incredibly badly to be better than others, while at the same time marveling at their strength and tenacity and not really wanting them to fail. It was an interesting realization of how competition can, unexpectedly, bring the competitors together,” Duronio added.

The point is, if you’re scared to compete, know that everybody is. And know that conquering this fear is what it’s all about. The benefits you'll receive from putting yourself out there are greater than you could ever imagine.

You will develop unexpected bonds, feel incredibly supported, and leave on a massive adrenaline high. And through it all, you will grow.

You couldn’t really ask for a better weekend than that.

Stay tuned for the next blog post: Lessons you learn at a CrossFit competition.