Lessons Learned
WOD, 7/23/10:
7 minute AMRAP:
10 toes to bar
15 ground to overhead (95/65)
30 second rest
7 minute AMRAP
10 push-ups (CrossFit Games standards)
1 Rope Climb (both arms must be extended past the 15′ line)
Here is the blog that I have been pondering since the conclusion of the final WOD at the games….What do I tell my clients about my performance??
As an English teacher, I always want to maintain a theme in my writing. I fear that this may be hard to do when reflecting upon the Games, for there is so much to share.
Before I left for California, an ex-client and friend from CFM sent me an email. It stated:
“I know you’ll do your best at the games. Make sure you have fun and learn something too.”
Prior to leaving, I viewed this as a friendly “do well” wish. Post-games, there is a lot of wisdom in it. So, what did I learn? I can group my new-found knowledge into 4 categories:
1. CROSSFIT IS LEGIT AND TAKING OVER THE WORLD. Do you have any idea what it was like to walk out into a stadium of 6,000 screaming CrossFit fans??!!! Clearly, they weren’t all screaming for me, but they were unified in one chant: their love for the sport of CrossFit. Everything was amazingly professional; from the live telecast with instant replays, to the commentators and interviewers, to the vendors, to the organization of athletes, all the way to the breakdown and set-up of equipment. This sport is growing out of control and you don’t have to be a brain scientist to figure it out.
2. TRAIN TO A HIGHER STANDARD. I recently read a great quote: “Practice as if you’re the worst, perform as if you’re the best.” So, you love muscle-ups and do them weekly in WODs. How often do you do them in a weight vest, using a grip with which you’re not comfortable, or hanging the rings at a height that you can’t reach but by means of jumping? Sure, we all do some form of handstand push-ups in our WODs. Do you ever do them getting your head below parallel, or on rings? Do you accept a rep when you may have possibly broken at the waist before locking out your arms? How about pull-ups??? Ever doubt that your chin has gotten over the bar on that final rep before you break and still except it? DON’T!!!! Punish yourself in the gym, reward yourself in the competition. Shabby reps are no longer in the book of LP’s WODs.
3. OUR CROSSFIT FAMILY IS UNBELIEVBLY SUPPORTIVE. I couldn’t even count the good luck wishes I received via facebook, email, in the gym prior to leaving, text message, voicemail, and through the loud ear-piercing chants in the audience. Both members of SCF and other CrossFit gyms around the Northeast showed an unprecedented degree of support that I did not think was possible. So, if you are one of these individuals (and you know who you are)…Thank you from the bottom of my heart. There are, however, 10 people that need to be mentioned individually:
- Lisa, Peter, Murph, Testa, Teresa, Dy-Lan, and Shlee: Thank you for flying across the country, for the signs, your vocal cords, carrying my bags, taking photos, sitting in the hot sun, and always ensuring that I had a smile on my face at moments when I thought I might cry.
- DP: I couldn’t have picked a better coach. I know you wanted to kill me because of all of my “i-pod mishaps” (“Dude, dude, DUDE!!!”) One of my fondest moments of our marriage to-date will always be when you came to the medical room after my final WOD to hug me while I cried in that ice bath. Sometimes saying nothing is what is best.
- Jay Leydon: My TRUE CrossFit Coach. Thank you for being there to support and coach me in the midst of competing yourself. I will always feel at home at CFM and rely on you for your superior coaching and friendship.
- Ray Garcia: Thanks for the emails (they were so good most of them should be published). Several times, I thought pre-WOD, “Sh@%, if I screw up, I’m really gonna let Ray down!” I know that was not your intention in the emails, but it was certainly a strong motivator. I would assume that this is the way that most girls would feel regarding their fathers watching them compete. So thanks for being my “CrossFit Dad.”
4. IT IS OKAY TO BE HUMAN. You look around at the pool of competitors at the CrossFit Games, and they look super-human. You start to believe that they are. At some point, you, yourself, feel super-human. Never, in my CrossFit career have I gotten to a point in a WOD, where my body would no longer work. It happened to me THREE TIMES in one weekend. I finished that final WOD and felt demoralized and defeated. As mentioned previously, I sat in that ice bath because I didn’t want anyone to see me cry. Although I physically couldn’t have done more in that final WOD, I also suffered a severe mental collapse. I wanted to crawl in a shaded corner and bury my face in my legs.
I have had four days to digest it, and a lot of conversations with friends.
I had two goals entering the games. The first to place 15th (weird, huh?), and the second to never suffer a mental collapse.
In my head, I had accomplished one of the two. But, remember my quote that I mentioned in several interviews leading up to the games: “It is a shame for the soul to quit when the body perseveres“??
After some reflection, I believe that my body quit before my soul threw in the towel. So, I have to accept this, right?
I tell you all to push yourselves daily, to remain focused and mentally strong…believe and you achieve…blah, blah, blah…most of the time, we do this. Sometimes it doesn’t happen. There is a point when you must realize that YOU ARE HUMAN. YOU ARE FLAWED. YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES, AND YOU WILL LEARN FROM THEM.
So, this weekend, I showed thousands of people that I am human, and I don’t think that I am that upset about it anymore.
I left last year’s Games in 45th place feeling satisfied. I left this year in 15th hungry for a WHOLE LOT MORE. Perhaps failing was the best thing that could’ve happened…
Right before my favorite event of the weekend...the sandbag carry.
No, it didn't hit me in the head!
Leave a reply
14 Responses for Lessons Learned
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July 22, 2010 07:42 pm
Lauren — awesome words. You made us all proud, woman. Glad to know ya!
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RayG:
July 22, 2010 11:33 pm -
July 23, 2010 03:19 am
Woman… you know how I feel. I luv you and DP, and I cannot believe how far you have come. Joce and I are so proud of you. You are an inspiration to everyone! CFM will ALWAYS have you back, and I will ALWAYS be there for you. Rest, relax, and enjoy your accomplishments… By the way… it's on today at 11.
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DP:
July 23, 2010 07:07 amLP,
Competing is one of those things in life that requires motivation and hard work. Getting to the CrossFit games takes a lot more. It takes natural ability, but most of all heart.
To put things in perspective, there are 1700 affiliates worldwide and I’m guessing somewhere around 50,000 Crossfitters (at a conservative 30 members per gym). This year, the standards were much higher with only 90 athletes competing in the games; which places every person this weekend in a very elite category (.0018%).
As a spectator at your last few events, I’ve been blown away by your performances…especially the Albany Cripple. I think Peter Goldenburg said it best, when he said your amazing!
Now placing 15th is a remarkable accomplishment and just know that you own that experience for the rest of your life! Some of us will only dream of accomplishing such a feat. Yet regardless of your placement this weekend, I think I speak for everyone when I say we are honored to be sweating besides you day-in and day-out at the Shoreline.
Now let’s work on some rope climbs!!!
Love,
DP
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Chu:
July 23, 2010 09:24 amLP,
Watching you last weekend was amazing! I loved hearing the annoucers saying “Lauren Plumey has one speed GO” thats the Lauren I saw out there. I knew you were leaving it out there in each and every WOD. I dont think in anyway, shape or form should you use the word “fail” as you did nothing of the sort. Remember this quote “There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that lost by not trying.” The peice thats important is being hungry for more and taking away from not succeeding. “That’s what learning is, after all; not whether we lose the game, but how we lose and how we’ve changed because of it and what we take away from it that we never had before, to apply to other games. Losing, in a curious way, is winning.”
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teresa:
July 23, 2010 11:58 amLp you are one of the most amazing women I ever met in my life (and I’m old) your strength and beauty ,your drive to keep going is breath taking to watch! You have never failed when you try, you only fail when you don’t! And i have never seen someone fight like you! You bring tears to my eyes to watch you do your” thing ” i feel like a proud mom (sorry pretty she my dtg to some days). So don’t ever think you failed , just to be where you are right now is a huge test of physical and mental strength I am proud to know you has my trainer but even prouder to say you are my friend! I love you Lp!!
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RayG:
July 23, 2010 01:56 pm
DP…wonderful post. I could not have said it better.
CrossFit Game 2011 the countdown begins now….
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Jocelyn Leydon:
July 23, 2010 04:29 pmI’m so proud of you LP! I wish I could have been there in person to watch you compete but you know I was home in CT screaming at my computer for you! Abbi and I were glued to the crossfit site all weekend cheering you on in spirit! She is officially your newest fan. She loves her Auntie LP!
You should be very proud of all you have accomplished…and looking fabulous while doing it!Love ya girl!
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Christina Q:
July 23, 2010 05:52 pmYou guys are all the best with your posts…I wanna hug all of you. Seriously!! LP you made us all so proud and I’m so thankful that the Shoreline CrossFit family has come into my life!!!
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meg:
July 23, 2010 06:56 pmLauren,
You were truely inspiring to watch over the weekend. From the first wod to the last, and looking like a little kid on a playground during the sandbag wod; you reminded everyone why we crossfit. You never failed once in our eyes as liz greene and I yelled at the computer screen as if you could hear us on the other side of the country(: don’t worry, next year I’m comin’ for ya ;D -
July 23, 2010 07:05 pm
Wow Lauren- huge congrats to you.
Thanks for this amazing post and for being such an inspirational athlete. Wow.
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Kurt:
July 23, 2010 07:17 pmWOW, this WOD looks fun, wish I was not on 95 from 2pm until 6:30pm today. Can’t wait to congratulate you in person LP
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LP:
July 24, 2010 12:34 amThanks to all! I feel very blessed. And Meg…you’ll be better than me by next year! I wish you a speedy recovery xoxoxoxox
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Hey, Lauren. I bet everyone of us knew that you were going to beat yourself up over that last WOD. You are the 15th fittest woman in the world and you inspired tens of thousands during that very WOD. It is good for the rest of us to know that even our heroes are human. But seriously? YOU KICKED ASS!!!