Benefits of a Buddy

By reading this blog, you may think I’m really into Crossfit – you’re right! I’m still learning a lot but I try to go a minimum of four times per week and when I can’t make that minimum I get a bit grumpy. Just ask my husband. Earlier this month, my back was hurting and I was debating about whether or not I should get out of bed for my morning workout. RJ rolled over, looked at me and said, “Stay home today, because if you injure yourself, you’ll have to take multiple days off and then you’ll be really grumpy.” Point taken! I’m happier when I make it to Crossfit in the mornings and even happier when I come home with something exciting to report, like finally getting a box jump.

A few months ago, I wasn’t exactly bouncing out of bed to get to Crossfit though. When my alarm would go off at 5 am, I was hitting snooze enough times that I was often missing the class and then when I did finally emerge from under the covers, I felt guilty all day. Then the next morning, I’d repeat the cycle. At that time, I was lucky if I made it to the box once per week.

Then, I had an idea. One of the reasons I struggled to get out of bed was because I dreaded the fifteen-minute walk to the gym. I knew my friend, Dee, drove to the box each day so I asked her if she’d mind giving me a ride in the morning. It was instant accountability for both of us – I was counting on her for a ride so she had to go to the workouts she said she would and since she was going out of her way to get me, I knew I needed to get up and get ready. We’ve been going to Crossfit together for the last few months and we’ve both been more consistent and seen results because of it.

Dee grabbing a coffee after one of our morning WODs.

When I first began Crossfit, I was worried about always coming in last or not being able to do certain movements. When I went to my free trial session before joining, Dee was actually in the class. As she was adjusting the height of the weight lifting rack, her finger somehow got caught in it and she ripped off a chunk of skin and started bleeding. The coach assured me that blood isn’t usually shed during a WOD and encouraged me to not let that mishap effect my decision to join. That incident didn’t deter me though. I left that trial class thinking that what Dee did is something I’d totally do. I realized that maybe Crossfit gyms weren’t only made up of hardcore muscle men but included people like me (and Dee) who were just learning. A guess the moral of the story is that you never know when you can inspire someone – one person’s embarrassing moment just may be a shining light to someone else.

If it wasn’t for her, I might not have discovered (and stuck with something) that I’m really enjoying. Thank you, Dee!