Amazing WOD at Ctown CrossFit

It’s October 2nd in Cleveland, and it’s one of “those” October 2nds… Dark, misty, cool (maybe even cold).  My joints hurt, the arthritis is acting up, motivation is low, got a big travel day tomorrow, there’s a thousand and six reasons not to CrossFit today, and a thousand more to just suck at life.  Tuesday October 2nd is sucking.  I arrive at the gym and four of my favorite people are there, Carl, Laurie, Kim, and Sara. It sucks a little less.  We get loose under Coach Carl’s careful supervision, and it has to be careful today b/c we’re going for 1 Rep Max (1RM) snatch, then heavy push presses.  After the heavy dangerous stuff, there’s a running/burpee metcon.  Kim and I both have competitions coming up, so we are locked in on improving our snatch.  Laurie is working very hard on her technique, and Sara has a sore *ss but is pushing through it.  1RM comes and goes.  Some people hit PRs.  Tuesday October 2nd isn’t looking so bad right now.  Heavy push presses.  “Dip and drive, dip and drive, dip and drive” resonates around the box.  Warmup sets followed by three sets of five at heavy weight.  The cool temperatures help, but even as cool as it is, the floor becomes slick with sweat.  Still, it is good to move, to feel strong.  It sucks a little less.  Metcon time.  Tuesday October 2nd starts to suck in a major way.  I used to be a runner.  Used to love to run.  Ran a marathon in 3:22, ran a 5k in 16:30, both “back in the day.”  Now, a few decades later, and after hip replacement, and after a few dozen extra kilos are added on, running is tough.  It’s my mental weakness right now.  We start running.  Sara and her sore *ss disappear down the street.  Kim’s inside working on doubles.  That leaves Laurie and me.  I want to quit.  More accurately, I want to shave, I want to turn around before the turnaround point.  It’ll cut maybe 50 yards off the run.  It’s just a little shave, it won’t change the WOD much.  Laurie doesn’t say “no”, she just says “I’m going to the turnaround.”  She’s not going to shave.  And I know she HATES running.  I am momentarily shamed, and then just as quickly rejuvenated.  If Laurie’s going to do it, I’m going to do it.  She drags me through the run, and then we all drag each other through the burpees.  Coach Carl gets down on the floor and does the last 20 burpees with all of us.  Tuesday October 2nd doesn’t suck anymore.  Thanks Carl, Kim, Sara, and Laurie.  I wonder what tomorrow’s WOD is going to be….