When I started taking classes at a CrossFit gym in 2015, I came in with zero athletic background and an aversion to pushing myself that I wanted to cure. Like many at the beginning of their CrossFit journey, I enjoyed weightlifting and gymnastics movements. Running, however, was a different story.
I was scared of it.
Why? I’m not completely sure. Maybe it was due to my limited running experience always ending in shin splints. Maybe I was afraid of being slow. Maybe it was simply because I didn’t know the proper form, and I hadn’t taken the time to learn.
In the first few months of my membership, I avoided the running days. I even skipped Murph because of the two miles of running (which could have easily been scaled – live and learn). Then one day, the workout on the board was a one mile run for time. I sat in my car debating on whether I should go home for the day, but in the end, I decided to stay. I got through it (and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be), and from that point there started to be a mental shift.
We have the ability to change our mindset around challenges, but this does not just happen automatically. It took an active decision every time running came up for me to face it instead of letting it win. It took time. It took a lot of discomfort – mostly mentally. Now, almost nine years later, I can face a running workout without a second thought – but it took commitment to grow and improve.
Could I have pushed through this fear by myself? Maybe. Probably, eventually. But I truly needed the encouragement from my coach and the push from my community to get past this sticky point. Without a coach to guide me and a team alongside me, there is a high chance I would still have the same fear today.
What is your sticky point? Where do you want to make a change? We would be honored to help you build a plan to tackle that fear, gain that skill, and see what you are capable of. Send us a DM or go to crossfitdwell.com to take that first step.
-Lauren