The Voice
By
April 30, 2017
No...not the the TV show. I'm talking about the voice in your head. The one that is sometimes the opposite of encouraging. It says things like "you aren't in good enough shape". Or, "this is too hard". Or, "you aren't feeling that great so you probably should take it easy". I heard that voice last week during a workout. I used to hear it during workouts all the time, but it had been awhile since it reared its ugly head. This time, it was at the beginning of a workout that I knew was going to be a long grind. As I headed out on an 800M run with a weight plate at the very beginning of the workout, it felt harder than I thought it should...and The Voice chimed in.
I'm not crazy, right? You have heard the voice too, haven't you? It tempts you with shortcuts you must never take. It tells you that you've done enough already so it would be okay to quit or do less. In my case, it insidiously suggested that I might be better served by changing course altogether and just doing something different. While a reasonable argument could be made for that, it would mean giving up on something I had promised myself I would do. And that would come with a much higher price than merely finishing a hard workout. While the fitness aspect of CrossFit is amazing, I believe that the mental training is every bit as valuable. It makes us better at everything else we do.
I believe that "sitting in" is an acquired skill. It may come easier to some than others, but staying the course and finishing a hard workout is no different than taking a project or goal to completion. The ability to dig in when things get hard instead of looking for the graceful exit is reinforced day in and day out here. We become not just physically healthier, but mentally tougher as well when we ignore The Voice and push through. Your workout doesn't have to be graceful or amazing in its execution, but the effort itself changes us and inspires others. This is far more important than any time, score, or load.
So the next time you hear The Voice. Tell it to shut up and go away. Honor the commitment you have made to yourself to hone both your fitness and your character. It's what we do.
Don't forget we are volunteering with Trails 2000 again this Wednesday. Catacombs athletes showed up in droves to give back to the community last time we did this. This is our last organized trail work night so please come out and join us. Meet at the Nature Trail at 4.
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