Last weekend I competed at the Atlantic Crossfit Regionals.

 

It was literally a dream come true.

 

See.. when I set goals I set goals that I deem to be realistic. That’s part of goal setting, and at no point did I ever think going to Regionals would be realistic. Going was a dream.. but it became a dream come true.

 

Growing up I was not athletic. I only starting exercising really, in my mid-20’s when I started running. I started lifting in my late 20’s and Crossfit around 30. Most of the people who are good at this sport at much younger than me, have been athletes their whole lives and didn’t have the background I did.

 

Being at Regionals over the weekend and looking around, I was the smallest of the ladies. I just don’t have the years of muscle mass they do and I am okay with that. I didn’t make it based on my strength, but more my conditioning anyway.

 

And I made it because I’ve never quit. When I began Crossfit I wasn’t inherently good at everything, and I’m still not. Sure, I could run, do pistols, double unders, back squat, hang clean.. but I had to work my ass off for the other things.

 

On day one of the event my hard work paid off. The first event was strict handstand push ups. Okay.. so if I had to say I was inherently good at one thing, it would be hanstand push ups. The first workout involved me doing 15-10-5 of them strict and I busted those out, no problem. Then onto bar muscle ups, which is a movement I am NOT good at. (You can view all of the workouts in detail here. Make sure you click TEAMS.)

 

I got one for the first time ever at Crossfit Southie one day before I left Boston. I was working on them on my own while a class was going on and I screamed so loud I interrupted the class. But it didn’t matter that I got it the one time because I lost them again for probably three months after that and when I got them back, they were awful and I struggled so much. When they came up in the open they caused me to drop from the top 1.5% of women in the world. I am talking.. in my Region I was finishing in the top 200 women in all of the other workouts, but in the workout with bar muscle ups, I finished 842. So that should tell you how much I struggle with that movement.

 

But at Regionals they had me go last in this workout because they knew I would take the longest on the bar because we had to do 20 with a partner, synchronized. My very first one was so easy and perfect, I flew right up so easily it scared me! And I came down, went right into my second even though we had planned on just doing singles, and my partner was so confused.. and I was like “just get up here.. that was so easy I had to keep going!” haha.  They all stayed so easy. I just wish they had gotten them on video so I could see them!

 

barmup

 

The second workout of the day was an issue. It required me to snatch 135# and I knew that wouldn’t happen for me. And it sucked to stand there and watch my teammates work knowing I couldn’t do anything, but we all knew that going into Regionals. I would be going despite not being able to snatch that weight and contribute. BUT I have to say, I’ve never cared about snatching 135#. Actually I’ve never cared about snatching heavy at all, but now this has driven me to want to increase and improve there.

 

Day 3’s workouts were definitely my favorite but also my least favorite. The first I knew was gonna suck. We had to run 1.8km on a true form runner, which is a self propelled treadmill, between three girls, alternating people every minute. Once that was complete we had to accumulate 60 overhead squats at 105#, and while one person is working the other two had to hang from a pull up bar. Then once those were complete we had to accumulate 100 GHD sit ups while the other two held a barbell weighing 315# together. This was atrocious because of grip but we finished.

 

OHS3

 

And the second workout was my favorite.. deadlifts and burpees. 45 deadlifts at 420# as a male/ female pair then 45 synchro burpees over the bar. I just love deadlifts and burpees so so so so so much. Probably because I am short.

 

On day 3 I got overwhelmed with nerves. Something didn’t feel right when I woke up and I was so anxious. It was different from the other days. So going into the first workout I didn’t like how I felt and I bombed it. As a team of three, we had to complete 100 power snatches, then 50 toes to bar (two people, synchronized) and then 100 foot handstand walk each. I fell a lot. Walking on my hands is something I just got recently and I still am not confident in. I’m hit or miss, but in practice I seemed consistent but I just fell and fell and got upset.  But it fired me up.

 

t2b

 

The last workout was one I had practiced twice and was excited about – I was to complete 21 thrusters at 65#, 4 rope climbs, 15 thrusters, 3 rope climbs and 9 thrusters and 2 rope climbs. In practice, even without the running back and forth from bar to rope, it took me 5:21 and this workout took me less than that at Regionals, even adding running back and forth into the mix. I had to redeem myself.

 

ropeclimb4

 

Overall, we went into Regionals in 30th place by the points compared to the other teams.. so 30th place out of 30 teams and we climbed to 16th place overall. I could not be more proud of my teammates and our performance.

 

I am so incredibly grateful to have made the team and for all of the members from Crossfit Westchase for coming up to Atlanta to cheer us on. It was truly such an incredible experience that I want to build on and see what happens in the future.

 

CFWCteamphoto

 

Overall this experience has made me an even stronger person. Because I thrived under pressure. And when I was embarrassed and felt defeated I picked myself up and kept going. Because failure is and can be a wonderful learning experience if you let it be that.

 

Since I have been home I have gone back to the gym. I love working out everyday so keeping me home is impossible, but I am taking a deload to just kinda have fun with movement while I reformultate my personal fitness goals. But just before Regionals, I was working on kipping muscle ups and I felt like I was getting close so I asked for a spot on a couple of them, and after that, I finally got my very first muscle up on my own!!! So after three years of working on this, and not giving up, my hard work, my blood, my sweat and my tears finally paid off.

 

So whatever your personal fitness goals are, be patient and stick to them because eventually they will pay off. And yes the journey can be frustrating, but it will make you that much more appreciative when you do finally reach them.

 

Your Coach,

Kyra

 

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    2 replies to "2016 Crossfit Atlantic Regionals"

    • Twana Rigney

      Great Kyra…big congrats happy for & proud of you….u inspire me!!!😀

      • Kyra Williams

        thank you so much Twana <3

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