I'M NO QUITTER (This is my Crossfit run-spirational story)

I accepted a long time ago that I am not a fast runner.  I accepted it and I've admitted it to you in several blogs.  I made peace with my maker,  the black top.  I knew that if the Zombie's were like the ones on walking dead,  I had a fighting chance.  If the Zombie's were like in World War Z,  I just planned on ingesting arsenic in my basement whilst hiding. Either way,  I was at peace with that.  Well,  at least I thought I was.

Last Saturday I drug my very tired ass out of bed to get to the 7:30am Crossfit Solstice workout.  I mean,  why not?  Friday nights are not what they used to be.  This particular Saturday Eve I went to the diner for a salad with Alli and did laundry.  I know,  I'm wild. Someone plan an intervention for me.  Anyways...I went.  My alarm went off, my sneaks went on,  and out the door I went (fully clothed of course).  

I have a tendency to peak at the workouts the day before,  just so I can mentally prepare myself.  Friday I thought,  that doesn't look bad--- 200 m rowing.  I missed the running part. If you can imagine my shock Saturday when I saw the white board it was like a silent---what the ham samwich.    I still thought...doesn't look that hard...

So,  I love bear complexes.  That's really what made me go to class originally.  I literally love any kind of weight lifting.  It's my niche.  But,  for some reason Bear Complexes have a special place in my heart,  right next to Peachie O's.    I did awesome on my bear complex...so awesome I forgot the number I got to-- maybe #115--#120??  Not sure. Doesn't matter.  That's not the point of this story.  Stop letting me digress over my love of lifting weights.

So anyway,  Christie announces it's time to get ready for the WOD and she explains it a little bit better.  In my mind I'm like...no way am I going to make all of that happen in 5 minutes. At one point in my life I was running so slow I started walking and didn't even realize it because my run pace is so slow.  THAT'S HOW SLOW I AM. Christie,  as any good coach would,  reassures me I will do fine.  In my mind I'm thinking...are we talking about the same person completing the same workout?  Whatever you say dude...whatever you say....

It wasn't so bad to start.  Completed it all in like 4:30,  so I had a nice 30 second rest before it was time to put my big booty back on the rower.  Second round... 4:50...10 second rest.  By the third round I noticed I was behind everyone else.  I know we aren't supposed to notice,  but it's a bad habit.  I'm not competitive at all with running because I KNOW I SUCK, but this particular workout made me angry.  So angry.  In fact,  while running I was mumbling "Fuck this,  this is stupid."  "F'in Ron."  "This is so god damn stupid."  "Why would anyone make up this workout?"  "Ron is evil."

By the end of round three,  I did not make it in the 5 minute time cap.  Christie realizing this said "Elyse,  I just want you to run 400 meters instead of 600."  My legs screamed YES.  My mind,  against my legs better advice,  said Fuck no.  Which is,  what I said to her in so many words.  I completely understood why she wanted me to scale,  but my mind told me I was not scaling.  How could I even consider scaling running?  Why,  because I'm slow?  No thanks.  I'd run for 5 days rather then quit from something I can physically do,  just at a slower pace.  My momma didn't raise no quitter.  I've never even quit a job in my life--which is probably why I have 3.  I'm a sucker.

So,  I kept running.  And I started using all that anger to make my feet move a little faster.  A little faster.  A little faster.  The f words turned into move it,  you're almost done,  400 more meters,  1 more round,  200 more meters,  MOVE.

Then...I finished the entire workout.   About 1 total minute after everyone else,  but to the cheers of my fellow crossfit friends.  That's why I didn't scale.  I wanted that class of all dudes to see I may have little stub legs compared to their 6 foot giraffe height legs,  but I am not a quitter.   We don't do crossfit because we are all making it to the Crossfit Games,  we do it because it feels good to be pushed harder than we have ever been before.