I’ve been “busy”
I’ve been a little M.I.A lately, BUT I’ve had a very good reason …
The Crossfit Games were on!
Those of you who have followed me for some time are probably thinking “she doesn’t do crossfit anymore, does she?” and you are correct. I haven’t attended a crossfit session in .. umm … ages and although there are days where I consider going to a box (what Crossfit people call their gym), I’ll quickly remind myself that I’d have to do thrusters and get whipped by a rope and think .. yeah, nah I think I’m happy plodding through the mud in the Waitakere Ranges thanks. 😉
Although I no longer choose to watch the Live Open Announcements like I did when I actively participated in Crossfit, I do continue to watch most of the Regional competition and all of the individual events throughout the Crossfit Games. In fact, I’ve been watching the Games coverage since 2012. That year, on the opening day of competition they were at Camp Pendalton and did a triathlon, which could have been why I started watching it as I too was dabbling in multi-sport events at that time.
This year they did a trail run (which I too am currently dabbling in) although to be quite honest, their trail run just looked dusty, hot and hilly whereas mine are far more picturesque (and slower) affairs.
Matt Fraser (who would go on to win this years Games) finished in 34:10 and Sam Briggs (who won in 2013 but ended this week in 4th) was the first woman home (and third person overall) in a time of 36:08. I guess at that pace it doesn’t matter what the track looks like it would all just be a blur!
I think that is one of the biggest reasons that very rarely sign up to do running events. I like to round a corner and have my breathe taken away by my surroundings and then have the freedom to stop and appreciate just how amazing the things I get to see are. I don’t have to worry about holding other people up and I certainly don’t think about my pace. Although on the odd occasion I do have to worry about just that ..
On Friday afternoon I had initially planned to do a hilly 5k loop, however when I reached the end of the first track and saw the dark, steeply rutted return track I was in a quandry. It was late afternoon by that point and not only would I have to do an extra 1.5k returning the way I had come but I also knew it was going to be a hilly return and if I did get a hurry on I was going to run out of daylight. My one saving grace was that I was carry a torch – but still .. trees start to look pretty menacing in the dark ..
There were cars parked at this end of the track and I’d past one young man on my way down, so at least there were some people in the area (which this late in the afternoon I always find comforting). So I headed back in the same direction I had come from, with as much haste as I could muster. Thankfully I go up stairs quicker than I descend them and I’d already taken photos so it was pretty much just putting one foot in front of the other whilst gasping for air.
With less than a kilometer to go I was talking out loud to myself “Come on Julia, just keep moving” when I rounded a corner to see the young man I’d crossed paths with earlier smiling at me. (I’m guessing he heard me talking to myself) He said, “you’re making better time than I am, you’ll have share your secret” so I replied ..
“Oh it’s pretty simple – I’m scared of the dark … that keeps me moving … ”
Honesty .. it’s always the best policy 😉
Till next time
