Independence Week

One of the many lessons I’ve learned from doing CrossFit Bootcamp workouts is that while the group workouts are challenging, doing them solo requires me to be even more stubborn, relentless, committed, single-minded. I’m generally not competitive with others, but the social pressure to not wuss out while surrounded by my bootcamp campadres propels me forward at our group workouts.

Working out alone is a whole other story. There’s a monster that accompanies me on every workout, trying to convince me to give up. He looks something like this:

I’ve learned to give him a lot of shit and challenge him to keep up with me. I always outrun him eventually.

But there’s an evil little demon that leaps onto my shoulder during really tough runs and particularly challenging Bootcamp workouts, and he’s much more cunning. He whispers seductively in my ear, “You could just stop, you know. If you stop, it will be over. Come one… you know you want to.”

He’s much harder to flick off and outrun. Just when I think I’ve left him behind, he appears on my other shoulder. “No one will know if you don’t finish all the reps. No one knows how many you’ve done…”

Little bastard.

He and I are going to be spending a fair amount of time together this week. My CrossFit mentors are competing in the CrossFit Games in California, and although they’re offering free workouts today and tomorrow, I decided to challenge myself to do my CrossFit workouts solo this week.

In honor of Independence Day on July 4, I’ve declared “Workout Independence Week.” yesterday afternoon, under the broiler-sun, Dave drew a running ladder in chalk on the street in front of my house, and I put together my big plan for workouts, including Annie Are You OK, hill runs, and lots of abs with my 10-lb. medicine ball. Standing in my air conditioned kitchen, it all sounded like a whole lot of fun. I hope I’m right.

The Big Plan
Monday: Spartan Workout #1
Tuesday: Run 5k
Wednesday: Spartan Workout #2
Thursday: Run 5k
Friday: Spartan Workout #3 + Run 5k
Saturday: Run 5k + Spartan Workout #4

This morning, I did my first solo Spartan workout; details of my experience coming later today. It wasn’t pretty and the demon got the better of me for a few minutes, but it’s done and I’ve got sore muscles and a funny walk to prove it.