New Beginning

This week I started full time at my new Crossfit Box..........Crossfit New Beginning.  When I first started looking for a new box I found their name somewhat significant.  As I looked through their website and fired off an email I wondered if it was an omen on the direction I should take.

I went to a couple of sessions last week but was still finding my feet with my new work routine etc so I didn’t get in as much as I wanted.  But this week I’ve made the commitment and I’ve been pretty consistently.

It’s a different environment to what I am used to but that comes with any change.  It’s a relatively new box, with most of the crew new to the community.  That community feel will continue to grow and to be honest it’s kinda nice to be involved with something as it starts and watch it grow.  I look forward to being able to contribute to that as time goes on.  The people however are supportive and friendly and the coaches Matt & James are good guys.  I’ve enjoyed the sessions so far and I am sure I will continue to improve my skills.  I also hope I can bring good energy to the box and be an asset to the team there.

I feel like for the last 10 weeks I’ve been pretty much treading water. The turmoil in my personal life has caused me to lose sight once again of what is important to me and what I need to focus on. But now I have put that behind me and am stepping forward to reclaim myself again and rise above it all. I think, well I hope, that everything I have been through this year will in the long run make me a better person, stronger and more aware of what I need, and what I am prepared to accept.

The one consistent over the last 10 weeks has been my run training which continues to excite and drive me. As I write those words I shake my head because I never thought I would be saying that about running. In the scheme of things its small steps by anyone’s standards but for me they are giant leaps.  Just to enjoy running is a massive leap. To want to get out of bed early and complete my scheduled run program and to do it well is new. I don’t fight my head every step of the way and I keep pushing. I am seeing improvements within myself so that keeps me pushing. Comparatively to everyone else at Crossfit I am still the slowest. But for me, I am getting better. I am me and when it comes to my running there is no point comparing myself to others because it’s my thing, at my pace and it will take time. But as long as I keep working hard that’s all I could want from myself.  In those sessions I can just be me. I don’t have anything to prove to anyone. I don’t have to justify anything. I just have to run and that is a good place to be.

So my focus for the next few weeks is to tighten up all the loose ends that have snuck in to my eating and training over the last couple of months. Back to strict Zone eating, with no dairy or grains. I know this works for me because that’s what I followed at the start of the year. My body responded well by stripping fat and building muscle.  I performed well in training sessions and my work capacity increased.  I had a good routine for my meals and had my planning well under control.  Also my water intake needs to increase; I’ve been doing ok but need to do much better.  I am working out a schedule for my training that means I can hit Crossfit 5-6 times a week and also my run programs. Not every day will go to plan and timing is a bit tighter now I am working in the city, but I’ll do the best I can every single day.  Also refocusing on the sleep structure my sleep doc set up for me in May. It was working quite well and sleep had improved. But got out of routine and let everything get the better of me and out the window it went. I know the plan works so back on it and get back into a good rhythm again.

My body has recovered from all the niggles a had developed. Bursitis in my hip is finally settling which is great. No pain when I walk or sleep so that’s a big improvement. Still can feel it, but nowhere near as bad as it was.  Groin has healed well but am mindful of it so make sure I warm up as much as possible. The aim this winter is to avoid the numerous bugs going around and keep myself moving forward. I can do this by eating clean and training well.

I also had a bit of a realisation last night about why I do what I do and why I am the way I am. Confusing sentence I know, and I can’t elaborate much on it. Suffice to say I now have some things I am aware of and I am working to figure out a way to modify those thoughts and behaviours. I think this process will also help me be successful in moving to where I want to be.

Doing all of these things will help me deal better with life in general. When I was focused during round 1 I managed myself and my wellbeing a lot better. I had an outlet in my training and used that to focus my energies.  I now have that again. I have a new space and whilst it was daunting to get started I am getting there. It was painful to have to move and I resented the reasons for it but now I’ve let that go and am focusing on what is, not what should have been.  It’s now a space that is just mine, for me to do what I have to do for me.  No history or baggage or looking over my shoulder. It’s just me as I am and people accept me as I present.  That’s a good thing.

New challenges, New workouts, New friends, New Beginning.............. I’m going to be ok.