Some of you may know I have been training for a few months with running 5k and 10k. Each week I try and push myself and get better. Recently I joined cross fit to improve my fitness level. Last week, I saw this special on Evening Magazine (Seattle show) about cross fit and it showed this guy running at full speed on a treadmill at 12% incline. Afterwards, he was on his back breathing hard and looking like he just had the best sex ever (pardon the visual). I thought, damn, I wish I could do that. They said several times during the show that athletes do cross fit for the extreme high it brings. I thought - sounds good to me.
Fast forward to today, I decided to really push myself like never before. Instead of spending the first 10 minutes of my 10 k to get into the zone, I got myself into the zone at the end of my warm up by adding sprints and incline running during the warm up. I started the race at 6.6 mph and 2.0% incline. At then end of 5 k, I had been running 18.5 minutes. At the end of 10 k I finished in 39 minutes. I was on my back recovering for a min, seeing stars with sound echoing into the distance. I felt great, like that guy I saw on the show.
I wanted to stop several times during the run, but I kept repeating "I am a cross fit runner now. I can do this." To help me have the energy to do it, I popped 2 energy squares before the run and another at 5 k. I drank a lot of Water all morning to hydrate myself. Took a pre workout drink right before run so the pump would kick in around 20-30 minutes. I met my latest goal of running 5 k sub 20 minutes! I continue to train with runs 3-4 x a week, increasing the effort spent every session.
I share this to motivate others. Good luck in your fitness endeavors and may you keep setting and meeting your goals. I think anything is possible and I want to apply the principles of cross fit to all areas of life.