Demand More of Yourself

I saw this quote in 10 foot tall (ok, maybe 5 foot tall) letters Saturday morning at CrossFit Rubicon.

It was inspiring, sure, but what I saw going on in front of the wall with that catch phrase was what really inspired me.

Just look at this. Let this sink in for a second. A woman, pulling a weighted sled, with the heart of a lion. Look loser...

See the crutches? She has cerebral palsy. 

Now, what was your excuse for not pushing yourself harder today at work or the gym? 

Fear of failure/looking like an ass/not being the best?

I'll tell you what your excuses are; they are the same as mine. They. are. all. bull. shit. 

I was at CrossFit Rubicon for the 2nd annual Working Wounded Games. What is this event you ask?

This is the first CrossFit styled competitions that level the playing field for severely wounded veterans and permanently injured civilians. So all the crap that I do on a daily basis, but modified (and sometimes not even modified) so that individuals with CP, vision problems, prosthetics, spinal and brain injuries, can participate in CrossFit.

I was expecting to be inspired, but I had no idea how emotional the experience would be. The energy, the cheering, and the sheer looks of determination on the faces of the athletes are all things that will stick with me for a long, long time. It showed me the resilience of the human spirit, and how kind and fiercely supportive people can be of each other, even when competing. It gave me faith in the human race again, and I'm not trying for hyperbole. It made me want to find a way to support this cause. We'll see what happens on that front...

I didn't think that a sporting event could be emotional. If seeing someone with 2 prosthetic legs doing wall climbs, a man whole could barely walk down the stairs to the entrance of the box doing an AMRAP of burpees and power cleans, or a woman who requires crutches to walk pulling a sled and doing dumbbell snatches with tenacity, patience, and PRIDE... doesn't affect you emotionally.. I don't think I want to know you. 

With twice as many participants as last year, this is an event that will just get bigger and better as the years pass. I can't wait to go next year.