Competition.
You either love it or you hate it. You either live for it or you avoid it at all costs. You either think of yourself as “competitive” or “casual,” right? Personally, I thrive on competition. I have always loved to compete. I think of myself as a competitor every damn day regardless of whether or not I’m in a competitive situation. Different people have different reasons for avoiding competition and choosing to stay in their comfort zone – insecurities, doubts, disinterest, nervousness.
This past weekend I competed at Flex on the Beach in Long Beach, NY with my box, CrossFit Glendale. We had 18 – yes EIGHTEEN – teams of four come out to compete at this local event. That’s 72 athletes from all walks of life with varying experience, skills, and abilities. Every single athlete had a great day. We may have not all PR’d or won a workout, but every single individual gave it their all and left it all out there. Every athlete put their hesitations and skepticism aside for one shared reason: community. Our members dedicated a full Saturday of exercise, pushing limits, and working together to represent what CrossFit is all about. All 72 of us, plus families and friends, displayed what community truly means.
Our community – the tight-knit group of people repping our white and black CFG Flex tanks – demonstrated camaraderie by screaming for each other, providing quick bits of encouragement or strategy, and celebrating each other’s success. That’s what was most powerful for me. As a competitor, its easy to get wrapped up in your own little world and your workouts, your lifts, your scores, your times. But at the heart of CrossFit, none of that nonsense matters. What matters are those people you sweat with every single day inside four walls we call a box. Celebrating each other and all of our accomplishments makes something like this bigger than just a day of fitness. It shows that we have a large group of people who support and truly care about each other and each other’s journeys.
So, compete. Compete for fun. Compete to win. Compete to showcase your abilities. But ultimately, compete for community because at the end of the day community lasts and community is uplifting.
“Surround yourself with people who make you happy. People who make you laugh, who help you when you’re in need. People who genuinely care. They are the ones worth keeping in your life. Everyone else is just passing through.”
-Catherine
Just Enjoy the Journey 