Am I bummed out? Yes, going to regionals was what I was training for. This happened last year too, I didn't make the top 60 and that kind of started a little fire under my feet. I stopped living life as I knew it the first few years of college so I could train harder and be better for the 2012 season. With that being said, I have gotten better, A LOT better. The 5 work outs HQ selects to make up the Open are so far out of my control. I saw there were 60,000 people that submitted scores on 12.1 and 30,000 submitted scores for 12.5. I had a good showing in 3 out of 5 of the work outs, with a 38th, 11th, and 30th place finish so obviously it is frustrating to see a 239th and 145th place finish in my score sheet but those reflect my flaws, whether it be my current conditioning/mental state/ or my performance that day. 7 minute of burpees and an 18 minute amrap aren't really in my wheelhouse and it showed. I had a strong finish with 12.4 and 12.5 but even if I got 1st place in 12.5 I would not being going to regionals because I had already accumulated too many points by the 4th work out, and there were not enough people to beat out the top 60 overall after week 4. I didn't know this going into it, but I have spent a lot of time during the past few days doing the math, not that it really matters but I can't help but see "what if...". I also saw that my 12 muscle ups were just as valuable as about 2 or 3 burpees. A little ridiculous but that's the way things go, hopefully more girls do muscle ups next year, just not more than me! To be the best, you cannot have weaknesses, and while I have been training my ass off I still have work to do.
If I did 4 more burpees, I would be going to regionals. Because of the mass amount of people submitting scores for 12.1 and all the ties, burpees proved to be the most valuable reps. However, it's easy to say it now "I should have just done 4 more burpees" but in reality during 12.1 I tried my hardest, there was no way I was getting more than 99 reps THAT day. IF i redid it, maybe, maybe not. The scoring system for those on the bubble does not seem ideal but that's just too bad. I was on the bubble, but maybe if I did better I would not be on the bubble and therefore not really care about the scoring system. HQ is trying to find the fittest people and so far they are able to do that with the current system. I don't think any athletes at the top ever complain about the scoring system, it is just the athletes on the bubble that notice and care/complain, reality is HQ doesn't really care about the people fighting to get into the top 60. I realize that if I lived in other regions, it is very likely I would have made top 60, but NorCal is tough. However, it's beautiful place to live so why the hell would I live anywhere else. Maybe to make it to regionals in the future? okay.
I will most likely watch the regional individual competition again and wish I was there, knowing I could do well. Last year I did not qualify but competed on my team and my team scores for the thruster ladder (3rd) and Amanda (5th) would have been about the same had I competed individually. I do think I am good enough to be there and I know I would probably do well, but I didn't prove to be in the top 60 in the work outs HQ selected. Are 60 people better than me in NorCal? At burpees, yes, but in terms of skill/moderate to heavy weight/ volume work capacity, probably not. I think these are the types of things we will see in a regional competition.
My team qualified for regionals so I will be a part of the team for the second year in a row. While I am excited to do that, I am also excited to get going on my path for 2013. There are lots of areas I can improve on and I will have plenty of time. This was a good learning experience for me, just is almost any competition. The good thing about not qualifying individually for the 2012 regional is, I will have a head start on 2013. I need to be at the top next year so I am not trying to fight my way back in when it's too late. I have always said the year after I graduate college will be my year, and I believe you can truly do anything you set your mind to. It's time to do big things.
Today's training:
A. Squat Clean, build to a 1RM
B. 10 rounds for time:
5 unbroken HSPU
1 Rope Climb
C. Row Sprint 100m @ 100% effort x 5 sets, 2 min
A. 185# felt like 500#
B. 4:33 to a 14' rope. felt great
C. 18.7, 18.8, 18.6, 18.8, 19.0
Excited to get back into my usual program without an unknown tester every week. The open wore me out, physically and mentally. I am very happy it is over and have felt like my body has took a beating. My stress levels were high and overall energy just not as good as it usually is because I was always stressed and just worn down. Today's strength component reflects this a bit. 185# has been easy the past few times I have done it but today it was my max and felt like 500#.
Great post Chelsea! You are an amazing athlete and an even better person. Looking forward to cheering you and the rest of the Cadence team on at Regionals!
ReplyDeleteFreakin burpees! There is a blogger down here...the naked xfitter. Hilarious! Spent some time talking about the burpees.
ReplyDeleteHI Chelsea I have never met you but was sent this post by a friend of mine that is OPT also. She passed it on to me b/c we have been feeling exactly the same way. I was not nearly as close as you but I have friends that were and we all feel the same way. One wrote to HQ and after a few emails back and forth this is what she finally got out of them.....
ReplyDeleteSince there were more people competing during Week 1, there was more opportunity for ties in the rankings and therefore the different between 1 or 2 burpees (of 17) is quite a bit.
We are always evaluating and reevaluating our scoring system. We have done extensive research and have found that each system is flawed in its own way. This is how we have things set up this season and we won't be changing it now, but we are always thinking about how to improve on it for the future. Thanks for your feedback.
Good luck training this year!