Pre-Crossfit Competition Jitters and Workout Struggles

Why is it so hard to take a rest day?

Every week, I have been taking Wednesdays off. It’s nothing new, nothing special. It just fits in nicely with working out Monday, Tuesday (double WOD), Thursday (double WOD), Friday. But today, I’m especially struggling with taking the day off. I’m blaming it on pre-competition jitters..

Since I participated in the Crossfit Games Open, I have had this crazy drive to be the best. I know I have only been Crossfitting for 4 months and I know that I have so much more room to grow, but I also know that I have become so much stronger mentally and physically since I have started. I’m signed up for my first real competition on Sunday. A modified division, but still a competition. I am not expecting to be the best or the fastest or the strongest, but I am absolutely going to try my best and have an awesome time. I gained so much confidence in the Open that I feel I’m mentally prepared for a local competition.

But then a workout like last night happens and I get a bit discouraged, but even more determined. I did the regular WOD class and felt beat after, which isn’t abnormal. I have done the WOD class followed by the Endurance class multiple times which is difficult, but the few minutes I’ll have between the classes usually is enough to time recover and be ready for the second beat-down. This workout, my body never recovered. It hated me, and not just physically but mentally. I felt defeated and not in a good way. I felt nauseous, light-headed, and frustrated. I felt so negative, and wondered how in the world I am going to do a competition when I am struggling so much in a normal workout? I went into a quick bout of self-doubt and it made me even miserable.

I worked out Monday, and then did back-to-back workouts Tuesday (including about half an hour of constant speed and agility drills, followed by two .8 mile runs). I cannot be upset that my body was tired! I slept a solid 9+ hours last night and after dreaming all night about rocking the competition I felt so much better. I wanted to get right back into the gym to prove that I am more mentally strong than that. I wanted to hurry up and rest and recover, and knock out today’s WOD and regain my confidence. But it’s Wednesday and it’s a rest day (and the WOD was sled pushes, so I’m not sad about missing it.. hehe).

I am signed up for this competition for fun. I am doing this for me, to prove that I do have the mental drive and the confidence and to show how far I have come in such a short amount of time. While it is a competition against other girls at my box and other local athletes, I am not counting on winning or even placing in the top –  this is absolutely a Me vs. Me competition, and I’m ready for it!

Your turn..

Do you ever get over-confident and then need to scale it back down?
Do you dread rest days?
Do you listen to your body all of the time?