Perseverance Or Perseverate...Third Times A Charm.

If you spend much time around us at all, you know Buds is a CrossFitter.

And you know that he and Todd R. have a 10-year bet.

Buddie’s opportunity to complete his portion of the bet began last Thursday night when we watched Dave Castro announce the first workout of the CrossFit Open. Jump to 20 minutes in to see the announcement.

Buds, Uncle Z, and another co-worker made plans to go to the CrossFit box where another Juicer has found a home. CrossFit H Dub will be hosting “Friday Night Lights” for five weeks total for their athletes (and visiting athletes) who want to compete in the CF Open.

Buds and crew were settled in and warming up when I arrived as their paparazzi last Friday night. The two owners were so welcoming, and as we have always found them to be, all the CrossFitters were friendly, helpful, and cheering like crazy for each other.

The workout was:

The workout had a twenty-minute time cap, and Buds had been watching the leader board as men from 45-49 had been posting their scores. He knew he was going to need to finish.

To make a long story short…too late already…he didn’t finish under the 20 minute time cap. He still had 12 of the burpee box jumps to go.

So, Sunday afternoon, Uncle Z (who also wanted to try for a better score) came over to our house and we set up the video workout room in the garage. Since they weren’t doing their workouts in a certified CrossFit box this time, we had to video tape it.

I’m grateful that it has been muted due to music copyright issues because the video is full of me screeching like the psycho cheerleader I turn into when my heart and soul are pulling for Buds. And there’s a rather funny/horrifying part at the end where he finishes the workout, under the time cap, and I don’t realize he’s finished it. Then, when I learn he’s done I screech about how I can’t believe he actually finished.

As you might imagine, this did not earn me very many CrossFit spouse points.

I’ll do better next time.

So, he basked in the glory of scoring well and beating the time cap. Then something made him doubt himself and as he was uploading the video to youtube, he began to count the reps for each section.

The sinking sound in his voice and the look on his face when he watched the round of 40 snatches and realized he’d only done 36…That is not a moment I hope to relive anytime soon.

This workout is a mental, physical, and emotional commitment. I could not fathom giving myself over to the pain of doing it for a third time.

It was never a question for Buds.

The next day at the gym in the basement where he works and where he works out with co-workers, he tackled this beast a third time, and shattered his previous attempts.

Uncle Z sent me this as soon as Buds was done:

The CrossFit website is stinking of failure right now because I can’t get in to see what Buds’ current stand is, but last night he was 7th in the Great State of Tennessee and at about the 8th percentile for the entire world for his age group.

Each day I’m more inspired and grateful for the example Buds sets for our family.

And I need to send a joyous thanks to Uncle Z. He also improved his score significantly when he did the WOD the second time. Then, he was so supportive and shared in our sorrow when Buds discovered the “36 is not 40” issue. And when Buds did the whole thing for the third time, Z was there to cheer for him, and let me know as soon as possible when the deed was done with a successful outcome.

Four more weeks of effort, sweat, camaraderie, anguish, and glory.