"Why do they call everyone athletes? I'm just a guy clinging on to my 30s trying to keep fit" ... or so Lewis Cradock thought...

The open.......

I've been hanging out at CrossFit Aberdeen for just about three years. Initially I thought  "the open" was some competition that was only for experienced athletes. (2015) Why do they call everyone athletes, I thought? I certainly am NOT an athlete. I'm just a guy clinging on to my 30's trying to keep fit. 

2015 came and went and I let most of the fun pass me by. I certainly felt I 'missed' out on something but life goes on and so I continue on. It was January 2016 when Kirsten, Rob and the other CFA coaches explain the point of the open. To track your progress. To pitch yourself against another 75kg, 36 year old male that has a max snatch of 65kg. That peaked my interest. My match was a guy named Andre and he lives in Spain. I will never meet this man BUT it interested me in seeing if I was fitter.

16.1: I won

16.2: he won 

… and so on. It turned out Andre was better than me but I can't say I didn't try and I started to plan how I'd change the odds to MY favour next year. I'll learn double unders, muscle ups, handstand push ups, the list was long...... and still is. It's worth a note that I did a few of the WoDs ‘scaled’ in 2016.

2017 arrived and I completed the entire open Rx’d. Yes there where still things I couldn't do but the buzz round the gym and the coaches and members give you something extra on comp day. I have NO idea where it came from but in the last seconds of 17.2 I managed my first bar muscle up. I was also keen to get more involved this year and did the online Judges’ course to help judge during the competition.

Now the 2018 open is upon us and I'm the one encouraging people to sign up. I'm excited to see what is going to push my current fitness boundaries this year. Will it be handstand walks? Will it be the assault bike? Whatever it is it'll be hard work but that euphoric feeling after is why I do it.

My point, it doesn't matter what stage you are at on your "fitness journey”, the open gives you an amazing view of where you are and where you need to go. So what are you waiting for? Get signed up!

Lewis
(The bed guy off the telly😂)