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Amanda Allen Reflects on 2013 CrossFit Regionals

amanda allen

2013 CrossFit Regionals… 8,500 hours of preparation…. Over! Now what?

Seems like such a simple question. The old me would have been back at the gym training for Masters AND the 2014 Regionals with a disciplined fury enough to scare grown men – on it, first thing Monday morning, no time to waste!

Today I know how important it is to honour and respect the periods of transition, to reflect, to integrate the experiences and lessons, and then to move on. Perspectives shift with time, space and a bit of calm. Goals should never be set in a heightened frenzy of adrenaline immediately following a big event!

So many thoughts and feelings have washed around in my head and heart since Sunday evening. The what-ifs, the leaderboarding, the re-calculations and the ponderings. Gratitude, a little disappointment, contentment and satisfaction are the primary emotions.

Surprisingly, I don’t feel overwhelmed by disappointment – as I did last year! The most resounding feeling is peace. Peace in the confirmation that I am a world class CrossFitter. Peace in the knowing that I prepared myself to the absolute best of my ability for this epic battle. Peace in the knowledge that I gave the best of myself in every moment of this intense weekend. Peace in the knowing that I did my coach Ben Norman, my CrossFit Adelaide family, my supporters and myself proud with my conduct and performances all weekend and all year! And comfort in the fact that I truly enjoyed every moment out there in the stadium – smiling my way through one workout after another!!!

Man o’ man, how much I loved it. The crowds, the competition and the pure excitement of it all. Never once did I forget what a privilege it is to be out there competing with the best of the best!

amanda allen

It is almost comical that four no-repped muscle ups  cost me an overall third place this year, and that three failed muscle ups cost me a third place last year! I have improved dramatically since 2012, so has the rest of the field. More work obviously needs to be done. Simple!

Coming back home, re-immersing myself in my routines, having a long run or two and spending a little extra time at the beach with my dog Pepper are activities that re-ground me after the hype of Regionals. It’s been four days, my nervous system has been tired, but I’m feeling just about ready to re-focus and fire-up my steely determination and drive toward the Masters competition in Carson in July!

It has been put to me that because I had a guaranteed ticket to the Masters competition I wasn’t as determined and hungry as the other women to make it back to the CrossFit Games as an individual female. Whoever said this doesn’t know me! Not a day has passed in the previous 12 months that I haven’t been driven by my dream of making it back to the Games at the highest level! I’m hard wired that way, once my mind is set, the intensity of my committment could bore holes in walls! Thank God I have CrossFit!

As soon as that buzzer goes off there is only me and an almost blinding, single-minded focus to move every rep as quickly as possible – and then faster… to the point that I’m usually unaware of what is going on around me – I just go and go and go til the end!

I was on a high all weekend! I have worked singlemindedly toward Regionals for 12 months. Taking these past five days to rest, reflect, rejuvenate and reignite my passion for competition has been a healthy move. Come Saturday, it’s game-on again for seven weeks of Games preparation leading back to Carson and the Stadium that I loved so much in 2011!!!

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The Rx Review is an independent fitness website, reporting on the Sport of Fitness, functional fitness news, The CrossFit Games, health and diet related information, and also provides reviews on sports performance products.