How many of you can claim that you’ve slept in an old abandoned mine on your birthday?
Well, I can. Yup! Let me start from the beginning. Early morning Friday, May 29, 2009…It all started that early morning as I stumbled outside to relieve myself. The stars were so bright I thought it would actually be possible to read our maps! Such beauty is so hard to describe. I am truly thankful to have experienced that night sky. Never before have I been lucky enough to truly experience those stars in any of the cities where I have lived.
Our instructors left us the night before in order for us to complete our team challenge alone. We were given a map and wished good luck. Working together we hiked for approximately 15 kilometers. During this little jaunt I almost stepped on a rattlesnake, ran out of water, took care of my blisters…and loved every minute of it. We successfully reached all the landmarks and points on our maps and arrived safely at base camp. We dragged our dry canteens to the nearest water source (see photo). Does that look like a source? Whatever. When you’re thirsty, you’ll drink anything. As we began to construct our camp below the ancient ruins of an Ancestral Pueblo tribe, a tiny trickle of rain turned into a thunder and lightning storm and a flash flood that separated us into small groups. As the flash flood continued to carve a new path through the valley, and the lightning cracked down, six of us took refuge in an old abandoned uranium mine. Funny enough, every other night that week I woke myself up because my teeth were chattering so loudly from the cold; sleeping in that cave was the only night I slept until morning without waking up.
My mind was truly in survival mode. In retrospect I probably only thought about 5 things.
1. I became thirsty so I found water.
2. I became hungry so I found food.
3. I needed shelter so I built a shelter.
4. I needed to keep my body dry or keep my feet clean so I protected myself.
5. I needed to sleep so I slept. Repeat.
No other thoughts entered my mind. None. No work, no politics, no sports, nothing. I learned how to be alone, with nature, bored, lonely and silent.
I must mention that certain Crossfit exercises did help me get through the week. Some movements that I remember doing included squats and lunges (walking through trees and brushes), balancing (on rock walls), grip (climbing up) and dips (climbing down).
I consider myself very lucky to have gone through this week of torment. As with Crossfit, it is hard to explain to people why I would subject myself to B.O.S.S. Why would one suffer like this on purpose? I am confident that anyone who has survived a Crossfit WOD can understand my choice to starve, dehydrate, isolate and exhaust myself. B.O.S.S., like Crossfit, taught me how to improvise to, adapt to and overcome any challenges that I may face.
Today’s Workout:
Buy In – Turkish Get-ups 5 per arm, 3 sets
WOD – “Tovarich” (“Comrade” in Russian)
Elite: 5 rounds for time:
· 5 reps 185lb/225lb Back Squat
· 10 reps 30lb/55lb DB Push Press
Zone 4: Scale to 165/205 squats, 25lb/40lb Push Press
Zone 3: Scale to 135/185 squats, 25lb/40lb Push Press
Zone 2: Scale to 95/155 squats, 20lb/30lb Push Press
Zone 1: Scale to 65/95 squats, 10lb/20lb Push Press
Cash Out – 300 double unders or 600 skips
