We run these stairs. They’re not pretty, but they’re real.
CrossFit Watertown is on the second floor so every time the workout calls for sprinting or running, we have to factor in about 18 concrete stairs, 2 corridors, and 3 wooden stairs that get slippery when wet. On each round.
It’s not fun. Life would be easier if we were on the first floor and had a big roll-up door so we could run right from the pull-up bar into a sprint during “Helen.”
But this is New England. We’re used to life not being easy. We’re used to freezing weather and cranky people and dogs that bite if you piss them off.
And you know what?
We kind of like it that way.
If life was all sunshine and roses and the “Easy Button” was a reality, we’d be bored silly. Part of the fun of living here is the edge, the hardness, the fact that you need to be tough to make it here. There’s a reason that the “New York, New York” song says “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” Nothing gets handed to you here. Everything must be earned. Life isn’t easy. But then neither is CrossFit. It’s a perfect match for the Northeast.
We run through crappy weather, crappy attitudes, and crappy concrete stairs. On weekends, when the Old Pin Shop building doesn’t have any life in it except for us, that stair run can seem a little “Silence of the Lambs” . . . but that’s okay. It makes us run faster. It makes us stick together.
And besides, if we met Hannibal Lecter, we would seriously mess that dude up. We don’t screw around. We’re Yankees. We’re CrossFitters. Stairs ain’t nothin’ to us.
April 21st, 2010 at 7:54 am
Now you got me all fired up! Great words, O fearless leader!
April 21st, 2010 at 8:05 am
AWESOME POST!!! I am going to share these words of wisdom with our members! Sometimes it just helps to reframe your view on why we are doing this.
LOVE IT!!!!!
April 21st, 2010 at 8:06 am
Ok- I love stairs! Easiest cardio you can get in a pinch! And it gets me to pick my feet up!! I miss you guys- I’ve been sick with a cold sinus thingy:(
April 21st, 2010 at 8:33 am
We are some seriously badass crossfitting New Englanders!!! I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else! That post got me fired up for real!! (as if the exclamation points weren’t any indication)
April 21st, 2010 at 9:07 am
Right on… all the CFWer’s know when we walk through those doors its time to face the challenge on the white board and leave everything we got on the floor, mat, rings, bars, stairs, etc.. and its inspiration for everyone!! BTW — Helen is cool… I couldn’t help giving it extra effort as Helen (of Blessed Memory) was my wife’s name… Was nice to have Helen back yesterday!!
April 21st, 2010 at 9:09 am
Well said (as usual)!
I think the worst part of those stairs might be walking down them post wod
April 21st, 2010 at 9:15 am
You should have seen me trying to get up those stairs during Helen. I had to drag myself up using mostly my arms and the railings, almost as if my legs didn’t work, which was basically the truth. I’m glad no one had a video camera going! Derek and Barry, how were those stairs with the weight vests on? Must have been fun.
April 21st, 2010 at 9:48 am
I found running up the hill on the Main St. much worse than the stairs and in addition to the weight of the vests they also inhibit breathing.
April 21st, 2010 at 9:56 am
Awesome to see all the WOD times on the whiteboard when I got to CFW this morning. 22 folks posted their times from Helen yesterday. Nice work everyone.
Who out there is doing the Tough Mudder? I’m trying to figure out logistics and wondering if anyone is interested in splitting a room on Sat. night and/or ride sharing going down there. It’s less than 2 weeks away and now thinking I should have thought about this a little sooner.
ps… today’s WOD just about killed me this morning… It’s heavy. That’s all I’ll say.
April 21st, 2010 at 10:20 am
Sooooo, who took the photo of the whiteboard with the Helen times?
April 21st, 2010 at 10:26 am
They don’t provide showers at the tough mudder but they do have the fire department available to hose you don’t if you want. My plan is to bring some shampoo/body wash and clean up right there. Also, I’m prepared to throw away everything I was wearing during the race and have a change of warm clothes ready for the after party. The latest newsletter came out today and they are posting the starting times at 3pm. It looks like they’re going to be blocks of 500 going off every half hour starting at 11. They are also suggesting taping ankles for support and wearing heavy gloves (all of which I plan on ditching immediately after completion [fingers crossed]).
April 21st, 2010 at 11:00 am
Silly Lis.. You have no faith. I got your back. You should know that I did before I cleared the whiteboard before this morning’s class.
Beery – Good plan.
April 21st, 2010 at 11:13 am
Stairs are good for your ass!! WHOOOO!
April 21st, 2010 at 11:38 am
I love Tooner.
April 21st, 2010 at 12:30 pm
@ Taylor-Get your ass home. I miss you!!!
April 21st, 2010 at 12:56 pm
@ Taylor- Yeah, listen to your mother!
April 21st, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Hey, is anybody sure the tough mudder course is 7 miles or was that just a rumor? I mapped it out as well as i could on google earth and it comes out to 5.5.
April 21st, 2010 at 1:06 pm
Forget it, I just realized the course map is horribly not to scale.
April 21st, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Yeah the map is grossly out of scale…I’m taking the approach that this isn’t a race, its an event and the goal is just to finish so you can get a free beer. This is by far the most work I’ve ever done for a free beer.
April 21st, 2010 at 3:22 pm
We’ve got some DU’s in the houuuuse! Jeanine, Mary and Joe sucked it up and did the DU’s today! Nice Job! Whooot!
April 21st, 2010 at 4:08 pm
I don’t like freezing weather…
April 21st, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Whhooot whhooot!! hells yeah Lis!