Don't be alarmed by the cuts and bruises...

When I first started CrossFit bootcamps a few years ago, I quickly learned that this ain't no sissy workout. I eventually got used to being filthy from rolling around in car grease at LCRA parking garage, or worse, dog poop at Deep Eddy Park (thanks dog owners!), the inevitable bruises & scrapes, and what can only be describe as "road rash" near my tailbone (ouch!). What I wasn't ready for, however, was the slew of new ailments I would incur from the taking on the indoor workouts. Coaches warn you about this stuff, but you never think it will be that bad. I mean, you're on your way to being bad-ass, your body will eventually figure it and respond accordingly...Right? Besides, who cares if you've got rough man-hands and bruises all over, when you can bounce a quarter off your ass and deadlift your body weight?! I think the bruises and scrapes are a right of passage for CrossFitters and I wear them proudly, like a badge of honor! I got this "badge" last night from the Kettlebell clean & press (WOD was 5 Rds, 400m run and 20 KB C&P). It was my first time with that exercise and it took me a while to get the form down. Unfortunatley, my forearm was no match for the 14KG Kettlebell hitting it 50 times. Ouch. Good workout though. I tried my best and finished over time(22:22), but was happy I stuck it out with the heavier wieght. I feel like I'm getting tougher everyday. I've always been the girl with a bruise or scrape or something that I got from being active (and sometimes clumsy). And I am ok with this, because I don't consider myself to be much of a girly-girl. I still think of myself as "Messy Jessy" - the name my brother gave me at age 8 when we would reenact WWF wrestling on the tramopline. (I had some siiiick moves!!). I guess I'm still that scrappy girl trying to play with the big boys...thanks CrossFit for allowing me to be myself. :)