Monday was up to Razor Back Ridge. It had been a while since I had done it, and we were rewarded with a great view of the valley and of course, some really sore calves.
Wednesday it was push the Hummer day again. Although this time, we only pushed the 6,000 pound car a mile, and ran back (about 1 1/2 miles).
Thursday we did a variety of things, starting with 10 rounds of a steep hill, 90 sit-ups, 80 box jumps / step ups, 70 bear crawls, 60 broad jumps, 50 push ups, 4 rounds of the stairs, 30 knees to elbows, 20 walking lunges, and 1 run to the back dill and driveway.
Thursday was one of those days where people were cheating at boot camp. What is cheating? I can come in different flavors. Sometimes it is taking a modification before you need one (e.g.,d doing push-ups from the knees instead of the toes.) But the cheating I am referring to from last night was more blatant. More like you know you ran the hill 8 times and saying it was 10. Doing 81 sit ups instead of 90, etc. And I think these were instances where people really had knowledge, it was not an innocent loss of count. I mean, you know when you are running in front of someone, how many times you lapped or been lapped by certain people.
In some ways, it should not matter to me, because they are only cheating themselves. But for some reason it really bugged me last night. Eric and I laughed about it sarcastically at one point, and also discussed it frankly. He has no real solution - not surprising, since integrity is an individual issue. And you cannot make someone change if they do not want to do the right thing themselves. But I still could not get it out of my head last night and it was bugging me the entire time I was driving home.
After more thinking, I think I finally realized why it was bugging me. Boot camp is certainly not a competition, and you do the best you can. I am not in the front of the class, but I do try to do the best I can to push myself. Some days I do a better job at that than others. But when you are working, you expect that your intensity and effort will lead to some result (other than a time hac). So if you are working harder than someone, you expect you will finish before them. Does it matter in the grand scheme of the world? Absolutely not. But when people cheat, you somehow feel like your intensity is cheapened in some way. You lost your reward of being in front of someone (and it really does not matter who it is). (Just like if you are not working hard, you get the "penalty" of having someone pass you - which can also motivate you.) But when you get passed by people who are cheating, everything seems to go a little off kilter - at least in my head.
Should it really matter? No! And I am not trying to be on a soap box. I am certainly not perfect. But I just wonder why? It is not like it fools anyone and of course, we all know the truth about our own performance.
Anyway, enough of that silliness. I had a good week and was happy to be back at boot camp. Thanks Eric!
3 comments:
You shouldn't feel like your intensity is cheapened. If fact, you shouldn't feel like they are even in your league to compare yourself to. If you know someone is cheating, they cannot, and should not, be held in the same higher league as someone who is not cheating and is doing their best.
They, and everyone else, knows they are cheating. And my personal opionion is that cheaters will never be in the same class as those who do not.
It's not about being faster than others. It's not about being stronger than others. It's about being stronger and faster than you were before you started. It's about being accountable for pulling your own weight when you're on a team, even though you may not be able to sprint as fast or push as far. If you know your teammates can depend and rely on you, then that's all there is to say.
Joanne,
I don't disagree with what you are saying.
I was just trying to figure out why it was bothering me so much. I really should not care - it is really their own issue.
As you say, it is about being someone people can rely upon and knowing who you can and who you cannot.
Hi Carol:
I am just catching up with your Blog. I read Joanne's blog today (Fri 3/27) first and came to your's after figuring out that it was your blog she was referencing in hers.
All this cheating is disgusting. I had no idea it had now cropped up in BC so much. Eric has called Crossfitters on it when he's seen it..and some have left the Academy after being busted (from shame, I hope, though he never mentioned anyone's name publicly). It's a little easier to catch at the Academy. We have more coaches on the floor who can count reps and watch times. The environment is easier to observe if the WOD is kept primarily inside. Also, finish times are revealing..if a cheater is stupid we can tell they are cheating because their time was just "too good" compared to others who are at a higher fitness level and should have been further ahead of the cheater.
I don't consider "scaling" cheating in the same way as purposely miscounting reps. Some days folks just don't have as much to give, heck it's happened to me, but then I'm just glad to get any work in and consider it an "off" day. Scaling down too soon during a workout (your push-up example is a good one)really only cheats that person of a better workout and forestalls their progress. I hope they don't convince themselves that their workout was the same as someone who did not scale. One should always be working toward the standard for better fitness.
But..purposeful cutting of reps is just blatant dishonesty. If someones ego is that frail I feel sorry for them. Don't ever let this rob you of the joy of knowing you gave 100% and don't have to cheat to like yourself. CRAP!! The more I think about it the more pissed I get. I love this team and have so much respect for our members. I know it's a small minority..I hope they shape up or go away.
Thanks for your hard work and honesty.
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