A Time To Reflect

It’s 2018 and this year will be my first year since starting CrossFit 5 years ago that I will not be competing in the CrossFit Games Open.

A bit of background about me (not too much though) last year on the way to regionals I had my first ever seizure. I was out for 15 minutes and when I came too I was in hospital. A scary experience and since then I have had a subsequent 5 seizures; on the positive side though it has been 13 weeks since my last one and I am back to training 3 days a week and riding my bike!

The last 9 months has been a testing time for me emotionally, physically, and most importantly mentally! Not only have I had the unknown of when I’m going to have another seizure, my training coming to a standstill & The Box Community slowing down to a slow walk but my social life also suffered because of the inability to drive and mostly fatigue. My memory also severely suffered, and I found myself being lethargic and motivation at less than 10%; this is something I struggled to come to terms with as my motivation and drive was something I found pride in.

The last 9 months allowed me to reflect on what’s important in life and how I took my health and fitness for granted. I have been back regularly at CrossFit Adelaide since January 2018 and it has been a humbling experience; I am not lifting the same weight as I used to, and my lung capacity is that of a tea bag. I am exercising along people who I previously would ‘smash’ in a WOD and now they are finishing before me and cheering me on. Now I am very appreciative of the support, but it feels strange, it feels strange to not do a workout RX and have the capacity to just keep going. The flip side is that when my strength and conditioning is back to that of circa January 2017 I know I will appreciate it a lot more than I did back then. I guess I have learned that being super fit and super strong is a great goal to have but not let it be the be all and end of all of training and life.

Now I knew this already, but this experience has confirmed once again that CrossFit is so much more, it’s a community and allows people to be better than they were yesterday. If you are unfortunate like me and find yourself 10 steps back than the CrossFit community will be there to help and support, you. I am going to miss not competing in this year’s Open, but I will be there supporting my fellow CrossFitters.

Good luck to all those competing and don’t take your health and fitness for granted, be happy and grateful for all that you have today and live in the now not in the future.

Stay RAD!

George Moustakas

With a background in Australian Rules Football and as an competitive amateur Muay Thai Boxer George has over 15 years’ experience in the Fitness industry. The last 5 years have seen him develop a passion for CrossFit and he thrives on working out, punishing himself with the daily WOD and sharing in some light hearted banter with the CrossFit Adelaide crew. With a strong belief in positive thinking and that there is no substitute for hard work George has continued to grow and contribute to the local CrossFit community.