I don't go too crazy trying to predict what each Open event will include but after 15.1/1a I was fairly certain 15.2 would be more of a lung burner. It turned out to be a repeat from last year's open.

With a continuously running clock you have from 0-3:00 to perform:

2 Rounds:

10 Overhead Squat (OHS) 95 lb

10 Chest-to-Bar Pull up (C2B)

If you complete that you have from 3:00-6:00 to complete:

2 Rounds:

12 OHS 95 lb

12 C2B

Then from 6:00-9:00:

2 Rounds:

14 OHS 95 lbs

14 C2B

This pattern continues as long as you can finish the ever increasing workload within each 3 minute window.

So, as soon as it was announced all the other members of Crossfit 212's competitive team were setting goals based on their performance in 2014 while also considering how they've grown as athletes over the past year. But I didn't compete last year. Having not had that experience I really had to think about it. After giving it some thought I made it my goal to get through the 16's which run from 9:00-12:00 on the clock. 95 lbs is a light OHS for me, so my plan was keeping those unbroken and then do whatever feels best on the pull-ups.

When I arrived at the gym that Saturday I really was not feeling it. I'd had a long week and I couldn't muster the same excitement I had for 15.1/1a. I mentioned this to some one of my teammates and they pointed out that this is actually a good event to go into emotionally neutral. You don't need to be revved up at the start because the workout really begins at the 6 minute mark. The 10's and 12's are like warm-ups.

The clock started and I calmly worked my way through the 10's. I finished with about a minute to spare and enjoyed the rest time. Then the 12's started. I approached them with the same calm pace and finished with about 40 seconds to spare.

Then came the 14's. Now things were getting spicy. I kept the OHS unbroken and I honestly don't remember exactly how I broke up the C2B but I don't think I did more than 5 at any one time without coming off the bar. I finished the 14's but unlike the 10's or 12's I wasn't given a big fat rest period before going into the next stage. So I carried all of the fatigue and elevated heart-rate of the 14's with me into the 16's. I still managed the first 16 OHS unbroken. I chipped away at the first 16 pull-ups and it was around this time that I realized I wasn't going to see the 18's. This came as a relief at the time. I could now see where the workout would end for me. The finish line was in sight. No matter how uncomfortable I was, when that clock hit 12 minutes the whole thing would be over. I kept the second round of 16 OHS unbroken, except for a brief rest behind my neck at rep 10. I got on the pull-up bar with about 30 seconds left and managed 6 pull-ups giving me a total score of 198 reps. This wasn't one of the top 3 performances in the gym, and therefore didn't contribute to our team score. But it's respectable and I'm ok with it. Every event can't be a 1RM Clean and Jerk.