Crossfit isn't to blame. Look in the mirror if you want blame.

November 17, 2012. I remember the crossfit WOD extremely well. I was pushing through one of my least favorite WODS -- anything that included thrusters -- and I felt something tug. I'd felt that tug before and figured it was yet another pulled muscle. While doing crossfit two to three times a week, running 40-50 miles a week along and biking a ton this wasn't a first. All I needed to do was slow it down for a week before I started training for yet another marathon. This time, the pain didn't go away. In fact, the burning and ache was really intense. A few weeks went by and I figured it was just a slow healer. The burning intensified. I couldn't get out of bed without rolling. This wasn't going to stop my training though. I jumped into my marathon training full speed ahead and went even harder on the crossfit workouts. I wasn't going to let the thruster get the best of me. Thanks to a great run coach I hit a personal best in May 2013 but it wasn't enjoyable. It was painful. I am certain the pain resulted in missing my ultimate goal of qualifying for Boston. The pain from November 17, 2012 had dogged me for six months. I should blame the workout, right?

Post marathon I relaxed for a week hoping the pain would go away. In addition to the ibuprofen that had become my candy store I was seeing a chiropractor and a variety of massage therapists. I was trying anything. One thing I didn't try was slowing down. It's crossfit's fault, right? My next marathon training session began in June. Shortly after the pain began in November my runs started with a burn for the first mile or so. By this time the burn was constant and it ran into my groin and adductors. Slow down? Nah. I need to qualify. I should blame crossfit. 

As August rolled around the pain was at an all-time high. I felt like I was running how Frankenstein walked. I couldn't move my hips. Chiro visits slowed the pain but nothing slowed me. I should have blamed crossfit at that moment since I had to stop after finding a job that didn't fit my crossfit workout schedule. Say what?!?! I know. It was certainly crossfit that did it, right? Late August, I bagged my marathon training. I just didn't have it in me. I still ran but my usual mind-clearing 6 mile runs were like the last few miles of Ironman...only worse. I would hate getting out of bed, getting out of the car and pretty much anything that involved getting up and moving forward. Yet, I continued to run and bike.

Fast forward to July 20, 2014 and the pain has yet to go away. The biggest difference between today and the last 20 months is I finally have a diagnosis. The potential remedy involves needles into my hips and pelvis. I am needle averse so you can only imagine how much I am looking forward to this week. I should blame crossfit, right? No, I am not blaming crossfit.

Unlike the masses who try something and get hurt or disappointed I am not blaming something or someone else. The injury was my fault. My coaches at the crossfit box did exactly what they were supposed to do. They couldn't slow the drive or insanity. My coaches knew I disliked anything that involved squats so they took extra time with me to make sure the movements were right. I just pushed...too hard. Everywhere you turn you read that crossfit 'ruined me' or that it's 'dangerous'. No. It's not. The only danger is yourself.

Listen to your body. If you don't you'll end up like me. Don't blame crossfit. You only have yourself to blame.