"Do you really want to blog today about failing your workout?

That was the question asked by my trainer Daniel after I told him that I didn't think I would be able to finish the WOD.

The WOD I did today was "Holbrook" -- 10 rounds of : 5 thrusters (Rx 75), 10 pull-ups, 100m sprint.
There was no way I was going to be able to do Rx on thursters, so I brought it down to 65lbs and did 100m row rather than running. 

After the fifth round, my arm muscles and tendons were so tight, they were screaming and my grip was giving.  That's when I looked at Daniel and received the above-listed question. And that's when I didn't quit ... because I just couldn't give in to defeat.  Sure, I failed a few times -- rounds 8 and 10, I failed at my first attempts to clean the bar up for the thrusters.  Boom, down went the bar ... and I rested for a few more seconds, thinking, "Tonight, I will not blog about failing to complete this WOD." 

Ladies and gentleman, I will not keep you waiting any longer ... I did complete the WOD.  It took me almost 30 minutes, and I immediately ran for my bag to douse my arms in BioFreeze afterwards ... but I completed it. 

Thus, this blog entry is not about failing my WOD. Instead, I'll use (the rest of) it to give credit to Holbrook, in whose honor the WOD is named.  Really, no matter how much I might blog about my pain in CrossFit,  it's nothing compared to the sacrifices made by young men and women like Holbrook.



US Army Captain Jason Holbrook, 28, of Burnet, TX, assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), based out of Fort Bragg, NC, was killed on July 29th, 2010 in Tsagay, Afghanistan when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

He is survived by his wife Heather Holbrook and his parents Joan and James Holbrook.

First posted January 27, 2011