It was a rollercoaster ride of triumphs and challenges for a 麻豆社国产resident competing in a regional fitness competition near Calgary last weekend.
Soraya Jung, a 20-year-old Quest University student, competed in the Canadian Regional CrossFit Games, pushing herself beyond her limits alongside 99 of the fittest people in the country in Okotoks, Alberta May 28 to 30.
CrossFit is a unique exercise program that aims to "forge elite fitness" through an intense strength and conditioning program used by the United States Marine Corps, the Canadian Forces and dozens of police training programs across the continent.
Jung earned her spot in the regionals by placing fifth out of 25 women in the sectional games in 麻豆社国产March 27 and 28. With a total of seven months of CrossFit training under her belt, Jung finished in 18th place out of 50 women in Okotoks.
The three-day event required athletes to complete five events - a combination of running, launching medicine balls, pull-ups, skipping rope, burpees, tire flipping and weightlifting.
Throughout each event, Jung saw her placement rise and fall according to her strengths.
Jung said the competition was daunting, but when she first saw the event - a 6.7-kilometre run - she thought: "OK, I might actually be able to actually handle some of these."
After placing second in the run, Jung said she knew she was in her element - but the feeling was fleeting.
"I felt really good, but that's the last time I felt good about myself for a while that weekend," she said.
A gruelling series of weightlifting, pull-ups and 10-foot high medicine ball tosses didn't fair well for the natural runner and Quest basketball star.
Jung said she had an awful time alternating between tossing the heavy ball and pull-ups.
"I got the first 35 in a row and then I went and did pull ups, and the pull ups just killed me," she said. "It was terrible, I just wanted to give up so badly. I ended up only making it into my third round with 13 pull-ups. So I finished quite low."
The challenge turned out to be arduous for everyone with only 13 of the 50 women completing the task and many male athletes running over the time limit to finish.
Jung was hopeful before next challenge - skipping double time - but she couldn't quite master her body.
"I still felt like I had enough energy [but] I choked so hard on that, I couldn't do a double under for the life of me.
"I was thinking, 'Oh my God, why am I here?' kind of thing. I was totally falling apart."
After a few more less than stellar performances, Jung faced another running event and instantly felt hopeful.
"To my advantage there was a run involved with that again."
Jung's strong performance in two of the five events boosted her overall ranking from somewhere around 30th place to 18th place.
"At the end of that workout I was grinning ear to ear cause I knew I had done pretty good and I got fifth in that workout which then took me from 30th to 18th."
The key to a winning performance at the CrossFit Games is strength in all areas, said Jung.
"The trick is to be well rounded across the board. I was super inconsistent and that's what dropped me down."
Despite lapses in confidence during the Games, the experience has only inspired her to renew her commitment training and returned all the stronger.
"Now I have the whole year, I have new goals to reach."
