Where I have come from since injury.
Ok here goes my attempt at telling a story. About two years ago I was a really strong ultra runner in my mind. Then I destroyed my ankle at a 5k trail race and couldn't run for almost a year. I got fat, slow and dejected. Then I got back into running this past summer and fall ran a couple of races couldn't lose any weight and was just going through the motions. So I knew I needed to do something to put my best foot forward for the WSER that is coming up in June. So I talked to a couple of people about Crossfit and Christian helped me find the local affiliate. Then in the middle of February I went into Crossfit NWA and told the two owners my story and that I wanted their help to get FIT. They looked at the fat me and started drooling thinking of all the pain they could put me through. They were right. Well I made a commitment to Crossfit and to myself to try and give 100% effort every time I walked into the gym. There have been some days that I didn't want to give it all that I should but my trainers Lee, Troy and Brad made sure that I did.
That all said here is what I have gotten out of Crossfit. I have lost 31 lbs. Went from 230 to 199. Body fat went from 27% to 18%. 5k time went from 27:30 in November to 21:48 last weekend on a hilly course. 10k time went from 56:04 in October on a flat fast course to 48:05 in March on a really hilly course. Marathon time went from a PR of 4:09:00 in previous 22 marathons to 3:57:30 at the Hogeye marathon lots of wind and hills the first weekend of March. Then two weeks later at the Ouchita Trail 50k I ran 6:03:48 which was good enough for 5th overall out of 100 runners and 2nd master. The winner of this race race a 5:03:40 it is a trail race with a vertical 800ft rock climb.
Bottom line Crossfit, works great for me. But like everything else in life "you get out of it what you put into it". I truly believe that to be a good runner you need to include some core training, strength training, something to raise the metabolism and so far for me it is Crossfit.
G