It’s that time of year again; the Crossfit Open. Though most of us aren’t looking to qualify for the games or finish top of the leaderboard, the Open can be a good opportunity to create benchmarks for yourself and understand where you are in your personal CrossFit practice. As you continue to participate in the Open, you accumulate data that reflects where you are now and how that relates to your performance in previous years. The Open also serves as an extra external push to get closer to your limits. A competition setting asks you to bring your best performance forward, encouraging more effort and allowing you to set and achieve new goals. However, though your scores against others inevitably play a role in your output, you should consider the Open an opportunity to compete against yourself. It is you vs. you, not you vs. others; it is this mindset that will allow you to continue to grow without becoming discouraged by the results of those around you. It is helpful to have a tangible understanding of where we are while highlighting our strengths and weaknesses, allowing for more growth moving forward. The Open is a great way to push yourself to new limits, understand your weaknesses, and celebrate in fun and fitness with a like-minded community eager to become a better version of themselves!