Life never seems to send any easy pitches slow and smooth right to you. More often it’s the curve ball, the fastball, the change up pitch that leaves you swinging and missing then wondering what just happened.

Every time you step up to the plate you never know what is going to happen, and that is life. Every day you start fresh with pretty much equal chances to do well or screw up. In the end you just hope that over time your percentage is leaning towards the doing good side of the scoreboard.

Sometimes we are able to maintain some control over our destiny and other times outside factors weigh in bigger and stronger than we’d imagined, then suddenly we are adrift on a sea of chance.

On that rare day when everything is going smoothly and you feel like you are in control, its easy to be gracious and a good sport. After all things are working out, you are heading in the right direction and you can see your destination. On those days you can present a positive outlook to the world. On those days its easy. But then there are the other days.

I had made a goal for myself and thought it was attainable but in the end it slipped away leaving me shocked and disappointed. One year ago I competed in the World Crossfit Games for the first time. I was in the Masters Division of 55-59 year old men and had earned my spot on the competition floor by placing 15^th against 450 men from around the world. I worked hard to get there and in the end a bad performance during the 4^th workout saw me go from 10^th place to 14^th and out of the running to compete on the final day.

I came back from it committed to do better and trained hard for the year to be ready for the Open competition. One month ago it all began again and I faced the challenge head on. I fought my way through the five workouts with some ups and downs but never quitting, redoing some of the workouts and for the final one I ended up doing it three times over 5 days to try and improve my score. My score didn’t improve on my last attempt and I got the same 88 repetitions and had to hope it would be enough. I watched the results appear on the leaderboard for the Crossfit Games website and it looked like I was going to make it. While I slipped from 10^th place to 13, to 17 and then when the deadline arrived I was tied for 19^th place. I was thrilled. I would be going back to the Games.

But then the curve ball arrived. While I was celebrating at a barbecue with our wonderful Crossfit North Vancouver community and believing I’d made it life had other plans. Two hours later when I was at home having another look at the scoreboard, to my shock and dismay I saw my position had been knocked down by some later entries. I was now in 23^rd position, which meant I was no longer top 20 and no longer going to compete in the World Games. I felt like the floor had opened up beneath me. On top of the disappointment I also felt some embarrassment over the congratulations I’d been accepting just shortly before. It sucked.

I sent some messages out to some friends and put a posting on facebook to get the word out. I was not going to be a Games athlete this year. Immediately the messages of support began to arrive. I was once again amazed at the caring community of CFNV and so grateful to be a part of it.

After my short pity party I got up the next day and took some of those kind messages to heart. Sure, I was not in the top 20 but I was 23^rd out of a division of 800 men from around the world. I realized I still had plenty to be proud of and I had represented our gym to the best of my ability. I went back into the gym the next day positive and ready again to train hard.

Life threw me a nasty curve ball but even though it was a strike, it wasn’t a strike out. I have 11 months until the 2014 Open competition begins and when it comes around I’ll be better than I am today and will once again give 100 % and no matter what the results I’ll hold my head up because I will have tried.