I have never had a greater appreciation for the CrossFit Games than I do right now. This was my second trip out to California to watch people battle it out for the title of "Fittest on Earth", and the athletes that were there blew my mind. Not only were they physically strong and fast, they were also mentally durable.

What does it mean to be mentally durable? Quite simply put, it means that you can withstand the pressures that come with any competitive situation. It means that you can tell your body to keep moving when all it wants to do is collapse. It means that you are ready to perform at your best at any given moment. It means that when someone runs past you, you push even harder to catch up again. Mental durability is ESSENTIAL for anyone looking to compete in the CrossFit Games in 2011.

Is it important to be strong? Of course. None of the competitors made it to the Games without being strong. Shit, Chris Spealer dominated the snatch/muscle-ups workout, and he was almost snatching his body weight! STRONG. But would Chris Spealer's physical toughness have meant anything if he went into that workout thinking, "Khalipa is so much stronger than I am....there's no WAY I can do this faster than he can!" No. His physical conditioning wouldn't have meant a hill of beans if he was defeated  before Castro even said "3, 2, 1, GO!"

As you train in 2010, train your mental durability as well. Be willing to let the suck-iness just wash over you and consume you....but keep pushing. Push harder than you thought possible. Close your eyes and ignore the burning in your chest, the pounding in your head, the throbbing in your legs. Be willing to go deeper into the suck than the guy next to you, and you'll beat him every time.