What a fun weekend. I’m reaching a new level of “nerd”, I had so much fun watching the Northwest Regional Crossfit Games and I wasn’t even participating.
Crossfit is becoming more popular and mainstream so people are training harder each year plus more world class athletes are joining, so the level of fitness in these competitors is reaching the levels of comic book superhero’s.
I knew a few people competing in the games so Erin and I were cheering on people from our old stomping grounds in Alaska, My friend Jared who was competing with a rival affiliate team, the gym we train at, Crossfit Bellevue had an affiliate team and Matt was competing in the individual competition.
Matt had an injury within the month leading up to the games, I know he took some time off training so I’m not sure how that affected him overall. He still performed like a beast and he was very impressive even without qualifying. Our affiliate team did great, unfortunately they didn’t qualify for the Crossfit Games and the Crossfit gods messed with me because they placed one spot lower than the affiliate team I had made a bet against. It was literally one spot in the overall standings difference and now I have to take Jared and a friend of his to dinner and I don’t get my free babysitter…..uggggh. Oh well nothing I can do they performed great; I was very impressed with their effort.
This year there was some really stiff competition and it’s an eye opener for the years to come. There isn’t a weak link in these competitions. If an individual or team want to qualify for the next level they have to be a superstar and completely well rounded. There are too many people falling in love with Crossfit and getting into the games. I think this is a huge sign of its popularity and future of how strong people will be getting year after year.
Here were some highlights of the weekend.
#1. Chris Spealler………Who the Fu** is this guy!!!! I don’t have the complete collection of Crossfit bubble gum cards with all the competitors’ stats so I’m still learning who the mega studs in the sport are. I noticed him during the first WOD of 3 rounds: 135 pound overhead squats & 50 double unders. The field is full of machines and if you got a sub 5 minute time in this WOD you’re doing really good because this is a rough and heavy WOD. I’m in the stands and I see this guy throwing the weight around like it’s nothing plus I’ve never seen anyone do double unders so fast. He didn’t break rhythm at all and was running from the exercises instead of walking or taking any rest. He wound up killing that first WOD at 2 minutes 39 seconds. Chris Spealler also wound up winning 3 of the 4 individual events. If you don’t know who he is, here is a link to his profile: http://games2009.crossfit.com/competitors/athlete-profile-chris-spealler.html
Here is what caught me by surprise, the guy is only 140 pounds!!! The heavy weights didn’t slow this guy down, he crushed all the WODs, it definitely makes you go back and remind yourself there are no excuses in Crossfit. Size doesn’t matter it’s about your input into the training to get the super hero output.
#2. Tony Reishus in the deadlift. For this WOD the men had a choice of 263, 303, or 353 pounds then perform as many reps they can complete in 90 seconds. Most of the competitors chose the 263 or 303 weights and I think Tony was the only competitor to go for 353 pounds (correct me if I’m wrong). He knew going into it he had to complete 37 reps at 303 pounds or 31 reps at 353 pounds to win. Most people would go for the lighter weight and hope to knock out more reps but Tony went big. When people saw all the weight on his bar they started to crowd around his area. Tony wound up completing 25 reps and when I talked to him afterwards he sounded a little disappointed because he almost completed 26 reps but didn’t lock out his 26th rep in the time limit and that one extra completed rep would have moved him from 19th to 9th place. Plus it sounded like he was second guessing his strategy because he felt confident he could have gone the entire 90 seconds dead lifting 303 pounds without resting and keeping a faster pace. I still like the fact he went big and it was very impressive watching him deadlift 353 pounds 25 times.
#3. I wanted to point out one or two women but the reality is my wife and I were in shock at how many she-studs there were in the field. The weights they were lifting are heavy for men and they were crushing these WODs like machines. I like the barriers the women break with how they are pushing their strength, endurance and still staying very fashionable and hot :-) hey it’s my blog I can be happy for the women being sexy beasts. Crossfit women + Lulu = Very happy eyes for Ron.............not that I was looking, I'm a happily married man to a hot crossfit woman :)
#4. One of the funniest things at the games was when a member of the Crossfit Bellevue Affiliate team, Gabe Desgarennes, came running up asking if anyone had seem his Salmon. I asked where he had left it and he said the Salmon was sitting right next to his wallet in the bleachers. WTF??? So Gabe had left his cooked salmon and his wallet on the bleachers completely exposed, he left for a good hour or two in order to compete then when he got back, his wallet was sitting there but his salmon was gone. It got us talking that it was silly of him to leave cooked salmon out at the Crossfit games, however leaving a wallet or a bundle of cash in the open would be very safe because nobody will touch that. So money and credit cards left in the open are safe but if you leave salmon, cooked meat or a sweet potato out in the open …….it’s free game and doesn’t stand a chance.
I had a great time at the Northwest Regional Games, there wasn’t a weak link out there. I’m thinking of going to the Crossfit Games in California to watch and see the best of the best go at it. I’m excited for the next level and the years to come.
Crossfit is becoming more popular and mainstream so people are training harder each year plus more world class athletes are joining, so the level of fitness in these competitors is reaching the levels of comic book superhero’s.
I knew a few people competing in the games so Erin and I were cheering on people from our old stomping grounds in Alaska, My friend Jared who was competing with a rival affiliate team, the gym we train at, Crossfit Bellevue had an affiliate team and Matt was competing in the individual competition.
Matt had an injury within the month leading up to the games, I know he took some time off training so I’m not sure how that affected him overall. He still performed like a beast and he was very impressive even without qualifying. Our affiliate team did great, unfortunately they didn’t qualify for the Crossfit Games and the Crossfit gods messed with me because they placed one spot lower than the affiliate team I had made a bet against. It was literally one spot in the overall standings difference and now I have to take Jared and a friend of his to dinner and I don’t get my free babysitter…..uggggh. Oh well nothing I can do they performed great; I was very impressed with their effort.
This year there was some really stiff competition and it’s an eye opener for the years to come. There isn’t a weak link in these competitions. If an individual or team want to qualify for the next level they have to be a superstar and completely well rounded. There are too many people falling in love with Crossfit and getting into the games. I think this is a huge sign of its popularity and future of how strong people will be getting year after year.
Here were some highlights of the weekend.
#1. Chris Spealler………Who the Fu** is this guy!!!! I don’t have the complete collection of Crossfit bubble gum cards with all the competitors’ stats so I’m still learning who the mega studs in the sport are. I noticed him during the first WOD of 3 rounds: 135 pound overhead squats & 50 double unders. The field is full of machines and if you got a sub 5 minute time in this WOD you’re doing really good because this is a rough and heavy WOD. I’m in the stands and I see this guy throwing the weight around like it’s nothing plus I’ve never seen anyone do double unders so fast. He didn’t break rhythm at all and was running from the exercises instead of walking or taking any rest. He wound up killing that first WOD at 2 minutes 39 seconds. Chris Spealler also wound up winning 3 of the 4 individual events. If you don’t know who he is, here is a link to his profile: http://games2009.crossfit.com/competitors/athlete-profile-chris-spealler.html
Here is what caught me by surprise, the guy is only 140 pounds!!! The heavy weights didn’t slow this guy down, he crushed all the WODs, it definitely makes you go back and remind yourself there are no excuses in Crossfit. Size doesn’t matter it’s about your input into the training to get the super hero output.
#2. Tony Reishus in the deadlift. For this WOD the men had a choice of 263, 303, or 353 pounds then perform as many reps they can complete in 90 seconds. Most of the competitors chose the 263 or 303 weights and I think Tony was the only competitor to go for 353 pounds (correct me if I’m wrong). He knew going into it he had to complete 37 reps at 303 pounds or 31 reps at 353 pounds to win. Most people would go for the lighter weight and hope to knock out more reps but Tony went big. When people saw all the weight on his bar they started to crowd around his area. Tony wound up completing 25 reps and when I talked to him afterwards he sounded a little disappointed because he almost completed 26 reps but didn’t lock out his 26th rep in the time limit and that one extra completed rep would have moved him from 19th to 9th place. Plus it sounded like he was second guessing his strategy because he felt confident he could have gone the entire 90 seconds dead lifting 303 pounds without resting and keeping a faster pace. I still like the fact he went big and it was very impressive watching him deadlift 353 pounds 25 times.
#3. I wanted to point out one or two women but the reality is my wife and I were in shock at how many she-studs there were in the field. The weights they were lifting are heavy for men and they were crushing these WODs like machines. I like the barriers the women break with how they are pushing their strength, endurance and still staying very fashionable and hot :-) hey it’s my blog I can be happy for the women being sexy beasts. Crossfit women + Lulu = Very happy eyes for Ron.............not that I was looking, I'm a happily married man to a hot crossfit woman :)
#4. One of the funniest things at the games was when a member of the Crossfit Bellevue Affiliate team, Gabe Desgarennes, came running up asking if anyone had seem his Salmon. I asked where he had left it and he said the Salmon was sitting right next to his wallet in the bleachers. WTF??? So Gabe had left his cooked salmon and his wallet on the bleachers completely exposed, he left for a good hour or two in order to compete then when he got back, his wallet was sitting there but his salmon was gone. It got us talking that it was silly of him to leave cooked salmon out at the Crossfit games, however leaving a wallet or a bundle of cash in the open would be very safe because nobody will touch that. So money and credit cards left in the open are safe but if you leave salmon, cooked meat or a sweet potato out in the open …….it’s free game and doesn’t stand a chance.
I had a great time at the Northwest Regional Games, there wasn’t a weak link out there. I’m thinking of going to the Crossfit Games in California to watch and see the best of the best go at it. I’m excited for the next level and the years to come.
<------Jon L. At Washington Sectionals. Ok I’ve dragged my feet long enough, I’m finally updating my blog about my heads up challenge vs. Jon L. I’m very sad and still in disbelief that I did not win. I know, right…………………………..I didn’t win?????? This “non win” is messing with my head because I haven’t talked in third person since this happened. I’ve used “me” and “I” a lot. Here is the background to the challenge: