CrossFit Chicago

Rest day/Make ups
This time last year… was Christmas!

Twelve Days of CrossFit
(To be sung to the tune of the Twelve Days of Christmas.)
-Eileen Craddock-Richardson

On the Twelfth Day of Crossfit my Workout gave to me:

Twelve Double Unders

Eleven Hand Stand Push Ups

Ten Over Head Squats

Nine Rope Ascensions

Eight Miles of Running

Seven Bells a Swinging

Six Jerks a Splitting

FIVE- DIPS-ON-THE-RINGS………

Four Wall Balls

Three Thrusters

Two Toes to Bar

And a Box Jump on a Twenty!

This is me asking what Seminar you want to see happen tomorrow!?!?!? Post to comments!

A1 – Ring Dip 3-3-3-3-3
A2- Pull-up 3-3-3-3-3

Complete 1 round every 4 minutes for 20 minutes of:
10 Toes-to-Bar
15 Push-ups
150M Row

Post loads and time splits to comments.
This time last year… was a rest day.

Did you know…
-Eileen Craddock-Richardson

1. That we have a CrossFit Kid’s program that meets in the upstairs space on Wednesday afternoons at 4:00 pm?
2. That starting December 1st we will be offering a kid’s class on Saturdays at 10:00 am?
3. That you will be able to attend the adult 10:00 am class on Saturdays at the same time your child works out?
4. That our kid’s class is open to member’s children only ages 6-12 years old?
5. That you can’t afford to pass this up because the class is FREE?
6. That our kid’s class runs approximately one hour?
7. That our kids spend time learning a skill, doing a WOD and playing a game?
8. That our kid’s program is open to all members kids whether they are involved in sports related activities or not?
9. That your child can only become a member of this fun community when you email Coach Eileen at eileen@crossfitchicago.com to reserve a space?
10. That you want your kid to start CrossFit now so that they can become a future games champion?
11. That your kid will benefit from the functional movements taught at CrossFit Kids when they learn the basics including proper form and techniques of everything from an air squat to a deadlift.
12. That learning the dead lift will teach them the proper way to lift their backpacks off the ground especially when they come home loaded down with heavy books.
13. That studies have shown the first 45 minutes after your child does any physical activity that they have a better understanding of their homework and that study session comprehension is increased when homework is done immediately afterward?
14. That according to findings published in the Journal of Pediatrics, kids with ADHD can better drown out distraction and focus on tasks with a single bout of exercise?
15. That we have kids in our classes who were average students with focusing issues who are now pulling A’s and B’s and who have teachers asking their parents what they are doing differently for their children to cause such a remarkable transformation in their abilities both inside and outside the classroom?
16. That through team competition and an hour of physical activity in our CrossFit Kid’s program a child can build confidence, stamina, coordination, self-sufficiency, an outgoing demeanor, mental fortitude, tolerance, strength, agility, new friendships and the ability to pull A’s in school?
17. That the kids in our program actually look forward to coming to class and get upset if they have to miss it?
18. That you as parents will be forced to do penalty burpees if your child arrives late to class?
19. That we have kettlebells and wallballs made specifically for kids as well as other fun toys and equipment for them to play with?
20. That the only thing holding you back from enrolling your child is your deep seeded fear that someday they will be able to kick your a** at CrossFit?

NOW YOU KNOW!!!

Get your bowl on!

Rest day/make ups
This time last year… was the kick off date for the Paleo Challenge.

Trick-or-Treat!
-Eileen Craddock-Richardson

“Halloween, Halloween, broomstick riders, mice and bats. Halloween, Halloween, mummies, goblins, scary cats. Halloween, Halloween, zombies, ghosts and fun sized snacks!”
Sometimes the scariest part of Halloween can be the amount of candy that children get and eat during treat-or-treating. To ensure a safe and healthy Halloween for kids, here are some tips for parents:

Give children a healthy snack before they go trick-or-treating so that they’ll be less tempted to eat their candy as they go door-to-door. Preferably something paleo that will fill them up. Make sure your children understand that they can’t eat any of their candy until you check to make sure it is safe.

Allow your children to pick out a few of their favorite “snack sized” or one serving size treats to have right after trick-or-treating.

Keep their candy stored out of sight and allow them only one to two pieces as a “special” treat. We often talk about “sometimes” food at our CFC Kid’s classes and Halloween candy is definitely considered a “sometimes” food to be had on special occasions or special holidays.

Barter with them by trading a toy or extra allowance for your children’s candy. But once they hand it over, don’t you be tempted to eat their treats either!

If they are young enough tell them the “Candy Fairy” will substitute a toy for the candy if they leave it out overnight for a different kind of treat.

Another tactic is to have them perform a “trick” such as a certain number of burpees for every piece of candy they consume. Make it challenging for them and the reward of a piece of candy will be that much sweeter.

Be a role model by consuming Halloween treats in moderation yourself or not at all. Remember, the next paleo challenge begins the following day so why not start off on the right foot by forgoing the treats all together.

Make sure you give away all your candy that you have waiting by the door for trick-or-treaters. It will make it less tempting for you and your kids to want to nosh on the left overs if there aren’t any left.

Let caregivers such as grandparents, babysitters, au pairs, etc. know the rules you have established on candy for your kids.
This will prevent children from getting mixed messages from adults who dole out the sweets.

Think about giving out non-food treats such as stickers, toys, temporary tattoos, bubbles, small games or colored pencils instead.

If you do give out candy, choose bite-sized ones individually wrapped portions. Hand out dark chocolate (it has antioxidants and most kids don’t really like it) or kid size mini portions in individual bags rather than the up sized or SUPER sized versions.

Remember, it is important that you don’t deny your child the opportunity to trick-or-treat or to have some of the loot. Have fun and be safe this Halloween! MEOW!!

Rest day/make ups

This time last year… Anthony wrote on A CrossFit Athlete’s Non-Scientific Take on Yoga.

CFC CrossFit Kids Program
-Eileen Craddock-Richardson

I have had numerous inquiries of late regarding our CrossFit Chicago Kid’s program. We meet every Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. in the old gym and our class is open to member’s children only at this point. This class is for CF Kids ages 6-10 years. In the future we may be opening up another class for the Pre-K children ages 4-5 years.

Below is the letter I distribute to the parents who feel this might be a good fit for their child and for those who have been looking for a program that incorporates physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Dear Crossfit Chicago Parents:
So glad to be able to welcome you to our Crossfit Kids program here at Crossfit Chicago! I am thrilled your child has decided to participate and I will hopefully give your child or children the best experience I can while they are in my care.

First let me congratulate you on your decision to enroll your child or children into our once weekly program. Your children are the lucky ones who get to begin reaping the benefits of a modified and scaled down version much like your own crossfit workout. That is to say, it is possible that you will one day hear your daughter or son come home from their workout only to tell you that they did a workout of their own called “Fran”! Albeit a modified version, they will soon be extolling its virtues in much the same spirit and excitement that you yourself do. They will learn what a WOD is, we will have whiteboard time, they will warm up, learn a skill, perform a workout and play a game all in under an hour. What could be better than that? From the standpoint of giving your child the tools they need in order to live a physically “fit” and healthy lifestyle, there is no better foundation than the functional movements taught here at Crossfit Chicago Kids.

By way of introducing myself I wanted to give you some of my background and the details of how I was given this amazing opportunity. I was raised on the north shore born into a large family where I am the fourth oldest of nine children. I learned at a very early age about taking care of young children through my many years of babysitting for younger siblings. Couple that with being the number one aunt to 18 nieces and nephews and you have an individual who was naturally drawn toward working with children. In the mid 1980s, I spent my summers as a camp counselor and assistant day camp director at North Shore Country Day in Winnetka, Illinois. (I even drove a bus back then). My athletic background consists of many years of varsity sports in high school including volleyball, track and cross country as well as basketball and gymnastics. In college I was extremely active in intramural sports while I attended Marquette University where I obtained my BA in Journalism. Once I graduated, I played club sand volleyball for a number of years in L.A. and then again with the Chicago Social Club in both outdoor and indoor leagues.

Over the past four years I have obtained numerous certifications through CrossFit including the following: CrossFit Running and Endurance, CrossFit Nutrition, CrossFit Gymnastics, CrossFit Level 1 and most recently CrossFit Kids. As you can tell I am thrilled to be involved at our box in this capacity and will do everything in my power to make sure that your child has the best possible experience here.

It goes without saying that our number one concern is for the health and safety of your child while he or she attends our Crossfit Kids classes. We put great emphasis on this fact and with that in mind we would appreciate your help in making sure all our kids understand that there are a few rules and regulations we must enforce in regard to how we are choosing to run our facility. Listed below are a number of those which we would like to enumerate for your convenience:

• In following the lead of local schools in our state, we must insist that you walk your child inside the building and deliver them to the “kid’s area” at the beginning of each class (old space gym). Please introduce yourself and make sure you come inside the building when they are being picked up. Make sure to see me before you leave with your child after class so that I can be sure they are going home with the right person; Safety first!
• If you arrive early, prior to 4:00 p.m., please stay with your child in the designated area until the class begins. You are welcome to stay and watch if you so choose (up in the loft area of the gym). In fact, we encourage you to stay and observe the class however; please no coaching your child. (Parents of newly enrolled members are required to stay in the gym at all times during every class until and unless coach Eileen says differently);
• The time before class begins is not a free-for-all. Please make sure your child is not climbing on or using any equipment prior to the start of the kid’s class. There are many different pieces of equipment which are utilized by the adult members of our gym. Most of this equipment is hands off for kids. We do not want to sound difficult but in the interest of safety we ask you to please keep your children off the treadmill, rowers, lifting equipment, etc. There is a time and a place for them to be introduced to these things but now is not the time. Please refrain from letting your kids “try out” the equipment either before or after class hours. As you will see, we are lucky to have a designed space for our kid’s class and we try to restrict the children to areas which are free and clear of hazards. We must insist on your cooperation in helping us to enforce the rules and restrictions regarding our gym equipment and so we ask you and your kids to respect the rules we have set forth for our facility so that both the adult and kids community can continue to thrive within the same space;
• Feel free to work out with the adult class while your child is attending class if you are an active member, but be aware that you may be called on to attend to your child if certain circumstances arise. (See #2 above regarding newly enrolled members for clarification.);
• Make sure your child uses the restroom before the class begins. If they need to go in the middle of class you will be pulled out of your class and asked to take your child to the facilities at that time so please make sure they go before we start class. If they are having an issue on a particular day, please let me know;
• A waiver must be signed by the parent or guardian for each child before they will be allowed to participate in class;
• Make sure that your child is wearing the proper attire to class. It should be comfortable and appropriate for activities such as running, jumping, climbing, swinging, crawling, throwing and being upside down. Gym shoes should be worn with socks. Please no sandals, jewelry (including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets) or hats. Hair should be pulled back in a pony tail holder with a headband if needed;
• Ensure that your child has a plastic bottle of water or a water bottle that can be filled at the drinking fountain. Don’t forget to put their name on it. Please no muscle milk, chocolate milk or other beverages aside from water while your kids are in our gym;
• Regarding children with disciplinary problems: The first warning will be free of consequence. The second warning will result in sitting out for the first two minutes of the game portion of class. The third warning will send the child to the parent;
• No gum chewing or eating in the gym before or during class. Please refrain from dispensing food until you are in your own vehicle leaving the premises. The kids carpeted gym area is off limits to food;
• Immediately notify one of the Crossfit Chicago coaches if you notice any person or persons in the parking lot or gym area that do not belong there;
• Please make us aware of any special needs for your child that may need to be addressed including medications, illness, physical limitations, mental limitations, injuries, sports activities, etc.;
• Please make sure we have emergency contact information for your child on file;
• And finally, please be sure you arrive on time. It is unfair to your child when you arrive late. The kid’s classes are programmed and as such when your child arrives late they may miss out on an important warm up or skill which puts them at a disadvantage. Not to mention their feeling of embarrassment at coming in late and trying to catch up with the others. In addition, it can be a major interruption for the ongoing class so please do your child a favor and be on time. You wouldn’t want to have to do burpees for them as your penance for being late would you?!

I hope this letter is informative and self explanatory. If you have any further questions regarding our program, please feel free to contact me by email at eileen@crossfitchicago.com.

Please send me an email a day or two before you show up to enroll your child in class.

Anniversary Party Workouts

Event 1 (9:30)
CrossFit Chicago Memorial Run (1.8 miles)
Starts outside the ramp on Willow
Run to Elston
Right on Elston
Right on Cortland
Right on Clybourn
Right on Wisconsin
Right on Marcey
Left on Cortland
Left on Elston
Left on Willow
Run back through ramp

Grab a piece of paper that signifies what place you finished.

Event 2 (Women’s Clean Gauntlet) (Starts @ 10:30)
Athlete gets 30 seconds to move to record a successful Clean
Athlete moves to next bar and every 30 seconds
Reverse starting order of Memorial Run Finish

1 – 55
2 – 65
3 – 75
4 – 85
5 – 95
6 – 105
7 – 115
8 – 125
9 – 135
10 – 145
11 – 155
12 – 165
13 – 175
14 – 185

Event 2.5 (Men’s Clean Gauntlet) (Starts @ 11:00)
Athlete gets 30 seconds to move to record a successful Clean
Athlete moves to next bar and every 30 seconds
Reverse starting order of Memorial Run Finish

1 – 95
2 – 115
3 – 135
4 – 155
5 – 165
6 – 175
7 – 185
8 – 195
9 – 205
10 – 215
11 – 225
12 – 235
13 – 245
14 – 255
15 – 265
16 – 275

Event 3 (Starts @ 11:45)

Teams of 4 (Can only compete with members of your school)
Each team of 4 must designate 1 person to complete one of the following workouts in order:
Annie (50-40-30-20-10 reps of: Double-Unders and Sit-ups)
Fran (21-15-9 reps of: Thrusters and Pull-ups (95/65) (no bands, teammates must assist)
Jeremy (21-15-9 reps of: Overhead Squats and Burpees (95/65)
Isabel Light (30 snatches) (95/65)
Each Athlete Must complete 1 round of Cindy (5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats) before beginning their workout.

Notes: Athlete 2 cannot advance until athlete 1 has completed all reps.

If scaling is needed, teams must trade-out weights during the workout. Team will get one men’s bar and one women’s bar. 30 second penalty for every 10 pounds scaled prior to the start of the workout.

For teams of 3 or less, each person must complete 1 section solo, and then the team may complete the final workouts as a group.

Old School!
-Eileen Craddock-Richardson

We of the Old School do not long, for things of old that don’t belong:
Of tiny workout spaces and pathetic workout “Grace’s”,
Of swinging pull-up bars and running dodging cars,
Of hallway double unders and sweat angel making wonders,
Of single bathroom stalls and facial plant wall balls,
Of crowded class fought wods and Tabata squatting quads,
Of sidewalk bruising lunges and bad form squatting plunges,
Of a$$ to a$$ deadlifting and chalk dust ever drifting,
Of locked hallway doors and abdo damaged cores,
Of parking nightmare feats and spotting Skinny Pete!

Those days are gone, we have moved on, at times we reminisce,
Great friends who’ve left, our body’s heft, and PRs make the list.
So to our past, those memories last, some things we’re sure to miss,
Not climbing stairs, but warm up pairs, and white towel sweated bliss!

To you who joined, in later days, some truth it must be told,
We paved the way, for you today, indeed our ranks were bold.
So Middle School, or New School peeps, who’ve joined our seasoned group,
It can’t be said, there’s any dread, with those who’ve joined our troupe.

So get your ass, to a crossfit class, make sure you know all faces,
Cause burpees will, strip you of gas, a challenge for all cases.
And so it goes, we got to four, a much loved celebration,
A time to sweat, a time to drink, a time for jubilation.

Put down your weights, put down your time and clean up all your spaces,
It’s time to toast, the ones we know, that put us through our paces.
As coaches go, we have the best, most certs and education,
They give their all, above the call, infused with dedication.

A tribute now, it’s fitting how, our leader had a mission,
Cause all that is, this CrossFit biz, was Rudy’s long held vision.
The will to compete, was not complete, until his family grew,
To Mandie, Jackson, Murph and clan, Tapallas we love you!

HOURS TODAY: 9am, 10am, 11am only!

Click here for a link to the WGN coverage from yesterday!

A1 – Bench Press 5×5
A2 – Weighted Pull-up 5×5

OR…

Any version of the “12 days of Christmas/CrossFit” that you can find. There are tons!
Hard cut off at 12pm. If you plan to do this make sure you have enough time. Come in to earlier classes! Coaches want to go home too.

This time last year… Eileen wrote a Christmas poem that we decided to run again!

T’was the night before Christmas
-Eileen Craddock Richardson

T’was the night before Christmas

and all through the box,

not a member was moving

not even the clocks.

The jump ropes were hung

by the weight racks with care.

The wall balls all shelved

a scene which was rare.

The coaches were nestled

all snug in their beds,

while visions of non-paleo

danced in their heads.

The prints in the dust from the

new fallen chalk,

was hinting at mischief

from one who can’t talk.

The door had been locked up

the music turned off,

the silence was deafening

not even a Fran cough.

The moon light it shown through

the skylight so bright.

It lit up the room,

turning day from dark night.

All kettle bells were lined up

a sparkling scene,

the glimmer of shining

dumbbells like a dream.

No equipment to put away

no boxes to stack,

the barbells like soldiers

they stood in their rack.

When up on the carpet a yelping

was heard,

no way to describe it,

not a sound like a word.

It appeared from the shadows

four legs and a tail,

had been sleeping for hours

it must be a male.

Brown fur he was fluffy

a right good ole sort,

the chalk dust was flying

and soon he would snort.

It seems that his family

had left him to snooze

and forgot to awake him

wouldn’t be what he’d choose.

So down to the buckets

he stuck his nose in,

searching for treats

white dust on his chin.

Then suddenly rescue

the front door swung wide,

and in walked his master

with quickening stride.

The paw prints were many

the pattern not clear,

upon the black flooring

Eight tiny reindeer?

With plenty of chalk spill

upon rubber turf,

He knew in a moment it must be

his Murph.

So soon the reunion

of master and friend,

t’was time to go home

this evening must end.

And so it is written this tale

has been told,

of a dog’s wod in a dark box,

such magic is gold.

You may not believe it

but this story is true,

Merry Christmas to all,

Happy Holidays to you!

Rest day or mobility work.

The Women’s Only Program
-Erin Cunningham

Throughout the last couple of months, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching the Women’s Only classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. On average, we have around 15-20 women in each class learning new movements and many of our baseline CrossFit workouts. Just this week, all of our gals took at go at “Grace.” Talk about a tough task. With so many new girls entering class on any given day, it can be a challenge to teach complicated movements to the masses and have them execute each movement well. I can honestly say I was completely impressed with how well the entire group moved. The energy in the room was amazing and it just goes to show, our women’s only classes have just as much spunk and talent as the Co-ed classes.

For most of you who have been around awhile, including myself, I think we tend to take for granted how easy it is to consistently do thrusters, pull ups (banded or kipping), kbs and our favorite, squats! With such a broad range of talent showing up each morning, Alison, myself and the rest of the coaching staff make it a point to reinforce the basics. From a coaching standpoint it’s actually been a great learning experience. It’s intimidating knowing that we are at the front line of most of these girls’ first experience with CrossFit. Of course it may not be for some. But for all of us that have made CrossFit a part of our lives, routines and on occasion part of our social scene, it’s really important to leave these women with the right first impression of what CrossFit is all about.

I’ve heard from quite a few people in the community wondering about the Women’s Only program. The best question or I guess comment I guess I’ve heard is, “Having a Women’s Only program is not really what CrossFit is all about.” Let me just say, having a the program is completely what CrossFit is all about. Yes, it is only women in the class, however, each and every day, these women are coming in learning, knocking out a WOD and then coming back for more. Yes, most of the newest faces have come from our Groupon promotion, where again, you see a ton of different types of talent, however, we have had many of these ladies stick around and actually sign up to join our community because they have seen the benefits of CrossFit and how they can incorporate it into their routine. As a coach of the program, I’ve seen some really cool things. First kipping pull ups, handstands, etc. There are so many amazing things that happen from week to week that’s it’s completely gratifying and it makes me excited to be able to coach these women as they start and continue their CrossFit journey. If you see any new faces around the box from the Women’s Only program, say hello and get to know these ladies because they are all rockstars too!!

Press
Intermediate – 4×6 @ 75%
Advanced – 5×5 @ 84%

15 min AMRAP of:
10 Burpees
15 Russian Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
20 Sit-ups

Post – 4×10 YTWL

Becoming Whole Again
-Eileen Craddock-Richardson

Do you know what it is like to wake up in the morning and have aches and pains before even getting out of bed? If you are middle aged like I am you know of what I speak. Perhaps you are only in your 20′s or 30′s but still have issues similar to mine after back to back to back intense workouts. We all know the normal aging process can do this to the body even when we are living a healthy lifestyle. So even with my five times weekly crossfit workouts, I still get the occasional age appropriate nuisance stiffness. To combat this, I have recently discovered yoga.

How often have you heard our coaches stress stretching and rolling out before and after workouts? Now, how many of us really do a thorough job of this? I would venture to guess that most of us go through the motions but probably a lot of us fall short of gaining the most benefit we can from it. As I move further into my third year of crossfitting, I have come to realize that I need a balance to the often muscle fatiguing moves of my crossfit workouts that just normal stretching out can’t seem to combat. For the past few months, I have been devoting two days a week to trying yoga. I am nothing of an expert but rather a novice and beginner who is still learning the lingo, moves, and breathing techniques employed by this practice. I’ve discovered a liking for it and have noticed how much it has helped my tight body to loosen up and become a little more flexible. It has become a great counterpart to the atmosphere of our box. Think about it. Head banging filthy lyric filled music, bright florescent lights, noisy barbells, dropped weights, barking dogs, smelly rubber flooring, chalky air . . .what could be a better yin to the yang of crossfit than soft music, low lights, soft mats, calm instruction, hearing yourself breath and the smell of incense?

Ok, so last Saturday some of our members (male and female alike) signed up and attended the Tru Harmony Yoga class at 8:00 a.m. While there may not have been the smell of incense in the air there was a fulfilling hour of manipulating my body in poses and stretches that I never thought about assuming. I won’t lie to you, most were not easy for me and I will say that I sweat it out and cursed a bit under my breath while holding a few of them. I moved parts of my body in directions that they didn’t want to go but once there I surprised myself by holding the pose and learning how to breathe to get me more comfortable and to move deeper into the pose lengthening those tightly strung muscles. I came out of that class feeling as I do after every yoga class I have attended. It’s hard for me to explain it in words but I left there refreshed, stretched out, energized but calm, renewed and loose, satisfied and content. Suddenly I realized that my previously tight body was now relaxed and ready to take on the day sitting on a rooftop watching the Wrigley Field fans play drinking games. Yes, I too thought it was a dream but low and behold I was at that game on Saturday afternoon. See what Yoga can do for you? It makes even a diehard Sox fan venture into the neighborhood surrounding the Friendly Confines! (Ok, so really my brother from Vegas was in town hosting the party).

Seriously though, even though I am not familiar with yoga to the extent that many of our members are, I will say that it has proven to be a helpful tool for my physical shortcomings. As many of you know, I had extensive shoulder surgery last year and am still to this date involved in an ongoing rehab process. Since I have dabbled with twice weekly yoga sessions I feel I have gained some additional shoulder flexibility back that I had lost and in that way have taken another step toward becoming whole again. This gal was even able to do three rope climbs last week that had eluded her even before the shoulder injury!

Remember the old adages, trying different things, constantly varied and use what works? Well, why not? I say you never know until you try so what are you waiting for? No, it won’t change your team affiliation but it could change your life!

Interested in trying yoga or want to get an afternoon sweat going? TruHarmony Yoga is returning on Saturday for a complimentary yoga session at 2:00pm. See “Upcoming Events” for details.

Skill – Snatch

For time:
50 Double-Unders (10 min cap)
10 Power Cleans (185/135 or 75% of 1RM)
40 Double-Unders
8 Power Cleans
30 Double-Unders
6 Power Cleans
20 Double-Unders
4 Power Cleans
10 Double-Unders
2 Power Cleans

Post – 3 sets: A1 – Glute-Ham Raise x 10/A2 – Good Morning x 10

Pure Adrenaline Rush!
-Eileen Craddock-Richardson

My voice hoarse, my limbs weak, my body exhausted. This was not because of a PR. This was not because of a monster WOD. This was not because of an all night binge. No, this was because I lent myself to a new sport….the sport of being a spectator!

What I knew was the workout and the names/faces of all the participants. What I didn’t know was how this weekend’s sectional wod would affect me.

Me who was not doing this wod for competition, me who was not clean and jerking 110# for the first time in my life like some or 165# like others. Me who was not judging this competition. Just me on the sidelines looking down from above at the sheer grit and strength of the men and women of our box and their fierce determination to make “light” of this task.
I had butterflies in my stomach. My adrenaline rushing. Then 3, 2, 1, GO! I took every breath with them. I flexed, tightened and forced my muscles to contract with each clean, squat, and jerk. I leaned forward over that railing and gave it my all. I heard a cry come out of this body that would scare children. Luckily the little ones next to me had ear phones on. The level of excitement continued to grow. The shouts, cheers, and bravado I felt rivaled none other than that same sensation I felt watching the CrossFit Games in Aromas in 2009. Soon you could not hear yourself scream above the noise of barbells dropping, music thumping and fans wildly cheering as the intensity came to a fevered pitch. The countdown began and soon, 3, 2, 1, TIME! And then when it was over, I forced my muscles to relax as I sat back down in my puddle of sweat. Grabbing for my water bottle I winced in pain as I looked back at the clock justifying that the 5 minutes of time had indeed expired and that I could begin to recover. With no voice left I made a mental note of every athlete’s accomplishments that day. The PRs that were reached, the mental hurdles crushed, those who came and conquered, and more importantly those who did not. They are the ones that deserve the most respect for their unfaltering determination and effort. There was no agony of defeat here only pure satisfaction and celebration of courage, determination, strength, and stamina. This was the stuff of surviving the fight. This was the stuff our athletes are made of.

So I say to the masses of crossfitters who grace the rubber mats of our box, one of the greatest scenes of community spirit you can participate in is found in the hallowed halls of our gym on any given Saturday afternoon during sectional competition. I encourage anyone who has never witnessed this mass hysteria to come join your fellow members to cheer on these gifted men and women. These are your friends and coaches who crossfit along side you and who deserve to be celebrated for all their sweat and effort. The atmosphere is electric and you will not be disappointed in their performances. Come cheer them on and let them know how proud we are that they are representing our CFC community in their quest for a place at the games this year.

I can only warn you from my own experience to bring a water bottle, towel, throat lozenges and perhaps some ear plugs as you will not be able to control your enthusiasm or the fevered pitch of the peanut gallery.

Today OPEN GYM ONLY 10am-1pm
Tomorrow OPEN GYM ONLY 2pm-4pm

Melissa on some box jumps.

Rest Day or

20 min AMRAP of:
10 Push-ups
20 Squats
100 Single-unders

T’was the night before Christmas
-Eileen Craddock Richardson

T’was the night before Christmas

and all through the box,

not a member was moving

not even the clocks.

The jump ropes were hung

by the weight racks with care.

The wall balls all shelved

a scene which was rare.

The coaches were nestled

all snug in their beds,

while visions of non-paleo

danced in their heads.

The prints in the dust from the

new fallen chalk,

was hinting at mischief

from one who can’t talk.

The door had been locked up

the music turned off,

the silence was deafening

not even a Fran cough.

The moon light it shown through

the skylight so bright.

It lit up the room,

turning day from dark night.

All kettle bells were lined up

a sparkling scene,

the glimmer of shining

dumbbells like a dream.

No equipment to put away

no boxes to stack,

the barbells like soldiers

they stood in their rack.

When up on the carpet a yelping

was heard,

no way to describe it,

not a sound like a word.

It appeared from the shadows

four legs and a tail,

had been sleeping for hours

it must be a male.

Brown fur he was fluffy

a right good ole sort,

the chalk dust was flying

and soon he would snort.

It seems that his family

had left him to snooze

and forgot to awake him

wouldn’t be what he’d choose.

So down to the buckets

he stuck his nose in,

searching for treats

white dust on his chin.

Then suddenly rescue

the front door swung wide,

and in walked his master

with quickening stride.

The paw prints were many

the pattern not clear,

upon the black flooring

Eight tiny reindeer?

With plenty of chalk spill

upon rubber turf,

He knew in a moment it must be

his Murph.

So soon the reunion

of master and friend,

t’was time to go home

this evening must end.

And so it is written this tale

has been told,

of a dog’s wod in a dark box,

such magic is gold.

You may not believe it

but this story is true,

Merry Christmas to all,

Happy Holidays to you!