Week of 1 August, 2021

I’m not sure how many of you spent the entire weekend watching the CrossFit Games, but I did. I feel like this may have been the best iteration in a long time – maybe since 2018. The men’s, women’s and team fields were stacked, with interesting stories and characters. Not to mention we got a ton of streaming of the masters, youth and adaptive divisions. The workouts were really challenging, the programming was varied and the scoreboard was fun to chase and predict. Some interesting takeaways from a weekend of watching effort from my couch…

Tia Toomey haș won 32 of like 90 Games workouts. She is the most dominant athlete in the short, but incredible, history of our sport.

A 22 year old kid from Lodi(!!!) won the mens division of the CrossFit Games.

Rich Froning continues to be the most interesting and compelling exerciser in my heart. His teams effort on the Wall Walk/Thruster was epic as was his celebration at the end. Are you not going to do 7 thrusters when exercise Jesus stares you down? No one celebrates better than Rich.

Danielle Brandon, a former Franniversary champion, who was competing under COVID protocols, won the handstand workout and in Stone Cold Steve Austin fashion, flipped the double bird to the crowd in a glorious celebration. They pulled the camera just as she dropped her imaginary Johnson on the table…

Gui Malheiros is the most fun person to watch lift weights.

Madison is cool. But the Carson Tennis Stadium is cooler.

Annie Thorisdottir came back from childbirth last year, talked openly about her post-partum struggles, and emerged as the 3rd fittest woman in the world. As she got better over the course of the grueling weekend, her joy and real emotions were a joy to behold. Her surprise in catching the 200 pound snatch and her open weeping upon crossing the finish line were incredible.

Finally, Scott Panchik closed out the weekend, and his illustrious competitive career, with a great performance in the final workout. He had been competing in obvious pain all weekend with a torn ACL, willing himself to the end, and actually winning workouts where his knee wasn’t needed. He battled Travis Mayer, another CrossFit stud and staple to the finish. As the crowd gave him a standing ovation, the announcers Chase Ingraham and Sean Woodland, let the moment breath and said nothing. I was thinking good for them, not talking over this wonderful moment. Once they broke their silence, it was clear they were quiet because they were crying.

All this Games stuff is great – the theater, the spectacle. But we get to create the same feeling everyday – accepting challenges, overcoming adversity, doing epic shit, playing macho head games, cheering each other on, lifting each other up.

***Thursday(8/5) and Friday (8/6) this week there will be no 9 am class. No 9am or 12:30pm on Monday, August 9th.

Workout of the day

5 rounds for time
15 Wallball Shots 20/14
5 right arm devils press 50/35
15 Pullups
5 left arm devils press