CROSSFIT GAMES – FLAGSTAFF
Posted by Admin on April 24th, 2009 filed in Uncategorized
I’ve had a few days to sit back and reflect on the experience of the games at the Flagstaff regional. Several people have asked me about the games themselves, and I think that the hardest question that I’ve been asked is “was it what you expected?”
Like most questions worth answering, the response is not quite as simple as yes or no. I expected the three workouts to be challenging. I expected hand stand push ups to suck. I expected our athletes and other athletes to perform at a high level due to the nature of the competition. I expected 7,000 ft of elevation to suck, bad. However, I can say without hesitation, that my expectations were all completely blown away. Very rarely in life (yes, this is in reference to my short 30 years on this Earth) do we get to experience something that is truly great. Watching the athletes push themselves beyond their own physical and mental limitations is truly awe inspiring. Seeing Chris Spealler (just google the name if you don’t know who he is) push through 3 WODs was crazy. I’m still not totally convinced that he is a human being and not a robot. Seeing Zach from Las Vegas, and Michael from NorthWest Tucson both far exceed everyone’s expectations and push their bodies to the brink was equally inspiring. Most importantly, watching SSgt Gowin, B, and MIDN Mathew perform was beyond words. SSgt Gowin committed to competing at the games, put in the work/time, and put out his max effort, including completing a snatch workout using a weight that he had only lifted one time in his life previously. B is amazing. I’ve never seen someone get so much out of their body just through simple will power. Last semester’s goal was 5 consecutive pull ups, and she ripped 60 CHEST TO BAR for the 3rd workout! MIDN Mathew’s performance during the 3rd workout (3rd overall) was simply fantastic to watch. I am sure that she has never pushed herself that hard before in her life, and left Flagstaff a better person for it.
In summary, I am so proud of all three of our competitors. Most of you have seen this quote before, and I always seem to go back to it. My Dad gave it to me when I started playing sports, and it’s followed me throughout my life.
“It’s not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt
SSgt Gowin, B, and MIDN Mathew, it was an honor to watch you compete. You should be nothing but proud. YNC, Sgt Riebe, and MIDN Adams, thanks for making the trip and supporting us throughout the weekend. To all, don’t ever hesitate to jump in the arena. Compete!
April 24th, 2009 at 12:10
SSgt Gowin, MIDN Mathew and B:
You guys rock!! I couldn’t be more proud of the three of you. You guys put in a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication over the last two semesters to compete at the regionals, and your performance was truly inspiring. Congratulations to each of you. I only wish I could be here to see you all compete next year.
LT Hollon:
You are a competitor, and as Michael from CrossFit NWT so eloquently put it, a leader in every sense of the word. To attempt those three BRUTAL workouts on the fly was not only a daunting task but a perfect example of a leader who walks the talk. I’m sure I speak for everyone at CrossFit Neptune when I say thank you for all you’ve done with this affiliate and its athletes!
YNC
April 24th, 2009 at 21:21
Congratulations to you all! I wish I could have been there to cheer you on. I know crossfit has had a big impact on me, but more importantly the people we crossfit with have had an even bigger impact on my character. The character, support, and drive all of you have shown motivates me, and I’m sure everyone else we crossfit with, to work harder and never be comfortable with where we are at, but to drive harder and seek perfection not only in crossfit, but everything we do. Again, congratulations and great job!! 2 quotes for you:
“Being number one in the world in anything means paying a very high price. You have to be more focused, smarter, work harder, and have more desire than anyone else”
“Be passionate in the pursuit of excellence. Be cautious when
working with those who are not.”
April 24th, 2009 at 23:50
I keep sneaking onto your sight, I love the quotes. I have a list of quotes that I use for motivation in my workouts, my personal, and my professional life.
Hope to see you all at the get together. Make sure to let us know the date and time.
Here’s a quote I use for my workouts.
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”
-Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
April 25th, 2009 at 19:18
Hey guys,
Just wanted to thanks you all for the kind words and support at the qualifiers! It was awesome seeing you guys again and meeting more of the crew!
I was truly inspired watching everyone lay their hearts on the line for the WODs. Incredible determination and effort.
If y’all are ever in Vegas, I’d be honored to have you get a workout in with us!
April 26th, 2009 at 10:11
Gowin, Mathew, S.A.P.I., and LT,
You all did a fantastic job in Flagstaff. Judy and I talked for a good long time about how hard everyone worked and, knowing all of you, I have no doubt the competition was fierce.
My dad always told me that if I could walk away from a competition knowing I had left everything out there then there was no reason to be ashamed no matter the outcome. I am sure you all pushed well past what you believed you could.
Keep your heads up and look forward to the next time you get to compete!
Later,
Jon
April 28th, 2009 at 17:41
Congratulations to all of you who competed. I had the chance to check out the videos posted on the main crossfit website earlier this evening and was proud to say I was a member of that caliber of people.
Paul, way to keep pushing. You have come a long way from the very beginnings of this journey and I am impressed.
B, you have to be one of the most intense competitors I have seen. You don’t say much and you prove a lot of who you are through your actions. Keep that attitude with everything you do in the future and you will go far.
Amanda, what an impressive performance. You never cease to amaze. The video captured you at the end of WOD 3 and you truly looked as if you laid everything out on the table. That is inspiring. I wanted to get off of my ass and do soemthing the moment I saw that.
LT, once again you are teaching us all important lessons in life. You are a leader in every sense of the word. You lead by example and are a true mentor to the type of officer every single one of these midshipmen, MECEP, and Officer Candidates should strive to emulate.
I am proud to have been associated with this group of warriors and continue to be pushed by all of you through performances like that and thinking about the sweat left on the battlefield at South Hall. I think we all get complacent from time to time, but it is eachother (the person sitting next to you) that forces you to perform that much faster and that much stronger. At the end of the day, can you truly look yourself in the mirror and say that you gave everything today? I think you all can say that with the performance you gave. I am not there yet, but you all have inspired me to keep working. Great job and I agree with Radz, I was jealous that I could not have witnessed that in person.
April 28th, 2009 at 21:58
David pretty much said it all, but I wanted to add how inspiring that was to watch! Wow! Seeing that and reading these comments REALLY makes me miss working out with all of you. I too wish I could have been there to help cheer you along in that amazing performance. You represented Crossfit Neptune well and I am proud to be a small part of it all.