The CrossFit Games

One of the stadiums. The one you see most on TV
where they do the lifting and other events. 
Considering how long CrossFit has been around, I am new to it as an athlete. The sport of CrossFit itself also does not have a long tenure either. One man developed a competition that tests everything an athlete had back in 2000. In there were only 13 CrossFit gyms. Today, there are more than 13,000.

I am not here to give you the history of CrossFit, but one has to come to acknowledge the amazing phenomenon that it has become. The CrossFit Games have been held every summer since 2007. Year one they were held in Santa Cruz at The Ranch, famously known to be owned by Dave Castro's family who is the director of the CrossFit games. Due to increased popularity, they are now held in Carson, CA at the StubHub Center.

I got to be THIS close to the boys. The eye candy was barnone.
The games bolster the Fittest Man and Woman in the World. There is also the fittest team, teen, masters, etc. But really, the fittest in the world as an individual is what grabs me in. If you are curious about the games, there is an excellent documentary put together called Fittest on Earth. It's on Netflix and is all about the 2015 games and season. It gives you a peek into what CrossFit is really all about.
These athletes work out multiple times a day 365 days a year. They are amazing.

Me! Shirtless!  Rocked it!
I am not even two years into my CrossFit journey, but I was able to get a group of girls together and make the treck to LA for the games. The experience itself was like nothing I have ever done before. First off let me say that as you prepare for this trip, you realize one thing. You are going to the place with THE FITTEST people in the entire world. Not only that but literally everyone there is FIT.

The day before leaving my husband wanted ice cream. When I brought him a bowl he questioned why I did not have one. I actually stated, I am going to the CrossFit Games with the fittest people in the world. No, I am not eating ice cream the day before I leave!

Once there we immediately went to the stadium. It was HOT and sticky. There was no shade. Almost every woman was walking around without a shirt on, just a sports bra and booty shorts. I realized by looking around that I looked just like these people. I blended in with a stadium that was holding a competition for the Fittest in the World. And I didn't look half bad! So I walked around the entire weekend with my shirt off and felt DAMN good about it!

250 ft. 
The food was paleo and healthy. There were beer and other alcohol. CrossFitters have never pretended not be like drinking! We have beers, I had a vodka coconut drink (because clearly, it's healthy because of the vodka!). Barely anyone was drinking soda. Everyone had their shakes and shaker bottles and waited patiently in like to fill them at the fountain which has a special filler for bottles.

There are two stadiums; some events are in one, some in the other depending on what it is. They typically introduce new events every year. This year is the snail. A large roll filled with sand that didn't move quickly. This was part of only one event. The competitors do 15+ events on the weekend. Sometimes they get hurt the first event (this year that happened to Jennifer Smith), and she limped through all the other events to still finish. She even did double unders on one leg. Because that is how much it means to get there.

I have never been somewhere where I felt so much inspiration and motivation all at the same time. It was like everyone there was working to be their best person they could be. The vendor village had mini workouts some places as well as other trinkets, paleo food, and proteins. If you ever wanted anything CrossFit related, it was here.

I bought a few nice things and got some free stuff. My group didn't win the Assult bike we hoped for, but we sure had a fantastic time! It was one of the best times I have EVER had. I cannot imagine that ever getting old. No matter how popular this CrossFit thing gets, I am behind it 100%. It has helped SO many people in so many areas of life, myself included. And yea, Greg Glassman is a genius, but that is beside the point.

Until next year CrossFit fans, it's time to start training for the Open. This is the stuff dreams are made of.





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