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The Secret to Sleep

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is fueled by Red H Nutrition, a veteran operated nutrition and supplement company.

Yesterday, we dropped into CrossFit DC for a workout and went over the White House to hang out with some friends. Follow along on our trip to D.C. on Instagram.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“If it’s not hard, you’re not dreaming big enough.” — Shalane Flanagan

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES

MAAC

The Mid-Atlantic Affiliate Challenge kicks off this weekend. It’s the first major team competition in 2017, featuring a number of Regionals and Games athletes who will be competing at Regionals next month. A few names we’re watching: 5x Games athlete Christen Wagner, Boston Iron GRID athlete Amanda Deller, 2x Games athlete Kevin Grear, Games athlete and Baltimore Anthem athlete Joshua Arcona, CrossFit Games athlete Gary Helmick, and 12 Labours Games athlete Madi Mansberger.
We’ll be on location this weekend. Follow our Instagram story to stay up to date.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX

This is what Lauren Fisher looked like doing a 110 pound snatch complex five years ago. Sixteen-year-old Tori Dow hits a 200 pound push jerk PR. Brent Fikowski hits a 345 pound pause clean PR. This 49-year-old does three weighted strict L-sit muscle-ups unbroken. Some of Europe’s best Olympic weightlifters use box jump-overs to practice the explosive movements similar to clean and snatch. These guys will be live streaming the 2017 Cap City Open on Sunday.

Why is it so hard to make a shoe for CrossFit?

THINGS TO…

WATCH: Bro’ing Out With Alexis Johnson and Travis Williams

FloElite heads over to Houston, TX to spend the day with Alexis Johnson and Travis Williams as they talk about their approach to training for the Games and Regionals.
CHECK IT OUT.

HEAR: The F-Bomb Episode

Julie Bauer Roth joins Girls Gone WOD Podcast for an episode based on how to not give an F, how to build a forward-thinking brand, have flawless eyebrows, create new recipes, and stay married to a husband who won’t make any decisions about anything.
THAT’S ME.

WIN: MisFit Athletics Gear

Alexis Johnson is giving away some MisFit Athletics gear AND a pair of Reebok Legacy Lifters to one lucky lady.
HERE’S HOW.

EAT: Chicken Pineapple Fried Rice

If you eat it often, chicken can get kinda bland, which is why adding the sweetness of pineapple makes this recipe from Mom As Rx so great. Plus, it’s easy to make extra to pack away for mid-week meals.
GIVE IT A TRY.

BUY: Red Hot Virus Pants

The legendary red hot Virus WOD pants are finally back in stock. It’s officially competition season so go bold or don’t go at all.
I NEED THOSE.

CHALK UP READS

“Persist-Ence: On Failure, Self-Image and Learning to Rise” by Athlete Daily

Last May, driving home from the California Regionals, Brooke Ence made a big mistake. Ence, who just finished sixth to come up short of qualifying for the CrossFit Games, was already massively disappointed. After winning her regional in 2015 to advance to the Games, she felt like she had let everyone down at the three-day competition: her family, friends, coaches.

That was until she logged into social media. Ence, who had signed off all weekend to focus, was flooded with the usual trolling comments on her “manly” appearance or accusations of using steroids. That she could handle. What she wasn’t prepared for were the other types of insults: centered around her performance.

“It was like, ‘You’re washed up, you’re a fluke, you’re never coming back,” Ence recalled. “Any question I had in my own head, it verified it.”

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