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A hero WOD a day

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is fueled by FNX, the Official Supplement Sponsor of the Morning Chalk Up.

Margaux Alvarez took first in the South, and she will be the first to say her recovery methods play a big role in her success. Check out the interview with Adrian and Margaux just a week before the regional where she talks about what FNX supplements she takes, how and when!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I like my coffee so strong it could drink me.” — Caveman Coffee

Hero WODing Through the Month of May.

 

Say what?

When Marc Tony Joyce came up with the idea to do Hero wods every day through May to raise funds for charity, he thought he’d do them alone at M Squared Fitness in Manchester, United Kingdom. An army veteran, Joyce has a soft spot for Scotty’s Little Soldier, a nonprofit that supports the children of military personnel killed in action, and he wanted to raise some awareness, and some funds, for the cause.

Dude is cray, but here’s something more cray.

In February, when 76-year-old M Squared member Alan Taylor was diagnosed with Prostate cancer he decided to join Joyce in his month long hero wodding to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK. Just before the men were to start their month long fundraising, third member Claire Griffin lost her mother to vulva cancer. She hopped in with the boys to raise funds for the hospital that cared for her mother in the last few weeks of her life, Weston Park Hospital.

Together, all three members prepared to throw down one hero wod a day for the entire month of May.

That sounds painful.

It has been, but not one day has been skipped. But most impressive has been Alan who, despite being midway through radiotherapy and in his seventies, has completed a Hero Wod every day this month. On days when he doesn’t feel well enough to come in, he still gets after his Hero Wods at home, his long time wife Jean hopping in with him, and they post the video to the M Squared Community Facebook.

You can help M Squared cheer on their own Heroes, and read more about each charity, on their Facebook page.

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL.

Regionals Reflections.

Alexis Johnson — “Tears in my eyes, but proud smiles on their faces…Day 3. WENT FOR IT. Crashed and burned…HARD on the lunges. But I’d rather know that I died, having set myself up with an opportunity, rather than pace and regret not taking the chance. And after those box step overs, I never came back to life…The result of this weekend is more disappointing than I could have imagined, but it’s all part of the journey. One on which I hope to continue to inspire others.”

Sheena Hammer — “My why: To be a strong, healthy, fun, and kick a$$ mom To be involved with such a health driven community and be surrounded by some amazing women.”

Stephanie Roy — “Regionals [are] done, even if you all tell me it’s incredible to battle like this at 40 years old it’s not my perspective. Despite my age, all the work I put all year long, the discipline and work ethic I put in my training, made me think I had the abilities to finish top 10 this year, I was ready to move mountains…Thanks to everybody for the support, every words, smiles, cheering meant a lot to me. I have always been hard on myself and that is why I am where I am now, it won’t change. I will be back, now let’s focus on REST for few days in order to be ready for the Games prep!”

Things To…

 

WATCH: Regionals Week 1 Update 

Too busy? Didn’t watch? CrossFit HQ recaps all the action from Regionals Week 1.

QUICK CATCH UP. 

 

KNOW: Kale 101

Kale is literally everywhere now. But what’s inside this green superfood that makes it so nutrient-rich and healthy?

HMMM THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION.

 

HEAR: Sean Sweeney

The winner of the 2018 CrossFit Games South Regional joined the Big Red Express podcast just before he was set to compete. Here’s what the CrossFit Cowboy had to say about prepping for Regionals and his game plan going into the weekend.

TUNE IN.

 

EAT: Grilled Halibut and Summer Squash with Pumpkin Seeds

This is the kind of evening grilling meal that early summers are made of. You can’t get any healthier than this super fresh and protein-packed recipe.

HALIBUT INVITE US? 

 

Today’s edition of the Morning Chalk Up is fueled by

Chalk Up Community

 
  • WORK-LIFE BALANCE — Math teacher Chelsea Jones says that CrossFit has helped her achieve a better work-life balance and keeping her from staying at work later than she needs to. 
  • WAITING ON AN EMAIL — It was 10:01 PM and the email finally came in. John Gary was going to the CrossFit Games to compete in the Masters 55 – 59 division. 
  • TIME TO COMPETE? — Have you been thinking about competing but you’re a little scared to give it a try? Aasiya Spann from District CrossFit in Washington, D.C. on why you should get off the bench and just go do one. 

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES (a highlight reel around social media of CrossFit pros and average joes)

If you feel completely out of the loop about what happened at Regionals last weekend, here’s your wrap upCaity Henniger, former CrossFit Games champion and wife to the Rogue CEO, was spotted carrying equipment hours after the East Regional had wrapped up.

CrossFit Invictus cleaning up the leaderboard in Week 1 — On top of Invictus Boston who won the East Regional and CrossFit East Woodbridge, a total of four Invictus coached athletes qualified for the Games last weekend: Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, Jared Enderton, Kristin Holte, and Camilla Salomonsson Hellman.

Reads

CHALK UP READS

“7 Regionals, 3 Kids and Still One of the Fittest” by Justin LoFranco, Morning Chalk Up

“This is my life,” said Sheena Hammer, while holding her youngest of three kids in the lobby of the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Just a half hour earlier, she’d set the time to beat on Event 3, a high-skill chipper of ring muscle-ups, handstand obstacle course walks and pistols. Now it’s family time for a few minutes before heading back in to warm-up for Event 4.

A former gymnast and perennial Regionals athlete, this is Hammer’s seventh Regional: three as an individual and four on a team. In 2016, she got her one shot at the Games with Rockwell CrossFit where they took 18th.

“It’s getting hard to run around with these younger girls,” Hammer said. At 34-years-old, she’s the oldest individual female competitor at the South Regional.

Reads

CHALK UP CALENDAR

5/18 – 5/20: East Regional (Albany, NY)

5/18 – 5/20: Europe Regional (Berlin, Germany)

5/18 – 5/20: South Regional (Salt Lake City, UT)

5/19: Raising the Bar for Recovery (Medina, OH)

5/19: East Coast Battle (Hanover, MD)

5/19: Barbells in the Burbs (Carol Stream, IL)

5/19: Gladiator Games (Concord, NC)

5/19: The Pillage of Palm Harbor (Palm Harbor, FL)

5/19: Spring Fling Partner Throwdown (San Anselmo, CA)

5/19: SilverFox Masters Competition (San Clemente, CA)

5/19: Ultimate Fitness Championship (Kennewick, WA)

5/19: Warriors Hope 2018 (Greenwood, IN)

5/19: T-Town Throwdown (Tifton, GA)

5/19: Murph for Muts (Peachtree Corners, GA)

5/19: Firehawks Scorch Trials (Rio Rancho, NM)

5/19: Denton Fitness Festival (Denton, TX)

5/19 – 5/20: GameDay Mankato (Mankato, MN)

5/20: Europe Regional After Party Sponsored by FITAID (Berlin, Germany)

5/25 – 5/27: West Regional (Del Mar, CA)

5/25 – 5/27: Central Regional (Nashville, TN)

5/25 – 5/27: Latin America Regional (Rio de Janiero, Brazil)

5/26: Beauty is a Beast 2 (Indian Rocks Beach, FL)

5/26: Strong AF Against MF (East Windsor, CT)

5/27 – 5/28: 24 Heroes in 24 Hours (Southborough, MA)

6/1 – 6/3: Atlantic Regional (West Palm Beach, FL)

6/1 – 6/3: Meridian Regional (Madrid, Spain)

6/1 – 6/3: Pacific Regional (Sydney, Australia)

6/2: Kegs and Kilos (Manhattan, KS)

6/2: Long Island Masters (Hauppauge, NY)

6/2: Texas WOD Fest (Houston, TX)

6/2: Tacos and Tequila Throwdown (Highlands Ranch, CO)

6/2: Meshugge CrossFit Summer Melee (Overland Park, KS)

6/3: Summer Sizzler Individual Masters Competition (Burlington, MA)

6/8 – 6/9: Bricktown Throwdown (Bricktown, OKC)

6/9: Beastette Bash at CrossFit Ananda (Arlington, TX)

6/9: Gulf Coast Games (Mandeville, LA)

6/9: WOD Wars 6 (Humble, TX)

6/9: Big Orange Brawl (Knoxville, TN)

6/9: Heroes of the Platform (Meridian, ID)

6/9: Triple Crown Fitness Event (Greenville, NC)

6/9 – 6/10: The Heartland Games 2018 (Chicago, IL)

6/9 – 6/10: Alaka’i SUPER Summer Slam (Kapolei, HI)

6/16: Battle on the Creek (
Johns Creek, GA)

6/16: Full Battle Rattle (Robinson, IL)

6/16: East Coast War (Wilmington, NC)

6/19: Gauntlett VIII – River Rumble (Portsmouth, OH)

6/22 – 6/24: The Bacon Beatdown (Daytona Beach, FL)

6/23: Garage Girls CrossFit Grit (St. Simons Island, GA)

6/23: 2018 Summer Swolestice (Gresham, OR)

6/23: HAMCO Heat (McLeansboro, IL)

6/23: The Greenville Games (Greenville, SC)

6/23: The Burn Out (New Bern, NC)

6/23: Battle of the Border (Phenix City, AL)

6/23: Battle of a Beauty with a Beast (South Hadley, MA)

6/23 – 6/24: Asbury Park Summer Games (Asbury Park, NJ)

6/23 – 6/24: The Dakota Games (Fargo, ND)

6/30: Summer Stampede (Bethlehem, PA)

6/30: Battle of the Ballpark (Seattle, WA)

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