CrossFit HQ Lays Off More Games Staff

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is powered by Rx Smart Gear, a fitness solutions brand.

Put a fun spin on a Classic Girl WOD. Try Heavy Annie using the Rx Smart Gear 1/2 pound Zues rope. Complete 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 double-unders and ab mat sit-ups for time. Let us see how you did by using #RxSmartGear.

“The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.” — Norman Schwarzkopf

An Unlikely Friendship Formed by CrossFit

Some Background.

Two years ago, CrossFit Terminus moved to an up and coming neighborhood of Atlanta. A thriving community based gym, their core values read, “We strive for a community that supports and fosters physical, emotional, and spiritual harmony. We strive to make the conscious choice to follow through and do the ‘right’ thing every day and in every decision.”

Sounds like a great place.

It’s also owned by Emily Bridgers and her husband, Ben Benson. They’re there every day, coaching, cleaning, and putting in the long hard hours every box owner is familiar with.

But there’s another person there all those hours, too. His name is Thomas and he lives in a covered carport just behind their parking lot.

Two Sundays ago, Emily was leaving the gym when Thomas said hello. Emily stopped and said hello back. Thirty minutes later, the two were still talking. He told Emily that the building used to be a boxing studio, all about the neighborhood before it had begun to be renovated, and his younger days as a man in Atlanta. Turns out, Thomas has been homeless for a decade.

He also told Emily that doctors had just revealed to him he had liver failure and only a few weeks to live.

That’s not good.

On Monday morning, returning to the gym, she made it a point to say hello to Thomas. She asked how she could help. Since then, she has checked in on Thomas every day. She’s brought him new clothing and invited him into the gym to shower.

All that checking in on him allowed Emily to see Thomas’s living conditions. She reached out to Performa Sleep, one of the companies that sponsor her, with Thomas’s story. Two days later, a brand new Performa Sleep mattress was delivered to CrossFit Terminus. Now Thomas has clean clothes, a comfortable place to rest, access to a shower, and someone who makes it a point to check in on him every day.

Talk about community.

Since then Emily has had hundreds of people reach out to her asking to help. CrossFitters everywhere have asked to send him clothes, to donate towards his medical expenses, even asking how they can help convert his place into a livable tiny home. In true CrossFit spirit, the community is coming together to support a fellow community member.

CrossFit HQ Lays Off More Games Staff

The story.

Yesterday, approximately 12-15 employees made up mostly of CrossFit Games broadcasting staff were laid off.

Remind me.

About two months ago, Greg Glassman let go more than 50 CrossFit Games staff, mostly in their media and Games operations departments. These layoffs were a part of major changes introduced to the CrossFit Games season and calendar.

Yikes.

Yup. Though there are still more than 20 full time staff on the CrossFit media team, CrossFit Games media content as you’ve come to know it is completely gone. Now adding to that is broadcasting team — the ones who brought you all those free livestreams you’ve been watching on Facebook, the update studio and other YouTube content.

So don’t look for anymore update videos from the CrossFit Games team. Two weeks ago, Sean Woodland, Tommy Marquez, and Rory McKernan signed on for the last time to deliver the final studio update.

It also seems unlikely that fans will see a fourth installment of the award-winning Fittest on Earth documentary franchise. BoxRox just confirmed that Heber Canon and Marston Sawyers were also let go.

What’s CrossFit HQ saying?

We spoke to CrossFit CEO Jeff Cain and he said, “Today’s layoffs redirect resources and attention to CrossFit’s essential business activities — training and affiliation — in order to make further headway as the world’s leading health and fitness company.”

In multiple conversations over the past few weeks, including several when we were up at CrossFit HQ with both Glassman and Cain last weekend, HQ’s restructuring is part of a broader effort to go all in on training and growing the brand internationally. It’s also an opportunity for other broadcasters, media personalities, and reporters to step in and fill these media gaps.

Coffee Break Conversations

What to tell your Aunt Patty who thinks running a 10K on Thanksgiving for fun is bananas…

Oh, come on Aunt Patty. You gotta’ earn all that pumpkin pie and what better way to do that than with a little bit of fun outside with your friends and family. That’s just what Chicago runner Lynn Rogers did when she received a rare diagnosis: chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, or CIDP. After three weeks of paralysis and three months in the hospital, Rogers went home and started training again with her running friends. Now, just a year later, she’s training to run the Chicago Marathon. “It means a lot to me to put out a story that has the positive swing of good recovery and continued recovery, that might give somebody hope in that really
ugly place,” said Rogers. 

Things To…

WATCH: Noah Ohlsen Recaps Hawaii

Noah Ohlsen took his first trip out to the Hawaiian islands for the Ultimate Hawaiian Trail Run. He also got to ROMWOD on the beach, drop into a local box, and see what the Keala Foundation is doing with the local kids. Oh yeah, and he also helped save someone’s life, NBD.

WATCH HIM GO.

HEAR: Michele Letendre on Shifting to Coaching

Michele Letendre sits down with on the Active Life Podcast with Dr. Sean Pastuch. Together they discuss the characteristics of a great coach, her thoughts on the changes to the CrossFit Games, and why Michele thinks its so hard to be a great athlete and a great coach at the same time.

SO MANY EMOTIONS.

EAT: Immune Boosting Wellness Smoothie

With the seasons changing, now is the time to have this immune-boosting wellness smoothie packed with fresh ginger, turmeric root, spinach, honey, pineapple, banana and black pepper. Sounds crazy, but this smoothie is absolutely delicious, great for digestion and a boost for your immune system.

SOUNDS DELICIOUS.

BUY: Reebok Nano and Lifter Bundle

Reebok brought back their popular Nano and Lifter bundle. For $225 you get a pair of Nano 8’s and a pair of Legacy Lifters. That’s $100 of straight savings. Just don’t forget to use code “BUNDLE” at checkout.

WHAT A STEAL.

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• PRO-TIP: FLAWS IN THE DEADLIFT — Shoulders or hips rising too fast are two of the most common deadlift flaws. CrossFit Seminar Staff Melissa Reed walks through how to make sure your hips and shoulders are rising at the same time when you lift from the ground.
• FIRST ANNUAL CROSSFIT COMMANDER’S CUP — The First Annual CrossFit Commander’s Cup plans are underway. Falcon CrossFit will travel to West Point to throw down with CrossFit Black and Gold. The series will culminate in Philadelphia on Dec. 7 with an Army vs. Navy showdown. The winner of the series will claim the First Annual CrossFit Commander’s Cup.
• CROSSFIT BOX HOSTS BLOOD DRIVE — Crossfit 808 in Honolulu hosted it’s 3rd annual pre-Halloween blood drive last weekend. Nearly 40 people participated, collectively donating more than 30 pints of blood for the Hawaii Blood Bank.
• SEVEN HOURS OF BURPEES — Coach Jeff Templeton of CrossFit Fireside committed to do one burpee for every dollar donated to his Barbells for Boobs campaign. He raised $2,045. After doing 1,651 burpees, the gym members started pledging money to have him stop doing them. Seven hours of burpees later, Templeton stopped, after his final 500 were
  bought out.
• WODDING AFTER HURRICANE MICHAEL — Emerald Coast CrossFit in Panama City Beach is hosting a community WOD on Wednesday at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM to bring together members from all of the local boxes affected by Hurricane Michael.

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

James Townsend is making progress on his new gym The Brave One in Clive, IA • Kels Kiel celebrates one year in Boston • Cody Anderson qualified for Nationals at his first USAW meet • Congratulations to Tiffany Marie on her first strict pull-up • Happy birthday to Danielle Szpindor • Congratulations to the winners of the First Annual Gopher State Challenge • Emma Grace Heppner got a running PR of 4.3 miles • Christy Phillips Adkins is hosting an Ask Me Anything on Reddit October 24th at 5:00 PM PT.

Wodapalooza Week Two Recap — The second week of Wodapalooza Online Challenge and Qualifiers is done. Here’s how the leaderboard looked as of last night.

Elite Women — 1.) Dani Speegle, 2.) Hayley Murrillo, 3.) Kristine Best, 4.) Chantelle Loehner, 5.) Gabriela Migala…8.) Colleen Fotsch…16.) Emma Ferreira…21.) Kelsey Kiel…22.) Lindsey Valenzuela…29.) Amanda Hardeman.

Elite Men — 1.) Samuel Cournoyer, 2.) Jake Frye, 3.) Norman Woodring, 4.) Mitch Barnard, 5.) Nik Hecht…35.) Mitch Spjut…39.) Julian Alcaraz…67.) Jason Carroll…108.) James Hobart.   

— Remind me: Only the top 20 athletes from the qualifier will receive invitations to compete in the Elite sanctioned division. Athletes will have one more week to get underneath that number. And don’t forget, all the 2018 CrossFit Games athletes were all invited to bypass the qualifier and go straight to the competition in January.

What’s next — Wodapalooza Week Three workouts wil lbe announced tomorrow along with Dubai CrossFit Championship Week Three qualifying workouts.

“In Russia Reebok Only Likes Skinny Girls,” by Justin LoFranco, Morning Chalk Up

Reebok recently released a new sports bra line called PureMove. Advertised as meeting the needs of every woman, it ranges in size to fit every shape with something called “motion sense technology.”

According to Reebok’s website, the line of sport bras underwent many tests spanning two years using unique motions sensors on women “just like you.” “There’s no standard size-and we get that. Which is why we’re offering 10 unique in-between sizes, so you can track down your perfect fit,” the official Reebok campaign said.

So they set out to tell the world how great this bra is. Especially for women “just like you.”

Just, apparently not in Russia.

Reebok’s ad campaign for the US, UK, Canada, France and other countries showed “regular” women of varying shapes with different builds modeling the new sports bra. Then there was Russia. Oh Russia.

Reebok Russia refused to use the official advertising materials and selected their own models, three very slim, similarly looking,  Russian celebrities.

That’s when nutritionist and coach at CrossFit MSK Anastasia Chigarinova stepped in. She thought the version she and other Russian women saw was nonsense, so she got a group of “regular” women together for a photoshoot, wearing their own athletic wear, and took to using the hashtag #reebokнормальногочеловека (‘ReebokforARegularPerson’ in Russian).

10/20: BCS Classic 2018 (Bryan, TX)

10/20: Head 2 Head in Hamilton (Hamilton, NJ)

10/20: Fittest on the Valley VI (Lahaina, HI)

10/20: Crossfit Bona Fide Third Wheel Throwdown (Portsmouth, NH)

10/20: CrossFit Katana Samurai Showdown VI: Trio of Terror (Mansfield, OH) 

10/20: SE Texas Masters of CrossFit Fall Classic (Cypress, TX) 

10/20: Barbells For Boobs (Stamford, CT)

10/20: Filthy 150 Irish Competition (Dublin)

10/20: CFT’s METAvivor Fundraiser (Carol Stream, IL)

10/20: WOD for the Fallen (Columbia, SC)

10/20 – 10/21: The Independence Games (Florence, SC)

​10/20 – 10/21: The Lincoln Invitational (Spokane, WA)

10/21: Chalk It Up 2018 (Akron, OH) 

10/21: Me Jane, You Jane (Santa Rosa, CA) 

10/26 – 10/28: JAKTRX Atlas Games (Montreal)

10/27: Tough Temple Invitational (Rockville, MD)

10/27: Rock Your Box Throwdown (St.Cloud, MN)

10/27: Halloween Havoc (Harrisburg, PA)

10/27: Push Pull for Pancreatic Cancer @ CrossFit Trumbull (Trumbull, CT)

10/27: Saberspook Throwdown (Minneapolis, MN)

10/27: Monster Mash (Ann Arbor, MI)

10/27: The Foundry 5K (Steamboat Springs, CO)

10/27: Rock Your Box Throwdown (Saint Cloud, MN)

10/27: Beartown Halloween Beatdown (Lebanon, VA)

10/27: 9th Annual Fall Brawl (Gibsonia, PA) 

10/27: Boo Bash (Cleveland, TN)

10/27: Crush Cancer at Dogtown CrossFit (Los Angeles, CA)

10/27: Sin City Championships 2018 (Singapore)

10/27: Barbells For Boobs at CrossFit New Albany (New Albany, OH)

10/27: Barbells For Boobs Fundraiser (Nyack, NY)

10/27: WOD League Black River Edition (São José do Rio Pret, Brazil)

10/27: 2018 CrossFit Juke Joint Halloween Mayhem (Grand Junction, CO)

11/2: Wodapalooza Qualifier – Team (Online)

11/2: WOD League Mixed Doubles Edition (São Paulo, Brazil)

11/2 – 11/3: Women’s WOD Jam Individuals (Denver, CO)

11/2 – 11/3: Fenrir’s Mayhem at CrossFit Iron Legion (Ocala, FL)

11/3: The Battle of Port Royal Sound (Okatie, SC)

11/3: Battle for the Badges (St. Charles, MO)

11/3: PPS CrossFit Fall Throwsdown (Portland, OR)

11/3: CFT’s 2018 Strongman Classic (Carol Stream, IL)

11/3: WODamania (Riviera Beach, FL)

11/3: Barbells For Boobs at CrossFit Florian (Norwood, MA)

11/3: Bar Wars 2018  (Harker Heights, TX)

11/3: Masters Of The Midway (The Hills, IL)

11/3: Dynamic Duo Deathmatch 2018 (Southlake, TX) 

11/3: Inferno in the Forge (Lawrenceville, IL)

11/3: Perimeter Rowdown (Atlanta, GA)

11/3: Central Texas Showdown (Seguin, TX)

11/3: Rookie Rollout 3 at Troy CrossFit (San Diego, CA)

11/3: Masters of the Midwest (Greenwood IN)

11/3: Fit Wars Competition (Cedar Park, TX)

11/3- 11/4: Reignited Games 2018 (Wilmington, NC) 

11/3 – 11/4: Charlotte Throwdown for Mental Health Awareness (Charlotte, NC)

11/3 – 11/4: GameDay Championship (St. Paul, MN)

11/3 – 11/4: Clearwater Beach Brawl (Clearwater, FL)

11/04 – 11/05: WODNATION BR (Vinhedo, Brazil)

11/10: Emerald Coast Honor Games (Destin, FL)

11/10 – 11/11: Extreme Games (Piauí, Brazil)

11/10 – 11/11: South Loop Games (Chicago, IL)

11/10- 11/11: Southie Showdown (Boston, MA)

11/10: Metcon 4 Hope (Reno, NV)

11/10: Best of the Wurst (New Braunfels, TX)

11/10: Warrior Affiliate League Delta Force (Duarte CA)

11/10: USA Powerlifting Veterans Day Championship (Philadelphia, PA) 

11/10: Bromageddon 2018 (Chandler, AZ)

11/11: Bonsai Brawl (Philadelphia, PA)

11/15: Push Pull for Pancreatic Cancer @ Hybrid Athletics Bridgport (Bridgeport, CT)

11/16 – 11/17: Veterans Day Bash at CrossFit Wild West (Lubbock,TX)

11/17: MetCon Mashups CrossFit Lubbock (Lubbock,TX)

11/17: CrossFit TIG Turf Wars (Brighton, MI)