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CrossFit Mayhem Announces Final Team Member

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is fueled by FITAID, the Official Recovery Drink of the 2017 and 2018 CrossFit Games. This week only, you can get two 12 packs of any LIFEAID beverage for the price of 1 plus a free t-shirt or tank, when you start a BEVBOX subscription.

We’re somewhere over the Pacific Ocean right now on our way to Melbourne, Australia for the CrossFit Invitational. See you down under mate!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Don’t ever compare your weaknesses to another person’s strengths.” — Unknown

WHEN YOU’RE BORN WITH A GENETIC ANOMALY.

The Story.
Meet Tommy. He was born with a very rare genetic anomaly (missing Chromosome #20), so rare that he was the not only the first kid identified with it but it doesn’t even have a name yet.

Tommy couldn’t walk until he was 3-years-old. His father recalls, “we didn’t actually think he would walk at all.”

What’s the affect?
Now 17-years-old, Tommy looks like your typical kid. He’s not super athletic and prefers playing the couch potato over sports but nothing out of the ordinary. But his gross and fine motor skills were taking a lot longer to develop. Hence the reason why he used a walker at two.

What happened?
Tommy’s sister joined CrossFit Valley Forge about 3-years-ago. Then Tommy’s dad joined 2-years-ago, and his mom last year.

After seeing the positive effects, the family talked to their coach at CrossFit Valley Forge about bringing in Tommy and she was super into it. So Tom Sr. said what the heck and decided to make an intro.

The results.
Every fall, Tommy joins the other high schoolers for their annual fitness test. You know the one where you reluctantly run a mile except for the four people who are on the track team. Yeah, that one.

In September 2016, Tommy finished in 12:50, which is just a tad faster than a brisk walk.

This year, he crushed it in 8:50 after only three months doing CrossFit. We have a feeling this isn’t the end of Tommy’s PRs. Congrats buddy.

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES

3 days until the CrossFit Invitational kicks off.

Roundup — Casey Campbell is going to start working with Tiffeny Parker, the runner Chris Hinshaw brought in to help Camille Leblanc-Bazinet with hurdles. Rich Froning launches a new podcast — see “Things to Hear” below for episode 1. Taylor Stallings is learning how to do a full snatch.

Mayhem Finds No 6 — CrossFit Mayhen announced that the sixth and final spot will be filled by Tasia Percevecz, a 1x CrossFit Games athlete from New Hampshire.

Passing on Your Left — Move over Dave Castro and Co., Team Morning Chalk Up has thrown their hat into the ring for the upcoming Ragnar Relay, and we have no plans on finishing anywhere except first.

Confessions of a Corner Cutter by Lindsay Sport, co-owner of Crossfit Laminin…

“One of my rules for this year is no cutting corners. Overhead stability and leg endurance have always been issues for me; I refuse to let them be anymore. I have always taken shortcuts when it comes to the little things; labeling them un-important. Truth is when you take shortcuts, whether in training or in life, it hurts you. Always do everything right, it builds better character, mindset, and resiliency.”

COFFEE BREAK CONVERSATIONS

How has CrossFit helped you achieve a goal? 

“I was on an ex-pat assignment in Europe for two years. Good food, good beer, horrible weather. When I returned, I had a physical and was informed that my cholesterol was getting ‘high’ and to ‘take the steps now so I didn’t have to worry about it in the future – lose 25 pounds’.  I had never been called fat, heavy, or overweight in my life and was a slap in the face. A coworker had mentioned CrossFit and I thought it was time to give it a try.  Needless to say, no cholesterol problem any more.” — Jeremy Town, Crossfit Voom in Louisville, CO

What to tell your friend who’s always going 60 in a 25…

Slow down there. While Masters athletes across the world are breaking barriers and showing that age is just a number, it doesn’t mean you can train (or coach 60+ athletes) like you’re 25. Larry “the Legend” Blum is 80-years-old and he’s been WODing for the last ten years — a majority of them at CrossFit Invictus. He’ll tell you that making the most of your golden years has nothing to do with the CrossFit Games and a lot to do with making sure your body is healthy, strong, and mobile enough to enjoy your life and do what you want to do — like getting out of a bath tub! If you’re 80+ and still cranking out thrusters you must be doing something right so we figure listening to Larry’s advice might not be such a bad thing even for you coaches of Masters athletes.

THINGS TO…

DO: Affiliate Immersion Program
Designed by CF New England coach Ben Bergeron, you’ll fly out to Massachusetts for a two-day apprenticeship and experience first-hand how CF New England operates from classes, coaches meetings, front desk operations, on-ramp program and their governing philosophy.
ONLY 150 SPOTS.

HEAR: Froning and Friends
CrossFit Mayhem just launched the first four episodes of “Froning and Friends,” a weekly podcast featuring Rich Froning talking shop with friends like Chris Hinshaw, Angelo DiCicco, Elly Kabbord and Darren Hunsucker.
EPISODE 1.

EAT: Butternut Squash Saute
Since Halloween is officially over, we’re slowly weaning our way off of pumpkins. By slowly, we mean very slowly, since pumpkins are a squash after all! This recipe is one of Brooke Ence’s favorite mid-week fall dinner recipes.
GET THE RECIPE.

CHALK UP AFFILIATES

  • CrossFit Loyalty in Swedesboro NJ raised more than $10,000 for Craniosynostosis and the Cranio Care Bears. The Charity Lift-Off and WOD was put together after the 8-month-old daughter of two members was diagnosed with Craniosynostosis and had to undergo surgery.
  • CrossFit Games athlete Regan Huckaby just opened the doors of CrossFit Viento in Hood River, OR, which is exactly .4 miles from the only other affiliate in town: CrossFit Hood River.
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