Dubai and WZA Final Week’s Qualifier Kicks Off

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

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“We have bodies made to move. You don’t need all the trimmings to find time for decent physical self care. Sometimes you just need to move; and it’s better to practice a good habit poorly, instead of skipping practice all together.” — James Hobart

From Overdosing to Organizing: How one Veteran Found Purpose Again

The story.

Troy Peterson is a five-year Army Veteran who served with the First Cavalry Division as a Cannon Crewmember, earning a Purple Heart while deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom II. In 2006, he received an honorable discharge and headed home with PTSD and a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

The story.

On July 30, 2015, after nearly a decade of alcohol and pain pills, he attempted suicide. He failed. When he woke up feeling guilty and tired, he realized he had found rock bottom.

So, Troy decided to try CrossFit. He walked into CrossFit Waukee in Des Moines, IA and met owner Reggie Hoegh. “All he did was listen. He extended his hand to help me and I took it. My way of life wasn’t working, so maybe his way would I thought,” Troy said in an interview.

At CrossFit Waukee, he found what he had been missing since his days in the Army: purpose.

That’s amazing.

In CrossFit, Troy found a renewed self-confidence, a sense of purpose, and a community that he felt valuable in. Part of that community is Jeff Woody, co-owner of North Ankeny CrossFit. Jeff challenged Troy to do more by helping fellow veterans. He realized that fitness could be used to restore confidence in veterans by being surrounded by like-minded people and other veterans. Together, they came up with ValorFit.

What is ValorFit?

ValorFit pairs veterans together inside of gyms in a “battle buddy” type system. “No one ever does anything alone in the military, so we created a system outside of the military as well. Thinking you are alone puts people in a tough position, so we take that off the table by grouping veterans together,” Troy reasoned.

ValorFit works with the VA as well as 14 gyms from CrossFit Kinesis in Omaha to CrossFit OC3 in Davenport as well as Elijah Muhammad and CrossFit Unorthodox helping as a ValorFit ambassador gym.

Troy is proud of the work he’s done, and the work he’s doing now. “Veterans don’t need a pity party and to be paraded around like animals in a circus. We need positivity and consistency. We need to be loved and to see we can be a part of something special. We need each other. Stronger together. I am putting veterans with good people to give them a chance to become the best version of themselves, and it’s working. It’s beautiful.”

Coffee Break Conversations

What to tell your Swolemate when she comes home and complains about still having to eat 47 more grams of protein…

Yikes. That’s a lot of protein so late at night. Maybe you should pre-plan your protein throughout the day? Just a thought. If you’re having problems hitting your daily protein target, you’re not the only one. The king of macronutrients also seems to be the hardest to consume in necessary volumes. Adee Cazayoux, founder of Working Against Gravity, shares her favorite tips for sneaking extra protein in your diet and setting up your fridge for macro-tracking success.

Things To…

WATCH: Off the Insulin and Enjoying Life

Jonathan Stoops was your typical American kid. He played football and lifted weights, but at 18-years-old he was diagnosed with diabetes and had to take a medical leave of absence from college. After years of pretending his diabetes wasn’t a big deal, he was hospitalized with pancreatitis. Several medical scares later, he tried CrossFit and finally turned his life around.

SO LONG, DIABETES. 

HEAR: What if What We Know About Cancer is Wrong?

Julie Foucher, host of the Chasing Health Podcast, sat down with Thomas Seyfried, PhD. After studying his field for more than 25 years, Tom shares how he met Greg Glassman and became involved with CrossFit Health, the three things he does daily for his health, and what a healthy life looks like to him.

TWO DOCTORS WALK INTO A BOX. 

EAT: Obsessively Good Avocado Cucumber Salad

This salad is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian but you should make it anyway, because it’s fresh and green and totally hits the spot. It also takes about five minutes, tops, to put together which means that you can make it quickly and get right back to your desk for work. Because let’s be honest, sometimes that’s how it goes. 

LUNCH IS SERVED.

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ORANGE YA GLAD IT’S HERE.

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• FIRST ANNUAL COMPETITION — This veterans day weekend Branded One CrossFit, Nevada’s first non-profit gym that provides free memberships to service members with disabilities, will celebrate their first anniversary with it’s first open partner competition, the Battle at Branded One. 
• HURRICANE FUNDRAISER — Panhandle CrossFit is located in Panama City and took a direct hit from Hurricane Michael. Forever Fierce is hosting a fundraiser to help get them back on their feet until they can sort out insurance and find a new spot.
• HOUSES IN HAITI — Frisco CrossFit in Frisco, TX is hosting a benefit WOD to send a team of members to Haiti to build a house for a family in need.  
• BRUTE ATHLETE CAMP — This weekend in Austin, TX the Brute Athlete Camp will be hosted at CrossFit Jääkarhu. Over the course of two days, attendees will receive hands-on coaching and guidance directly from members of the Brute Strength coaching staff. 

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

WOD on the Waves announces Chris Hinshaw as a featured guest trainer • Congratulations to Tina on her fourteen-week weightloss transformation • Thanks to Rivet Athletic Club for donating their space to support the Portland Public Schools CrossFit Program for their PPS Fall Throwdown • Ashley Horner, Cole Sager and Christy Adkins have joined
the SteadyMD team • Loyal Abbott is one week old • Alessandra Pichelli made a 230 pound clean complex for the Dubai CrossFit Championship with 45 seconds left • Happy tenth anniversary Legend CrossFit.

Dubai and Wodapalooza Week 3 Kick Off Today — The thrd and final week of online qualifiers for both the Dubai CrossFit Championship and Wodapalooza kick off today. 

— The numbers that matter: 35 and 20. Athletes hoping to secure a spot to the DCC and Wodapalooza qualifier competitions will need to place in the top 35 and 20 respectively in order to punch their tickets to the Elite division where one male, female and team spot are up for grabs. 

The DCC — A video announcement will be posted to Facebook and Instagram at 5:00 AM PT/8:00 AM ET/4:00 PM GMT+4.

— Danger zone: Athletes sitting dangerously close to the 35th place qualification line. 

— Men: 32). Roman Khrennikov…36). Eric Carmody…40). Lukas Hogberg…44). Alexandre Caron, 59). Zeke Grove…61) ZA Anderson…90). Cody Mooney.

— Women: 32). Haley Adams, 33). Mikaela Norman, 34). Kaitlyn Kassis…37). Lindsey Valenzuela, 38). Hayley Murillo…42). Emilia Leppänen.

Wodapalooza — Tonight at 5:00 PM PT/8:00 PM ET, Wodapalooza will announce the first qualifier WOD for individuals on Wodapalooza.com. True to tradition, we expect another workout announced tomorrow morning. 

— Danger zone: Athletes sitting dangerously close to the 20th place qualification line.

— Men: 18). Nick Bloch…23). Austin Spencer35). Mitch Spjut…39T). Logan Frey, 39T). Julian Alcarez.

— Women: 18). Chelsey Hughes, 19). Chelsea Nicholas…21). Kelsey Kiel, 22). Lindsey Valenzuela…31). Tori Dyson…45) Amanda Deller…48) Pip Malone.

“CrossFIt HQ Lays Off More Games Staff,” by Justin LoFranco, Morning Chalk Up

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

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.

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.

And 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 Cannon and Marston Sawyers were also let go.

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)

11/10: The Battle at Branded One (Las Vegas, NV)

11/10: Left Coast Rumble (San Diego, CA)

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)

11/17: Fight Like a Girl (Chelsea, AL)