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Hey You, Take Your Dream Back

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition was chalked up while listening to Carleen Mathew’s Road to the Games Spotify Playlist. Next up…Margaux Alvarez.

P.S. Who on earth is behind the Morning Chalk Up? We don’t often talk about ourselves, but one Washington D.C. publication got curious and started asking some questions so here’s the scoop on how this all got started.

P.S.S. How would you like us to cover the 2017 CrossFit Games? Take the 2 minute survey and share your thoughts.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Try. And if you fail, you try again. You lift that shit until it feels easy.” — Jessica Solomon, reader

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX

Screenshots from the updated Beyond the Whiteboard app to be released this week. Wilson Roman, the 17-year-old Venezuelan who qualified to compete at the CrossFit Games, has been denied a travel visa to come to the United States. CrossFit Invictus is selling tanks and tees to help them raise money for their trip to Madison. Kara Webb stopped by to train with Kristi Eramo. Thuri Helgadottir does heavy grace at 155 pounds in 6:45. Alexis Raptis joins the Nike team. Camille Leblanc-Bazinet front squats 240 pounds + 100 pounds in chains. Stacie Tovar’s 8 fitness Instagrammers to follow for inspiration. Behind the scenes blooper reel…this is what it looks like BEFORE someone performs a human overhead squat. Sam Briggs predicts heavy triple DT as one event at the CrossFit Games.

With your second cup of coffee...Chicken Nugget Yoga.

While you’re packing for the CrossFit Games…7 free things to do while in Madison, WI.

Dave Castro on programming from a 2008 lecture series“Let’s start thinking outside the box of other things we can vary that aren’t so obvious…environment, vary the environment…temperature, if you’re used to training in this nice California weather (70 degrees) all the time then you go out back East and train in New York City or somewhere that has 100% humidity and 100 degrees, you’re probably going to get broken down really fast. So if you have the ability to, train at different temperatures.”

THINGS TO…

WATCH: My First Throwdown

Remember your first competition? Or haven’t had one yet? Well Kitsap CrossFit in Poulsbo, Washington, hosts an annual event called “My First Throwdown” to encourage athletes to compete for the first time and all the proceeds go to Survive and Thrive, a program that takes young-adult cancer survivors on wilderness expeditions and helps them reconnect with the world and rebuild their lives.
WATCH.

HEAR: From Freestyle Skiing to the CrossFit Games

How does someone who’s 60+ and a lifelong freestyle skier transition into a CrossFit Games athlete? We’re sure glad the Nasty Girls Podcast decided to ask Debbie Mizikowski, who’s showing that life transitions can still happen after 40…or 50…or 60.

DO: 2017 Brute Athlete Camp

Spend two days in Seattle training with Chris Hinshaw, Adrian Conway, Matt Bruce, Michael Cazayoux and Brooke Ence. Early bird prices are in effect until July 31 so don’t wait.
GRAB A TICKET

EAT: Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders

If you have kids, you know how many bad but convenient options there are out there for quick meals. Try this guilt-free snack that you’ll actually want to eat yourself. Plus they make a great party starter.
GRAB AND GO.

CHALK UP AFFILIATES

“So when the owners announced that they were going out of business…”

Army veteran Jeffry During loved working out at CrossFit Advocate. So when he heard they were going out of business, he decided to buy their equipment and start an affiliate of his own in Fredericksburg, VA.

Next month, CrossFit Shenanigans is hosting a grand opening. They settled on the name because they wanted to create a “a fun, energetic atmosphere.”

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More than 500 athletes gathered at Shoreline CrossFit in Branford, CT for the Ben Callahan Tribute Workout Saturday morning. The event was named after 10-year-old Ben Callahan, who drowned in a nearby river while swimming with his two brothers. Altogether, the online and in-person fundraisers are estimated to bring in more than $88,000, which the family has pledged to charitable causes.

“It just shows that this little kid, was so bright and so vibrant and so full of life that his story resonates with people even if they don’t know him,” Ben’s father told the Shoreline Times. “Ten years ago if God had put out an advertisement that said, ‘Hey, does anybody want to have three awesome little kids that are going to affect the world and jam 10 huge years of life in 10 years and there’s a chance that at the end of 10 years you’re going to lose one, would you sign up for that job?’…I definitely would have.”

CHALK UP READS

“Take Back Your Dream: Put Your Fears Aside and Go for Gold” by Gameplan A

Are you being held back by fear of disappointment or other people’s opinions? It’s time to take back your childlike innocence and live your dreams.

An average-length book will take you two to four hours to finish. Compare that to the time you spend on your phone: four hours per day. What’s more, you will spend over five years of your lifetime on social media alone.

We all have desired outcomes, goals that we want to achieve in life, yet when it comes down to the nitty gritty many of us are not prepared to endure the inevitable setbacks and disappointments that are an integral part of any success story. Nobody ever reached the top, or anywhere near the top, of their game, their profession, their company, without first having tasted defeat, often multiple times. Yet we choose to focus on the end success, forgetting the months, weeks and years of dedication that goes in to moulding life’s champions.

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