Just when you thought there couldn’t be any more avocado news

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

Didn’t get the chance to take advantage of the FITAID ‘20% OFF BEVBOX’ offer at the beginning of the Open? You still have an opportunity to stock up! Now they’re giving Morning Chalk Up readers 25% OFF a full case of FITAID (or any other LIFEAID Beverage Co. nutritional blend), now through Friday (3/16). Just use the code ‘CHALKUP25’ at checkout.

“You don’t think your way into a new kind of living. You live your way into a new kind of thinking.” — Henri J.M. Nouwen

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THERE COULDN’T BE ANY MORE AVOCADO NEWS.

What is it now?

We’ve covered the avolatte. We’ve talked about the epidemic of avocado-related ER visits. We’ve chatted extensively about avocado toast, and there’s even an avocado easter egg taking the holiday by storm this year.

Of course, there’s more. We’re now talking about the big “I DO” — as in marriage proposals. 

Setting the scene.

You’re walking along the beach after a romantic dinner with your main squeeze. They turn around, and under a moonlit starry sky they get on one knee and pull out an avocado.

Yep. Inside the avocado is the ring. If they’re an overachiever they even ordered a custom avocado with a personalized message — let’s just hope it’s still pretty and green on the inside; cause if it’s brown you get turned down. 

Alrighty then.

Talk about a good story for the grandkids. This trend that has taken Instagram by storm may not suit everyone’s taste, but sweeten the deal by throwing in a side of tortilla chips and we’re in.

COFFEE BREAK CONVERSATIONS

What to tell your friend who’s way in over their head…

The s**t has officially hit the famn. Remember that story we told you about a month ago where this Oregon woman operating an illegal day care was arrested for drugging children with melatonin and heading out to the tanning salon and to do CrossFit? Well, she got sentenced to 21 years in prison, which is generous considering prosecutors were aiming for 35. 

THINGS TO…

HEAR: Functional Medicine And Nutrition For Longevity

Julie Foucher joins the Brute Strength Podcast for an episode on everything from her competitive career and what it was like balancing Games training and medical school, to functional medicine and the top four supplements you should be taking right now.

LISTEN TO JULIE.

EAT: Citrus and Avocado Salad with Orange Water

Light, refreshing and “Springy” — this salad should help the “I’m totally over eating scalding hot food just to warm up my frozen body” phase.

CITRUS TIME.

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

CHALK UP COMMUNITY

• AGING: IN DEPTH — Scientists at Kings College London followed 125 long-distance cyclists, some now in their 80s, and found they had the immune systems of 20-year-olds.
• KEEPING PACE — The Police Athletics for Community Engagement program in Omaha, NB offers CrossFit three times a week to at-risk youth in the area. Police officers actually join the youth in workouts to build relationships. 
• SENIOR PROJECT — Hannah Golik, a senior at Carson High School, has organized a fundraiser with Silver Strike CrossFit for her senior project. The 5K run/walk will go to support the Carson-Tahoe SPCA. 

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

We’re keeping a running tally of all the athletes sitting on the sidelines for the 2018 season • Mathew Fraser and Tia-Clair Toomey just got their own custom Rogue barbells • Dave Castro issues a warning for 18.4: “If you guys thought the first 3 tests were good. Wait until 18.4. That’s going to be something special” •

10 Ways for Affiliate Owners to Lead from the Front by Ben Bergeron —

1. Take your own classes.

2. Look them in the eye.

3. Follow your gym’s programming.

4. Use their names a lot.

5. Follow through on what you say.

6. Welcome feedback, don’t be defensive.

7. Eat clean.

8. Move well — mechanics over intensity.

9. Admit when you don’t know something.

10. Smile

Affiliate Spotlight: Mountain Strong CrossFit — The Denver, CO based affiliate can be described as rock climbers who like to CrossFit. Fully equipped with climbing walls, Mountain Strong actually has programming designed specifically for mountain athletes so their training builds strengths for the unique challenges alpinists and climbers face on the mountain. We just thought that was really fun.

Can Anyone Challenge Mat Fraser? — CrossFit HQ drops another 60 second teaser for the new documentary The Redeemed and the Dominant. So far the answer to that question is, no. 

“The Ocean of Inadequacy” by Emily Abbott

Tis’ the season to experience the creeping, gnawing feelings of inadequacy bubble up to the surface of our psyches. Whether you are a high level competitor, a regular Crossfitter, someone just on the cusp of making it to Regionals or just a normal human being going about your life; we all know that shitty feeling. We are all looking for external validation of who we are and what we do- Crossfit is simply another system for instant gratification (in our current mindset) of that validation seeking.

A couple of weeks ago I had a very extreme feeling of inadequacy. I am 28 (almost 29!) and struggle frequently with the idea that I haven’t really found a stable career and have no fucking clue where I am headed in life. The feeling of inadequacy runs deeply in me. I have felt it before but I often try to busy myself with distractions (working out excessively, more activities, more social media). Maybe it is all the crazy shit I have been reading lately, but this time, I chose to, as my friend Jane Levesque put it, “stay with the feeling.”  I didn’t know what this meant exactly.

Instead of ignoring it as I usually do I let the inadequacy wash over me. I let the feeling fill every cell. I surrendered. And my reaction was to scream in my car, howl, rage and cry (don’t worry I was parked). And after this cathartic and demented fit I had some little golden, chocolate covered nuggets of clarity about inadequacy, where it stems from and how to re-frame my current mindset.

3/10: Women Who WOD (Barbados)3/15: CrossFit Open 18.4 (Worldwide)

3/22: CrossFit Open 18.5 (Worldwide)

3/23: The Redeemed and the Dominant: Fittest on Earth is released (iTunes)

3/24: 4th Annual St. Paddy’s Day Competition (Norwood, MA)

4/7: Battle of the Badges (Anaheim, CA)

4/7: The Revolution (San Antonio, TX)

4/7: GenX Masters Comp (Salem, MA)

4/13 – 4/15: The Railyard Games (Albuquerque, NM)

4/14: Battle for the Mountain (Dawsonville, GA)

4/14: Appalachian Games (Asheville, NC)

4/14: Deuces Wild by Warrior Affiliate League (Baldwin Park, CA)

4/14: Atlas Blarney Stone Competition (Denver, CO)

4/14: RISE of the Masters (Statesboro, GA)

4/14 – 4/15: Mid-Atlantic Affiliate Challenge (Columbia, MD)

4/14 – 4/15: WOD Wars Fitfest (Dunedin, FL)

4/19: Teens and Masters Qualifier (Invitation Only)

4/20 – 4/22: Athens Throwdown (Athens, Greece)

4/21: Festivus Games (Nationwide)

4/21: Mayhem for MSR (Cookeville, TN)

4/21: Loganville Lockdown (Loganville, GA)

4/21: FoxWOD (Panama City Beach, FL)

4/21: Swamp Challenge (Gainesville, FL)

4/28: Battleground SoCal (Wimington, CA)

4/28: Girls Gone Rx (Cincinnati, OH)

4/28: Salem Slaughterfest (Salem, OR)

4/28: 3rd Annual Appletown Throwdown (Cornelia, GA)

4/28: Beastette Bash at CrossFit Ananda (Arlington, TX)

4/28 – 4/29: Walter’s Cup Throwdown (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

4/28 – 4/29: Battle of the Bluffs (Council Bluffs, IA)

5/4 – 5/5: Tough As Nails (Lubbock, TX)

5/4 – 5/5: No Gutz No Glory (Denver, CO)

5/4 – 5/6: European Masters Throwdown (Budapest, Hungary)

5/5 – 5/6: Tribal Clash (Quarteira, Portugal)

5/5: Cinco de Mayo Classic (San Antonio, TX)

5/5: The Locomotive Games III (Youngstown, OH)

5/5: Granite Games Throwdown (Southaven,  MS)

5/11 – 5/12: Beast Mode Games (Greenville, SC)

5/11 – 5/12: Midwest Monster (Joplin, MO)

5/11 – 5/12: Reebok’s Ready for Action – Fittest in Israel (Israel)

5/12: Barbells for Bullies (Danbury, CT)

5/12: The Mountain Meltdown (Parks 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)

5/18: The HAMMY (Hudson, OH)

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

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