“Nothing would make me happier than to beat Fraser next year”

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is fueled by LÄRABAR, a delicious gluten free blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts, and spices. Made from whole food, each flavor contains no more than 9 ingredients – minimally processed, and as close to their natural state as possible.

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“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” — William Arthur Ward

Finding Fitness After Fifty

Some background.

Terry Corwin’s husband of 27 years, Clay,  has always been athletic. So no one was surprised when he made it to the CrossFit Games in 2016 in the Men’s 60+ category. And no one was surprised when he went again in 2017. But this time, his CrossFit Athlete Bio looked a little different.

What was different?

Well, his wife wrote it. “Since my husband, Clay, is going to the Games again, I decided to hijack his Athlete Profile and fill it out. I’ll do it better than he would anyhow…”

That’s awesome.

It totally is. But what is even more awesome is the promise she made in 2017 that if Clay placed, she would start CrossFit herself.

Guess who came in fifth.

Yup, and Terry Corwin is a woman of her word. She started CrossFit on April 4, 2018. (It took her a minute to commit. We forgive her.) “The head banging music was blaring, weights were clanging, and there were too many fit women and beefy guys to count. I was old enough to be everyone’s mother. What had I gotten myself into?  I swallowed hard and kept walking in,” she wrote.

On top of writing her husband’s CrossFit bio, she has also started to blog about her fitness journey. She just celebrated her six-month anniversary with CrossFit and made a list of things that she’s learned along the way.

• I can touch my toes (you know, with straight legs). I couldn’t when I started.
• I can do a sit up unassisted. Actually, I can do about 100 or more now!
• I can deadlift 100 pounds, back squat 105 pounds, front squat 75 pounds, overhead squat 50 pounds, bench press 65 pound, sled drag 135 pounds (20 more than I weigh!!!) and more. Not sure what I could do before because I never tried.
• I can run a mile without stopping or walking. 8:43 is my current PR!!!

Relationship Goals.

Accurate, and now the whole family is involved. Terry and Clay even roped in their two sons for a family WOD. And at the end of the day, Terry still lists her husband Clay as her biggest inspiration and number one fan.

Coffee Break Conversations

What to tell your friend who says she is just too dang busy for a dog…

Maybe, but we’re pretty sure Adrian Bozman, head judge for the CrossFit Games, is pretty busy too. But that didn’t stop him from taking in Tux, a heeler border collie mix. He was busy at work in Del Mar, judging the West Regional (RIP) when his wife sent a photo of Tux to Adrian mid-event (don’t tell Dave) and it was decided. They took him home that night. 

Things To…

WATCH: A Day in the Life of Kelsey Kiel

Ever wondered what a regular day looks like for coach and Invictus Boston athlete Kelsey Kiel? From track runs, to training sessions, how she eats, and still manages to coach, follow along on a day in the life of Kelsey Kiel. 

FUN AND BUSY.

HEAR: Between the Reps With Brooke Ence

Brooke Ence has just started a new podcast with her swolemate Jeanna Ciancarulo. Together the two discussing everything from fitness and nutrition, running a business, and the struggles of being a female.

MAKE YOUR OWN MAP.

EAT: Perfect One Pan Breakfast Burritos

Make breakfast burritos worthy of Sammy Moniz’s IG feed with crisped greens, warm beans, fluffy eggs and tortilas. Always make double or triple so you can freeze all that you don’t need right away. It’s a bit of work but future you thanks you so much. 

EAT AT HOME INSTEAD.

WATCH: Personalized Olympic Weightlifting Programming [AD]

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BUY: For the Coffee Lover in Your Life

The holiday season is coming in hot and it’s that time of year when you start eyeing gifts for your loved ones. If you know someone who has coffee running through their veins (hi friend, hi!) here are ten things you can get them to help them have the best cup of coffee while they read the Morning Chalk Up. 

WE LOVE GIFTS TOO. 

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

Chalk Up Community

• CHOOSE COURAGE — The Choose Courage Foundation works with victims of domestic violence. One woman, Lacy, recently shared how fitness has helped her rebuild her self-confidence. “I had major self-confidence issues following that breakup, that probably still affect me to some degree today. Fitness, CrossFit specifically, has helped regain that confidence again. I feel strong, untouchable.'”
• FIGHTING ALZHEIMERS — CrossFit Asheville hosted the Fit to Fight Alzheimer’s challenge over the weekend. They raised $2,000 for the WNC Alzheimer’s Association.
• NEW OWNERSHIP — Imperial CrossFit in Kent, WA is under new ownership. Eric Swenddal, Marci Magarrell and Trever Fraser are now co-owners. 
• AMY’S WARRIOR PROJECT — Brenham CrossFit is hosting an event this Saturday to help support member Amy Kamper’s battle against cancer.
• BARBELLS FOR BOOBS — CrossFit Kilter raised $4,120 in total for Barbells for Boobs last weekend.

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

Lindy Barber has left CrossFit Mayhem and moved to Boston • Brent Fikowski quit his day job to be a full-time athlete • Ben
Alderman casually backsquats driftwood on the beach • Scotti Jowers got a 175 pound snatch PR in the dark • Erica Lynn Chard got a 20 bar muscle-up PR • Mitch Barnard makes a public commitment that he will make the 2019 CrossFit Games • Ben Smith deadlifts 465 pounds for three • Kettlebells4kids opened their eighth Bright Space with Ben Bergeron cutting the ribbon.

…and at CrossFit No Brazil, they make sure everyone is comfortable for their community WODs. 

Pat Vellner Reveals Plans to Beat Fraser — Patrick Vellner joined that Brute Strength podcast and shared how he feels about chasing down the champ, Mat Fraser. He told host Michael Cazayoux, “Every year since 2014 he’s gotten better, that’s his job. But that’s all of our jobs, he’s just done it better than everyone else.

“And (Castro) said, ‘I know I said this to you like a year or two ago, and I still believe that right now, you’re the ony guy out there that can beat Mat, but you’ve got to unfuck yourself and do it.

“I want nothing more than to make him sweat on the last event. I want nothing more in this world, nothing would make me happier than to beat him next year and to not let him get four in a row, and just steal that from him, just out of spite. It would be amazing.”

“You Don’t Have to Be Old and Broken,” by Lon Kilgore, CrossFit Journal

The stereotypical media portrayal of aging is a person who complains of joint pain, demonstrates a restricted range of motion and moves with a slow, unsteady gait.

A well-documented correlation can be found among age, gait speed and stability: As we age, speed and stability go down. This is not in reference to athletic performance of older athletes but to walking and simple standing tasks among the general public. One part of the stereotype is seemingly supported by science.

As for range of motion in well-seasoned joints, again the literature is replete with papers that present a correlation between advancing age and reduction in flexibility. It appears that another part of the age-related stereotype is underpinned by science.

Stereotypical aging characters in books and scripts often use colorful colloquialisms to call attention to the presence of pain and how they feel about it. In the scientific literature, the association between aging and pain is present, but some interesting physiological and psychological quirks and inconsistencies bear more consideration than given here. Overall, the stereotypical presentation of joint pain appears to be supported by data, at least in part.

This is where it gets tricky. Stereotypes are literary and theatrical devices used to portray characters without a great deal of exposition. In the real world, stereotypes are less useful. Yet the “old” stereotype pervades society.

So does evidence suggest biology will cause us to get slower over time? Do we, as an unavoidable consequence of aging, have to retreat to smaller and smaller ranges of motion? And is pain an inevitable part of aging?

10/26 – 10/28: JAKTRX Atalas 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: Amy’s Warrior Project (Brenham, TX)

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

10/27 – 10/28: GI’s and Janes ( Jackson, MS)

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: Super Awesome Fun Time Pairs Challenge (Toronta, Canada)

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

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: Blue Cooler Throwdown (Deland, FL)

11/10: Bromageddon 2018 (Chandler, AZ)

11/10: Garage Games Masters Tour 2018 (McKinney, TX)

11/10: First Annual Sergeants Fitness Patriot Games (Caldwell, ID)

11/11: Bonsai Brawl (Philadelphia, PA)

11/11: CFF Team Marathon Row 2018 (Metuchen, NJ)

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: 2018 Energy Games (Houston, TX)

11/17: MetCon Mashups (Tulsa, OK) 

11/17: Green Valley Clash of the Fittest (Green Valley, AZ)

11/17: Push Pull for Pancreatic Cancer @ Invictus Boston (Boston, MA)

11/17: Team SuperFit Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)

11/17: 2nd Annual Well Seasoned Masters Competition (Burlington, MA) 

11/17: Guardian Games National Championship (Ashland, VA)

11/20: Ben Marconi Memorial WOD (San Antonio, TX)