Report that “no rep” to CrossFit HQ

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is fueled by RP Strength, the leader in strength sports nutrition, helping tens of thousands worldwide lose fat, gain muscle, and improve their performance. The New Year is the perfect time to get smart about your nutrition, and what better way to do that than reading a free
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“Character can not be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened,ambition inspired, and success achieved.” — Helen Keller

REPORT THAT NO REP TO CROSSFIT HQ

The story.

Back in October, after it came out that Ricky Garard took banned substances at the CrossFit Games, and subsequently was banned for the next four year, Garard took to Instagram to anonymously accuse other athletes of doing it too.

Here’s what Ricky said: “It’s tough to be on the receiving end when I saw a top athlete at the CrossFit Games intentionally out smart the system, getting away with it [and] ruining the integrity of the sport.”

Basically, ‘others are doing it too I’m just the one who got caught.’

So what now?

Yesterday, CrossFit HQ announced a new way for the CrossFit community to report allegations of misconduct. This could be any violation of the CrossFit Games rulebook — submitting false scores, team athletes not actually working out at the same affiliate, doping or using any kind of banned substance, etc. 

Anyone, and we mean anyone can report a violation by filling out an allegation form, calling an anonymous tip line, or sending an email. CrossFit HQ says that all allegations will remain confidential.

Why now?

First off, the CrossFit community for being so large, diverse and widely dispersed around the world, is actually impressively honest. Unfortunately, we’ve seen an alarming number of cheaters surface recently. Eleven athletes across the Regionals and Games were caught using banned substances and Masters Athlete Trevor Bachmeyer made 17.5 even more famous by looping round one to make it appear he completed 10 rounds. All those infractions landed athletes banned from two to four years.

Here’s our opinion: HQ has started receiving an increasing number of allegations of wrongdoing. We know at least this much because in the case of the five Meridian athletes, “CrossFit had information it deemed reasonable that led to screening specific athletes.” Now HQ wants a single location to receive, monitor and track these complaints. Again, this is our take.

However, opening up the whitleblower floodgates to two million + CrossFitters doesn’t come without complications. Here are a few important questions that we don’t have answers to:

1. What’s the process going to look like for verifying allegations?
2. Who picks and chooses which allegations to pursue?
3. What safeguards are in place to ensure whistleblowers’ identities remain anonymous?
4. What happens to whistleblowers who submit false claims against other athletes, affiliates, or teams?
5. What measures are in place for affiliate owners, athletes and teams who are fraudulently accused of wrongdoing to safeguard themselves?

We believe in the integrity of sports and that cheating of any kind is never acceptable, and we join in CrossFit HQ’s zero tolerance stance on drugs. We just also believe in transparency and oversight in how CrossFit HQ plans to pursue allegations of wrongdoing.

COFFEE BREAK CONVERSATIONS

Winter watch…

More ice and snow coming. 

What to tell your friend who’s thinking of not doing the CrossFit Open…

Registration opens today, and it’s for everyone: the old, young, scaled, RX, pros, bros, average janes and joes. OK, so your friend needs a little more convincing. Here’s one reason: you can’t see how far you’ve come unless you look back, and the CrossFit Open is your window into past days when you couldn’t do a pull-up, double-under, a muscle-up, snatch 95 pounds, string five toes-to-bar together, or do thrusters without passing out. If that’s not a good enough reason, then try these five. 

What to tell your friend who needs a quick 90 second work break…

Thank heavens BuzzFeed posted these adorable photos of Princess Charlotte heading to her first day of school.

What to tell your friend who’s baby won’t stop crying…

Erg + Babybjörn = Happy Baby and Fit Mama. 

THINGS TO…

WATCH: Sara Sigmundsdottir New Documentary

FITAID just dropped this new teaser/trailer for their upcoming documentary series on Sara Signmindsdottir, and it’s got us all kinds of excited. 

WATCH THE TRAILER.

HEAR: Building Better Affiliates

CrossFit Affiliates are the heart and soul of the CrossFit community, constantly striving to improve, grow and inspire their athletes to become their best self. Pat Barber joins the Brute Strength Podcast to share some ideas on how to incorporate outside services into your gym, building a community, and how to fix your mistakes. 

TUNE IN.

EAT: Confetti Rice with Chicken

Life comes at you fast, which is where this quietly delicious poached chicken and rice number comes in. Plus who doesn’t love leftovers you can take for lunch, especially when it’s 4 degrees outside and you don’t want to leave the building.

GET THE RECIPE.

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

CHALK UP COMMUNITY

• ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS — The fitness lifestyle brand Doughnuts & Deadlifts is now accepting applications for their new ambassador program. “We are looking for individuals with loyal followings who would like to build a long lasting relationship with us.” Can we apply?
• PROJECT ATHENA — Members of Wayfarer CrossFit in Irwin, PA threw down and raised $3,000 is support of the Project Athena Foundation, a non-profit that helps female survivors of medical and traumatic setbacks live their adventurous dreams like hike the Grand Canyon and kayak the Florida Keys.
• LIVE TONIGHT — At 5:00 PM Pacific, Alessandra Pichelli is guest announcing the first workout of the 2018 Row’d Royalty. 

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

Colleen Fotsch did 182 unbroken wall balls • Val Voboril went into surgery Tuesday to fix her right metacarpal ligament • This is how LIFEAID welcomes new members to the team • Diablo CrossFit’s homemade trophys are cheap and genius. 

WODAPALOOZA WATCH — Keep a close eye on Bethany Shadburne, who won the Rx division last year, came out of nowhere and took fourth at the South Regional in her rookie year. Competing in the Elite division this time around, she said…”Looking forward to this weekend…Going into this comp as a learning experience and just more experience overall at a high level.”

1/11 – 14: Wodapalooza Fitness Festival (Miami, FL)

1/11: Row’d Royalty (Worldwide)

1/13: Abominable Snowdown II (Orem, UT)

1/13 – 14: War of the Wods (Greensboro, NC)

1/20: Winter WOD’rland 2018 (Bend, OR)

1/20: Garage Games’ World Wide WOD (Worldwide)

1/20: Battle of the Ages (Fruitland, ID)

1/27: Winter Chiller (Fairmont, WV)

1/27: NorCal Masters 2018 (Richmond, CA)

1/27: IceBreather Classic (Springfield, IL)

1/27 – 28: The Fittest Experience (Austin, TX)

2/3: No Weak Links “V” (Whitesboro, NY)

2/3: Caution Grounds 7 (Hialeah Gardens, FL)

2/3: Output Fitness Trials (Miramar, FL)

2/3: 6th Annual Women’s WOD Jam (Broomfield, CO)

2/3: 5th Annual Golden State Games (Stockton, CA)

2/3: Garage Girls Tour (Milton, GA)

2/10: Mirror Image CrossFit’s Cupid’s Clash (Panama City, FL)

2/10: New WODs On the Block – The Third Wheel (Nationwide)

2/10: Tuff Love (Boulder, CO)

2/10: A League of Their Own: A Women’s Only Challenge (San Antonio, TX)

2/17: Lovers and Lifters (Springfield, KY)

2/22: CrossFit Open 18.1 (Worldwide)

3/1: CrossFit Open 18.2 (Worldwide)

3/8: CrossFit Open 18.3 (Worldwide)

3/10: Women Who WOD (Barbados)

3/15: CrossFit Open 18.4 (Worldwide)

3/22: CrossFit Open 18.5 (Worldwide)

4/21: Festivus Games (Nationwide)

4/28: Battleground SoCal (Wimington, CA)

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

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