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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition was chalked up while nursing that little sunburn we got after hanging out at the beach all weekend.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The true masters are still on the field when the fun ends.” — Reinhold Messner
CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX
Training isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, PRs and podiums finishes. Can you do a 400 pound human deadlift? Kristin Holte finishes up a WOD with max sandbag squats. Carleen Mathews, Carly Fuhrer, Kristin Holte, Austin Malleolo, Tim Paulson and Patrick Vellner are up at the Reebok Training Grounds camp in Massachusetts.
WHAT TO TELL YOUR FRIEND WHO DOUBTS ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE…
You haven’t met Matthias Steiner have you. The Austrian-German weightlifter lost his wife to a car accident shortly before the 2008 Olympics. In the wake of the aftermath, Matthias decided to win the Olympic gold in her honor. But something happened. He missed his third snatch attempt sending him to fourth place going into the clean and jerk. As he approached the final lift, Matthias had to hit 10kg heavier than he’s ever done in competition, and this is where you’re going to want to watch, and if you’ve got a little extra time here’s the documentary version.
THINGS TO…
WATCH: 1400 Miles to Hear a Heartbeat
This dad biked 1400 miles to meet the young man who received his daughter’s heart after she died. After watching, read some of the amazing comments.
WATCH.
WATCH.
HEAR: The Val Voboril
Val Voboril joins Wodcast Podcast to talk about making it to her fifth CrossFit Games. This all around all-star is a full time teacher and mom, and she qualified as a Masters athlete too.
TUNE IN.
TUNE IN.
EAT: Baked Coconut Donuts with Berry Glaze
These baked coconut donuts with a sweet berry glaze pair perfectly with patriotic holidays like the 4th of July. All you need is 30 minutes and a little bit of coconut.
START BAKING.
START BAKING.
BUY: Fruit Loops Doughbar Doughnuts
Never heard of a doughbar doughnut before? They’re a healthy alternative to the average donut. They’re also an awesome substitute from many dry, flavorless, protein-rich products and their new variety 8-pack is ready to ship out.
ADD TO CART.
ADD TO CART.
CHALK UP AFFILIATES
Lindsey Hassell, founder and coach of CrossFit The Club in South Ogden, UT, was diagnosed with Stage 5 Kidney Disease and the only solution was kidney transplant. His wife Julie tested positive to be a match and agreed to give him one of her kidneys. In just a couple of days, the couple will undergo surgery and they could use all the help than can get.
This weekend, 300 competitors from 29 CrossFit affiliates got together to benefit local Indianapolis homeless and recovery addicts. They raised more than $100,000 this year and more than $300,000 since starting the competition in 2014.
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“Maybe we grew up like you. Maybe we were bullied, too, in high school. This is a gym but on top of that is a high level of geekdom.”
Introducing Nerdstrong Gym, a Los Angeles gym that combines a love of video games, sci-fi movies, action stars, and comic book heroes with serious physical fitness and a strong sense of community. They’re not a CrossFit affiliate, but their sense of community and spirit is on point, so we had to share.
CHALK UP READS
“You Are Enough” by Sarah Loogman
We live in a culture perpetuated by fear – fear of the future, insecurity of self, a lack of passion for the pursuit we are living. We cover it with hard work, business and an air of confidence we ride the edge to maintain. We find pride and confidence in our ability to carry more and we admire those who juggle the world like a circus clown. We fervently seek after something we don’t fully comprehend, we drive hard and fast to no visible end, yet we find our identity in work ethic or maybe passion of the moment. This badge of honor has become the mask of our culture but what we fail to recognize is that we need no credit, we need no mask.
The world of fitness is an incredible tool to help us realize our true potential. We fight back the captivities of society – fast food, desk jobs and a manic mindset. When we find community in that, we thrive. The collection of seeking our best selves alongside others is a powerful dynamic that all sorts of team, sport and business alike, recognize its value and its power. The community you surround yourself with matters.
Yet the reason so many chase after fitness often begins at an emptiness rooted in a distain for self – we’re not slim enough, we’re not strong enough, we aren’t beautiful or buff enough.
“The Picture of Fitness” by Brittney Saline, CrossFit Journal
It was June 1, 2014, a dazzlingly bright day in Canton, Massachusetts, and just one event remained for the men at the North East Regional at Reebok Headquarters.
Mathew Fraser had all but delivered on his promise to win the competition and become the favorite to challenge then-three-time CrossFit Games champion Rich Froning. All that stood in Fraser’s way was a workout comprising 64 pull-ups and seven heavy overhead squats.
Photographer Shaun Cleary would be damned if he was going to miss the victory shot. “I was like, ‘I am gonna nail this shot. I’m not taking a picture of anybody else,'” he said.