These athletes are heading to the CrossFit Games

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

FlapJacked is back at it again with another challenge: Pull-ups for Pancakes. For every 10 unbroken strict pull-ups you do, FlapJacked will send you a 12oz bag of their protein pancake mix. Just post the video to Instagram with the hashtags #flapjacked #pullupsforpancakes to enter. Must live in the US and your IG must be public for FlapJacked to see it. Contest ends Friday, May 25th at 10pm ET.

“The reason most people do not recognize an opportunity when they meet it is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like Hard Work.” — Henry Dodd

QUICK. QUICK.

Catch me up.

Three days, 6 events, 240 athletes, and 90 teams; the Europe, East and South Regionals are over. 

The First to Two. Salt Lake City CrossFit qualified three teams for the South Regionals. At the end of the weekend, two of those teams are heading to the CrossFit Games. We’re not 100% on this, but we think they’re the first affiliate to send two teams in the same year. 

The number 16. Only 16 men across three Regionals were able to complete Event 5 underneath the time cap. 

Here’s your worlwide event leaderboard. 

Win and you’re in. We love a good race to the finish and the stakes couldn’t have been higher than the East team Event 6. Only four points separated 2nd through 6th in a ‘win and you’re in’ scenario. 

It’s been a weekend of firsts in Europe. Roman Khrennikov and Andrey Ganin became the first two Russians to ever qualify for the CrossFit Games. This is also Roman’s first Regional appearance. Laura Horvath took second place and became the first woman from Hungary to qualify.

Age is just a number. Here’s a story you won’t read anywhere else. The oldest individual athlete at the South Regional is 34-year-old Sheena Hammer who’s been to Regionals seven times while raising three kids. We sat down with her for a few minutes in between heads. For what it’s worth, the second oldest athlete is Margaux Alvarez and she just won the Region. Now that’s one for the ages. 

This story is almost too unbelievable. Chloe Gauvin-David was was tied for 4th place going into Event 6. After struggling with the rope climbs, she 34th in that event. Clearly expecting to drop out of contention she somehow managed to qualify in fifth place by only six points.

Don’t stop, won’t stop. In order to become the second team in the world to finish Event 5, Travis Williams and Jordan Cook from Team Don’t Stop had only three minutes to do 60 snatches at 135 pounds in three minutes. To put that in perspective, that’s double Isabel in three minutes after 20 rope climbs and a 40 cal row. Travis Williams’ face says it all. They had four first place finishes, a 3rd and a 4th. 

Who’s not returning? Here are the Games veterans not going back to the CrossFit Games: Frederik Aegidius, Thuri Helgadottir, Bjork Odinsdottir, Cody Mooney, Alex Vigneault, Chelsey Hughes, Alexis Johnson, Tommy Vinas, and Amanda Goodman.

FLIGHT BOOKED.

Next stop, Madison, WI.

Here are the 30 male and female athletes and 15 teams heading to Madison, WI.

Europe

1. Roman Khrennikov | Annie Thorisdottir | Maxpuls Spartans
2. Adrian Mundwiler | Laura Horvath | Team Punt Uit 
3. Lukas Högberg | Sara Sigmundsdottir | Team RXperformance
4. Andrey Ganin | Kristin Holte | CrossFit Fabriken
5. Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson | Camilla Salomonsson Hellman | Team Butchers Lab

East

1. Patrick Vellner | Katrin Davidsdottir | Invictus Boston 
2. Tim Paulson | Kari Pearce | Reebok CrossFit ONE
3. Craig Kenney | Carol-Ann Reason-Thibault | East Woodbridge
4. Alexandre Caron | Dani Horan | TEAM FITERNITY 
5. Marquan Jones | Chloe Gauvin-David | Pro1 Montreal

South

1. Sean Sweeney | Margaux Alvarez | Don’t Stop
2. Roy Gamboa | Camille Leblanc-Bazinet | Salt Lake City CF Black
3. Brandon Luckett | Brista Mayfield | Salt Lake City CF Gold
4. Logan Collins | Tennil Beuerlein | Lone Star CrossFit
5. Jared Enderton | Bethany Shadburne | CrossFit Omnia

Things To…

WATCH: The Awakening, Part 3

The third and final part of this series showing insight into Marcus Filly’s life as a 6x Games athlete and creator of Functional Bodybuilding. What does the future hold for Marcus’s competitive athletic career, his business, and his family?

PRESS PLAY.

HEAR: Good Humans Doing Good Things for Good Causes

Bree Pear joins The Hey Preslie Podcast to talk about Only Human, a community organization who advocates for causes like homelessness, suicide, mental health, human trafficking. It’s an episode packed with inspiration for following your dreams, and staying fit and healthy while doing it. 

TUNE IN.

EAT: Healthy Broccoli and Parmesan Hash Brown Bake

This bake-ahead breakfast is perfect for fast-paced mornings when you don’t have much time but definitely need to eat before you leave the house.

BAKE AHEAD.

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

Chalk Up Community

• PRE-WEDDING WOD — To blow off some nerves, this groom hit a 1/2 Murph with a weight vest before his wedding this weekend.
• REAL LIFE LESSONS — How does competing in the CrossFit Games can teach you about real life, as told by Elisabeth Akinwale. 

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

This guy makes Hafthor Bjornsson look small • Nike set up a gym outside the Velodram Center in Berlin so spectators could drop-in and workout • Congratulations to Pat and Taz Barber on the new baby.

Must read transformation story from Ashley Johnson…“Shortly after our accident my best friend was murdered, robbed and stabbed to death at her hair salon at 32 years old. I was depressed and completely unmotivated. Between then and August 2017 I had gained 45 pounds. I was miserable in my own skin. I couldn’t stand myself. I ate to make myself feel better which just continued the cycle. I didn’t want to go out, have fun or even get dressed because nothing fit me and I felt awful about myself. We live on a lake and have a boat but I spent two summers wearing sports bras with tank tops and because I
refused to be seen in a bikini. I don’t ever remember feeling so badly about myself. I continued to use my neck and back pain and my commute/work schedule as excuses to why I couldn’t work out. Then I met Kim Raslowsky on the bus. She convinced me the intensity of Intrepid Strength and Conditioning – CrossFit Warwick was right up my alley and i desperately wanted myself back.”

“Bye-Bye Bottle, Body Fat and Blues” by Emily Beers, CrossFit Journal

His breakfast of choice used to be a bottle of rum.

He was overweight and depressed, he had high blood pressure, and he couldn’t walk up stairs without feeling like he might collapse and die. He also suffered from sleep apnea and slept with a breathing pump next to his bed.

That was Adam Krajewski in 2016—far from the picture of health. He knew his life had taken a wrong turn, but he could never seem to get back on the right track, he explained.

“I tried losing weight many times, many ways. I tried different approaches, different diets, different products. I always lost some, but it always came back. And more,” said Krajewski, a native of Poland who currently lives and works as a chef in Eastbourne, U.K.

In March 2017, Krajewski stumbled across a Facebook advertisement for South Downs CrossFit in Polegate, U.K. The affiliate was offering a six-week beginner’s fitness program. Krajewski, 38 at the time, was skeptical. He clicked on the advertisement anyway and filled out the form.

5/18 – 5/20: East Regional (Albany, NY)

5/18 – 5/20: Europe Regional (Berlin, Germany)

5/18 – 5/20: South Regional (Salt Lake 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)

5/19: Gladiator Games (Concord, NC)

5/19: The Pillage of Palm Harbor (Palm Harbor, FL)

5/19: Spring Fling Partner Throwdown (San Anselmo, CA)

5/19: SilverFox Masters Competition (San Clemente, CA)

5/19: Ultimate Fitness Championship (Kennewick, WA)

5/19: Warriors Hope 2018 (Greenwood, IN)

5/19: T-Town Throwdown (Tifton, GA)

5/19: Murph for Muts (Peachtree Corners, GA)

5/19: Firehawks Scorch Trials (Rio Rancho, NM)

5/19: Denton Fitness Festival (Denton, TX)

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

5/20: Europe Regional After Party Sponsored by FITAID (Berlin, Germany)

5/25 – 5/27: West Regional (Del Mar, CA)

5/25 – 5/27: Central Regional (Nashville, TN)

5/25 – 5/27: Latin America Regional (Rio de Janiero, Brazil)

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

5/26: Strong AF Against MF (East Windsor, CT)

5/27 – 5/28: 24 Heroes in 24 Hours (Southborough, MA)

6/1 – 6/3: Atlantic Regional (West Palm Beach, FL)

6/1 – 6/3: Meridian Regional (Madrid, Spain)

6/1 – 6/3: Pacific Regional (Sydney, Australia)

6/2: Kegs and Kilos (Manhattan, KS)

6/2: Long Island Masters (Hauppauge, NY)

6/2: Texas WOD Fest (Houston, TX)

6/2: Tacos and Tequila Throwdown (Highlands Ranch, CO)

6/2: Meshugge CrossFit Summer Melee (Overland Park, KS)

6/3: Summer Sizzler Individual Masters Competition (Burlington, MA)

6/8 – 6/9: Bricktown Throwdown (Bricktown, OKC)

6/9: Beastette Bash at CrossFit Ananda (Arlington, TX)

6/9: Gulf Coast Games (Mandeville, LA)

6/9: WOD Wars 6 (Humble, TX)

6/9: Big Orange Brawl (Knoxville, TN)

6/9: Heroes of the Platform (Meridian, ID)

6/9: Triple Crown Fitness Event (Greenville, NC)

6/9 – 6/10: The Heartland Games 2018 (Chicago, IL)

6/9 – 6/10: Alaka’i SUPER Summer Slam (Kapolei, HI)

6/16: Battle on the Creek (Johns Creek, GA)

6/16: Full Battle Rattle (Robinson, IL)

6/16: East Coast War (Wilmington, NC)

6/19: Gauntlett VIII – River Rumble (Portsmouth, OH)

6/22 – 6/24: The Bacon Beatdown (Daytona Beach, FL)

6/23: Garage Girls CrossFit Grit (St. Simons Island, GA)

6/23: 2018 Summer Swolestice (Gresham, OR)

6/23: HAMCO Heat (McLeansboro, IL)

6/23: The Greenville Games (Greenville, SC)

6/23: The Burn Out (New Bern, NC)

6/23: Battle of the Border (Phenix City, AL)

6/23 – 6/24: Asbury Park Summer Games (Asbury Park, NJ)

6/23 – 6/24: The Dakota Games (Fargo, ND)

6/30: Summer Stampede (Bethlehem, PA)

6/30: Battle of the Ballpark (Seattle, WA)