“Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines.”- Satchel Paige
NEWS
Tributes Pour in for Slain Uvalde Teacher Eva Mireles: “CrossFit was a huge part of her life.”
In the wake of the unspeakable tragedy in Uvalde, TX and the killing of 21 people, the local CrossFit community at Shotgun CrossFit has come out to honor the memory of one of their own: 44-year-old Eva Mireles was one of two teachers slain in the attack. She was also an avid CrossFitter, and members of the gym where she spent her time away from the classroom have offered quotes as a tribute to her.
Mandi Reading, the owner of Shotgun CrossFit, said “CrossFit was a huge part of her life” and that Mireles was universally loved for her bright personality and infectiously positive attitude. There will be a hero WOD and an official fundraiser for CrossFit members around the world to help celebrate her life, and you can check the Morning Chalk Up in the coming days for more information.
Mandi Reading, owner of Shotgun CrossFit
Every year we celebrate the gym’s anniversary with a handful of awards for members to highlight and show appreciation of what they add to our CrossFit community. This year, Eva was awarded the “Humble and Hungry” award.
Those words embody Eva’s approach to CrossFit and life. Eva never was one to bring attention to herself. She showed up with her gorgeous smile and calmly reassured others. When the clock started, Eva put her head down and got to work. Eva lifted others and led by example. She persuaded friends and family to join her in CrossFit, 5K runs on weekends and hikes in nature.
Eva Mireles was simply beautiful. She gave so much to our CrossFit community and ultimately gave her life for our children.
CrossFit hiring: CrossFit is currently accepting applications for five new Divisional Athlete Committees (DAC) that will contribute to planning conversations for every stage of the CrossFit Games season.
Workout with the star couple: Ever wanted to workout with Tia-Clair Toomey and husband/coach Shane Orr? Now you have a chance at the Granite Games.
New lifters anyone?: TYR are about to drop their L-1 lifters and we can’t wait to scuff these up on the floor. 🏋🏽
CROSSFIT GAMES
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Brit Lucy Campbell Accepts Fear of Failure to Qualify for CrossFit Games
Lucy Campbell became the second British athlete to qualify for the CrossFit Games after finishing fifth at the Lowlands Throwdown in the Netherlands two weekends ago.
Campbell, 25, is a Games rookie. Two years ago she wrote “Games 2022” on a mindmap and wrote all her strengths and weaknesses as a path to qualifying.
Then just two months after writing down her goal, Campbell sustained a serious back injury, throwing her plans into jeopardy.
“I spent a lot of the next year not training properly so it didn’t feel like 2022 was realistic anymore. It was the year I targeted but things didn’t go to plan around it, so I no longer thought this was the year it would happen,” she said.
On May 19, Reebok launched a new footwear collection for adaptive athletes, Reebok Fit to Fit, designed in collaboration with Zappos.
And to celebrate their partnership with Zappos, the official footwear provider for the 2022 Special Olympic USA Games, Reebok is donating 750 pairs of shoes to the athletes.
The details: The Reebok Fit to Fit collection includes performance and lifestyle footwear, and according to Reebok “offers enhanced features to help people with disabilities gain more independence.”
For example, the Nanoflex Parafit TR features a medial zip closure and heel pull tab to make putting the shoe on easier, while the Club MEMT Parafit features a medial zip closure, as well as a low-cut design for easy mobility, and a removable sockliner for a custom fit.
The shoes are now available on both reebok.com and zappos.com in a range of colors, but soon will only be available at zappos.com.
What the adaptive CrossFit community is saying: Charlie Pienaar, a Lower Extremity athlete who placed second in the Open and is competing in the Adaptive Semifinals this weekend hoping to qualify to this summer’s CrossFit Games, said the shoe collection is a “great start” at being more inclusive.
That being said, Pienaar would love to see this taken further in order to give adaptive athletes the ability to customize shoes to their own needs. “For me, (being able to order) a pair of Nano’s with the left shoe half a size smaller and with a half inch lift would help my walking and running gait,” he said, adding that this is still “a big step in the right direction.”
Similarly, Steph Roach, a CrossFit Level 2 coach with Cerebral Palsy agrees this is a good step in the right direction and “has been a long time coming and honestly something more companies need to focus on daily,” she said.
As for Kelly O’Reilly, a Level 1 coach and the coach of the Special Olympics Team Illinois powerlifters, she couldn’t be more excited. “I think this is incredible. The shoe options for people with physical disabilities are often very limited. The adaptation of a mainstream shoe with such thought put into features that will help it last longer, accommodate orthotics and be fastened easier, for people who so desperately need them is long overdue and appreciated,” she said.
Finally, while the collection is designed for adaptive athletes, Athena Perez—the owner of Scaled Nation CrossFit, an affiliate dedicated to training larger bodied athletes, and a long-time advocate for more inclusivity in CrossFit—explained some of the shoes’ features are useful for the larger-bodied community, as well. “This is just absolutely awesome…Easy on, easy off is just one more way of making fitness more accessible. Even aging athletes can have trouble bending and being able to put their shoes on easily,” she added.
The big picture: Overall, this new shoe collection is a great step to make fitness more accessible to all, as these shoes “hit many many demographics that need assistance,” Perez said.
She added: “The more ways we can make fitness and health accessible, it’s a win for everyone.”
CROSSFIT GAMES
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