Two broken legs and a dog dead

Good morning from Cancún, Mexico and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Your author came off a glacier in northern Washington and entered the Mexican jungles of the Yucatán Peninsula. 

Today’s edition is powered by O2 Natural Recovery drink. They’ve dropped the word “formula” from their name and are sporting new branding, but the liquid you love is exactly the same. Non-carbonated, high in caffeine/electrolytes, and low in sugar/calories, O2 helps you recover from everything you give your all – your workout, your job, your tribe – so you can get back out there feeling refreshed, revitalized, and reborn. Affiliate owners interested in selling O2 at their box can get FREE samples of each flavor of O2.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I’m gonna show you how great I am.” — Muhammad Ali

HIT AND RUN

WHAT HAPPENED?
Monday morning, 26-year-old army officer Jeremy Higgins was taking his two dogs for a walk when a car jumped the curb and struck him, breaking bones in both his legs and killing one of his dogs. Higgins is a med student and member of CrossFit Criterion in Springfield, MO.

Higgins doesn’t remember much about the crash but he’s devastated about his dog: “my heart is hurting so much for my dog.”

WHO DONE IT?
It’s unclear how authorities found Higgins, who was laying on the ground, but the car was nowhere in sight. From what we’ve read so far the sleuthing hasn’t yielded any suspects and we don’t know what else authorities can do to track down the driver.

WHAT NOW?
Looks like Higgins is heading home today with some gnarly stitches down his neck, but he’ll need to use a walker to get around for the time. Knowing the CrossFit family though, we’re sure he’ll be welcomed with open arms with coaches at the ready to find modifications to keep him moving safely.

Hang in there Jeremy — you’re down, but not out.

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX

Grapes For Time…Any CrossFit affiliate in the St. George, Hurricane and La Verkin, Utah areas, Margaux Alvarez has a challenge for you. Whichever box picks the most grapes will win $1,000 worth of Rogue equipment. Catch Maddy Myers lifting behind-the-scenes at the warm-up area in Tokyo, Japan. Jason Khalipa is hanging out at one of his corporate gyms in Japan.

BEN BERGERON’S TOP 10 MOMENTS FROM THE GAMES

#2…Mat’s Final…”There wasn’t a lot of uncertainty around the men’s final. With one event remaining, Mathew Fraser had established a 200 point lead. Still, rules are rules. He couldn’t win the title—or even stand on the podium—unless he completed the minimum work requirement of two rounds of HSPU and KB Deadlifts. So that became our sole focus. Do the work. Leave nothing to chance.

…Mat takes this to heart. The clock starts, and he’s being almost comically conservative—he’s breaking everything up in tiny sets and taking his time adjusting his belt. He has all the urgency of someone window shopping on a Sunday afternoon. Before Mat went out onto the floor, I told him to soak it all up. Make some memories. You’ve earned this. Enjoy it. And as he locks out his last set of deadlifts, you can see him doing it. A smile spreads across his face. He doesn’t advance to the KB lunges, not right away. He just stands there for a few seconds, grinning. He looks up at the crowd to his right, then scans left, soaking it all in.

…But this is Mat Fraser, and technically, the event isn’t over yet. Still smiling, he gets his kettlebells overhead and completes the 89-foot lunge to the finish unbroken. When he steps on the finish mat, he has repeated as the Fittest Man on Earth, with the most dominant performance of all time. As Mat would say, hard work pays off.”

THINGS TO…

WATCH: A Community of Pregnant Athletes
Ally Hall watched her coach go through pregnancy working out. So when it came to her own, she decided to stick with her CrossFit training and she recommends other moms-to-be do the same.
PRESS PLAY.

HEAR: How to Overcome Anxiety and Stress
Mental coach Michael Gervais joins the Tim Ferris show for an episode on how to win the war against anxiety, some of the more effective (and less effective) ways to self-talk, behind-the-scenes stories of Michael’s clients, understanding mastery, and much more.
TUNE IN. 

EAT: Pesto Tuna Caprese Cucumber Bites
These quick and flavorful cucumber bites topped with delicious pesto flavored Genova tuna, fresh tomato and basil, creamy mozzarella, and a drizzle of homemade balsamic reduction. These little Caprese bites are light, healthy, and perfect for entertaining!
TRY ‘EM OUT. 

CHALK UP AFFILIATES

Two Portsmouth Elementary School teachers who specifically teach students with developmental disabilities found they were growing out of their current space. But with funds sparse, there was little they could. So they partnered with CrossFit Alpha Pack in Portsmith, OH to raise the money themselves. With the $4,000 they raised, the two teachers took the summer to build most of the sensory room themselves.