Your Coffee is ready.
Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition was chalked up while looking at these 7 stunning CrossFit transformations.
NOW PLAYING…Alessandra Pichelli’s Road to the Games Spotify Playlist.
P.S. Only one day left to buy our Chalk Up Before You Walk Up limited edition tank and tee.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.” — Unknown
CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX
CrossFit HQ takes you inside the Alliant Energy Center as they’re setting up for the 2017 CrossFit Games. Amazon Prime, say hello to Kill Cliff 12 packs. Meet 13-year-old Emma Cary, who trains five days a week and has a goal of winning the CrossFit Games. She’s too young to compete but keep your eyes on this one. Chris Hinshaw did a Reddit AMA. Carleen Mathews makes easy work of some triple-unders. This is what it’s like to go grocery shopping with Brooke Ence. Alyssa Ritchey does 30 strict 40 pound weighted pull-ups. Check out CrossFit NYC’s custom Nike Metcons. Can you do a 30″ box jump with 75 pound dumbbells in each hand?
Reminder…Lindsay Hassell, founder of CrossFit The Club, is undergoing kidney transplant surgery today. His wife is donating one of her kidneys.
WHAT TO TELL GRANDPA WHO’S BORED AND LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO…
Get off your butt grandpa. Look at Joe Stumpf. He’s 60 and heading to Madison to compete at the CrossFit Games. He attempted to climb Mt. Everest and passed the civilian version of Navy SEAL Hell Week at 54. Joe uprooted himself from San Diego, moving to a home on three acres in Forestville for an entire year just to train to compete at the CrossFit Games. He built a custom training gym, replete with a CrossFit-specific gymnastics apparatus, free weights and sauna. Dang, that’s dedication.
THINGS TO…
WATCH: Julie Foucher v. James Hobart
Julie and James go head-to-head in a CrossFit.com WOD. The last thirty seconds of this AMRAP 12 are fun.
WATCH.
WATCH.
HEAR: How to Avoid Underwater Basket Weaving
On this week’s episode of Nasty Girls Podcast, Amy and Olivia talk about finding authentic community and making meaningful, lasting relationships with others.
TUNE IN.
TUNE IN.
EAT: Almond Butter, Strawberry and Banana Overnight Oats with Chia
Ambitious Kitchen has done it again and warmed our little CrossFitting hearts with this delicious power smoothie. The photos alone will have you running to Whole Foods for supplies.
START EATING.
START EATING.
BUY: Limited Edition USA Collection
Virus just dropped a brand new, limited edition USA collection for both men and women so you can show your true colors this summer.
USA USA.
USA USA.
CHALK UP AFFILIATES
“Wanted to be skinny, ended up strong.”
Meet Mary Vlahos, a Sydney mother of three, who lost 55 pounds over the last 14-months after walking into CrossFit Agilis fed up.
“I walked in, tears, and said ‘I need help. Can someone help me?'” Vlahos said. “Like every other woman, I walked in thinking ‘I want to lose 35kg’ but sure enough, the minute I touched those barbells it was an instant love affair, and I realized that strong felt so much better than starving yourself.”
CHALK UP READS
“Lifting Bars and Spirits” by Emily Beers, CrossFit Journal
In January 2017, tragedy hit my CrossFit community in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Chris Saini, a veteran coach of 10 years, lost his 15-month-old baby Macallan in an accident at daycare. The details of the incident are still murky as police continue to investigate.
While it’s impossible to put any kind of positive spin on a loss of this magnitude, in the aftermath of the tragedy I witnessed incredible generosity from our local CrossFit community and beyond.
A GoFundMe campaign raised more than CA$80,000 for Saini and wife Shelley Sheppard, and a scroll through the names and messages revealed that the great majority of donors were related to the CrossFit community: current and former members of my box; local gym owners, coaches and athletes; CrossFit Games veterans; and strangers who own affiliates 2,000 miles away.