CrossFit Endurance State of the Community Event

It's been almost a month since the AC Marathon and it's been quite a ride since. After my 8 minute PR I decided to send Brian Mackenzie from CrossFit Endurance an email detailing my experience and success with CFE. The response I got was far more then I could have ever imagined. Brain was getting ready to launch his new site and he wanted me to do an interview detailing my experience with CFE and and my back to back endurance weekends of 18 and 26.2 races. I was able to recruit some help and an HD camera and the result was sent off to Brain. When Iamunscared.com launched my interview was the opening post.

Brain had also mentioned the CrossFit Endurance State of the Community Event in Costa Mesa and without hesitation I said I'd be there. The event would be a great opportunity to network and meet many of the California affiliates as well as many of the big guns in the CrossFit community. The event did not disappoint and was well worth the trip.

I started off the day spending some time with Newman from Rx Jump Ropes working on my double under skills or the lack there of. Newman and his crew spent 5 minutes working with me, filming and reviewing my form. I picked up some really good tips and some gnarly bruises. I'm looking forward to getting home and getting more practice on my Rx Rope.

Through out the day WODs were being thrown down and the 1st WOD consisted of 1k row taking 15 pulls, then 10 burpees until the 1k was completed. It took me a little over 7 minutes to complete and I was completely spent. My lungs were stinging, my back was cramped and my leg were like jello. As I sat down to regroup, Kelly Starrett Aka KStar from CrossFit San Fran and the MobilityWOD gave my some pointers on improving my rowing/burpees technique and reducing some of my Piriformis discomfort. As it turns out not only is Kelly a genius when it come to the human body and mobility but he's pretty funny as well. After a quick exchange I walked to my car to drop off my new Inov-8 and on the way I almost met pukie for the first time. Luckly I was able to maintain my composure and pukie left me alone. Better luck next time.

I made my way to the Stronger Faster Healthier to see if I could get a sample of some of their flavored fish oil. I had never dared to try anything other then fish oil in capsule form. The burps alone make me cringe at the thought of gulping down a few ounces a straight fish oil. Patricia Leighton from SFH spent some time explaining the specifics and enlightened me as to why SFH oil is the sickest. SFH offers 5 different flavors; lemon, tangerine, mint, vanilla and chocolate. All surprisingly were realy good and had not one bit a fish taste at all. The best part no fish burps either. I opted for a 10 oz. bottle of tangerine and look forward to no more fish burps.

The panel discussion included Olympic Lifting experts Mike Burgerner and Josh Everett. Fire Breathers like Greg Amundson, Becca Voigt, Kristan Clever and mobility expert Kelly Starrett. Each talked about how they became involved with CrossFit and some stumbled upon it the way I did, through a simple Google search looking better way to enhance their fitness. The family feel of the CrossFit community was something that each touched upon and its that same thing that keeps me coming back day in day out. In high school and college being a part of a team was an amazing experience and left a void in my athletic pursuits once I graduated from College. There’s something about shared suffering that brings people together and every time I step into a box to do a WOD I get the same feeling I used to get when I competed with my teammates when I competed in high school and college.

The second panel, Lisa Lugo, Dave Castro, Jimi Litchford, Brian Mackenzie, Greg Glassman talked about CrossFit in 2011 and beyond. The new partnership with Reebok and potential monetary incentives for the CrossFit Games Champion. The potential of a possible TV deal to air the CrossFit Games. The possibility of a new twist in the works for the 2011 gamse with the hint of swimming being a new skill that will be required in order to claim the title of the worlds fittest human. I was amazed to learn that CrossFit is adding 70 new affiliates each month with no signs of slowing down any time soon. Some of the highlights can be found at SicFit compliments of Jermey Thiel out of CrossFit Central in Austin, Texas. The continued theme was the value of the community within CrossFit and I couldn't agree more. When you enter a CrossFit box you are brought in like you are one of the family even if your're from the other side of the country. It's because of this that the CrossFit community like no other then I've ever been a part of.