2015 Central Regional Recap: Day 3

Photo by: CrossFit HQ TEAMS Event 6 For total time, women will complete, then men will complete: 50 GHD sit-ups, each 50 muscle-ups, total 50 hang power cleans, total (205 / 135 lb.) Females will go first. Males may begin once females have moved to the finish mat. Time cap: 25 minutes Athlete order: FFF then MMM It was the moment CrossFit Mayhem Freedom and their fans had been waiting for all weekend. They set a world record as they absolutely crushed Event 6, led by solid performances from their women and a blistering pace set by Rich Froning and his male counterparts. CrossFit Grandview was nearly as fast and their showing put them in the fifth qualifying position for the Games. An injury to a team member from Team Rollins was costly in the event, and as a result they dropped from second overall to seventh. Mad Apple CrossFit and CrossFit Shift were the top teams in heat 1, with the latter team taking the heat 21:54. In heat 2, CrossFit Green Bay’s women handed their men a lead, but CrossFit Murfreesboro was close behind them. They overtook Green Bay early on and were the first team to the cleans with Green Bay chasing. The cleans got very difficult for them during the last set but CrossFit Murfreesboro still finished strong, with a time of 19:22, sixth in the event. In heat 3, it was a nightmare start for Team Rollins, the 2nd place overall team, as their second female athlete went down with an injury as she approached the GHD machine. CrossFit Grandview’s women were the first off the rings and onto the cleans. They gave their men a 20-second lead over On Track and CrossFit Mayhem Freedom. Rich Froning flew through the sit ups then ran to the rings where he did six muscle ups but then had to come down because the straps on the rings were swinging too much. Still, he was lethal on the rings, having finished 20 reps before being joined by his teammate. In the end, their last athlete James Hobart only had to do five muscle ups before they moved on to the barbell where Froning and his teammates each performed 10 reps of the hang cleans before switching. CrossFit Grandview was fast as well but in the end they couldn’t catch Mayhem, which set a world record time of 16:26. This was 13 seconds faster than the previous record time set by Nor Cal CrossFit last weekend. CrossFit Grandview’s 16:54 put them in second place and brought them into the fifth transfer position. The injury to Team Rollins’ second female athlete meant that they finished the workout last. The result put them out of the transfer positions to the Games. “The girls did a great job,” said Rich Froning. “I think you guys beat your time when you practiced it so they did exactly what they needed to do, and it went real well. We’re going to try and follow it up with another one. It should be a pretty good workout for us. We’re just going to have fun. We needed that one.” Results 1. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom (16:26) 2. CrossFit Grandview (16:54) 3. CrossFit Maximus (17:55) 4. On Track (18:17) 5. Timberwolf CrossFit (19:12) Event 7 For time, each athlete moves through stations of: 30-calorie row Deadlift hold while trailing teammate rows (315 / 205 lb.) 30 strict handstand push-ups Handstand hold while trailing teammate performs HSPU 30 toes-to-bars Static hang while trailing teammate performs toes-to-bars 50-foot overhead axle lunge (155 / 105 lb.) Time cap: 20 minutes Athlete order: Any They were the talked about team going in, but it wasn’t until the last day that Rich Froning’s CrossFit Mayhem Freedom dominated the competition. In Event 7 they earned a 2nd place finish behind On Track, which followed a first-place finish in Event 6. Their Day 3 domination lifted them above CrossFit 417, which quietly dominated the first two days of competition, with four top 3 finishes. CrossFit Maximus was consistent all weekend long; their lowest event finish was an 8th place. Those three teams will be joined in Carson by CrossFit Kilo, another team with no finishes outside of the top 10, and CrossFit Grandview, which seized that fifth and final transfer position with an excellent Day 3. Team Rollins, whose team member suffered an injury at the start of Event 6, wasn’t able to recover and after being one of the top teams for two days they unfortunately dropped out of the qualifying positions. In heat 1, CrossFit North Peoria was the first team to have all six of their athletes underneath the rig. Their men lunged their way to the finish mat but the women got stuck on the handstand push ups. In the end North Peoria and Cincinnati Strength got the furthest. In heat 2, CrossFit Murfreesboro and CrossFit Naptown were the first teams to get athletes to the toes to bar. Naptown was the first to send an athlete lunging down the competition floor. Good communication and execution on the handstand push ups and handstand holds powered Naptown to a best performance in the heat and nearly the best in the event. They finished third in the event. In heat 3, Koda CrossFit, CrossFit Kilo, and CrossFit 417 were quick in getting their first athlete to the handstand push ups. Koda were the first team to have four athletes on the floor. CrossFit Kilo was the first team to start the lunges, however. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom made a move and assumed the second place position. On Track’s fifth athlete was lunging toward the finish mat with two minutes left in the workout. They were the only team to finish the workout in 19:41, but their first place finish wasn’t enough to lift them from sixth overall into that fifth and last transfer position. Rich Froning, his team’s fifth athlete, lunged confidently across the finish line with 30 seconds remaining. But still there wasn’t enough time for their last athlete to make it across the floor. CrossFit Grandview’s fifth place performance in the event meant that they maintained the last transfer position to Carson. Rich Froning said afterward that they changed up their strategy right before the event. “It changed at the last minute. I think the change was good. James said I should go last because the overhead walking lunge is pretty easy for me. So we switched that up. We had a few little snags we weren’t expecting but we did good, real good. We battled through some stuff and you find out a lot about your teammates. It gives us some experience going in to the Games.” Results 1. On Track (19:41) 2. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom (CAP + 20) 3. CrossFit NapTown (CAP + 101) 4. CrossFit Kilo (CAP + 106) 5. CrossFit Grandview (CAP + 108) CrossFit Games Qualifiers 1. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom (600 pts) 2. CrossFit 417 (585 pts) 3. CrossFit Maximus (576 pts) 4. CrossFit Kilo (559 pts) 5. CrossFit Grandview (550 pts) INDIVIDUAL MEN Event 6 5 rounds for time of: 25-calorie row 16 chest-to-bar pull-ups 9 strict deficit handstand push-ups Time cap: 16 minutes Jacob Heppner’s quick transitions and aggressive style saw him emerge victorious in Event 6. The overall leader is now more than 50 points clear at the top of the leaderboard. Graham Holmberg had a strong performance to climb into the third transfer position, and Nick Fory and Nick Urankar did well enough to convince themselves they have a shot at taking that fifth and final transfer spot from Sam Dancer, who dropped to fifth thanks to a wobble in Event 6. In heat 1, Jordan Chiles finished the workout in 14:26. Marcus Hendren won heat 2 with a time of 13:05. In heat 3, Roderick Holloway took an early lead, going unbroken on his first round of pull ups and handstand push ups. He went unbroken again on round 2, but Kevin Scholtz was faster and took the lead. He was joined by Will Moorad on the pull up bar in the third round. Moorad held on to go unbroken and took the lead. In the fourth round, he went unbroken on the handstand push ups while Cody Keathley took over the second position going in to the last round. He was 15 seconds behind Moorad but cycled quickly through the pull ups and then jumped on the wall, going fast there to close the gap on Moorad. But it was Moorad who finished his handstand push ups and sprinted to the finish mat first. His time of 11:45 took second in the event. Keathley’s 11:52 gave him a third place finish in the event. In heat 4, Graham Holmberg took the early lead with Jacob Heppner in second. Holmberg and Heppner were even going in to the third round of handstand push ups. Heppner took the lead by going unbroken while Holmberg came off the wall. Heppner continued his blistering pace into round 4, with fast transitions. Marginally ahead of Holmberg, he went unbroken on the last set of pull ups then did sets of four, two and three before running to the finish mat to take the heat and event in 11:28. Holmberg’s 11:55 took the fourth position and brought him from fifth to third in the overall leaderboard. Nick Fory’s fifth place performance saw him close the gap between himself and Sam Dancer occupying that fifth and final transfer position. A large athlete, Dancer struggled on the handstand push ups and finished 19th. Overall leader Jacob Heppner looked ahead to the last event of the weekend. “Hopefully my hands hold up,” he said. “This last event’s not going to be my best event. Going back to the speed clean ladder at the Games I was sub par so we’ll see how far it’s come.” Results 1. Jacob Heppner (11:28) 2. Will Moorad (11:45) 3. Cody Keathley (11:52) 4. Graham Holmberg (11:55) 5. Nick Fory (12:07) Event 7 For time: 15 muscle-ups 1 squat clean (205 / 135 lb.) 1 squat clean (225 / 145 lb.) 1 squat clean (245 / 155 lb.) 1 squat clean (255 / 165 lb.) 1 squat clean (265 / 175 lb.) Shane McBride set an event record while Scott Panchik overtook Jacob Heppner at the top of the leaderboard after the former had a great Event 7 and the latter had a forgettable one. Alex Anderson was a model of consistency the whole weekend and he’ll be going to the Games for the first time. Graham Holmberg and Nick Urankar will be going to Carson too amid different circumstances. Holmberg had ups and downs throughout the weekend while Urankar staged a Day 3 comeback to win a ticket to the Games for the first time since 2011. In heat 1, Kevin Schuetz set the bar high, finishing in 1:21.9 His time was good enough for fifth in the event. Philip Kniep’s and Justin Allen raced to the finish mat in heat 2, with Kniep’s 1:21.6 the third best time of the day when the dust had settled. In heat 3, Shane McBride was third to the first barbell but he was speedy in the lifts and transitions. He was so fast that he set an event record by two-tenths of a second with a time of 1:17.7. McBride said, “I got off on my muscle ups a bit with the swing but then I love cleans. It’s my favorite lift. I knew my small range of motion would work to my advantage in that situation.” In heat 4, it was make or break time for a number of athletes with their dream of the Games on the line. A number of athletes were off the muscle ups at the same time. Nick Urankar was the fastest on the barbells, and he took the heat and was second in the event with a time of 1:18. Scott Panchik came in at 1:21.8, good enough for fourth in the event. That finish, paired with Heppner’s major slip up—he finished 39th overall—made Panchik the winner of the Central regional. In the race for fifth position, Sam Dancer struggled on the muscle ups. Urankar’s excellence in Event 7 enabled him to pass Dancer and take 4th overall. Holmberg started the event strong but his 1:28 put him in 17th place. He slid down to fifth place overall, but he’s still going to the Games. Results 1. Shane McBride (1:17.7) 2. Nick Urankar (1:18) 3. Phillip Kniep (1:21.6) 4. Scott Panchik (1:21.8) 4. Kevin Schuetz (1:21.9) Games Qualifiers 1. Scott Panchik (553 pts) 2. Jacob Heppner (540 pts) 3. Alex Anderson (474 pts) 4. Nick Urankar (464 pts) 5. Graham Holmberg (464 pts) INDIVIDUAL WOMEN Event 6 5 rounds for time of: 25-calorie row 16 chest-to-bar pull-ups 9 strict deficit handstand push-ups Time cap: 16 minutes Nicole Holcomb’s proficiency on the handstand push ups was the difference maker as she cruised to an event win and took over second place in the standings. Overall leader Brooke Wells came in second to add to her points lead while Julie Foucher climbed from fourth overall to third in spite of a serious Achilles injury suffered on Day 2. No athletes finished the workout in heat 1. Katelyn Teager (15:37) and Brittany Kopp (15:46) were the only athletes to complete the event in heat 2. In heat 3, Alyssa Ritchey overtook Bridget Erickson on the last set of pull ups, going unbroken, to earn herself 4th in the event with a time of 15 minutes even. In heat 4, despite wearing a walking boot and nursing a suspected Achilles injury, Julie Foucher came out ready to compete. Nicole Holcomb and Sheila Barden were the early leaders. Holcomb put some distance between herself and the field when she went unbroken on the pull ups and the handstand push ups on round three. Going in to round 4, it was Holcomb and Barden followed by the overall leader Brooke Wells and Lindy Barber. Holcomb again went unbroken in round 4 to maintain a 20-second lead. Wells took over second place from Barden and then went chasing after Holcomb who dropped off the bar several times on her last set of 16 pull ups. But another set of unbroken handstand push ups saw her through to a heat and event win. Her victory brought her up to second in the overall standings. Wells’ second place performance gave her a 30-point lead at the top of the leaderboard, with one event to go. Stacie Tovar needed a good showing but her history of struggling with handstand push ups continued here. Her 12th place performance left her in sixth overall. Likewise, Elisabeth Akinwale struggled in the event. Her 26th place performance dropped her in the standings to fourth. Barden’s 3rd place performance brought her into that fifth transfer spot, an impressive fightback after she started the weekend with a 21st place in Event 1. Amazingly, Foucher didn’t just finish the workout; she had the eighth fastest time. She actually climbed a spot to third overall after suffering an Achilles injury in Event 3. Holcomb said, “I planned to go unbroken. I haven’t used these bars before so I got a few rips. I wanted to save my hands for the muscle ups. My coach suggested wearing weightlifting shoes on the row for more heel drive and also on the plexiglass for more slide, so it was a good suggestion.” Results 1. Nicole Holcomb (14:06) 2. Brooke Wells (14:45) 3. Sheila Barden (14:55) 4. Alyssa Ritchey (15:00) 5. Bridget Erickson (15:26) Event 7 For time: 15 muscle-ups 1 squat clean (205 / 135 lb.) 1 squat clean (225 / 145 lb.) 1 squat clean (245 / 155 lb.) 1 squat clean (255 / 165 lb.) 1 squat clean (265 / 175 lb.) Alyssa Ritchey won the event in an early heat while Brooke Wells and Nicole Holcomb underwhelmed in this final event of the weekend but the two had accumulated more than enough points to take the first and second overall spots on the podium. Sheila Barden’s struggle on the last barbell meant that her nearest rivals could take advantage and they did. Stacie Tovar, Elisabeth Akinwale and Lindy Barber will join Wells and Holcomb as the female representatives at the Games for the Central region. Julie Foucher showed the heart of a champion by continuing to compete after suffering a serious Achilles injury on Saturday. She did remarkably well after that, though she chose not to risk more damage to the Achilles and avoided the heavy cleans in Event 7. She finished 8th overall after a dominant start to the weekend. In heat 1, Jennifer Nobis-Dancer was the first to the finish mat in 3:13. In heat 2, Melissa Doss’s 2:02 was good enough to take sixth overall when the event was over. In heat 3, Alyssa Ritchey took advantage of three misses on the final barbell by Mikki Nuccio to sneak in and take the heat with a time of 1:50. In heat 4, Stacie Tovar was the first to the barbells with Sheila Barden right behind her. It was Tovar, Barden and Michele Fumagalli on the approach to the final barbell. But while Fumagalli and Tovar made their lifts to step onto the finish mat first, Barden struggled when she desperately needed to finish to punch her ticket to the Games. Meanwhile, as she failed on that last barbell, Lindy Barber stepped across to finish. Then it was Elisabeth Akinwale. Barden’s struggle meant that Tovar, Akinwale and Barber would get those third, fourth and fifth transfer spots respectively. For the overall leaders coming in, Nicole Holcomb and Brooke Wells, it wasn’t their best event but their poor showings did not affect their overall placement. Wells still finished first overall with Holcomb the runner-up. Results 1. Alyssa Ritchey (1:50) 2. Kristi Eramo (1:53) 3. Michele Fumagalli (1:56) 4. Stacie Tovar (1:57) 5. Mikki Nuccio (2:00) Games Qualifiers 1. Brooke Wells (519 pts) 2. Nicole Holcomb (504 pts) 3. Stacie Tovar (486 pts) 4. Elisabeth Akinwale (475 pts) 5. Lindy Barber (466 pts) Related articles: 2015 Central Regional Recap: Day 1 2015 Central Regional Recap: Day 2

May 31, 2015

2015 Central Regional Recap: Day 2

Photo by: CrossFit HQ TEAMS Event 3 For time, each athlete moves through stations of: Female Athlete 1: 0.5-mile run 50 wall-ball shots Male Athlete 1: 0.5-mile run 50 wall-ball shots Female Athlete 2: 0.4-mile run 40 wall-ball shots Male Athlete 2: 0.4-mile run 40 wall-ball shots Female Athlete 3: 0.3-mile run 30 wall-ball shots Male Athlete 3: 0.3-mile run 30 wall-ball shots M 20-lb. ball to 10 ft. F 14-lb. ball to 10 ft. Time cap: 20 minutes Rich Froning’s team CrossFit Mayhem Freedom squandered a lead and CrossFit Kilo was there to take advantage. In fact they did more than that, smashing the event record by nearly half a minute. Team Rollins and CrossFit 417 continued to shine, finishing the event in second and third respectively. Four teams completed the workout under the time cap in heat 1, with 8th Day Gym leading the way with a time of 19:10. Five teams in heat 2 managed to finish the workout. On Track established the new time to beat at 18:52. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom’s first female finished the wall ball shots first, but it was CrossFit Maximus’ first female who outsprinted her to the finish mat. Mayhem was the first team to get second team member to the finish mat, followed closely by CrossFit Grandview’s first male athlete. CrossFit Kilo assumed the lead but because Rich Froning went unbroken on the 40-set of wall ball shots he closed the gap to just a few seconds. Mayhem’s last female athlete, a masters competitor, struggled on the 30 wall ball shots, which hurt them considerably. CrossFit Kilo’s last two athletes were strong and fast on the True Form runner and the wall ball shots. Their last male athlete essentially sprinted on the wall ball shots and they took the heat, the event and the world record at 16:47, which was 25 seconds faster than the time set by Jason Khalipa and Nor Cal CrossFit the previous weekend. Mayhem’s struggles allowed the other top teams to overtake them. Team Rollins finished second at 17:40 with CrossFit 417 at 18 minute even and CrossFit Maximus in at 18:05. In the end, Froning’s team finished seventh in the event after looking as if they might win it. Megan Leman of CrossFit Kilo said after the event, “The goal was to run hard and get through the wall balls without getting caught.” Results 1. CrossFit Kilo (16:47) 2. Team Rollins - QCCF (17:40) 3. CrossFit 417 (18:00) 4. CrossFit Maximus (18:05) 5. CrossFit Grandview (18:14) Event 4 1-rep-max snatch Time cap: 6 minutes (1 minute for each athlete)* Athlete order: Any Event 5 begins 2 minutes after this event ends. CrossFit 417’s males and females hit big lifts to take Event 4 while CrossFit Mayhem Freedom used big lifts from Rich Froning and James Hobart to lead their team to a second-place showing in the event. In heat 1 CrossFit St. Louis’s men successfully lifted 245 lbs. and 250 lbs. They would eventually finish 4th in the event. Maven’s female athlete hit a 152 lbs. snatch. River North CrossFit’s female athlete lifted 147 lbs. In heat 2, Koda CrossFit’s male athlete landed his first attempt at 257 lbs. CrossFit Ofallon’s male athlete snatched 235 and their female 137. In general, there were a number of failed lifts in the heat. Two women from On Track were the stand-out female lifters. Both lifted 157 lbs., and one failed at 172 lbs. CrossFit Green Bay’s last female hit a 155 snatch. Most teams had females lifting around 135 lbs. or below until their final female athletes took the floor. Many snatched 145 lbs. Many of the men stayed around the 200 lbs. mark. Jekyllhyde Yellow’s male athlete landed a 250 lbs. snatch. In heat 3, Rich Froning was his team’s first athlete and he made 275 lbs. look like PVC pipe on his first lift. For an encore, he went for 300 lbs. but lost it as he stepped forward trying to stabilize. CrossFit 417’s first male athlete snatched 257 lbs. James Hobart from CrossFit Mayhem Freedom snatched 245 lbs. CrossFit 417’s second male athlete landed 247 and their last female athlete snatched 147 lbs. CrossFit Murfreesboro’s third female athlete snatched 157 lbs. Timberwolf CrossFit’s second to last female landed 150 lbs. snatch. CrossFit Kilo’s last male athlete landed 267 lbs. comfortably. The females from CrossFit Mayhem all snatched 135 lbs. Kilotrained’s last male athlete hit 257 lbs. right at the buzzer then punched the air to celebrate. Results 1. CrossFit 417 (1,172 lbs.) 2. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom (1,170 lbs.) 3. On Track (1,155 lbs.) 4. CrossFit St. Louis (1,152 lbs.) 5. CrossFit Ofallon (1,150 lbs.) 5. CrossFit Maximus (1,150 lbs.) Event 5 Relay for time of: 6 x 100-ft. handstand walk Time cap: 7 minutes Athlete order: any CrossFit Grandview set a world record while the rest of the top teams, including Rich Froning’s CrossFit Mayhem Freedom, finished in the top 10 to strengthen their hold on the transfer positions to the CrossFit Games. You were only as good as your worst handstand walker in this event. Teams put their fastest people first and then hoped that their weakest athletes, on the tail end, would step up. In heat 1, CrossFit North Peoria were the first team to get three athletes to the finish mat. NewCov CrossFit took advantage of a mishap from North Peoria. Their fourth athlete sneaked home and put them ahead. Badger CrossFit and CrossFit St. Louis were able to take the lead with their final two athletes. In the end, CrossFit St. Louis took the heat in 6:17 with Mad Apple CrossFit coming in 10 seconds later. They were the only two teams to complete the workout. In heat 2, CrossFit Green Bay took the early lead. CrossFit Ofallon was the first team to get four athletes to the finish mat. Green Bay re-took the lead with one athlete to go. Athletes started to fall all over the place and had difficulty re-establishing their stability in that inverted position. On Track’s last athlete, a male, was a mess as he threw himself across the floor but he did the job for his team, which finished first in 4:50. Koda CrossFit was the second done at 5:08 and CrossFit Omaha took third in 5:13. In heat 3, Rich Froning went first again, after leading his team in the snatch, and he was the first athlete to the finish mat. James Hobart added to their lead as the second athlete for CrossFit Mayhem Freedom. CrossFit Maximus, however, made up ground with their third athlete and took the lead. None of their athletes came down from the handstand until their final athlete, a female. She came down several times and her struggles allowed CrossFit Grandview to take advantage and take the heat and the event in 4:14. They also set a new event record in the process, besting the previous best time, set in the Meridian region, by two seconds. CrossFit Maximum ended up second in 4:31. Team Rollins came in third at five minutes even while CrossFit Mayhem Freedom’s women again squandered a good lead, coming in 10th on the event. Kyri-Ann Gold from Grandview CrossFit said, “We have made it a goal of ours to improve on this specific movement. None of us has a gymnastics background and so we made this our thing. Every day after practice we’d go 100 feet and if we messed up, we’d go back and start again. I’m super proud of us.” Results 1. CrossFit Grandview (4:14) 2. CrossFit Maximus (4:31) 3. On Track (4:50) 4. Team Rollins – OCCF (5:00) 5. Koda CrossFit (5:09) Overall Standings 1. CrossFit 417 (453 pts) 2. Team Rollins - QCCF (415 pts) 3. CrossFit Maximus (411 pts) 4. CrossFit Mayhem (405 pts) 5. CrossFit Kilo (401 pts) INDIVIDUAL MEN Event 3 For time: 1-mile run 50 overhead squats (135 / 95 lb.) 100 GHD sit-ups 150 double-unders 50 sumo deadlift high pulls (135 / 95 lb.) 100 box jump overs (24 / 18 in.) Time cap: 26 minutes It’s rare that a heat 1 athlete takes an event win and even rarer this regionals season that an athlete finishes the grueling Event 3, male or female. Andrew Kuechler accomplished both those things in Minneapolis, and he wasn’t the only one to complete the workout. Jacob Keppner took over the top spot on the leaderboard after finishing Event 3 just two seconds slower than Kuechler. Kuechler charged ahead early in the workout and was far ahead of the pack by the time he reached the jump rope at just past the 15-minute mark. He finished his double unders in two unbroken set of 75. Then he walked over and did a set of 10 unbroken sumo deadlift high pulls. He kept up this aggressive pace and, spurred on by the crowd, finished the workout with just nine seconds to spare. In heat 2, Bobby Noyce put in an impressive performance as well. His 74 box jumps overs gave him 4th place in the event when the dust had settled. In heat 3, Nick Fory and Dre Strohm led the pack going in to the double unders. Fory pulled away starting on the sumo deadlift high pulls. His 87 box jump overs were good enough for 3rd place in the event. In heat 4, Alex Anderson was out to an early lead after an efficient showing on the overhead squats. Heppner took over the lead going in to the double unders and widened the gap as the others completed their sit ups. After a big first set of sumo deadlift high pulls Heppner moved to singles. Sam Dancer was second to the high pulls and given his overall strength you expected big sets from the man. He did quick sets of five before going down to his knees to rest his legs. He kept to this strategy the whole way. Dancer was only a handful of reps behind as he and Heppner began tackling the box jump overs. Dancer was more gassed than Heppner, and the latter athlete pulled ahead and managed to finish the event—an extraordinary feat—with only seven seconds left till the horn. Elsewhere, Day 1 leader Graham Holmberg fell behind early and finished 25th in the event, which dropped him down a couple of spots on the overall leaderboard. Scott Panchik’s 9th place performance kept him in the 5th qualifying spot, and Jacob Heppner took over the overall lead with his stellar showing. Heppner said, “It was fun. It was good. I’ve done it a couple of times with my good buddy Jack Long so I’ve done it multiple times, in difficult variations. Sam Dancer and I talked before about his sumo deadlift high pull capabilities and I knew I had to get ahead of him. But I just have to say that two North Central guys won this and they think we’re a weak region.” Results 1. Andrew Kuechler (25:51) 2. Jacob Heppner (25:53) 3. Nick Fory (CAP + 13) 4. Bobby Noyce (CAP + 26) 5. Landon Walker (CAP + 31) Event 4 For time: Handstand walk 250 ft. Time cap: 3 minutes Event 5 begins 1 minute and 40 seconds after this event ends. Matt Rattay set a world record in Event 4, and the overall leader Jacob Heppner raced Scott Panchik to stay on top of the leaderboard. For Panchik, the performance was absolutely vital after, by his standards, a disappointing first three events. Roderick Holloway was very fast in heat 1. His 1:38 would turn out to be the third fastest time of the day. In heat 2, it was all about Matt Rattay. Clad in red tights, he sprinted down the competition floor and in spite of coming down once on the second leg he was able to collect himself, cross the finish line and sprint to the finish mat to set a new world record time of 1:11, smashing the old record by 13 seconds. Kevin Scholtz would take the third heat in 1:43, which gave him the 5th best time on the day. In heat 4, Jacob Heppner lost his balance early and had to come down, losing precious seconds. Scott Panchik was first to the turnaround point but Heppner caught him. They both came down under the rig and had to go back. It was a two-horse race from this point forward, with both athletes coming down once more before sprinting on their hands to the finish line. Heppner just edged Panchik by a second to take first in the heat and second overall. Panchik’s time was good enough for fourth and delivered a much needed number of points for the favorite. Results 1. Matt Rattay (1:11) 2. Jacob Heppner (1:38) 3. Roderick Holloway (1:38) 4. Scott Panchik (1:38) 5. Kevin Scholtz (1:43) Event 5 1-rep-max snatch Each athlete will have two 20-second windows to attempt the lift with 80 seconds rest between windows. Two athletes, Nick Urankar and Arlen Castenada, lifted 290 lbs. to tie the event record. Scott Panchik and Sam Dancer had strong showings, each lifting 275 lbs., and the two men at the close of Day 2 sit in second and third respectively overall. Despite a 20th place showing in the event, Jacob Heppner sits comfortably atop the leaderboard and looks a good bet for Carson. After crushing the handstand walk in heat 1, Roderick Holloway then walked over and crushed the snatch. His 275 lbs. snatch was duplicated by Stephen Wallace in the same heat. The two men would end up sharing third place with Sam Dancer. Dylan Kelly and Chris Shimley landed 265 and 267 respectively. But it was Arlen Castenada who tied Nick Urankar for the biggest lift of the day. Though he was well down in the overall standings, he seized the moment with a snatch of 290 lbs. to set an event record. In heat 2, Matt Rattay snatched 251 after just setting the event record on the handstand walk. Bobby Noyce missed 262 lbs. Alex Nettey successfully lifted the amount that Noyce missed. In heat 3, Jack Long lifted 268 lbs. during his second window. Will Moorad landed 250 lbs. Nick Urankar, on his second lift, went and tied Casteneda for a share of the event record with a lift of 290 lbs., holding the weight overhead and just nodding as the crowd applauded. In heat 4, wearing pink shorts, Sam Dancer’s first lift at 245 lbs. went up easily. Scott Panchik landed 250 on his first lift and then during the second window looked solid with 275 lbs. Dancer’s knees wobbled on his second window lift of 275 lbs., but in the end he was successful. It was well below his reported max, but given his recent knee injury he looked happy with the lift. Graham Holmberg hit 265 on his second window lift while the overall leader Jacob Heppner snatched 247. Urankar’s head was full of positive, motivational talk before he lifted the 290 lbs. “I thought about going 291 but it’s the same amount of points,” he said. “I’m going for the points. I needed to get some. I’m behind.” Results 1. Nick Urankar (290 lbs.) 1. Arlen Castenada (290 lbs.) 3. Scott Panchik (275 lbs.) 3. Sam Dancer (275 lbs.) 3. Stephen Wallace (275 lbs.) Overall Standings 1. Jacob Heppner (422 pts) 2. Scott Panchik (393 pts) 3. Sam Dancer (342 pts) 4. Alex Anderson (336 pts) 5. Graham Holmberg (326 pts) INDIVIDUAL WOMEN Event 3 For time: 1-mile run 50 overhead squats (135 / 95 lb.) 100 GHD sit-ups 150 double-unders 50 sumo deadlift high pulls (135 / 95 lb.) 100 box jump overs (24 / 18 in.) Time cap: 26 minutes Athletes in the early heats took top honors in Event 3, with Games veteran Sheila Barden getting the furthest in this workout with 53 box jump overs. In the last heat, Julie Foucher was chased down by Brooke Wells after Foucher twisted her ankle on the box jump overs. Foucher still finished 5th in the event to maintain her position at the top of the leaderboard, but her twisted ankle looked like it might affect her performance for the rest of her weekend. In heat 1, Brittany Kopp made it the furthest with 17 box jump overs. In heat 2, Michele Fumagalli finished with 43 box jump overs, which in the end would earn her third place in the event. Heat 3 was the fastest heat of the day. Sheila Barden was the first to the GHD sit ups after completing 50 overhead squats. She maintained that lead as she moved forward to the double unders. Kristi Eramo and Kristin Miller soon joined her. Barden had no problems on the rope and was the first to the sumo deadlift high pulls, which were a slog for all those concerned. Miller made a move here, going ahead of Eramo, but she couldn’t keep up with Barden. Both Barden and Miller picked up the pace with just half a minute remaining. Barden ended up with 53 box jump overs. Miller was five reps behind her. In heat 4, Grace Dresher and Brooke Wells were the first to the GHD machine. Julie Foucher was one of the last athletes off the True Form, but she made up loads of time on the sit ups. In fact, she was the first to the double unders. Wells and Dresher joined her. Foucher was well ahead of the pack on the sumo deadlift high pulls. Wells made up time by doing doubles and triples while Foucher was all about the singles. Foucher was on her way to an event win when she twisted her ankle on the box jumps. She had to stop for a long period and eventually continued but was clearly hampered by the ankle, which she would only touch gingerly to the ground. Barden said, “You know it’ll be over soon, so the faster I get one part of the chipper done, I don’t have to see it again. So it’s just work through that movement. For me with the sumo deadlift high pulls, I had to get through them. I knew I was going to lose some time there. Then just maintain. Don’t go out too hard. Don’t come in to home too slow.” Results 1. Sheila Barden (CAP + 47) 2. Kristin Miller (CAP + 52) 3. Michele Fumagalli (CAP + 57) 4. Brooke Wells (CAP + 62) 5. Julie Foucher (CAP + 64) Event 4 For time: Handstand walk 250 ft. Time cap: 3 minutes Event 5 begins 1 minute and 40 seconds after this event ends. Alyssa Ritchey won the event with a pace that saw her come close to setting an event record, and Julie Foucher completed the event wearing a walking boot to safeguard a suspected Achilles heel injury. In heat 1, Brittany Kopp covered the two lengths in a blistering 1:35. Her time would be good enough for third fastest in the event. Alyssa Ritchey in heat 2 came out sprinting, her legs bent over scorpion style. She slowed down considerably on the second leg and fell down with just 10 feet remaining. But she was still so fast overall that she beat Kopp’s time by eight seconds. In heat 3, Marcella Morrill was far ahead of the other competitors with her 1:55. In heat 4, Julie Foucher came out wearing a walking boot, believing that she had partially torn her Achilles tendon in Event 3. Despite the injury, she still wanted to compete. With the boot, she started well behind the others as she could only walk to the starting line while the others ran. Still, she managed to overtake most of those competitors, covering the 250 feet in 2:17, good enough for 4th in the heat and 11th overall in the event, a remarkable feat. Winning heat 4 was Games veteran Elisabeth Akinwale whose 1:29 gave her second place in the event. Brooke Wells came in after her at 1:48, which saw her in the 4th position in this event. Foucher said, “I was happy it was the next event, something I could easily do without a foot. It was fun to be out there and do it.” About her injury Foucher said, “You can sit and pout about it and be angry about what happened but at the end of the day you can’t change anything. I wouldn’t have done anything differently and I just want to make the most of the situation and have as much fun as I can the rest of the weekend.” Results 1. Alyssa Ritchey (1:27) 2. Elisabeth Akinwale (1:29) 3. Brittany Kopp (1:35) 4. Brooke Wells (1:48) 5. Marcella Morrill (1:55) Event 5 1-rep-max snatch Each athlete will have two 20-second windows to attempt the lift with 80 seconds rest between windows. Julianne Broadbent’s 205 lbs. snatch was only five pounds away from tying the event record. She was followed in the standings by Elisabeth Akinwale and her 196 lbs. lift. After Day 2, 19-year-old Brooke Wells sits atop the overall standings after two top-five finishes on Saturday. Julie Foucher, after suffering an Achilles injury in Event 3, was forced to snatch in a walking boot. Her competition season, reportedly her last, appears to be over, but she refused to stop competing in spite of the injury. Heat 1 was full of big lifts. Julianne Broadbent was the star of the show. With her first lift, she hit 185 lbs. smoothly and with a smile. In the second window, she then went 20 pounds better. With her 205 lbs. lift, her right knee collapsed a bit but overhead she was extremely solid. She stood up the weight then celebrated. Jenny Borda snatched 176 lbs. to give her 5th place in the event. In heat 2, a number of athletes snatched 145 lbs. and 155 lbs. Mary Cargill landed 165 lbs. Then M'Kelle Tomberlin stepped up and with her second lift power snatched 175 lbs. In heat 3, Sheila Barden landed her first lift at 152 lbs. Then she landed 162 lbs. on her second. Jessica Schulz snatched 155 lbs. on her second attempt in the first window then landed 162 lbs. in the second window. In heat 4, clad in a walking boot, Julie Foucher was only able to snatch 85 lbs. because of her injured Achilles. Grace Dresher hit 165 on her first lift and that was the best she would be able to do. Lindy Barber landed 165 as well and like Dresher would get no further. Nicole Holcomb hit 176 and looked shaky but she followed that up with a lift of 181 lbs., good enough for 4th in the event. Elisabeth Akinwale looked solid at 186 lbs. for her first lift. For an encore, she landed 196 lbs. Brooke Wells power snatched 166 then put 20 more pounds on the barbell and lifted that with aplomb. Stacie Tovar snatched 163 lbs. Results 1. Julianne Broadbent (205 lbs.) 1. Elisabeth Akinwale (196 lbs.) 3. Brooke Wells (186 lbs.) 4. Nicole Holcomb (181 lbs.) 5. Jenny Borda (176 lbs.) Overall Standings 1. Brooke Wells (395 pts) 2. Elisabeth Akinwale (377 pts) 3. Nicole Holcomb (357 pts) 4. Julie Foucher (347 pts) 5. Stacie Tovar (338 pts) Related articles: 2015 Central Regional Recap: Day 1

May 31, 2015

2015 Central Regional Recap: Day 1

TEAM Photo by: CrossFit HQ   Event 1   410-lb. partner deadlifts Synchronized chest-to-bar pull-ups   MF pair 1 completes 45 reps MF pair 2 completes 27-18 reps MF pair 3 completes 21-15-9 reps   Time cap: 20 minutes   Rich Froning’s team CrossFit Mayhem Freedom got off to a fast start in Event 1, but it was Team Rollins’ blistering pace that saw them cruise to the win, nearly setting a world record in the process.    In heat 1, Kilotrained was the first team done with the 45-set, their first pair of athletes smooth and coordinated on their butterfly pull ups. Their second pair furthered their lead. Their last pair slowed down considerably, but Kilotrained still won the first heat in 16:03. Maven came in second at 17:43. Only four teams made it under the timecap. CrossFit Murfreesboro’s (15:51) last pair used a fast butterfly pull up to come in just ahead of KODA CrossFit (15:52) in heat 2. All 10 teams in heat 2 finished under the time cap. In heat 3, Team Rollins was the first team to the pull-up bar. Led by James Hobart, CrossFit Mayhem Freedom was the first to the finish mat, though, with Rich Froning appearing as part of the second pair of athletes.  Froning and his partner moved quickly through the deadlifts and were methodical about the pull-ups, doing three at a time before taking a short break. Team Rollins was on their tail, though, and their last pair’s butterfly kip on the pull-ups was faster than Mayhem’s standard kip. Team Rollins was smart about counting down their rest and their walk-up to the pull-up structure. They pulled away from CrossFit Mayhem Freedom to take the heat and the event at 12:36, just 14 seconds off the world record time of 12:22 set by Nor Cal CrossFit. CrossFit 417 took advantage of Mayhem’s slower pull-ups to take second at 13:19. Froning’s Mayhem took third at 13:50.    Team member Joe Piersanti from Team Rollins said, “We’ve done a lot of different variations. We’ve probably done the WOD five times each, with different combinations. So we found the best one that worked in practice and then just kind of attacked it when we came out here.”   Results   1. Team Rollins - QCCF (12:36) 2. CrossFit 417 (13:19) 3. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom (13:50) 4. Timberwolf CrossFit (15:27) 5. CrossFit Maximus (15:45)   Event 2   175 snatches (75 / 55 lb.) 25 rope climbs 115 thrusters (115 / 75 lb.)   Time cap: 25 minutes Athlete order: MMM then FFF   Rich Froning and his male counterparts gave CrossFit Mayhem Freedom a lead in Event 2, but their women couldn’t keep pace. Team Rollins and CrossFit 417 capped off a great Day 1 by finishing first and second respectively on Event 2. Team Rollins set an event record along the way. On the leaderboard, those two teams were your overall leaders as well.     This event is really about the women. It doesn’t matter how fast your men go; if your women falter anywhere, especially on the rope climbs, you’re in trouble since they’re the ones who finish the workout.    River North CrossFit’s men were the fastest team on the snatches and built an early lead. Kilotrained’s men were the first to the thrusters, as was their women who overtook River North CrossFit’s women on the rope climbs. Kilotrained held off four other teams to take heat 1 in 20:13, with Three Kings Red just behind them. In heat 2, CrossFit Kilo’s women were the first to the ropes followed by CrossFit Omaha. CrossFit Kilo was also the first female team to the thrusters. Three Kings Black joined them and tried to chase but Kilo always stayed a few reps ahead to take the heat in 18:57. In heat 3, Rich Froning started the contest for the Mayhem men, but it was a neck and neck race throughout the 175 snatches. Team Rollins was the first to the ropes followed by Froning’s men. Mayhem was fast on the ropes but CrossFit Naptown was just as fast. The two teams started to go rep for rep on the thrusters, but the huge sets performed by each male Mayhem athlete saw them first onto the finish mat. Meanwhile, on the women’s side, Team Rollins and CrossFit 417 were the first to the ropes and the first to the thrusters. Rollins maintained their lead throughout to take the heat and event at 18:33. CrossFit 417 came in second with a time of 18:47. Team On Track took third in the heat at 19:17, with CrossFit Mayhem Freedom taking fourth.    Colin Cartee from Team Rollins said, “We’re happy. Setting the event record was something we wanted to do but it was in the back of our minds. First place is always more important and getting maximum points. We know that WOD the girls mean more than the guys so we just tried to get out of the way and our girls stepped up big time.”   Results   1. Team Rollins - QCCF (18:33) 2. CrossFit 417 (18:47) 3. CrossFit Kilo (18:57) 4. On Track (19:17) 5. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom (19:19)   Overall Standings   1. Team Rollins - QCCF (200 pts) 2. CrossFit 417 (190 pts) 3. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom (170 pts) 4. CrossFit Kilo (157 pts) 5. Timberwolf CrossFit (156 pts)   INDIVIDUAL MEN Photo by: CrossFit HQ Event 1   Randy For time: 75 snatches (75 / 55 lb.)   Time cap: 6 minutes   Sam Dancer was entertaining on the competition floor and entertaining on the microphone after winning Event 1. Scott Panchik, meant to take over from Rich Froning in the Central East region and beyond, finished 9th in the event to start off the weekend.    Andrew Wissmann took heat 1 with a time of 2:35. Games veterans Alex Nettey and Marcus Hendren struggled in the heat, coming 6th and 8th respectively. Nick Bloch took over the top position with a time of 2:31 in heat 2. In heat 3, fan favorite Sam Dancer went unbroken, using the muscle snatch to seize the top time so far: 2:28. The last heat was full of Games veterans: Graham Holmberg, Will Moorad and the weekend favorite Scott Panchik. Panchik was smooth and measured from the start, using a re-bend of the knees on the snatch. While athletes all around him were dropping the barbell in the last set of 25, Jacob Heppner kept going and stepped on the finish mat at 2:32, a few seconds behind Dancer. Holmberg finished second in the heat in 2:34 with Alex Anderson in at 2:35.    Dancer was charming and funny in his interview afterward: “You kind of have to embrace some of that pain. I wanted to do something whether it be wearing a speedo or going unbroken. I wanted an opportunity to talk to you guys and tell you that I love you. This is just a way to bring glory to God.” Results   1. Sam Dancer (2:28) 2. Nick Bloch (2:31) 3. Jacob Heppner (2:32) 4. Graham Holmberg (2:34) 5. Shane McBride (2:34)   Event 2   Tommy V   For time: 21 thrusters 12 rope climbs 15 thrusters 9 rope climbs 9 thrusters 6 rope climbs   M 115-lb. thrusters, 15-ft. rope F 75-lb. thrusters, 15-ft. rope   Time cap: 16 minutes   Graham Holmberg came from behind to outsprint Jacob Heppner to the finish mat and win Event 2. By the end of Day 1, the 2010 CrossFit Games champion sat atop the overall leaderboard while Jacob Heppner and Alex Anderson occupied the 2nd and 3rd spots after solid performances.    Andrew Wissmann, Games veteran Alex Nettey and Tristan Moore were close to one another in a fast heat 1. Wissmann took the heat, though, with a time of 8:50. Marcus Hendren finished 7th in the heat. In heat 2, Phillip Kniep led going in to the 9-set of thrusters and rope climbs. Zak Carchedi, however, was faster on the rope and beat out Kniep for the heat win with a time of 8:51. In heat 3, Kevin Scholtz was ahead on the 9- set of rope climbs. He was joined on the last set of thrusters by Landon Walker with about six minutes on the clock. The two were about a rope climb apart, but Scholtz’s pace didn’t let up and he took the top time at 8:18. Walker arrived on the finish mat at 8:27. Sam Dancer, the leader after Event 1, did well in the event considering his size. He came in 5th in heat 3.  In heat 4, Jacob Heppner was the first athlete to complete round 1, but Graham Holmberg was right behind him. Heppner, a tall athlete, cycled quickly on the rope climbs. He would let go with his hands at the top of the rig and slide down the rope before gripping the rope right below the 9-foot mark. He was well ahead of Holmberg and Alex Anderson with just the rope climbs remaining. But both of those athletes were able to cut into Heppner’s lead. Holmberg, the former Games champion, took advantage of Heppner’s slowing pace and obvious fatigue, and sprinted past Heppner to take the heat and event win at 7:52, two-tenths of a second faster than Heppner. Anderson finished the workout at 8:01. Scott Panchik took the fourth spot in the heat with a time of 8:15. Will Moorad, a Games qualifier last year, finished behind both Nick Urankar and Nick Foray.    Holmberg said, “I had an idea of where I needed to be coming off the 12 rope climbs, coming off the 9 round. I was well ahead of where I trained it at so I was a little nervous thinking I might have come out too fast on it. But that last round I knew Jacob was right there ahead of me but I didn’t know how much. I just sprinted that last six rope climbs.”   Results   1. Graham Holmberg (7:52) 2. Jacob Heppner (7:52) 3. Alex Anderson (8:01) 4. Kevin Scholtz (8:17) 5. Scott Panchik (8:25)   Overall Standings   1. Graham Holmberg (185 pts) 2. Jacob Heppner (185 pts) 3. Alex Anderson (165 pts) 4. Sam Dancer (153 pts) 5. Scott Panchik (149 pts)   INDIVIDUAL WOMEN Photo by: CrossFit HQ Event 1   Randy For time: 75 snatches (75 / 55 lb.)   Time cap: 6 minutes   Several Games veterans were in the hunt, but it was 19-year-old Brooke Wells who came away with the Event 1 win.     Lacy Baumgart took heat 1 in 2:56. In heat 2, Melissa Doss was the first to the finish mat with a time of 2:52. In heat 3, Mary Cargill was smooth and paced well as she muscle snatched her way to the last set of 25. She took the heat at 2:56. Heat 4 could boast of having multiple big names in the CrossFit world. Stacie Tovar wasn’t technical but she was fast. Brooke Wells looked strong and fast going in to the last set of snatches, closely followed by Elisabeth Akinwale. Wells refused to put the barbell down and her 2:21 blew away the top time from previous heats by 31 seconds. Mikki Nuccio came in at 2:29 to take second place. Those two athletes were followed by three big names: Tovar, Akinwale and Foucher, in that order.        In terms of strategy, Wells never planned to go unbroken on the workout: “I think I knew how to break up my reps to where instead of going unbroken and trying to hold on and that resulting in slower reps, I did 50 then 25 so my last reps would be way faster.”    Results   1. Brooke Wells (2:21) 2. Mikki Nuccio (2:29) 3. Stacie Tovar (2:40) 4. Elisabeth Akinwale (2:45) 5. Julie Foucher (2:49)   Event 2   Tommy V   For time: 21 thrusters 12 rope climbs 15 thrusters 9 rope climbs 9 thrusters 6 rope climbs   M 115-lb. thrusters, 15-ft. rope F 75-lb. thrusters, 15-ft. rope   Time cap: 16 minutes   Julie Foucher showed why she’s one of the favorites to win the CrossFit Games as she capped off a successful Day 1 with an event win. Her pacing was impeccable on Event 2 and she finished comfortably ahead of her nearest rivals. Joining her at the top of the overall leaderboard were the usual suspects: Stacie Tovar, Elisabeth Akinwale and Lindy Barber.    Shannon Zimmerman took heat 1 with a time of 11:21. Lisa Shiu went a second faster than that in heat 2, with Heather Welsh taking second in the heat with an 11:39. In heat 3, Kristi Eramo took the early lead after finishing the first 12 rope climbs before anyone else. Her boxmate from Four Barrel CrossFit Lindy Barber was a good half a minute behind her with six rope climbs left in the workout. Eramo finished the workout at 9:44 well ahead of the pack and the proud owner of the top time so far. Barber finished at 10:21.  In heat 4, Grace Dresher was the first to the barbell after the first set of rope climbs. Julie Foucher and Nicole Holcomb chased her, and the former was able to catch Dresher on the rope. Foucher, the favorite this weekend, made up a 17-second deficit to become the first athlete back to the thrusters for the last round. Once she got ahead, with the motor that she possesses, there was no catching her. Her time of 9:16 won her the heat and event. A failed rep by Holcomb allowed Dresher to make good on her early lead.  She took second place in the heat at 10:26.    Foucher said the workout was all about pacing. “A lot of rope climbs, so I tried to take just a couple of deep breaths between each one and just keep a steady pace the whole workout,” she said. Results   1. Julie Foucher (9:16) 2. Kristi Eramo (9:44) 3. Lindy Barber (10:21) 4. Grace Dresher (10:26) 5. Jessica Schulz (10:43)   Overall Standings   1. Julie Foucher (180 pts) 2. Stacie Tovar (151 pts) 3. Elizabeth Akinwale (150 pts) 4. Lindy Barber (147 pts) 5. Nicole Holcomb (144 pts) Related Articles:  Who's Who In The Meridian Regional  Matt Chan Reflects On The 2015 South Regional 

May 30, 2015

Grace Dresher: It's A Marathon, Not A Sprint

Grace Dresher was one spot shy of qualifying for the Games in 2014 at the CrossFit North Central Regional.   The 26-year-old Neuro Surgery Monitoring Technician is another face to watch this weekend at the Central Regional.    She finished 2nd overall in the Open—only second to five-time Games competitor Stacie Tovar.    And while the Open and Regional events are typically not alike (the Open, known for more met-con intensive and lighter weight movements; and Regionals as heavier weights with more skills), Drescher said this year’s competition is in her favor:    “This year’s regionals looks pretty good for me.  I like the longer events, and the 1-rep max snatch is my favorite. Also getting to run always works in my favor with my background in Cross Country,” ” Drescher said.    Adding, “At the end of the day, everyone has to do the same workouts.  It is not about winning workouts, it is about being consistent throughout the entire weekend.  If I can finish in the top 10 in all workouts, I am in. That is the goal. There is very little room for error.  Everyone is going to be pushing super hard to get there.  I will tell you that the hard work is finished.  Grinding through workouts day in and day out in training is the hard part.  I am prepared, and now it is time to go out and have some fun!”   Where does Drescher get her confidence from?   After, now, four of competing at the Regional level and work with one of the ‘best coaches’ in the business, Drescher said her confidence has gradually built over time. She currently trains under CJ Martin of CrossFit Invictus, with her training days consisting of 2-5 hours a day, 5 days per week, as well as one ‘off day’ and another day for a swimming workout.     “The preparation is more than just for regionals, it also prepares one for the Games.  I have done more “CrossFit” in the past 8 months than I have in the years prior.  CJ is a mad scientist, and he works with us on more than just the physical side, he helps us mentally prepare as well!  The training really focuses on my weaknesses and deficiencies physically,” she said.    In addition to training with Coach Martin, Drescher also made several drastic changes to accelerate her gains in the off-season, as well as make it to the Games in 2015.Several of these changes involved her nutrition—the foundation of all performance.    “I changed my diet up significantly after regionals, going towards more of a Renaissance Periodization type diet.  I make sure I am getting the right amount of protein and fats in my diet.  I play with my carb intake depending on the workout to make sure I am ready for the event.  I don’t eat heavy starches, but I do fuel with rice most of the time.  I am pretty loose with my cheat meals throughout the off-season, but when I am 10 weeks from Regionals I go strict.  I can tell when I am being weighed down by my food,” she said.   A typical day of eating includes lots of eggs and yogurt in the morning, followed by steak and chicken throughout the rest of the day.  Around workouts, she consumes protein shakes and Xendurance around workouts, as well as Kill Cliff for post-workout.   Now with go-time less than 24-hours away, Drescher is relying on all the work she’s put in this past year to get her through the weekend.   Her seasoned advice for others wanting to be in a similar spot in the near future?   “This sport is a marathon, not a sprint.  Gains don’t happen overnight.  To get to the top of Regionals and the Games there is such a different level of dedication and commitment than doing general fitness CrossFit.  Over the years, many people have asked for my training regimen.  At first, I wouldn’t let anyone have it because I thought I had something special.  I slowly realized that it is not the programming that necessarily makes an athlete, it is the dedication and unwillingness to give up that makes an athlete,” she said.   Adding that the ‘just do it’ mentality is a pre-requisite to excelling in the sport of fitness.    “98% of people that we give a competitors program to at my affiliate follow it for 2 weeks, and then you never see them do it again.  I have crap days in the gym just like everyone else, but I grind through the workouts.  If it says 50 HSPU, I do 50, regardless of how long it takes me.  The other thing is working out when your body is telling you no.  Within reason, we all deal with tweaks and injuries, but you have to keep driving forward.  Work around it until you can get back to 100%.  The phrase ‘The Grind’ is so fitting for what we do,” she said. Related Articles:  Who's Who In The Meridian Regional  Matt Chan Reflects On The 2015 South Regional 

May 29, 2015

Nicole Holcomb: Rising Among The Greats

Julie Foucher met her match this year in the CrossFit Open—tying first with Nicole Holcomb.   This weekend, Foucher and Holcomb, along with other notable names from both the Central East and North Central Regions (including Games vets Stacie Tovar, Elisabeth Akinwale) will go head-to-head, battling out their right to go back to Carson.   Last year was Holcomb’s first trip to the big show, after three consecutive Regional appearances, where she finished 32nd overall and walked away with the hunger to do ‘whatever it takes’ to make it back in 2015.   In fact, at the Games, Holcomb was actually rehabbing a recent back injury she sustained following Regionals—leaving her unable to go full throttle at game time.   Like many athletes who experience the Games for the first time though, Holcomb said the opportunity seasoned her; it was only just the beginning of her resume as, now, an elite athlete.   In 2015, Holcomb said she’s made a full recovery and feels stronger than ever.   If her Open finish is any preview as to what Holcomb has up her sleeve for this weekend, the competition best be ready.   At last year’s Central East Regional, Holcomb opened the weekend with a first place finish on Event 1: a one-rep-max hang squat snatch. After successful openers at 165 and 175 lb., she put up 185 lb. to win the event, and subsequently, finished well within the top 10 across the remaining six events—holding a podium spot all weekend.    Can she do it again?   Holcomb spilled her training ‘secrets’ and shared her thoughts on what she thinks is coming.   What is your athletic background? I did 7 years of gymnastics, dabbled in competitive Cheerleading and track and field, and, as for CrossFit, I am now a four-time Regional competitor (2nd place at 2014 Central East Regional, 6th place at 2013 Central East Regional, 12th place at 2012 Central East Regional).   Describe your training regime leading up to the Regional this past year? I train seven days a week, with two of those days being lower volume.  After my low back injury between the 2014 Regionals and The CrossFit Games last year, I sought out Shane and Laura Sweatt of CrossFit Conjugate to strengthen and rehabilitate my back.  I started using the Conjugate Method and not only am I back into competition shape but I have set PRs on the majority of my lifts in a short amount of time.  We have four training days; two dynamic effort (upper and lower) and two max effort days (upper and lower) per week.  The program rotates exercises so training is fun and constantly different.  We use accessory movements to address any lagging muscle groups or specific movements.  I've been able to visit their facility often and having a hands on coach has been very valuable. I've also recently started working with Chris Hinshaw as an endurance coach and Greg Simmons for Weightlifting.     What has changed in your training, nutrition, AND lifestyle from last year to this year in prep for the 2015 season?   Almost the entire off season, I was rehabilitating my back.  We had to go back to the basics and work our way back up.  I dragged a sled pretty much everyday to keep my leg strength up because I was unable to lift anything. My tan was great, but I missed Weightlifting and met-cons so much.  I focused on recovery first and foremost and began to "listen to my body" as best as I can.  Coming back from an injury makes you appreciate being able to compete on a different level.   What do you eat to feed the machine? I would say I eat "clean."  No processed food and I cook pretty much everything.  For instance, most days, breakfastis oatmeal, blueberries, orange juice, and eggs.  I supplement protein, fish oil, BCAAs and a piece of dark chocolate everyday (For the magnesium, of course).   How do you prep both mentally and physically now for Regionals?    Try to relax! Tapering is also tough mentally for me.  I feel like I should be doing more.  My friends and family keep me in a light hearted mood, always keeping it fun.   What event are you looking most forward to? The 1RM Snatch.  There is a lot at stake riding on two lifts.  I'm also looking forward to it because the crowd really gets into it and the energy is crazy.   Any pre-game rituals or must-haves that get you prepped/in the zone?  Before a competition, I get "Warrior Braids" in my hair.  Look good, feel good!   Outside of competing, what are your current goals/life goals at the moment? We are always busy growing our affiliate, 812 CrossFit.  I'm planning on competing at USA Senior Nationals for Weightlifting in the fall. Related Articles:  Who's Who In The Meridian Regional  Matt Chan Reflects On The 2015 South Regional 

May 29, 2015

The Central Regional: Who's It Going To Be?

All eyes will be on the Central Region this weekend to see who’s going to be ‘on top’ now with four-time Central East Regional and Games champ, Rich Froning, out of the men’s individual competition.   The ladies’ side is equally competitive with several returning Games qualified athletes making their way to Minnesota to prove they have what it takes to be back in action.   Who’s it going to be?   Men and women from the Central East and North Central Regions bring the three week long of Regional season to a close this weekend, with the advantage of having seen others go before them, a little extra practice with the events, and lots of gusto, with new records to set.   Here’s who to keep an eye out for:   Men:   Jacob Heppner: As the “2nd fittest man” at the 2014 North Central Regional, Heppner made his debut at the Games last year where he took a middle-of-the-pack 18th place. The year before, he  took 18th place at the 2013 Regional. If Heppner’s success is any foreshadowing of what a difference a year can make in his own CrossFit game, he’s definitely one to watch. The former collegiate linebacker is self-trained in the sport only until last year, right before Regionals, when he began working Competitors’ programming with CrossFit Invictus. Now, a full year of training AND Games’ experience under his belt, Heppner marches into the weekend with more confidence then ever before.   Justin Allen: Allen missed his third consecutive trip to the Games by one spot last year at the 2014 North Central Regional—seemingly repeating history from the 2011 Regional when he took 5th overall in his first year competing. Losses are where champions are made though. Both Lindsay Valenzuela in California, and Samantha Briggs in the Atlantic Regional, are shining examples that loss makes one hungrier—and stronger—to come back for more; both earning their spots back to the Games in 2015 after being knocked off the podium in 2014. The 29-year old, full-time employee at Magellan Midstream Partners, and father of two (ages 7 and 4), has a strong support system of cheerleaders behind him and some serious drive to be back in action (after all, how many competitors nowadays have a full-time job outside the gym?).   Scott Panchik: Three-time “top-5” Games finisher from the Central East Regional has been Froning’s ‘shadow’ the past couple years—finishing second to the champ at both the 2013 and 2014 Regional. Now, with Froning out of the running will Panchik be the one to rise up? Over the years we’ve witness Panchik develop from Games rookie—with no real formal CrossFit coaching—to now, coached up athlete, who now coaches other athletes through his online-based Competitors programming.   Alex Anderson: Named ‘one to watch’ in 2015 by Tommy Marquez of CrossFit HQ, Anderson finished third in the Central East Open, underneath Froning and Panchik, and 8th in the world—a big improvement from last year, in his first year competing as an individual, when he took 25th worldwide in the Open and 8th place at the Central East Regional. Reflecting back on his inaugural Regional, he said, “It gave me a great idea where I stood amongst these elite competitors; going into regional’s I really was uncertain where I would rank amongst these guys. I was also able to see where I needed to improve and how I needed to adjust my training.” Adjusting his training meant getting even more serious and train as much as he could every day. An adherent of CrossFit Invictus’ online programming, his sessions varied from day to day, but generally a first session typically included strength work, Olympic lifting, skill work and conditioning, and, later on, a second session of “more of the previously stated activities.”  Now, one year later, going into this weekend, Anderson said, “I have learned how to focus on the little things in training and in life. I am constantly trying to improve every facet of my game to become the best CrossFit athlete I can be.”   Women:    Julie Foucher: After taking time off in 2013 to focus on her studies for medical school, Foucher made her comeback last year, in 2014, taking the Games by storm with a 3rd place finish overall—earning the title of “3rd fittest woman in the world.” While she is still very busy outside of competing as both a student in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (Case Western Reserve University Class of 2017), and a member of the CrossFit Level 1 Seminar Staff, Foucher has not let either of those get in her way of training to be back in 2015 in Carson for her hopeful 5th time. Since 2010, she’s placed no lower than top-5 overall at the Games, claiming the 2nd place spot in 2012—her highest finish to date. There’s no doubt that Foucher has her eyes on pushing past whatever it takes to be on top of the podium—both at the Regional and Games level of competition.    Stacie Tovar: Another veteran Games competitor (5x), like Foucher, Tovar’s personal mission is simple: “I want to compete at the highest level possible and have fun doing it, all while continuing to be a positive force in the CrossFit community.” Tovar loves competing and has continued to do so—between the Regionals and Games seasons—over the years. Her most recent accomplishments include: 4th Place Individual East Coast Championships (2015), 2nd Place Team WODAPALOOZA  Miami 2015 (S. Tovar, M. Vollmer, J. Zambruno), 1st Place Team 2014 CrossFit Team Series (S.Tovar, E. Bridgers, B. Smith, S. Panchik,), 4th Place 2014 Granite Games, and 1st Place 2014 Crush Games. Last year, Tovar took 6th place overall at the North Central Regional—meaning nothing more than outright: she is determined to take top 5 in 2015.    Nicole Holcomb: Tied with Foucher for 1st place in the Central East Open this year, Nicole Holcomb made her ‘big coming out’ last year, in 2014, when she took 2nd place at the Central East Regional in her 3rd year as a competitor. Unfortunately, between Regionals and the Games last year, she suffered a back injury that forced her to be less than her peak come the Games where she took 32nd overall—struggling through the weekend.  This past year, she’s been doing nothing than rehabbing and training to be back stronger in 2015. The former competitive gymnast trains seven days per week under the Conjugate Method, as well as works with Chris Henshaw as an endurance coach and Greg Simmons for Weightlifting. Now, feeling healthier and stronger than she ever has, Holcomb is excited for the 1 rep-max snatch as the first event.    Elisabeth Akinwale: A top CrossFit Athlete with four CrossFit Games appearances and two consecutive North Central Regional crowns .In addition, she is also accomplished in the sport of Olympic-style weightlifting with three USA Weightlifting National qualifications and American Open Weightlifting Championship appearances. Akin wale took 14th at the Games last year, with her best finish ever being in 2011 (7th place overall at the Games). As a ‘staple’ athlete, year in and year out, the super strong Akinwale is not going to let 2015’s upped level of competition get to her.    Team to watch:   CrossFit Mayhem Freedom: We could not forget to mention the team that everyone will be watching this year: CrossFit Mayhem Freedom. Will Froning be a one-man show? Nope, but there’s no doubt that there were some serious decisions made as to deciding what six individuals would make up the roster. This team is in it, to win it, and there’s no telling what’s been going down in Cookeville, Tennessee over the past several months except lots of hard work.  Related Articles:  Who's Who In The Meridian Regional  Matt Chan Reflects On The 2015 South Regional 

May 29, 2015