North Central Regionals. BAM!

I don't even know where to begin when speaking about this past weekend's North Central CrossFit Regionals. What an amazing adventure this past weekend was. I got to...

spend five nights with two of my closest friends (the lovely and talented Ranison), who I've actually grown closer to since moving my ass out to LA...
watch one of my favorite people in the world, jonny Vu, step up and lead of one the biggest (and certainly The BEST) events I've ever been a part of...
cheer/scream/clap/support alongside my family (everyone from CFC) if ever I had a free heat...
cheer on the woman who, of all the people i've ever known, inspires me the most... E-Diesel, herself (seriously erin, you amaze and inspire me, and as soon as i am back in Chi on the regular -you, alison and i are going to do active and non-CrossFit things weekly!)...
surprise everyone by getting up to sing the national anthem for the biggest crowd of people i've ever sang for... i would've told you guys i sang before but it never came up... and maybe you know this about me, maybe you don't... but i'm actually kinda shy and don't share that much about myself... well, at least i used to be... i'm working on getting over that...
see gina bust out about a million double unders like they were nothing...
judge the WODs of some CF badasses I've watched in past years and aspire to WOD-like, for firebreathers like Stacie Tovar and Megan John...
scream like there's no tomorrow while watching George absolutely kill a 255# thruster (holy SHIT that's heavy)...
watch emily squash her box jump fears by not letting a little toe-stubbing get in the way of her crushing that wod...
see young Nate step up and fight for his right to be named one of the fittest men in our region (i can't WAIT to see what he can do next year)
witness stephanie and elisabeth conquer weights (95# snatch) and movements (muscle-ups and HSPUs) which were new to them...
catch kurt's focused give-it-all-he's-got row face from all the way across the hall...
see elisaBEAST a-kill-a-wod bust ass and fight her way to earn a place as one of the FIFTY FITTEST WOMEN IN THE WORLD...
watch glenn coach and support steph through the muscle-up wod like a true teammate...
read the most awe-inspiring article by our superman, Alex Nettey, that teaches us all what we are fighting for, how we can make it happen for ourselves, and reminds us not to let ourselves give up or give in... 

What I learned most this weekend is that I love my family. I love every minute of being with CFC, and I am incredibly proud to be a member of the greatest box out there. Yeah. I said it. And it's true. CrossFit Chicago is the most amazing community and I couldn't live without it. I am a life-long CFCer, no matter where I live, no matter what. If I open my own box I will STILL have a CrossFit Chicago bumper sticker and it will still be where my heart lies.

Which brings me to my last thing. One last and most important thing. Rudy Tapalla. You gave this to us. You started it all and you brought our community together. You trained us and taught us to love each other, push each other, support each other and it is because of you that we were together last weekend. I can not begin to thank you for what you have given to us. To me. For how you have changed my life forever. For the better. Your box is what got me through the darkest time in my life, and I will always be indebted to you. And now, when my life is happy and wonderful and full of goodness, CrossFit is still what carries me through and what gives me the most joy in my life. Thank you. Love you. Best. Coach. Ever.

Jenni Orr

So I was looking on the main CF site and saw Jenni Orr. I hadn't seen her before but what a huge motivator she's going to be! She's fast as hell, but her press and DL are the same as mine. Her FGB score is off the charts above mine, but it's motivating to see that in some areas I am at least competitive.

Jenni Orr

Age: 29
Height: 5' 5"
Weight: 125

Fran: 4:14
Helen: 9:04
Diane: 19:06 (185)
Grace: Uneven 85# 4:02 or 100# 6:35
Fight Gone Bad: 354
Filthy Fifty: 27:57 (male RX)
Deadlift: 240
Press: 85
Back Squat: 235
Snatch: 100
Clean and jerk: 135
Favorite WOD: Nancy
Favorite Lift: Push Jerk
Least Favorite WOD: EVA (male RX)
Least Favorite Lift: Hang Power Clean

2008 Games Finish: 8th
2009 Dirty South Qualifiers Finish: 1st

So we need competition, eh?

So, Rudy says we need competition and that blogging will help focus our goals. I try as often as possible to listen to our coaches and to try what they say, so, here goes.

I looked through the Crossfit Games site and started researching girls a week or so ago. I wanted to see their times, their weights, and I wanted to know what and who I was up against. I printed out photos of them and their Athlete Profiles from the site so I could continually compare my lifts and my times against theirs. I want to learn to plan my metcons and my strength training to have goals at or higher than what their lifts and times are; lifts and times that are difficult to achieve but that I intend to achieve none the less.

I figure I'll post the girls I chose as my inspiration/motivation , so I can be constantly reminded about my goals and what I have to fight to achieve. I chose girls who were close to me in age/height/weight… and who were hot… I mean, I know I'll work harder to compete against a hot girl (you said you wanted honesty in this blog, right Rudy?). Some of their weights are in reaching distance for me, and some seem impossible, but what's the point in settling for goals I know I can hit? Better off reaching higher than I think I can go, I say. Once I get home from Christmas, I’m plastering these girls profiles and photos on my wall so I can see them daily and remember who I’m competing against and what my goals are. In the box, I intend to push everyday to be the fastest and to do as many WODs Rx’d as possible. The first girl I chose will be listed on the bottom of this post.

While I think competition with these girls will help me plan ahead before I start a metcon, I am definitely the type to work harder against someone in person… so I intend to push myself each day against everyone in my heat. Bryce said I should compete to be the first in my heat every time, so that’s my goal. Every day.

Tomorrow I’ll be back in Chi, so that officially starts my training for Sectionals. See you all then.

Crystal McReynolds

Started CrossFit: Two years ago

Age: 25

Height: 5' 9"

Weight: 135

Fran: 3:41

Helen: 8:13

Fight Gone Bad: 315

Filthy Fifty: 21:52

Deadlift: 270

Press: 110

Back Squat: 255

Snatch: 120

Clean & Jerk: 145

Max Pull ups: 36