A Motivational, And Spiritual Blast From The Past...

   Amber...

T

"Even when I'm on my back, I'm never backing down."

Looking back sometimes makes running forward much easier. As long as what you are looking for was the times that you were great. That showed you what you can really do. 

With the CrossFit Games quickly approaching, and the community in an uproar, I find that some folks feel lost in the cause. Even the avid CrossFitters who know there family loves them to death, may feel the occasion spark of loneliness if they feel they are not pitching in somehow. 

Below are quotes, experiences, and details that were shared immediately after sectionals by several of PCF's competing athletes. PCF alone had dozens of new faces who may be completely unaware of the effects this simple competition had, and the level of closeness it brings to a community. Brand new CrossFitters out there take speicial note to how CrossFit is of course a sport, but much less a sport than savior.

Ok, our first CF Sectionals since beginning in June - Holy cow! What an impressive event filled with premier athletes - many of which happen to be PCFrs! Cledith & I were blessed to be volunteers, judges, coaches, pain-in-the- asses when needed, & in awe of the pure will power that carried so many through some freakin incredible workouts! Our line-up from PCF included inspirational performances by all - Betsy, Lisa, Holly, Mitchell, Ash, Mindy, Kara, Chastity, Joe, Shelby, Kerry, Charlie, Josh - I hope we haven't missed someone cuz everyone was great! Hangin with the volunteers - a bunch of great PCFrs in their own right - & judging people from all over the midwest was exhilirating. We are so thankful that we chose to be part of the gang. Undoubtedly these events build TEAM & we saw awesome displays of this & were part of something very special. Our thanks go to Josh, Chastity, Ryan & all the trainers who put us all through the WOD's & push us to be the better version of us. Can't wait for the Regionals!-Ken

Amazing show by the PCF crew today!! Every single one of you showed guts and what a PCF athlete is really made of! It was an honor to be able to count reps for some of you and give you that little bit of a push and inspiration that you give me daily! What a proud day to be a member of the PCF family! Congrats to all!!!-Steph

PCF-ers were ready for yesterday’s WODs...even #4 which wasn’t announced until late day…and even with the C2B pull-ups that were going to be mandatory for the girls until just before the clock started. Might some of us have been forced to scale? Sure. Did some of us wish we could have pushed a few seconds faster? Of course. Was any one of us surprised by the challenge or ready to bow out? No fkn way. Because every wko that came up yesterday could easily have come up on the PCF board – any day of the week – at the exact same weight and reps prescribed for this competition. That didn’t reduce the anxiety you felt about doing well yesterday, but – at least for me – it removed the fear. It also made me think that annual sectionals participation should be a goal for every one of us...even if going to games doesn’t matter to you at all. You do the work any way every day.

In talking with other CF-ers yesterday, a box owner shared with me (while shaking his head) that he’d have to step up the game with his team once they got home given what he was watchin. All I could think as I looked out on all the PCF-ers on the floor was that our game WAS there. Even our volunteers looked like experts as they corrected form and coached on athletes. Sure. There’s always room for improvement, but we’re damn capable and impressive as is.

JB-you have a gift for programming. Period. As I’ve said before, I’m glad to have learned CF at Practice.
Ry-more than unfortunate you couldn’t attend as I promise you missed a rare opportunity to see what you’re helping to create in action.-Kara F

Just want to say thanks to Josh Joe Mitchell and Kara for pushing me to even go to the Arnolds! I was really unsure about the whole thing until 10 min before my 1st workout!At that point i relized i had no choice!!(hahaha) I had the best time of my life in so many ways- i never thought id ever be doing anything like this. Thanks so much to Chad, Whit, Justin and Dave for being in my face! And to all of us who did it, i had so much fun with ya! And to Cledith for snappin all those pics-i hope to see them all also-THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-Holly

Yesterday, in my eyes, proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are a family. The support shown by everyone was overwhelming and I love every one of you. PCF is what it is beause of the people in it, and I'd never want to be anywhere else. I always thought the games in Aromas was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had... and yesterday topped it. The difference was all of you :)-Mindy

There were too many wonderful people there to name them all, but... Special thanks to Steph who counted my reps when I was too tired to remember what number comes after 2!
To Walters who did EVERYTHING for me from feeding and clothing me to getting me into the finals and then making sure I finished! and to Josh who corrected technique and coached me through the clean and jerks making sure I would not going to fail on that last workout.-Mitchell

It is hard to capitlize on the full emotional experience of yesterday. Pride, disapointment, jublilation, exhaustion, family, committment, and outright respect first come to mind. What a day. What an experience and what success for PCF. If i am not mistaken we had to have one of the largest presence of any box there! PCF is one special place and to those of you who competed you certainly made us all so proud. Betsy, you have become like a little sister to me, i could not have been more proud of you, i know you were in tears and i was right there with you! Lisa, you continue to impress me daily but this was a game changer for you! Ash, hate you didnt get to see you at your full on game, that is always fun to watch! Mitch, you took my respect to the next level and the rest of you Rock Stars, Kara, Chas, Holly, Mindy what can i say, wow!!! Today during the POD all i could think of was how did they do it!!!!! You all were amazing! Oh, and let me not forget, you all were the best looking girls by far! Volunteers, i enjoyed working with you all! Josh, wow man, you have to be sitting there today beaming, look what Ryan and i created, one big awesome, successful family!!! Yesterday, as i was looking around, and i thought about the many friends in my life, i said to myself, these friends are firends that would do ANYTHING for each other, and that is super cool and that is why this gym is what it is! I know i am leaving something out, but seriously, this was a great day in many, many ways! -Stacy

Our  trainers,  Josh,  Chas,  Ryan,  Nicole,  Mindy,  and  the   rest.  I  have  learned  so  much  from  all  of  you.  I  tend  to  be   quiet  and  a  little  withdrawn,  but  I  couldn't  bring  myself  to   just  watch  the  athlete  I  was  judging,  I  had  to  push  them   the  way  I  have  been  pushed.  Because  thats  what  I  have   learned.  I  received  so  many  compliments  on  my   coaching/pushing/"cheerleading".  My  athletes  were  so   appreciative.  It  felt  great  to  help  them  do  better.  Even  if  it   wasn't  a  PCFer.  That's  a  compliment  to  everyone  who  has   pushed  me.  After  watching  some  of  the  competitors,  I   realized  what  a  great  program  we  are  a  part  of.  Strict   adherence  to  proper  form  is  constantly  taught  and  the   need  for  that  was  made  very  apparent  as  I   judged/coached  some  of  my  athletes.  Thankfully,  I  felt   very  competent  to  judge/coach  these  athletes  because  of   the  training  I  have  received  at  PCF.  Thank  you  all.- ‐Dave

I  can't  express  how  proud  I  am  of  all   who  competed  and  volunteered.   Watching  you  all  do  the  workouts   was  awe- ‐inspiring.  The  workouts   are  hard  each  day  but  to  be  there   to  watch  you  do  four  of  them  in   one  day....I  have  a  new- ‐found   respect  for  all  of  you!  I  am  so  proud   to  be  a  part  of  PCF  and  I'm  so  lucky   to  have  this  extended  family!  That's   another  thing;  you  know  you're   family  at  PCF  but  I  really  FELT  it   yesterday.  - ‐Cheryl

Yesterday was a eye opening experience. I have never been very emotional nor will I ever but I have to admit I was very moved and impressed. I have many different mixed emotions about yesterday. First I was disappointed beyond words in myself. I have never been so humbled and humiliated before by my own performance. But watching the other people from PCF perform took some of the sting off. I witnessed some amazing athletes. It was cool to finally see the comaraderie I hear so much about. It was something to see watching people cheer on people they didnt know whether they were first or last. I have competed all over the world as a speedskater and have never seen it done. It has always been kill or be killed. Josh, I never get to see you workout at PCF, and I have to say I was blown away at how hard u pushed yourself. You practice what you preach and that is something to be admired. I have to give mad props to my wife Holly. I dont think I have ever been more proud of you before. You went from not being able to do a single push up less than a year ago to finishing 23rd at sectionals. I think she has a new respect for competition, and you have only scratched the surface on how good u can be. I realized that you get out what you put in, and now I see how much I have been slacking compared to these other athletes. It makes you want to embrace the challenge and go at it again next year more prepared. Nuff respect to all the PCF people that showed up and competed or volunteered. Well done.-Franchise

How  am  I  so  lucky  to  belong  to  such  an   awesome  CF?  I  feel  so  blessed  to  be  a   part  of  such  an  awesome  group  of   people!!  Words  can't  describe  the   feeling  I  had  yesterday.  Josh- ‐ You  not   only  helped  all  of  us  yesterday,  but  you   stayed  focused  in  your  own  game  too!   When  you  do  something  you  just  do  it   right.  It  was  so  awesome  to  look  around   and  see  all  the  PCF  family  there.  Stacy- ‐ Thanks  for  pushing  me  all  day.  - ‐Betsy

Needless to say the CrossFit Sectinionals brought on many emotions last year. Emotions that were far less attached to an WOD, or PR, and far more realized from the bonds that were created, and relationships formed. 

Join in this year in any capacity you want Spectator, athletes, judge. It matters not, but don't miss these opportunities to grow. 

To see for yourself, or to catch the full re-cap click below:

Here

Here

Here

Download Practitiongude_march2010_sectionaledition_p

Strength:

Rest

For Time:

1min-Front Squats 105/155

1min-Dips

1min-Bent Over Row 65/95

1-min Swing 35/55

1min-Lunge

3 Rounds

Rest 1min between rounds.

Post reps achieved to comments.

Comments

[NP]

Is that 3 rounds X 4 times?

[jb]

sorry my bad. Spost to be three rounds...anyone feeling especially froggy may do four rounds...

[Walters]

Chas - Katelyn wants to open up a Chastity Tuna Store, her friends wanted to eat her tuna/broccoli at lunch today. Katelyn has been eating it around the clock, she wants to eat it for breakfast every morning. I told her the first thing she would need to do is ask you to be a partner! I think it was really cool that a group of 7 year olds were discussing healthy food. We greatly enjoy your meals.

[Min]

Foster- see if u can get thru these old posts without the waterworks this time ;)

[k]

With the Arnold in the very near future, I went back to these posts (as well as those from regionals)over the weekend to remind myself of the experience. The human brain's an amazing thing. Stunned at how raw the emotion still is an entire year later.

No doubt, the Classic will have a different feel this year. That's progress. Like more mainstream sports, the all-stars will be there to put on a good show. And the Reebok partnership will likely generate a new and strange sense of marketing hype. I think if you really take the care to look beyond all that, though, you'll see that true CF lies at the core...a weekend of challenge and fun and community for anyone who wants to be part of it...no matter your role.

Sectional and regional events won't be the same either. The competitor pool will be bigger, and the path to the winner's circle rougher. Again, that's progress.

As the dude behind the blog so very purposefully and eloquently phrased it..."dont' miss these opportunities to grow." If you're new, dont let what you read in this blog intimidate or distance you. Get involved. Just like the daily WOD, no matter what lies in store, you will be better for it.

JB/Ry...would be good if we could post a signup sheet on the board to get a sense of who's attending the ARnold event and in what capacity.

[jb]

SIgn up sheet has been up for days...

[Mo]

238

reading the comments from last year had me choked up and wasn't even there. looking forward to being a part of it this year and supporting everyone!

6am - always fun playing when I can join u...sorry to cut out so quick and thanks for cleaning up my stuff ;)

[Renee]

291(m)dips, 85FS, 45KB

After reading everyone's comments from last year made me appreciate everyone at the Practice even more....whether its JB cursing at me in my face telling me to "pick it up" or Mindy showing me different ways of getting a movement completed or Chasity's words of encouragement. I do take everything to heart. Trainer or athlete. It's great to see how close knit the PCF family really is and I'm so glad to be a part of it.
I can not wait to be at the Arnolds this year. However, there is a huge part of me that is extremely nervous as s@%t!!

[vicki]

273(m)dips and FS

[jen w]

300 m for dips/squats/+ for kb

[heather mc]

291+ (35lb american swings)

#10 - nice job wearing the weight vest during this entire WOD and taking the big dumbbell overhead! When I grow up I wanna be just like you!

[Mindy]

21:??

500m row
then 5 rds of 1 min plank, 16 pillars, 15 db rows
500m row

Repeating the sentiments from some of the other 1st-timers above, I am thrilled to be a part of the PCF family and to see just how much those family ties bind us at the Arnold! Though my injured back and shoulder will follow me there, I am signed up to compete...if I modify or can't do it at all, so be it...I will be just as pumped to be there to watch you all kick some a%@, and to help in any way I can!!! --and to finally have Mitch there to witness the PCF passion!!!

[ASH]

This post made me cry for 2 reasons: 1. It brought me back to a painful day where I was unable to perform/compete and 2. It was an incredible experience that I will never forget and am glad to have gotten the chance to at least be there with all my PCF family.

Can't thank mitchell and walters enough for mothering me throughout this day.

[#10]

213
70kb american
vest ( only 12 lbs)
Thanks Heather. always great to workout with ya. Kara- great class as always thanks for helping and stressing form form form so much i need it.

[Mindy]

Ok #10...I am rewriting your post to say "12lb vest"...what's with the "only"???

[holly]

341

[Amelia]

It's great to be back in! I've missed you all more than you can know! And clearly lost my ability to read. Penner's get an 'F' for the day.

I used the 55# KB for the first round per the RX on the blog last night, then felt like a complete wuss cuz I moved down to the 35 (American) for the next two rounds.

Kerry used the 65# Db for his swings (again, per the RX posted last night) and couldn't figure out why no one else was.

Ya, it was posted on the board...

Bottom line..... some days we're just dumb as bricks!!! LOL!

[Jen D]

290++ (45# American swings)

Dips unmodified :)

[Lori]

287+(m)
+=American Swings
(m)=dips & 85# FS

GO JEN D!!!!!! Woot! Woot!

[JN]

215(m)
The prac guide march 2010 was a very powerful read!

[Franchise]

328

[runmelrun]

330++