I was a volunteer and worked ticketing. It wouldn't have been a complicated position had everything worked, but instead the scanners for the tickets had some issue each day of the weekend, and was a different problem each day. Even more so, I was the only one who had any idea of how to fix it, so I was spending at least an hour each day fixing the scanners.
More importantly though, this was my first CrossFit competition that I have been to, and it was absolutely incredible. The abilities of these athletes were amazing, but also inspiring. Beforehand, I have always had the drive to better myself as a person as well as an athlete and my fitness. After seeing this weekend, I am even more inspired to work hard and possibly achieve a level of fitness where I could be considered "one of the fittest in my region". I'm not sure if I could ever compete at the games, but being able to compete at regionals would be an incredible accomplishment as well as an incredible experience.
For me personally, the most amazing thing I saw was Elizabeth Akinwale on day 2. Day 2 comprised of 2 events, the 100's and the deadlift/box-jump. For the women, the 100's comprised of 100 Wall Balls (14lb to a 10ft target), 100 chest-to-bar pull-ups, 100 1 legged squats, and 100 dumbbell snatches at 50lbs. Elizabeth was the only women in the region to compete the workout, and after 13 regions' worth of women competing, there have only been 11 women to complete it, thus making it all the more impressive. What makes day 2 even more impressive is that after taxing the posterior chain all throughout the 100's workout, they then do 21-15-9 of deadlifts at 205lbs and box jump to a 24" box, a workout that is essentially all posterior chain. (Note: the above were the women's weights/heights) I think just completing that workout as a whole after having done the 100's is impressive, but she even set the event record by 12 seconds. That whole combination just blew me away.
If you want, you can see both of those events here:
http://games.crossfit.com/video/north-central-regional-live-footage-womens-event-5
http://games.crossfit.com/video/north-central-regional-live-footage-womens-event-4
All in all the weekend was incredible. I saw amazing feats of fitness, but even more so, I saw amazing examples of the CrossFit community. There were workouts were the last competitor in a heat was competing by himself for a little bit and all of the other competitors were right there cheering him/her on as well as the audience being the loudest for those last reps where the struggle was really seen. The best part about this community is that the audience knows what the competitors are going like, maybe not to the same extent, but they know what it feels like to be struggling for those last couple reps when you think you have nothing left.
Also, I got to take 4 amazing pictures.
This is with Dave Castro, the Director of the CrossFit Games.
This is with Rudy Nielsen, Owner and Head coach at Outlaw CrossFit in Alexandria, Va, as well as the programmer for The Outlaw Way, a competitive CrossFit programming. He is also the coach of Elizabeth Akinwale.
This is with Elizabeth Akinwale, the winner of the North Central regional. She is such a nice and sweet person, and I couldn't think of a better person to represent our region, both physically as well as her personality.
This is with Deborah Cordner Carson (to my right), and Stacie Tovar (to my left), who finished 3rd and 2nd respectively. They were also very sweet and were very willing to take pictures even after all the competing.
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