Dave Castro announced that The CrossFit Games will be moving to Madison, Wisconsin this year. He also announced there will be a new masters category for 35-40 year olds. These announcements have stirred up the feels within lots of people’s souls, so I figured I would add my two cents to the fountain.

I am a California fan boy, having been born in this lovely state and never have had a reason to leave. So having the games in Carson definitely was a bonus. It was great to get see the venue expand within itself and see the set ups and the stadiums get busier and busier each year. Every year it got more and more crowded. HQ got more creative in how to use the space. While it may have been a little hot or extra sunny, you couldn’t really complain about much. The socal CrossFit community had it made, gyms planned on trips to Carson with members and it is a huge bonding event for gym communities. Getting to see the athletes from all the videos you’ve watched was amazing. Attending the games gives you a chance to see the grander community that is the CrossFit world and the vast breadth of people it has within it. It is cool seeing people come back from their first time at the games and hearing about it, it is similar to listening to a child who just came back from Disneyland.

I personally think that having the games travel to a new location and maybe becoming a traveling venue will be awesome for the CrossFit Community at large. Allowing new gyms and new groups of people to have the same chance to see the spectacle in full force in person and inspire a whole new generation of CrossFitters. As well, a new venue can easily mean new challenges for the athletes. At Carson, they still used the ocean, they stopped at a marine base to use the obstacle course, and several other off site events were made. Who knows what surprises Castro may have with new locations and new geographical options in his pocket?! I think that this change to the games is going to be one of the best things that could have happened!

Like I said before, not only is the location change happening… but now there is a new masters division for 35-40 year olds! I have seen lots of chatter and people talking about how they may have a chance to make it to the games now, because they will be in that bracket very soon!  I don’t mean to pop anyones balloon but it is still going to be extremely difficult to qualify for this division as this is a very competitive division! Not because you aren’t an extremely in shape old-ish… i mean… mature adult… rather you are going to have a difficult time qualifying because there are a lot of competitors that have been to the CrossFit Games and Regionals who are already in this category. This category appears to have been designed to bring back crowd favorites like Matt Chan, Chris Spealler, Lindsey Smith and many others who we haven’t seen at the Games in a few years.  I am not saying that it is impossible to qualify as a Masters in the 35-40 year old division.  However, if this is a division you would seriously like to compete in then talk to one of the coaches and start working on a plan to get yourself there!  It will take a lot of hard work and dedication but nothing is impossible!! 

So with all that said, remember. All this stuff we do is about being fit, having fun and being a part of an awesome community that many people don’t have these days. So attend a CrossFit Games BBQ party with your awesome friends and just keep training, training, training!!

-Coach P