Saturday, 08.06.11: My Games Experience

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Pat during Event #3

My Games Experience

Epic. If I had to explain this year's games experience in one word that would be it. Nothing I have done in past compares to the elite level of competition I experienced over the weekend. With Reebok coming in as the title sponsor for this year's games, it was obvious that they were determined to make this the best experience possible for every athlete and fan alike. The Home Depot Center was packed with fans cheering on their athletes and taking advantage of the surreal environment. The CrossFit staff went above and beyond to supply the athletes and fans with tests that were as challenging as they were fun to watch. The judges and volunteers made everything happen seamlessly. As big as the weekend was, it's still the same competition. It is still guys, girls, and teams giving everything they have, and putting years of training into a single weekend for the title of the "Fittest on Earth." That much has not changed since my first games experience in 2008, and I don't expect it to ever change. That is what I love about this sport. You can insert whatever big-name sponsor you want and put the jackpot up to the hundreds of thousands of dollars and you will still have the same determined athletes and fans coming together to celebrate the strength of the human body. The profoundness of the weekend can only be understood by those who are (CrossFit).

My favorite workout from the weekend was the clean and jerk/rope climb workout. I only placed 14th in the event, but it was a seriously fun workout. I will probably do that workout again in the near future to see if I can best my time. Without a doubt, the most challenging and my least favorite workout was the ocean swim/beach run workout. Not only did it involve swimming, which I find myself particularly insufficient at, but it was my worst placing event at 32nd place. It was a deficit that was extremely challenging to overcome for the rest of the weekend.

Walking away from the weekend, I believe more than ever that the sport of CrossFit will continue to grow. Believers will continue to believe and onlookers will become converts. CrossFit is legit. It is not just a bunch of hard bodies pumping weights and exercising, it is a celebration of the strength of the human body and mind. Our community is a fearless group of people that should not be underestimated. CrossFitters will continue to challenge the status quo and push the limits what is thought possible.

I am extremely grateful for the support of my friends and family. I could not have asked for a greater community of people to share this ride with. I plan to compete as long as I am able, so look for me again in 2012. Hopefully next year I will be competing with some of you at Regionals! You can bet one thing though; I am going to put open-water swim training into next year's game plan!

Thanks again for being such great friends and supporters of CrossFit.

Stay strong,

Pat Burke