Have Fitness, Will Travel: Miami

March 5, 2014

Kevin Daigle

Bring a beach towel and some shades.

Bring a beach towel and some shades.

Photo by Matt Bischel
 

Miami, Fla.—incorporated as a city on July 28, 1896 with a population of just more than 300.

The legendary proliferation of thong bikinis along South Beach makes for a compelling argument that CrossFit has done more good in Miami—aesthetically speaking—than in any other locale in the U.S. Because? Squats.

The live announcement of Open Workout 14.2 is at 5 p.m. PT this Thursday, March 6 in Miami Fla., hosted by I AM CrossFit. It’s Florida vs. the Fleur de lis with Floridian Talayna Fortunato against Quebec’s Camille Leblanc-Bazinet.

Bazinet and Fortunato took first and second place respectively on Fran in the final event at the 2012 Games; they were separated by only 1.5 seconds. Is this rematch foretelling of something? The only way to find out is to watch the live broadcast. Host Rory McKernan and Director of the CrossFit Games Dave Castro will be on hand to serve us the next challenge of the 2014 Open.

Weary travelers with shoulders as sore as Bruce Willis in a Die Hard movie from snatching and double-undering their way through 14.1 will need places to fuel up, rest up and throw down on 14.2 after the announcement. Bring a beach towel and some shades.

Affiliates

There’s no shortage of functional fitness in the magic city. There are more than 30 CrossFit affiliates in Miami and the surrounding area, including CrossFit A1A, where I assume hope they play nothing but Ice, Ice Baby on repeat during all their workouts.

Other boxes in the area include:
The CrossFit CUBE
Peak 360 CrossFit
CrossFit Miami Beach
BluePrint CrossFit
Caution CrossFit

You can find all the affiliates in and around Miami here.

Food

With a mix of Latin cultures, Miami is home to a wide variety of ethnic foods. If you’re recovering from 14.1, fueling up for 14.2 or looking to sample the Cubano, the choices could leave you overwhelmed like a fat kid at a Vegas buffet.

Swine, located in Coral Gables, is just a few miles from the 14.2 announcement venue, and will hook you up with some serious protein and fat.

Looking for rounds of ground beef instead? Check out ROK:BRGR in South Miami.

Amy Hopkins Presby, who trains at CrossFit Threshold said you can’t go wrong with “classic Cuban food at Versailles,” a local Miami landmark.

For a meal on the water, Presby suggested the raw bar at Monty’s Sunset in South Beach for “people watching, fun music and great seafood.”

If you’re looking to celebrate your world-beating score after 14.2 drops, hit La Carreta for an authentic Cuban experience.

“Can't come to Miami and not have Cuban food,” said Michael Osuna, co-founder of I AM CrossFit. “This place is a haven for old-school Cubans talking about the good ol’ days ... When the Heat win the championship, this is where everyone goes to bang on pots and pans.”

Osuna also recommends Wall’s Ice Cream to beat the heat.

Things to do

The warmth in Miami beckons you to get outside and see the sights.

According to Osuna, 7th street and Ocean Drive is the place to take in the warm water and barely-there butt-floss swimsuits Miami is infamous for. Walkable spots for drinks nearby include Wet Willies and The Clevelander.

If you’re looking to class things up a bit before leaving Miami, the Adrienne Arscht Center for Performing Arts is presenting the internationally acclaimed War Horse on Friday evening, March 5.

Other attractions include Zoo Miami and the Seaquarium.

After the big announcement, get out and experience the affiliates, the rich culture and warm weather. Bienvenido a Miami.