"I may not make it to the Games this year, but before I turn 100, I will make it to the Games--and not as a spectator," Christine Stapleton said.
Unlike years past where the top 20 masters athletes worldwide in each age division automatically qualified for the CrossFit Games, the top 200 masters in each age division must complete four additional workouts in the first-ever Masters Qualifier.
On April 17, four workouts will be released and competitors will have until 5 p.m. PT on Monday, April 21 to complete them and submit their scores. From there, masters athletes will have a total of five scores tabulated to determine their ranking in the Open competition: four scores from the additional workouts and one score based on their finish in the Open. Finally, the top 20 Masters athletes in each division will be invited to compete at the 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games.
Several masters athletes in the South East Region said they are ready for whatever CrossFit throws their way. They are using these final days to physically and mentally prepare for round two on the road to the Games.
Kerrie Napoli, 46, said she has been working all year for this time to come. Last year, she finished the Open on the cusp of the top 20 worldwide, claiming 26th place. This year, she finished 15th in the world and said she secretly wishes the competition was like past years.
“Last year, being six spots away from going to the Games, I kind of accepted it and moved on,” she said. “But now, being in 15th place, it’s a little tough knowing that if it was this time last year, I would be going to the Games.”
Napoli said she doesn’t try to take it too seriously, though.
“If I take it too seriously ... it becomes a job, and I already have one of those,” said the vice president of marketing and developing for Formula Construction Group.
“I am also not a complainer, and I will do each workout during the Qualifier, and give it my all,” Napoli added. “I take one workout at a time and try not to see it as a competition against anyone else but myself.”
To ensure she maintains her top-20 position during the Qualifier, Napoli said she is focusing on one thing: staying healthy.
“Not much has changed for me (going into the Qualifier),” she said. “I train three days on, one day off, make sure I am taking my vitamins and see my chiropractor weekly, who is a saving grace. I have some back and shoulder issues, but I’m learning to mobilize, ice and rest. I listen to my body and will not over do. To me, at 46 years old, injury comes more often.”
Dave Newman, 119th in the 45-49 Division, agreed with Napoli’s training plan. He said he is not changing anything about his training, which has allowed him to get this far in the competition.
“My specific training in light of the Qualifier has not changed from what I’ve been doing all year long,” he said. “I am happy to have made it within the top 200. Being among this top 4 percent of competitors my age is all right by me. I must be doing something that’s working.”
Newman, 48, has trained primarily out of his own garage gym for the past six years. He works out a total of five days per week and follows CrossFit EnFuego programming, adding in a bit of his own “thrashing,” such as rowing, prowler work, running with sandbags, and a lot of burpee box jumps for cash outs.
Newman said no matter where he ends up in the Qualifier, he is satisfied.
“I am just happy to make this round. I was never a star athlete growing up, so to be competing alongside others like this is awesome,” he said. “Going into the new Qualifier round is pretty exciting. And while I have no expectations of making the top 20, I guess you never know.”
Nina Ortiz, 40, said growing up, she was never the best athlete on sports teams. CrossFit has helped her find her athletic potential.
“I am amazed that I am still improving every day,” Ortiz said. “I feel younger now than I did when I was 20.”
Finishing 66th in the world during her second year competing as a master in the 40-44 age division, Ortiz said more than anything, she is celebrating her personal successes regardless of how she places in the Qualifier.
“When I started CrossFit, all I wanted was unbroken ring muscle-ups and a 300-lb. deadlift,” she recalled. “Last month, I was able to do five unbroken ring muscle-ups and a 305 deadlift. I can't believe that I am 40, and I feel stronger than ever.”
Ortiz’s secrets for getting stronger and finishing within the top tier of masters competitors include eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, training five days per week at her box and one day per week with her three children at a taekwondo gym, and focusing on perfecting her Olympic lifting technique.
“Top 200 in the world—that is crazy awesome,” she said. “It is so inspiring to see so many badass masters out there. I love it. I can't believe I can keep up with them.”
Ami Wight is one of those fellow badass masters. This 40-year-old veteran individual regional competitor finished sixth in the in the 40-44 Masters Division.
As the director of operations at Omni Fitness in Gulf Breeze, Fla., she is dedicated to her training. You can find her working out around her work schedule first at 3:30 a.m. and then again at 1:30 p.m. Wight also said she is in bed by 9 p.m. most nights and sticks to an anti-inflammatory diet.
“I am stunned, shocked, bewildered that I finished first in my region. I start laughing when I think about it,” she said. “It's unreal that a hack like myself, who does most things the hard way because I am still so mechanically inefficient, has hung in with this roster of legit athletes. I feel like an impostor. It’s exciting.”
First-place finisher in the world in the 50-54 Masters Division, Brig Edwards, has a different point of view about being in the top 200.
“It’s funny to think about being excited for the next round of beatings,” he said. “I have congratulated other friends for making the top 200 by telling them their reward for doing so well is some more punishment beginning April 17.”
Edwards, 52, is a veteran competitor. He originally discovered CrossFit in 2003 and has been competing since sectionals in 2010, where he finished 56th out of 150 “younger guys.”
He entered the first Open competition in 2011, finishing 26th worldwide among men aged 45-49. He continued the following two years to qualify for the Games, where he finished second in 2012 and third in 2013 in the 50-54 Division.
Edwards said no matter how much experience he has had competing he still gets nervous.
“Honestly, I have always found the Open to be more nerve-racking than competing at the Games,” he said. “The Open has always been the stressful part, and the Games has been the fun part of the process. With another Qualifier, I am sure I will not sleep Thursday night after hearing the workouts.”
Edwards also said the new Qualifier is throwing his typical game plan he keeps during the Open out the window.
“With the Open, I have always done the workout the day after the announcement so I could relax and sleep at night the rest of the week. With the new format, I don’t think that is going to work because I would have to do all four workouts in one day. I am sure my anxiety level will be high the entire weekend,” Edwards said.
To prepare himself for the competition, Edwards is not taking anything lightly.
“I have hit it hard this week, and then I will back down the volume next week (before April 17),” he said. “I typically do some strength work on Monday and Tuesday, along with a workout, and the other days of the week I do multiple smaller workouts and varying intensities. Thursday and Sunday are my rest days.”
To help him mentally with his training, Edwards has a banner with his favorite saying printed on it: “You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.”
“I still have a difficult time believing that at 52, I am in the best shape of my life,” he said. “I am still setting PRs, and I am getting older. I did not think that was supposed to happen. I am hoping I can continue to get better for years to come.”
Christine Stapleton, 72nd in the world, attests to Edwards’ favorite motto.
“I started competing in CrossFit at age 52 back in 2012, and I am holding onto my goal,” Stapleton said. “I may not make it to the Games this year, but before I turn 100, I will make it to the Games—and not as a spectator!”
With her goal in mind, Stapleton, 55, is focusing on the three things she knows she can control: training, nutrition and sleep.
“At this point, my coach says there isn’t much I can do in two weeks to get any stronger so, I am focusing on my goats—weakest exercises—coupled with intense (metabolic conditioning),” she said. “As for nutrition, I finally broke down and ordered a paleo meal delivery service for the next two weeks with extra protein to make sure I get plenty of good nutrition. Sleep is the final frontier in my pre-competition training. One night a week, I will sleep until I wake up without an alarm clock, often a good 11 to 12 hours.”
Stapleton said she is looking forward to the Masters Qualifier.
“I like the concept of having (a) Qualifier,” she said. “Too often judges ‘bro-rep’ masters athletes because they feel sorry for us. The ‘bro-reps’ are not fair to masters athletes who really can meet the standards.”
She is hoping to see more challenging movements during the Qualifier, such as rope climbs, kettlebell snatches and GHD sit-ups.
“Bring it!” Stapleton said.
