“I didn't know if top three was within my reach this year. ... When the realization set in that now I would be competing in the CrossFit Games, it initially scared me a lot. But as I am training for it the scary feeling is turning into excitement!”
Rachel Martinez is headed to Carson, California, for her first time competing as an individual.
After helping the CrossFit New England team to a second-place finish at the 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games, Martinez took a chance going solo.
A former collegiate gymnast, Martinez reveled in the high-skill programming of the 2014 regionals. Her weekend started off well. She placed fifth in Event 1 with a successful 155-lb. hang snatch, and went on to win Event 2, the max-distance handstand walk with a distance of 375 feet—a tie for the third-longest distance across all regionals.
She ripped her hands on the first muscle-up of Nasty Girls V2, but her efficacy on the pistols and hang power cleans was enough to guarantee a third-place finish in the event and a tie for first place overall at the end of Day 1.
She followed that up with solid performances on Day 2, fifth- and third-place finishes to tie for second place overall, just 1 point away from first.
With Day 3 came punishing heat at the outdoor competition floor in the North East, and Event 6, also known as the 50s chipper—an event loaded with some of Martinez’s biggest weaknesses.
“I knew that it wouldn’t be a great one for me, but it went even worse than I thought. It was really hot out there,” Martinez said. “Those types of workouts get really tough for me and wall balls are one of my weakest movements. I had done a little better in training, so I just did what I could and tried not to look around too much.”
Ben Bergeron, owner and head coach at CrossFit New England, had been programming permutations of wall-ball shots and rowing for months ahead of regionals.
“We knew that was going to be the event she’d struggle with the most,” Bergeron said. “The plan was to pace until the ring dips and then try to pick it up. But with the heat on the floor and the tough time she had on the wall balls, there wasn't enough time, and she didn't have the energy to pick up the pace.”
Martinez finished the event tied in 20th place, her only finish outside of the top five for the weekend. She was still in third place overall, 6 points ahead of fourth.
The last event—64 pull-ups and 8 heavy overhead squats—was in her wheelhouse.
“It was a good workout for me, but I knew if I went out too hard, something could go wrong,” Martinez said. “I’d seen it in the past regions. So Ben said to stay at about 85 to 90 percent and I could still probably stay ahead.”
There were three former gymnasts in the last heat: Martinez, Rachel Goldberg and Jessa Lemoine. They all flew through the pull-ups.
Lemoine pulled ahead on the overhead squats and won the event, with Martinez 10 seconds behind. The second-place finish in the event was enough to clinch Martinez’s third-place finish overall for the weekend.
“I didn't know if top three was within my reach this year,” Martinez said. “I knew it would be close but I hadn't looked past regionals when I was training for it. To finish third was incredible and when the realization set in that now I would be competing in the CrossFit Games, it initially scared me a lot. But as I am training for it the scary feeling is turning into excitement!”
As soon as her ticket to Carson had been punched, she knew her training was about to change dramatically.
“The big joke is that I’m really good in the gym, but get me outside, like hiking and swimming and all that, and it’s not really my element,” Martinez said. "So Ben and Heather (Bergeron) are going to lock me out of the gym for the next month.”
Bergeron has turned the joke into reality.
“She’s not allowed in the gym anymore,” Bergeron said. “Well, that's not completely true, but we are trying to get her outside—a lot. She is swimming every day. She does a track workout twice a week and we go to a hill or mountain every other week. She is also getting to train with a bunch of other Games athletes. James Hobart is a member of our gym and she swims with him a bunch. Michele Letendre, Chris Spealler, Becca Voigt, Mat Fraser and Jordan Troyan have all been part of our training sessions.”
The former team athlete thrives in an environment with camaraderie and other athletes to challenge her.
“We did hill sprints and other workouts on the mountain that made us push each other and get very uncomfortable together,” Martinez said. “This whole experience so far has been amazing.”
And while most of her training has been taking place outside of her comfort zone, she recognizes that is exactly what she needs.
“As hard as training has been, it's also been a lot of fun,” Martinez said. “I like barbells and doing pull-ups and those types of things, but I know that I need to get out of the gym and do the things I’m not so comfortable with. Ben is having me do just that. I am also doing more volume and just getting used to working out a little tired and sore.”
While Martinez would love for high-skill challenges to show up at the Games, she is not spending too much time speculating on what kinds of events will come up.
“I don't like playing the guessing game at workouts,” she explained. “It stresses me out when I do that and, to be honest, no one ever guesses it right. … All I prepare for is knowing it will be tough and uncomfortable—very uncomfortable. If you know it's going to hurt and be hard, you are not surprised when that happens. At that point, it's just about managing it.”
Since Martinez has moved to Massachusetts to train and coach at CrossFit New England, she and Bergeron have developed a great relationship.
“Rachel is very easy to coach,” Bergeron said. “She is grateful, humble, honest, dedicated and has strong core values that benefit her as an athlete. I feel like she has become my little sister. I am incredibly proud and protective of her.”
His directives for her at the Games are simple.
“Have fun. Stay present. Take one event at a time,” Bergeron said. “Stay focused on the things she can control. Give everything she has to every event.”
Martinez is planning on doing just that.
“I already know it will be tough and there will be many things that come up that I may struggle with,” Martinez said. “I just want to enjoy it and have no regrets or thoughts that I should have pushed harder. If I do that for each workout, I will be happy with any outcome.”
