He knows the names, the faces, the affiliate owners, the stats and the stories.
This is TJ Belger's second year as the MC for the NorCal Regional, and he couldn't be happier to be in the middle of all the action. "It's just fun! I get to yell and scream at people I've never met before," he says.
To Belger, it is the community aspect of CrossFit that accounts for everything that makes this event so special. Even though athletes are in a continual battle for position and placement, they interact and encourage one another. "They are competing side by side, but they push each other not just by being in the competition, but by saying to one another 'Go harder'," Belger says.
Belger also loves his perspective on the relationship between the judges and the athletes. He says that in the short time they spend together, he can see from just a look, or a word, what is happening in that relationship and what affect it is having on the athlete. He enjoys getting to watch this interaction and knows that it is something special he gets to experience from his spot on the field. What really grabs his attention is the very heavy weights and difficult tasks the athletes are required to do in each workout.
"Just try to lift 225 pounds, or clean it, see what it feels like. It's mind-boggling the weight that the athletes are moving, over and over again," he says.
Belger is the owner of TJ’s Gym, with three CrossFit affiliates scattered around the northern bay area. Like many CrossFit trainers, he had a long career in the fitness world before he came to CrossFit in 2008. With several affiliates to his name, hosting a throwdown or two every year, and his outgoing personality, Belger is the perfect choice for the voice of the NorCal Regional. This is his Region; he knows the names, the faces, the affiliate owners, the stats, and the stories.
The job doesn’t come without dangers though. Sunburn reared its ugly head early on in the weekend. “I’m like a tomato,” Belger laughs. “If you want to find me this next week, just follow the trail of scales I am going to peel off.”
For Belger, it really all comes down to being in the NorCal Region, where CrossFit got its start. He notes that there are many throwdowns and smaller competitions throughout the year, but nothing compares to Regionals.
"This is insane!" he says. "NorCal is a very intimate community, people laugh with each other, they hug each other, but they are all ready to compete. Design another WOD; throw it at us. We can take care of it."