“I could not believe it. When I really like something, I do it a lot. But to get invited to the Games—it’s unbelievable.”
Just six weeks before the 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games, Miwa Andrus, 40, received an invitation she wasn’t expecting. The mother of two boys, who finished 21st in the Masters Qualifier in the 40-44 Division, moved into the top 20 with a chance at something she had always dreamed about.
The spot opened when 13th-place qualifier Becky Conzelman vacated her position to compete with her team, BackCountry Black. The team finished second at the South West Regional, securing a bid for the Games.
“I could not believe it,” Andrus said. “When I really like something, I do it a lot. But to get invited to the Games—it’s unbelievable.”
Competitive Drive
Andrus, a former competitive swimmer, who moved to the United States from Japan in 2003, hasn’t worked with a coach for the past three years. She lives in Albany, New York, with her husband Brett Andrus and their 6- and 11-year-old sons. She trains where Brett coaches at CrossFit Aevitas and in their home gym.
On the second day of the Masters Qualifier in mid-April, Andrus couldn’t make it to the gym to complete Amanda—9-7-5 reps for time of muscle-ups and 95-lb. squat snatches—so her husband set up a camera and the equipment at home. Andrus did muscle-ups in the garage and squat snatches in the street, while a neighbor watched.
She finished in 7:28, a personal best, and landed in 15th place for the event. The finish was her best in the series of four events.
Andrus started the Qualifier with the 1-rep-max clean, and recorded a 192-lb. lift, which was good enough for 23rd place overall.
After completing Amanda, Andrus found a moment to visit CrossFit Aevitas that night. She finished in 33rd in Event 3, a three-round gauntlet of a 50-calorie row, 15 handstand push-ups and 50 double-unders. Andrus was comfortable with the handstand push-ups and double-unders, but was slowed by the rowing.
Andrus ended the Masters Qualifier with Event 4—100 pull-ups and 100 wall-ball shots, in 11:12 taking 66th place.
Finding CrossFit
In 2010, Andrus and her husband became members at Albany CrossFit. For two years, Andrus trained there while her husband coached. Motherhood made trips to the box more difficult, but that didn’t deter Andrus.
“I learned CrossFit movements from my husband first,” Andrus said.
But it didn’t take long for her to discover websites and videos that served as digital trainers. At home, the couple set up a lifting cage, pull-up bar, a rope and rings and a target for wall-ball shots. The on-site gym made it easy for Andrus to get her workouts done.
The World Stage
During a visit last year from Japan, Andrus’ mother learned quickly of her daughter’s love of CrossFit.
“I said to her, ‘Mom, during a workout I can’t talk. I will start my practice, so please don’t come inside the garage,’” she recounted. “My mom knows how much I like CrossFit.”
A competitive nature has been prevalent in Andrus since she was young.
“When I was a kid, I was a swimmer,” said Andrus, who started swimming in sixth grade and competed for 16 years. “I really, really wanted to go the Olympics. I trained and I trained.”
“World competition is my dream,” she added.
Andrus is enthusiastic about her first-ever CrossFit Games experience. She knows the events will be difficult and is excited to try everything. Since finding out she qualified, Andrus has continued to work on movements, added more skills and started eating cleaner.
With a shorter time than most to collect funds for the trip, the Andrus family received an outpouring of support from the CrossFit community in Albany.
“After I got the email from CrossFit HQ, I text my box owners, Karen and Chad (Southwick), that I made it to the Games,” Andrus said.
Without telling Andrus, Chad set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe.com. The goal to raise US$1,000 was set up on June 12, with CrossFit Aevitas pledging to match $0.50 to every dollar. The goal was met in a day. The stretch goal of $3,000 was also passed before the Games.
Members from CrossFit Aevitas and CrossFit Albany have raised money for both Andrus and her husband to travel to California.
“Everyone is so generous,” Andrus said, “I simply can’t believe it.”
Andrus is realistic about her prospects in Carson, but that won’t stop her from performing at her highest level for those who have helped her get there.
“There’s no chance for a win at the Games,” she said, “but I want to show them I can push myself to the limit.”
