Wisdom of the Ages

July 23, 2015

Hilary Achauer

Teenagers and masters take on the same events three days in a row, offering each other advice and consolation. 

For three days in a row, boys and girls aged 14 to 17 have tackled the same events as masters athletes whose ages span 40 to 65. First the teens complete the events, then the masters. 

These teens aren’t the surly, self-involved kids you’ll find hanging around the mall. They train hard, push themselves during events and cheer on their fellow competitors. 

They also offer words of wisdom to their elders. 

“(The masters) ask us about technique—like in (Triplet), how to hold the sandbag,” 14-year-old Tim Pearson said. In the event, both teenagers and masters carried sandbags ranging from 40 to 120 lb. during 50-m runs. Loads, reps and movements vary slightly from division to division. 

“Three people told me (the advice) really helped,” Tim said proudly. Tim is competing alongside his brother, 15-year-old Luke Pearson. 

Tim and Luke’s parents, Cheri and John Pearson, cheered wildly from the stands as their sons took on The Sandwich, the first event on Thursday. 

Luke won the event in the Teenage Boys 14-15 Division, and his brother came in fifth. It doesn’t always work out this way. Tim has finished ahead of his older brother in two of the six events held so far and sits in fifth overall. Luke is in second after Event 6.

“We’re polar opposites,” Tim said. “The stuff he’s good at, I’m bad at. But I like having someone to push me. It’s like a rabbit to chase.” 

The boys are two of eight children in the family—in which everyone does CrossFit. 

Their mom, Cheri, said she doesn’t care who wins each event. 

“It’s just amazing to see them hug afterward,” she said.

Sisters Celia (17) and Romy Gold (15) are also competing together—Celia in the 16-17 division and Romy in the 14-15 division. Both divisions performed The Sandwich at the same time, and Romy finished before her sister. After cheering on the rest of the girls in the 14-15 division, she looked over and saw her sister still working.

“C’mon Celia!” she yelled.

The two sisters are only 18 months apart in age. Romy said the best thing about competing with her sister is that Celia gives her the kind of support only a sister can provide. 

“I was so stressed before the competition,” Romy said. “The coaches were telling me what to do, but then (Celia) said, ‘You’ve got this.’” 

It was only then was she able to relax, Romy said. 

Like Tim, Romy also found herself in the unlikely position of offering advice to athletes old enough to be her parents.

“I told them when they needed to run slower and when to speed up,” Romy said of advice she gave to Elizabeth Warren before she took on yesterday’s Long Chipper in the Masters Women 40-44 Division. 

“I hope I’m like they are when I’m older,” Romy said. “I’ve never seen such fit people. They are jacked!”

Greg Clewis, age 60, is old enough to be Romy’s grandfather. He’s been impressed by the teenagers at the Games, he said.

“It’s a great group of kids,” Clewis said. “They are competitive, but they respect each other. I’ve never seen such sportsmanship.”

Warren watched the teenage girls take on The Sandwich before it was her turn, and she said she thought of Celia in the midst of 80 deadlifts.

 “I would have done worse if I hadn’t watched her,” Warren said. 

“(Romy) didn’t make it to the final, and neither did I,” Warren continued. “I’m OK with it. I have to go back to work (as a teacher).”  

Warren said Romy was having a harder time with the disappointment. 

“They are so hard on themselves,” Warren said of the teenagers. 

When Romy learned she wasn’t moving on, Warren said she hugged the young girl and reminded her she has three more years in the Teenage Division.

The teens might have workout strategies to share, but the older competitors have something to share as well, something only learned over time. Forty-year-old Warren called it “old-lady perspective,” but others might call it wisdom.

The Teen and Masters divisions crown their champions later this afternoon after the top athletes complete the final—Amanda. For complete standings and scores from all divisions, visit the Leaderboard.