"CrossFit is like simple math. If you put in the work you get the results. It's as certain as 2+2=4."
What do you do when you have a 51-year-old powerhouse who took 1st place in the 2011 Masters in Carson, Calif., who then places 1st in the 2012 Masters Open for 50-54, and performs well enough that her performances placed her equivalent of 35th in the Open for Individual competition? If you are HQ, you send her an invitation to the South West Regional.
Mary Beth Litsheim is not your average grandmother. Growing up with three brothers, she always had a love for fitness and sports. She even took part in body building in her 30s. Now, she is a P.E. teacher with her Level 1 Certificate, who teaches her students to workout, and writes grants to get kettlebells and jump ropes for the middle school students that she loves.
“CrossFit is like simple math," she says. "If you put in the work, you get the results. It’s as certain as two plus two equals four.”
She credits her coach, Chris Gizzi from Zone Ready for her progress and helping her get ready for the Open competition this year. She eats strict paleo and zone and is an unpaid advocate for AdvoCare. She even participated in their 24-day challenge to help get her ready for the Open.
Basically, Litsheim is a grandmother who could destroy many half her age on any workout, and give you a serious run for your money. She is a little bundle of energy who seems ready to explode into the next workout. Explode is exactly what she did in the Open, and well enough that she earned an invitation to the 2012 South West Regional.
She says her parents and family are a great support and love for her. As much as she loves her biological family, she has just as much love for her Crossfit Red family.
“They are the ones that push me each [workout] during training and cheer me on," she says. "I would do anything for them, even if they called me at 2:00 in the morning, and I know they would do the same for me.”
Don’t expect any trash talking from Litsheim. She is the first to admit that it’s just not in her. She does not view the competition as much as being about her against other people, as it is her and her fellow competitors against the insanity that comes in the workouts from HQ.
She has had some health challenges due to the fusion of L4 and L5, but it's the support and encouragement that has helped her perform as well as she has. Her favorite thing about CrossFit is the community. She has a particular love for her brothers and sisters at Crossfit Red, but loves the community feeling that spreads across the world.
“No matter where you go you have an immediate connection with someone that is involved with CrossFit," she says. "There is this fellowship that only comes in the midst of the fire.”
Her goal for Regionals is to finish all the workouts. She feels confident and knows that she has a big cheering section.
