Have Fitness, Will Travel: Atlanta

February 26, 2014

Kevin Daigle

If you’re one of the lucky fitness fanatics in town for the announcement, you’ll need some information. Kevin Daigle's got you covered.

On Thursday, we’ll all be glued to our screens, tablets and phones awaiting the sentence … er … announcement of Open Workout 14.1. Hundreds of CrossFit athletes will descend on CrossFit North Atlanta in Georgia for the live event.

If you’re one of the lucky fitness fanatics in town for the announcement, you’ll need some information. A CrossFit athlete has to, well, CrossFit. You need to eat, and you’ll want to know what sights to see. Here’s some help from the Atlanta CrossFit community. You can thank me later.

Affiliates

The strength of the CrossFit community in Atlanta is almost overwhelming. Besides the host affiliate of the 14.1 announcement, CrossFit North Atlanta, there are more than 15 CrossFit affiliates within just a few miles of downtown. So there are more workouts than you can shake a barbell at.

Other boxes in the area include:

CrossFit East Decatur
CrossFit Atlanta
CrossFit RX
CrossFit Midtown
CrossFit Identity

You can find all the affiliates in and around Atlanta here.

Food

If fitness is the tie that binds us in CrossFit, food is the full Windsor knot in the tie. We all need love to eat. There are times to eat well and times to be a little adventurous. Atlanta has you covered either way.

Four-time Games competitor and self-proclaimed “unicorn,” Shana Alverson made two barbecue recommendations. If you’re looking to keep your nutrition (somewhat) in line, “Community Q is part of our extended CrossFit family. They know when they see the CrossFit East Decatur logo to hold the bread,” said Alverson, owner of CrossFit East Decatur.

Alverson also recommended Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q in Atlanta.

“A great place to eat clean is Urban Pl8, and not far from that is a good burger place called Yeah! Burger, which has awesome burgers, sweet potato fries (and) shakes,” said Mike Giardina, coach at CrossFit Atlanta and member of the CrossFit Level 1 Seminar Staff.

Giardina also recommended Mary Mac’s for authentic southern food.

Both places are close to CrossFit North Atlanta.

Things to do

Atlanta, incorporated in 1847, developed as a result of railroad expansion in the region. The city has a rich culture with lots to see and do.

Centennial Olympic Park was a central gathering place for the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996. The park is paved with approximately 500,000 commemorative engraved bricks, which were sold as a fundraiser for its construction.

Atlanta is the birthplace of mega-brand Coca-Cola. A visit to the World of Coca-Cola would be an interesting, albeit strange, experience for those concerned with nutrition.

If you’re looking for something a little more highbrow and cultured than soda pop to chase the announcement of Open Workout 14.1, the Atlanta Ballet, founded in 1929, is the oldest operating dance company in the U.S. The company performs in venues such as the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, and the historic and opulent Fox Theater.

If you’ll be in Atlanta for the big announcement on Thursday, stick around and check out what the city and its CrossFit affiliates have to offer.