“No one likes to fall short of a goal ... I’m not sure what the future holds, but I’m sure this won’t be the end of it.”
For the past four years, Steve Pinkerton of CrossFit Vitality has focused solely on earning a spot to compete at the CrossFit Games.
He finished ninth at the 2011 Mid Atlantic Regional, and returned the following year to take fourth after a close competition with Brian Quinlan. In 2013, Pinkerton placed fifth at the regional, just three points behind third-place finisher, Jordan Troyan.
Pinkerton, 33, was preparing to meet his goal in 2014, but withdrew from competition prior to the Open to focus on his health.
“After battling ulcerative colitis for the past two years, I decided to take some time off from competing and let my body heal,” Pinkerton explained. “My doctor said I have a mild case, but if I don’t allow my colon to heal, I risk permanent damage and could possibly lose part of my colon.”
Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the large intestine and the rectum. It affects people of all ages, but most are diagnosed in their 20s and 30s. There are no definitive causes for ulcerative colitis, but Pinkerton’s doctor felt the physical stress of his training contributed to his symptoms.
“The worst periods of time have been February through May—or from the Open to regionals,” he said. For eight to nine months out of the year, my training volume is low. The remaining months are high volume and are spent preparing for the regional events.”
In mid-January, Pinkerton’s “annoying GI issues” returned and he finally heeded the advice of his doctors.
“The answer has always been simple in their eyes: stop competing. It’s not that simple to me,” Pinkerton said. “I love competing and I’m an all-or-nothing type of guy. I have to have a goal and I put all my effort into it. It’s tough to give up at this stage, but in the long run, it was the easiest, toughest decision I had to make.”
He was adamant that CrossFit did not contribute to his disease, and believes eating healthy, being disciplined and doing CrossFit, slowed the progression and helped him manage the disease.
Jason Baity, head coach at CrossFit Vitality, has been Pinkerton’s training partner for the last two years. He saw no signs the disease was affecting Pinkerton, but acknowledged Pinkerton was not one to complain.
A regional competitor himself, Baity understands the mental and physical toll training can take on a person, but knows Pinkerton will prevail.
“He trained through (the ulcerative colitis), but realized it wasn’t worth the sacrifice and it took the fun out of it for him,” Baity said. “I think Steve will take some time off and decide what to do. I don’t see him not competing. It’s hard for him to turn that off. Steve could go individual or possibly team in the future.”
Pinkerton has remained busy in order to take his mind off of the current competition season. Seeing the regional events announced made his decision to take a break a little easier.
“My fear was that I would take this season off and see workouts that I would excel at. Many of these workouts were not designed for a 6-foot-5, 240-lb. athlete. I don’t think my fellow regional competitors would’ve been worried about me,” Pinkerton laughed.
He did the Open workouts alongside his gym members without any stress or anxiety. Pinkerton has continued to train with Baity and coach him as Baity heads into the regional in 32nd place.
“It’s been fun training with Jason, and I can look at it from a coach’s perspective and see how I can help him to best prepare for regionals,” Pinkerton said.
In addition to helping Baity, Pinkerton has been able to focus on things he has neglected over the years.
“To be an individual competitor is a selfish decision because you have to prioritize your training over everything else,” he said. “I took a lot of time away from my business, my members and my family.”
Pinkerton has started taking on a small number of athletes for individual programming, a natural progression for an experienced coach and competitor.
“I’ve been a coach for so long. I see all the things I’ve done and I want to create something to give back and help others. It’s been fun for me,” Pinkerton explained.
Pinkerton’s biggest endeavor in his time off has been the building of his new facility. Due to open in spring of 2015, Pinkerton described the new CrossFit Vitality as “an all-inclusive space, a one-stop shop for anything fitness related.”
He plans to house a restaurant, chiropractic and massage services, children’s programs and retail space. Pinkerton said he could never have taken on such a project while competing, and is excited to see this dream come to fruition.
Even as he assumes new roles, Pinkerton said he feels a sense of balance returning in his life.
“I love training, that hasn’t changed,” he said. “Now I don’t do any doubles so I have time to jump in and work out with a class. I can’t remember the last time I could do that. I had ice cream with my wife recently. It’s been years since I’ve cheated on my diet.”
Pinkerton’s wife, Jessica, agreed her husband made the best decision for his health. She has welcomed the increased family time, along with his positive attitude toward his new projects.
“He’s still been training with Baity and helping him to strategize the regional workouts. I know it’s been hard on him to watch the live footage of the other regions and know that he will not be able to test himself this year,” Jessica said. “I also know he was relieved when the workouts were published and did not include many of his strengths.”
She added: “He’s had very positive distractions in planning the opening of a much larger Vitality next year and spending time with his two daughters.”
As Pinkerton reflects on the last four years, he has no regrets. As he contemplates the future, he rules out nothing.
“No one likes to fall short of a goal. I thought this was the sport for me, that I could outwork everyone else,” he said. “I’ve been able to learn a lot about myself. Competing was never about the spotlight. It was about how I responded physically and mentally. I’m not sure what the future holds, but I’m sure this won’t be the end of it.”
