Angela Hudson has kids ages 19, 16, 3 and almost 2.
Photos courtesy of Luke Walker.
With Open Workout 14.1 finished and scores finalized, a new name sits with the CrossFit veterans at the top of the Leaderboard.
Angela Hudson, a 39-year-old mother of four, posted the second-best score in the Australia Region for the 10-minute AMRAP of snatches and double-unders. Her score of 403 was only bettered by two-time regional champion Kara Webb (431).
Hudson completed the workout twice, calling her first effort a warm-up where she completed 393 reps.
“The second time I hit the workout, I knew where I was going,” she said. “I went unbroken almost the whole way and only broke for the last two rounds and the double-unders were mostly unbroken, too. Even with the best of intentions to go unbroken, you fatigue and things happen.”
When the workout was released on February 27, Hudson set herself a goal of completing eight full rounds.
In both attempts, she came within reps of finishing nine rounds—well and truly smashing her goal.
“As long as I’m relaxed and hold a pace, that’s the most important thing for me—to find and hold that pace,” she said. “And you just go. I can’t actually be thinking about those things, it’s more subconscious for me.”
Like many athletes in the Open, Hudson had a clear plan for 14.1 and made sure everything was “spot on” when she completed the workout for a second time on Saturday.
“I did 31 or 32 double-unders most rounds just so no one could say I was short,” she said. “Snatch is pretty easy to count but I wanted to be certain.”
Hudson’s husband, Joel, credits his wife’s work ethic and commitment for her result.
“She gets up at 3:30 a.m. every day for a 4-a.m. workout before coming home to do mum stuff,” he said. “It’s absolutely unreal.”
CrossFit is a huge part of Hudson’s life, and when she isn’t training she’s coaching at her own affiliate, CrossFit Never Say Never in Newcastle, Australia.
She runs the box with Joel. The mother admitted she wouldn’t be able to do it alone.
“I am so grateful for the support from the CrossFit community and my family,” she said. “I couldn’t do it without them.”
“Joel often sacrifices his training so I get mine in and my two older kids are a big help, too,” she added.
Hudson has kids ages 19, 16, 3 and almost 2.
Only through the support of her husband has she been able to work toward her goal of reaching the elite level in CrossFit.
“Six months ago Joel was looking at different scores and we realized I could make it in masters,” she said. “My times are similar to those at the lower end and we looked at it and I would have sat around 17th to 19th and Joel said, ‘You could have made it.’”
Since then, the two have put a training program in place designed to get Hudson to the level needed to compete at the CrossFit Games, either as an individual or as a master in the near future.
“We’ve got a plan in place for gymnastics, and I’m not great at technical movements because I lack coordination,” Hudson said.
“After the Open, I’ll be dropping the weights back and working on technique,” she added.
As part of her ramped-up training, Hudson also competed in a number of local and online competitions in the lead up to the Open, to prepare both physically and mentally.
Double-unders are one of the skills Hudson excelled in over the past few months, so 14.1 was right in her wheelhouse.
“I got 280 reps in three minutes and 172 unbroken,” she said.
But despite Hudson’s hard work and video-backed results, there were some who still questioned her legitimacy in 14.1.
“There were a few people who know me and should have known better, and that peeved me off a bit, but I try not to let it get to me,” Hudson said.
“At the end of the day, I come home to the kids and my day goes on. If that’s what they’ve got to complain about then they should probably get a life,” she said.
On the flipside however, there has been plenty of positive feedback since her score went public on the Leaderboard, including messages of support from some of the region’s top female athletes.
“Amanda Allen and Vicki Webber sent me congratulations messages,” Hudson said. “Overall, the support from the community has been great.”
Since the scores went up for 14.1, Hudson has received a lot of attention on social media, and also picked up two new sponsors: ASN Hamilton and Box Wear.
With 14.2 just around the corner, Hudson will go into the workout more focused than ever.
“I’ll utilize every minute and second given to me and try to step it up a notch. I just want to do the very best I can,” she said. “I’ll be working on not breaking on gymnastics movements and taking as few rests as possible.”
And in terms of what movements she’s hoping for in the next workout?
“Deadlifts and burpee box jumps!”
