Never Enough: Angie and Alicia

April 4, 2012

Bree Donaldson

"Have you ever said, 'OK, that's it, I'm fit enough'? Not in CrossFit," Pye says.

Angie Pye in the 2011 CrossFit Games "Killer Kage" Event

 

Alicia Connors at the 2011 Canada West Regional

At the end of the Open, Angie Pye and Alicia Connors sit in 1st and 2nd, respectively in Canada West. They hope to be sitting in this same position on April 29 at the end of the Regional. “I want to see Angie and I as No. 1 and 2 when it is all done,” Connor says. “I want us both to go to California for the Games.”

Although both Connors, 22, and Pye, 36, did not fall out of the top 10 for any Open Workout, they do know anything can happen. “There are so many girls – Emily Beers, Heather Gillespie, Chelsea Miller and many others,” Pye says. “They are all amazing.”

Both athletes follow CrossFit.com programming. They also work with their coach focusing areas of improvement. “That is the thing that I love about CrossFit,” Pye says. “Just when you think you are awesome, you want to push yourself further. I mean, have you ever said, ‘OK, that's it, I'm fit enough’? Not in CrossFit.”

Both women have spent the last year on improving weaknesses. “I have been working on handstand walking, trying to dial that in.” Connor says. “I think I am scared of it, so I have been practicing.”

For Pye, she says she saw a need to improve on her gymnastics skills after the Games. “I had gaps in gymnastics last year. I have been working on that including L-sits,” she says. “I also have been working on running and improving my lifting technique.”

Connors and Pye try to workout together as often as possible. Pye says it helps to have competition in the gym everyday. “Humans are competitive,” Pye says. “That is the beauty of how Greg Glassman designed CrossFit.”  

Connors says working out next to Pye pushes her in every workout. “It is comforting to have that face that you know beside you in training or competition,” she says. “And Angie pushes me like nobody has ever pushed me.” 

With the Canada West Regional less than a month away, Pye and Connors have increased volume to peak for competition. “With competition in mind, I like to keep doing one WOD a day,” Pye says. “I do increase my supplemental work leading up to Regionals.”

Connors who earned 40th place at the CrossFit Games last year, says she has a game plan for Regionals and, hopefully, the Games – something she did not have in 2011. “For me as a competitor, I feel I have a great game plan,” she says. “Last year, I did not really have one and this year, I have planned out strength days, gymnastics work, running time and Olympic lifting days. I feel much more prepared.” 

Pye and Connors head into the Regional the top athletes in Canada West. We all know, though, anything can happen. “The Leaderboard can be tricky,” Pye says. “I try not to let it mess with my head. I know that at the end, when it is all over, I want Alicia and I to be standing on the podium together set to head off to the Games.”