Regional Report: Central East Athletes Never Disappoint

May 8, 2012

Jessica Sieff, Cindy Young and Josh Bunch

Rich Froning reminded everyone why he's the current champion after setting a new world record on Event 2.

As the athletes within the Central East return to the workout floor for their final workout of the day they are treated to their very own reflection staring back at them. After all, it's not everyday that you're treated to a big screen with your face on it for the thousands in attendance to see, let alone the little ESPN 3 emblem in the corner of that local broadcast signifying, your “live” to the world.

 
Even with all the hype, all the backstage shenanigans and all the coordination, Central East athletes take the floor as if they walked through the doors of their daily training grounds. The look of the Central East seems to say that they are aware of the eyes, and they don’t care, they came to CrossFit.
 
Team
 
Just over three minutes after Teams began Workout 2, athletes peel off the first of three components- a 1000m row. Athletes were reminded that balance is one of the ten components CrossFit expresses as a much needed fitness trait. As some athletes bounce aimlessly, others, like Daniel Barnett of CrossFit Louisville East, chew gum and rise gracefully.
 
But there’s nothing graceful about 15 hang power cleans and athletes here in the Central East, like many before them, struggled with the weight. This workout was a cocktail of challenges; endurance, core strength and pure power. At 225lb. for men and 135lb. for women, that final component drew a line in the sand even between teammates themselves. “CrossFit challenged us and made us prove ourselves,” said Mike Lassak of CrossFit Future. Lassak PR’d his hang power clean by more than 40 pounds in the past two weeks.
 
“Hang power clean weight was a personal record for a lot of people,” he said. At the end of Event 2,CrossFit Future sits at 26th overall.
 
However, backing up what they said they would do, CrossFit SPC not only took their second 1st place finish of the day – they dominated Event 2 and snagged a new world record – crushing the previous time of 17:21 by Hack’s Pack UTE of the South West Region with 16:58. “That was the one we wanted to get,” said SPC’s Julianne Broadbent.
 
Event 2
1. SPC CrossFit (16:58)
2. CrossFit Naptown (18:06)
3. CrossFit Faction (18:11)
 
Overall Standings
1. SPC CrossFit (16:58)
2. CrossFit Naptown (18:06)
3. CrossFit Faction (18:11)
 
Women
 
In the first heat of individual women’s competition, nine out of 10 women heard the worst sound a CrossFit competitor could hear when competing – a horn telling them to stop. A loud frightening howl that goes against the very nature of a CrossFit competitor making them quit, before they finish.
 
Many female competitors met their nemesis at the Ohio Expo Center with the 135lb. hang clean. Others, like Osborn, and Welch welcome the chance for redemption overcoming their long and lean physiques not tailored for handstand push-ups, now during Workout 2, using their weight to an advantage.
 
Caitlin Mills – the only female competitor to make it to the mat in Heat 1, left Event 2 behind with confidence and in Mills’ case, a time of 16:30. Kristen Etherly took Heat 2 with 15:44. “It wasn’t as taxing as I thought it would be,” Etherly said, smiling wide.
 
While some athletes look for a movement they can finally dominate, others, like Foucher and Smith simply address yet another weapon in their arsenal. Foucher finished her 10th hang clean, just as Smith joined her on the bar for her first rep. Smith, with two breaks out of 30 reps, sprinted past Foucher besting her by three full seconds claiming first in Women's Event 2.
 
Just like their male counterparts, the strongest and fastest, first and second to finish, do not leave the floor to recover, they enter the competition to coach. Foucher on Osborn, Smith on Kinney leaving no one to complete workout 2 alone.
 
Kinney said she expected a better time but she’s not dwelling on it. “Coming from a PR last year of 165 to this year as 190, I couldn’t have asked for more,” she says.
 
Barber struggled against more than just the weight. “Just happy to be back,” Barber says. 
 
Barber broke her back last year during the third workout of the 2011 Open.
Falling slightly behind, as she pushed herself through the cleans, it was Barber’s judge who got her to the mat. “You’re going to be third!” the judge yelled. “Pick up the bar!”
 
Still it was Smith who walked away with the top spot at the end of the event. “I’m happy,” she says. “Recover, take care of my body, rest, they are in competition mode. Even though today is over, the nervousness goes away when you’re in it. It’s not over until it’s over,” she says about going into Day 2.
 
Event 2
1. Lindsey Smith (12:31)
2. Julie Foucher (12:34)
3. Lindy Barber (13:03)
 
Overall Standings
1. Julie Foucher
2. Lindsey Smith
3. Lindy Barber
 
Men
 
Before the dew burnt off Bailey’s world record Diane, the men of the Central East adjusted to accommodate a 225lb hang clean, a weight they were only previously required to deadlift, a weight previously that was trouble for no one now rattles even the hardest hearts, including Bailey.
 
With rowing as an appetizer, cleans become the main course. Athletes like Travis Page, Joe Degain, and Anthony Shefferly failed to complete the entire workout. Mitch Lyons of CrossFit Troy said he would rather have had “more pistols, less cleans.” 
 
Lyons form was strong as he moved into the pistols shortly after Dane Youtz approached the bar. But Lyons couldn’t finish the final component of the workout. It’s a long shadow cast over the athlete who says he plans to rest up tonight before Event 4.
 
Youtz, of CrossFit New Albany, took the top spot in the second heat of the workout – but not before a step in the wrong direction. Literally. Youtz ran in the opposite direction after completing 30 hang power cleans and had to be instructed to turn back. He ran toward the crowd he credits with so much support for a time of 13:07. “CrossFit New Albany has so much support here and within the community, they help me train. It definitely wasn’t a solo effort. I’m happy to be here. These events just keep getting better. I’m glad to be done so I can go home and get some sleep for tomorrow,” he says.
 
Going into the final heat of the final workout of the first day of Regional competition, the stands at the Ohio Expo Center emptied – the spectators were on their feet and crowding center stage. 
 
Rich Froning may have let Dan Bailey pull a world record in the first workout but as he moved into the cleans, he reminded everyone why he’s the current champion. Froning finished 1st in Workout 2 with Matt Chan watching close. The same Matt Chan who held the previous world record in Workout 2, set just six days ago, with a time of 12:04. Froning pulled the new world record time of 11:28, with 2010 CrossFit Games champion Graham Holmberg on his heels finishing 2nd.  “I wasn’t really worried about it,” Froning said, even as two athletes got ahead of him on the row. “I was always aware of where the other guys were.”
 
Men
Event 2
1. Rich Froning (11:28)
2. Graham Holmberg (12:11)
3. Marcus Hendren (12:31)
 
Overall
1. Dan Bailey
2. Rich Froning
3. Graham Holmberg
 
As the rowers went up and the bars were rolled away, spectators left the Ohio Expo Center knowing full well they’re going to have a hell of a show to watch this weekend.