"I told myself I wouldn't bitch and that I would just attack whatever the Open Workout is."
“My primary goal is to make it into the top 60 in our region,” CrossFit 417 owner, Jared Stevens says. “If I can do that, then I’ll worry about training for Regionals.”
If Stevens continues on his current path, he may want to start worrying now.
After four workouts, Stevens has found himself in the midst of not just the top 60, but the top 30 in the North Central Region. He finished 74th in 12.1 completing 124 burpees; 80th in 12.2 with 80 snatches; 116th in 12.3 with 10-plus rounds; and 26th in 12.4 when he completed 22 muscle ups. He now sits in 30th place.
As a former collegiate athlete, European Football League player, bodybuilder, and strength and conditioning coach, it is easy to see how Stevens could take to the CrossFit regime (check out his 365 pound clean). The program by its very nature is both mentally and physically challenging – two elements that work well with Stevens’ athletic background and help drive him toward his goal for the 2012 season.
Having been CrossFitting for less than a year, Stevens has drawn upon his experience as a coach and an athlete to help him prepare for whatever competition may bring. Although he admits to Leaderboarding, he hasn’t let the ever-changing names and numbers interfere with his training. He continues to work on lesser-known skills, such as ring handstand push-ups and handstand walks and shorter time domain workouts to ensure that he is fully prepared for whatever pops up in competition.
If it were up to him, 12.5 would be seven attempts on a one-rep max clean or require the athlete to throw some heavy weight around. However, when asked what he didn’t want to see in 12.5, he declined to answer.
“I told myself that I wouldn’t do that,” Stevens says. “I told myself that I wouldn’t bitch and that I would just attack whatever the Open Workout is. I’ve been very blessed. And I’ve just enjoyed being able to compete again. The Open is fun, and it’s exciting to see what is out there.”
The Open has been a good experience for Stevens, and if he maintains his current pace, the experience very well might trickle over into the CrossFit North Central Regional Competition.
