My husband Dave and I opened CrossCut CrossFit in Hayward, Wisconsin in 2012. It was a major lifestyle change after a 35-year career as a journalist at a large metropolitan daily newspaper. I was 60 when I first walked into a CrossFit box to earn my CF-L1. My introductory workout was “Fran,” a terrorizing choice for one who’d never done a pull up or a thruster. I might have bailed, had it not been for the encouragement of legendary CrossFit Games athlete Chris Spealler, one of our trainers. CrossFit is not about the Games, he told me. CrossFit is about health, fitness and longevity. I've needed to remind myself of that when I struggle to decide whether to sign up for the Open each year. Like most CrossFitters, I'd prefer to be closer to the top of the leaderboard than the bottom. But now I’m 67, seven years older than the youngest in my age category. Many RX movements remain out of reach for me now and likely forever. Three years ago, I was diagnosed with Miyoshi Myopathy, a muscular dystrophy that is slowly and progressively atrophying my leg muscles. I’ve likely had it for 20 years or more, and the diagnosis finally explained why movements that required power from the ground, such as like running, jump roping, wall balls, and more seemed unusually challenging for me. Now I work to find the delicate balance between building muscle where I’m able while not overly taxing my already compromised muscles. Unlike healthy muscle, they won’t rebuild when torn down, and are easily fatigued. So why bother participating in the Open? Because, thanks to CrossFit and the fitness I've gained over the past seven years, I still can.
Open
| Year | Rank Worldwide | Rank by Region | Rank By Country | Rank By Affiliate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1090th Women (60+) | – – | 814th Women (60+) United States | – – | ||||
| 2018 | 1222nd Women (60+) | 125th Women (60+) North Central | 955th Women (60+) United States | – – | ||||
| 2016 | 685th Women (60+) | 67th Women (60+) North Central | – – | – – | ||||
| 2015 | 387th Women (60+) | 43rd Women (60+) North Central | – – | – – | ||||
| 2014 | 147th Women (60+) | 13th Women (60+) North Central | – – | – – | ||||
| 2013 | 167th Women (60+) | 17th Women (60+) North Central | – – | – – | ||||
Age Group Quarterfinal
| Year | Rank Worldwide | |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 166th Women (60+) | |
Benchmark Stats
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1RM Back Squat -- 1RM Bench Press -- 1RM Clean & Jerk -- 1RM Deadlift -- 1RM Front Squat -- 1RM Hang Power Clean -- 1RM Hang Power Snatch -- 1RM Hang Squat Clean -- 1RM Hang Squat Snatch -- 1RM Overhead Squat -- 1RM Power Clean -- 1RM Power Snatch -- 1RM Push Jerk -- 1RM Push Press -- 1RM Shoulder Press -- 1RM Split Jerk -- 1RM Squat Clean -- 1RM Squat Snatch -- 1RM Thruster -- 1RM Weighted Pull-up -- 30 Muscle-ups For Time -- 3RM Back Squat -- 3RM Deadlift -- 3RM Front Squat -- 5RM Back Squat -- 5RM Deadlift -- 5RM Front Squat -- Abbate -- Adrian -- Alexander -- Amanda -- Andi -- Andy -- Angie -- Annie -- Arnie -- Artie -- Badger -- Barbara -- Barbara Ann -- Barraza -- Bell -- Bert -- Bike 50 Cal -- Blake -- Bradley -- Bradshaw -- Brenton -- Brian -- Bulger -- Bull -- Cameron -- Candy -- Carse -- CHAD1000x -- Chelsea -- Cindy -- Coe -- Coffland -- CrossFit Total -- Dallas 5 -- Daniel -- Danny -- Del -- DG -- Diane -- Donny -- Dork -- DT -- Elizabeth -- Ellen -- Emily -- Eva -- Eva Strong -- Falkel -- -
Fight Gone Bad -- Filthy 50 -- Fran -- Freestyle Diane -- Gator -- GHD Annie -- Glen -- Grace -- Grettel -- Griff -- Gwen -- Hall -- Hansen -- Harper -- Havana -- Heavy Grace -- Helen -- Helton -- Hildy -- Holbrook -- Holleyman -- Hoover -- Hope -- Hortman -- Hotshots 19 -- Ingrid -- Isabel -- Jack -- Jackie -- Jennifer -- Jenny -- Jerry -- Jorge -- Josh -- Josie -- JT -- Karen -- Kelly -- Kelly Brown -- Kerrie -- Klepto -- L1 Benchmark -- Ladder Nancy -- Lane -- Laura -- Linda -- Loredo -- Luke -- Lumberjack 20 -- Lyla -- Lynne -- Maggie -- Manion -- Marco -- Marguerita -- Marston -- Martin -- Mary -- Maupin -- Max Bar Muscle-ups -- Max Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups -- Max Double-Unders -- Max Handstand Hold (Free) -- Max Handstand Hold (Wall) -- Max Handstand Push-ups -- Max Handstand Push-ups (Strict) -- Max L-Sit Hold -- Max Muscle-ups -- Max Muscle-ups (Strict) -- Max Pull-ups -- Max Pull-ups (Strict) -- Max Toes-to-Bar -- Maxton -- McGhee -- Michael -- -
Moore -- Morrison -- Mr. Joshua -- Murph -- Nancy -- Nasty Girls -- Nasty Girls V2 -- Nate -- Nicole -- Nutts -- Omar -- Partner Kelly -- Paul Pena -- Peyton -- Pheezy -- Power Amanda -- Rahoi -- Randy -- Rankel -- René -- Rich -- Riley -- Row 1000m -- Row 100m -- Row 2000m -- Row 250m -- Row 3000m -- Row 500m -- Row 5K -- Roy -- Run 1 Mile -- Run 100m -- Run 10K -- Run 2 Miles -- Run 200m -- Run 400m -- Run 5k -- Run 800m -- Run Row Run Rx -- Run Row Run Scaled -- Run Row Run Sprint -- Ryan -- Schmalls -- Scotty -- Sham -- Ship -- Sisson -- Small -- Strict Elizabeth -- T.U.P. -- Tabata Something Else -- Tabata This! -- The Chief -- The Don -- The Ghost -- The Lyon -- The Other Total -- The Seven -- Thompson -- Time Priority Angie -- Timothy Helton -- TK -- Tommy V -- Topsy -- Twelve Days of Christmas -- Tyler -- Viola -- Wes -- White -- Whitten -- Wilmot -- Wittman -- Wood -- Zeus -- Zimmerman --