Hostile Takeover 2010

Well, we're sore and we can't open our jars of almond butter or bathe ourselves.   What an awesome experience though.   4 people, one Honda Fit, a rockin DJ riding shotgun and three WODs.  What could be better?

NW CrossFit, winner of the 2009 CrossFit Affiliate Cup, was the host of the Hostile Takeover.  In CrossFit fashion, they were as welcoming and respectable as could be.  Their box was par for the course, located in an industrial strip mall with garage doors and a funky layout.  There was never a smell of competition in the box, only friendly faces, handshakes, smiles and encouragement.  After a while though, that smell soon changed to straight B.O..

Dan and Artie and Erin and I were competing with 8 other teams in the couples WOD.  There were beasts and manimals competing as individuals.  There were also men competing too (the girls from CrossFit Vancouver in B.C. were no less than Amazon females whom migrated north.  I was literally afraid of them).  The WODs were released to us when we checked in, plus we got a cool Life as Rx shirt too.

I wasn't too sure how I was going to perform before the event.  Ironically, I was much more comfortable and confident once I saw the WOD list.  "Sheeeet fire LeRoy!"  I thought.  "This is tic-tac-toe, piece of cake, upside down."  Not to take away anything from the trainers at NW CrossFit though.  I was just glad there weren't any overhead squats or muscle ups.

It helped to have Erin as our cheerleader too.  It also helped to have RT wear her tank top and show off her guns and Dan to sport his abs.  I was able to sport my right deltoid and bicep.  Some guys were just ripped and solid and I thought to myself "Damn, I just want to look good naked.  Enough with all of this high-intensity lifting crap."  Okay, so that's not really true.  At this point we were all pumped, jacked and fired up ready to rock and roll.  I was hydrated all week, loaded up on Endurox, Amino Vital and glutamine, and ready like a horse in the gates.

WOD#1

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400 M Plate Carry (run together, each with 10kg plate) 
100 Power Snatches 50/35kg 
150 Pullups 
200 Burbees 
400 M Plate Carry (Together) 

* One person working at a time on reps. Time is recorded when both partners have crossed the finish line. 
"3,2,1, go!"  We took off like a bat out of hell!  Dan and I were in the lead and the first ones back in the studio from the run.  I don't know if we were racing each other or if we were just being encouraging.  Afterwards, Dan told me he finally found his challenge: body weight WODs.  At last!  I know his challenge!  Erin & I finished 2nd, Artie & Dan 4th.  No ripped hands.....yet.  
WOD #2
The 70s Rock and Row
70 Thrusters 50/35kg 
70 HR Pushps 
70 Power Cleans 50/35kg 
70 Toe to Bar 

* Both team members must be working a the same time, but one must be on the rower until a 3k is complete, at which time they can work on the movements together. They must finish all 70 reps before moving on to the next exercise. 
This WOD was split into two heats, and Dan and Artie went in the first one.  They were rocking and in the lead for quite a while.  Then came the toe to bar.  Erin and I are screaming from the sidelines and the two of them!  "Come on!  Get up there!"  Dan seemed to be just slipping off the bar every time he jumped onto it.  He was only getting about 1 or 2 each time.  "That's not like him."  I thought.  "Something's wrong."  When they reached their 70th rep and finished the WOD, he started walking towards us with his hands help up.  My heart dropped.  His hands were soaked in blood, splattered with chalk and skin dangling from his palms.  He was slipping off the bar every time because of the amount of blood on his hands.  I was almost sick to my stomach.  Up to that very moment, I felt great about all of the WODS.  After I saw his hands, I almost threw in the towel. I couldn't do that to Erin thought.  I was now nauseous and scarred at that point.  Too late though.  Athletes were called to the battle floor.
The events weren't too bad, I thought. No cake walk though. Up to that point, I think I completed about 3 toe to bars in my entire life.   Erin & I finished 3rd and Dan and Artie finished 8th.  
WOD #3
2 Rounds, 4 Minutes per round 
100 Double Unders 
Max rep Deadlifts (women)/ Squat Clean (men) 80kg 
This was kind of confusing.  The round was 4 minutes. One male partner had to complete 100 double-unders ASAFP and when finished, the other female partner completed deadlifts for the remaining time.  Erin completed 41 deadlifts at 180#'s!  
Then Erin went straight to her 100 double-unders and when she finished, I went to the squat cleans.  I completed 10.  She and I totaled 51 for that rounds.  Erin and & finished 2nd, Artie and Dan, 4th.  
What a rush!  Everyone on was so nice and gracious.  No egos, no attitudes.  That is such a nice change of pace for competitors and athletes.  Erin and Artie, thank you so much for telling us about this awesome event and picking us to be your partners.  It was so inspiring to be with the two of you and your 10,000 song playlist.  I love being part of the CrossFit community and I hope everyone can have the opportunity to compete in the future.  What a blast!  
-Chuck G.