BTSCF Newsletter - May 2021
May is Murph month. We may have seen a lot of rain this Memorial Day weekend, but the rain faded away and we were able to end the month with a great day.
Memorial Day Murph
For the first time in over a year, we had a day that really felt like what “normal” used to feel like. The gym was full with multiple waves of athletes putting in a great effort completing the Hero WOD, Murph. As prescribed, this workout is 100 Pull-Ups, 200 Push-Ups, and 300 Squats with a 1 mile run before and after. This workout is in memory of United States Navy SEAL LT. Michael P. Murphy. LT. Murphy and his SEAL team were engaged in a fire fight in Afghanistan. During the exchange, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire in an attempt to transmit a call for help for his men. Ultimately he was killed in action. For his selfless actions, Lt. Michael Murphy was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
We complete this workout every Memorial Day in honor of Lt. Murphy, and to remember all of those who have lost their lives protecting and fighting for our freedoms.
After all was said and done, and the final wave completed Murph, we had a great time relaxing, laughing, and enjoying good food.
In Case You Missed It…
Earlier this month, Mike Simmons explained why he is doing 24 Hero WODs in 24 Hours. Check it out here.
24 Heroes
There is still plenty of time to sign up for 24 Heroes. We are looking for more participants and volunteers to help out with the event. The event will begin on June 19th at 9:00am and June 20th. The Hero WODs we will be completing are:
Marston
Feeks
Glen
Tumilson
Murph
Mr. Joshua
Faas Fit
Nate
Collin
Strange
The Juicy
Tommy V.
Job’s Challenge
J.T.
Blake
Adam Brown
Spehar
Kevin
Jason
Michael
Gallant
Badger
Brian
Dietz
We are fundraising for the Navy SEAL Foundation for this event. If you’d like to donate, we have set up a GoFundMe which can be found here.
BTSCF Feature Athlete
Meet Justin Karram
When did you start CrossFitting?
December 2019. I didn't want to wait until the New Year to really get started trying to get into shape.
What brought you to CrossFit?
I was looking to improve my overall health and well being. I find it difficult to be motivated by myself so having a community of people to help keep myself accountable was really important to me.
What have you learned from doing CrossFit?
There is a huge difference between being in shape and being in CrossFit shape. Scaling appropriately is key.
What would you say to someone who is on the fence about starting CrossFit?
Try it! A 1 month trial costs you very little, but you are likely to find that you like it more than you think. The coaches are great at helping you scale workouts to whatever level you are at when you join.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love sports. I can frequently be found attending different high school athletic contests or extracurriculars. I also enjoy reading and have recently discovered that Disney Plus has a lot of great content.
What do you do for work and how has CrossFit impacted how you do your job?
I am a school administrator. CrossFit has helped me get into the shape I need to be in to keep up with the long hours and "constantly on" nature of the role. Being able to keep up with all of my students doesn't hurt, either.
We hit Justin with some lightning round questions, here’s what he had to say.
Q: What super power would you give yourself?
A: Flight - Driving is awful.
Q: What's your favorite healthy food?
A: RXBars
Q: What's your favorite not so healthy food?
A: Ice Cream
Q: What TV Sitcom family or group would you be a member of?
A: Big Bang Theory
Q: If you were famous, what would you be famous for?
A: Being contrarian
Q: If you could write your own fortune cookie fortune, what would it say?
A: The only permanent failure is the failure to try.
Q: If you were a professional wrestler, what would you finishing move be called?
A: Endgame
Q: Who do you look up to for inspiration at BTSCF?
A: Melissa - She will tell you like it is and was the first person who beat into me that it is okay to scale a workout. She also shows up to work hard every day.
Q: What is your favorite and least favorite movement?
A: Favorite - Pushups. I don't know why, but they are a special talent of mine. Least Favorite - Squat Cleans.
Q: What is the one thing you've done at BTSCF that your old self wouldn't ever believe?
A: Wall walks during the open. I didn't even know what that was before I walked in the door.
Q: Anything else you want to share?
A: One of the biggest turning points in my CrossFit journey was when I accepted that this whole thing is a marathon and not a sprint. My best piece of advice to new CrossFit athletes would be to set yourself attainable, short-term goals and then allow yourself to celebrate the little wins that will happen along the way. I appreciate the community at BTS for being so supportive of me and my goals and look forward to tackling my first Murph this year.