Now that the 2014 CrossFit Games Open has come to a close, I had a few weeks to process what actually went down during those 5 weeks. CrossFit itself is a unique journey for each individual and I would like to use the Open to illustrate some of the things I have learned about CrossFit since I began my journey back in February 2013.

CrossFit methodology is driven by empirical data: it is measurable, observable, and repeatable. This is how we can see progress and results (how do we know if we are getting better if we have nothing to compare with?). The CrossFit Open programming captures this methodology beautifully in a demented way that keeps us crawling back for more. Here are some of my observations during the 2014 CrossFit Games Open.

Atmosphere

The box during Open season is easily my favorite place to be. Energy levels inside are at an all-time high. One example of this that sticks out in my mind is during WOW 14.4, a nasty little chipper with a 14-minute time cap.

Christine McAulay had hit this grinder on Friday and failed on two attempts to stick a muscle-up as time ticked away. Determined to reach a goal set after the 2013 CrossFit Games Open, Christine came back Monday to re-attempt 14.4 and stick one muscle-up. As the clock was approaching the cap Christine stood below the rings as the entire triple-wide rallied behind her. She kipped hard and stuck it! The roar from the triple echoed through the hallways of the court club.

A friend of mine was in his bootcamp class when it happened. “Dude when the triple erupted, everyone stopped to see what was going on. That was awesome!” What a great impression to leave on those beginning their CrossFit journey.

This year’s open was full of these moments and this is the one that I remember most vividly. We grew closer as a community through the Open and I have yet to find anything that can replace the comradery fostered within the walls of our humble box.