CrossFit Open 2024: MLA Community Stories
Process Over Outcome: MLA Community Stories from the CrossFit Open
With a few weeks to go until the CrossFit Open, we’re gearing up for this pivotal moment in the fitness calendar with a look at what it really means to take part.
Whether you’re new to CrossFit or a seasoned athlete, a fundamental belief lies at the core of the sport: focus on the journey rather than the end result. It's about understanding that progress is a process, and true growth comes from consistency. The Open challenges participants both physically and mentally, and builds a mindset that values effort, resilience, and growth in the pursuit of excellence.
In this piece we talk to two individuals from the MLA community about their experiences with CrossFit and why they’re taking part in the Open this year.
Amanda Brown: Approaching the 2024 Open vs. 2023
Part of MLA since 2022 when she attended our Training Camp with Aoife Burke, Amanda Brown took part in her first CrossFit Open in 2023. At the time, she’d been strength training in her local gym and hadn’t set foot in a CrossFit box. The Training Camp fuelled her passion for CrossFit and she started dropping into a local box instantly. By the time the Open came around, even though she didn’t yet have a consistent CrossFit training programme, she figured, in her own words, “why the hell not take part? Not only did I see it as a great opportunity to set some benchmarks quite early on in my CrossFit journey, I knew it was also a great way to find out where my training gaps were.”
When it comes to how she viewed the Open after taking part, there was no doubt in her mind that it was the best decision. ‘I was definitely a bit scared beforehand, as I didn’t know anyone, having not been part of a CrossFit gym. But I’m 100% glad I did it and took so much away from it. I learnt so much about what I needed to go away and work on for next year.’
Now that she’s got one Open under her belt, Amanda’s thoughts turn to the upcoming 2024 Open and how she’ll approach it. ‘Last year I went into it with a very open mind, and this year I’m going to do exactly the same. There’ll be some workouts I like and that I’m good at, and some that I’m not so good at, which is all part of the fun of it I guess.’
She’s a huge proponent of enjoying the process rather than focusing on the outcome. This year she’s switched up her training after identifying her gaps in the previous year. ‘Last year before the Open, I really worked on skills and gymnastics as I already had the strength. I knew they were huge gaps for me so I spent the three months before the Open really allocating time to them each week in addition to my regular CrossFit programme. This year, I’ve been working on all the elements in the CrossFit classes, but also working on my cardio a lot more. I make sure to add in a zone 2 session every week and build in more cardio to really work on my endurance.’
Her advice for anyone who hasn’t taken part in the Open and is considering it? ‘Just do it. What have you got to lose? Even if you’re not part of a CrossFit gym, it’s a great way to meet like minded people and be in an environment that’ll feed your passion for working out and looking after yourself. It’s also a really good benchmark, not to compare yourself to others, but to see your progress over time.’
Jane Holmes: A First-Time Open
MLA community member, Jane Holmes, is entering the Open for the first time this year. Two years ago, her son encouraged her to start weightlifting after previously taking part in endurance sports - just some casual marathons, Ironman and a few Hyrox races! You’d think this would serve as a great fuel to then tackle CrossFit, but Jane wasn’t confident to enter. ‘My gymnastics are rubbish, but I love the lifts and the metcon workouts and the general vibe. So I’m giving it a go.’ Similarly to Amanda, she sees it as a great way to ‘have a focus for the next few years on what to work on, which I know is gymnastics, as well as maintaining my strength.’
She’s also super passionate about encouraging women similar to her: ‘I’m 48 and I want to encourage other middle aged women to just put themselves out there. I’ve just qualified for the scaled masters at the Arnold fitness games so I want to show other women that we can all do cool stuff whilst juggling work and family.’ A true inspo in our eyes!
There are countless reasons to enter the Open, but the way it develops your physical and mental strength all whilst being part of an incredible community, is what it’s truly all about. You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try, so - what are you waiting for? Register to take part in this year’s Open and join the MLA community for three weeks of workouts, fun, growth and great people. We’ll create our own MLA leaderboard, which offers all of our community the chance to win prizes from our partners.