Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is fueled by Kettlebell Kitchen.

What do Tia-Clair Toomey, Noah Ohlsen, Kari Pearce, and the Invictus teams all have in common? They’re all eating Kettlebell Kitchen during the 2019 Reebok CrossFit Games!

Designed to take your performance to the next level, KBK’s meals are perfect for those looking to crush their goals, no matter the season. Take advantage of their special offer (ending on 7/31), and save 20% on your first three orders!

Use code “GAMES2019.”

“I’m going to be the person that surprises everybody with a comeback.” — Sara Sigmundsdottir

Castro Leaves Athletes, Fans in Suspense Over Event 1

The classic Dave Castro palace intrigue was back in full force Tuesday night at the Edgewater Hotel, as more than 300 individual athletes gathered for the much anticipated athlete dinner and hopeful reveal of any workout details.

“Event 1 is…going to be announced at a later date,” Castro teased on stage.

Fans tuning in on Instagram reminisced about the Games director spectators have been accustomed to seeing at big announcements like this.

• Adrian Conway: “Ahhhh I missed you @thedavecastro.”
• WODprep: “Oh how I’ve missed TDC.”
• Theamppodcast: “Oh how we’ve missed these antics. The plot thickens.”
• Qunxian: “I miss his announcements. They’re the best.”

We’re now 36 hours from the Event 1 that will cut the entire field in half and zero workout details have been released so far.

• CrossFit released several age group workouts today, but these events usually don’t share a lot of similarities to individual events. Here they are.
• Event 1: Individual Competition starts at 10:30 AM.
• The men’s and women’s field will be cut to 75 athletes after event 1.

More on this:

• “Speed Read for Wednesday: What You Should Know”

Win on Saturday and You’re In, Dubai

Dubai CrossFit Championship announced that the male and female winner of a yet-to-be released Saturday event will receive an automatic invite to the Dubai CrossFit Championship in December. The specific event has not yet been released.

The announcement is unique in adding an extra incentive for competitors on top of the $3,000 athletes will receive per event win. This is also the first time a Sanctional has used an individual event win to bypass an online qualifier.

• Dubai also announced they will be using the Open to qualify athletes instead of a separate online qualifier.
• This brings the total to seven Sanctionals using the Open as a qualifier.

Things To…

WATCH: The Buttery Bros Visit Cookeville
The Buttery Bros paid Rich Froning and team a visit in Cookeville, TN, visited Rory McKernan in his new home, ziplined with the Original Froning, did a whole bunch of fitness in the barn, and there’s donuts.
ACTUALLY COOKEVILLE THIS TIME.

HEAR: Adee Cazayoux on the Brute Strength Podcast
Adee Cazayoux, CEO of the online one-on-one nutrition coaching program Working Against Gravity, joins Brute Podcast host and her husband, Michael Cazayoux, to discuss the new WAG Certification Course. She also shares some tips on getting started in nutrition coaching, keeping it interesting and building confidence as you go.
NUTRITION IS KEY.

GET: Your First Muscle Up with Invictus Gymnastics
Gymnastics is often the weakest level of fitness for CrossFitters, but it doesn’t need to be. With the Invictus Gymnastics program, you get specialized training plans to help you improve your gymnastics movements, even muscle-ups and handstand walks.
BE BETTER AT GYMNASTICS.

BUY: NOOMA’s Newest Flavor, Lemonade
Have you tried the newest NOOMA flavor yet? Lemonade dropped and let us tell you it tastes amazing. You know Scott Panchik will be loving it this week. So if you want to try the delicious hydration that keeps you feeling your best during every WOD make sure you get a 4-pack of Lemonade for $5.
GRAB A PACK TODAY.

EAT: Coconut Curry Greens with Runny Eggs
This shakshuka-inspired dish is green thanks to the addition of spinach and kale instead of the traditional tomatoes and red peppers. Plus the saucy, creamy base is a green curry paste made from lemongrass, coconut milk, chiles, and cilantro.
CURRY LOVERS UNITE.

Today’s edition of the Morning Chalk Up is fueled by

Chalk Up Community

• ROW RAISER — CrossFit Integrity is holding a Row Raiser for Cystic Fibrosis on Sunday, August 4. Members will row a marathon and all proceeds will help the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation forward their mission to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. 
• FIRST ANNUAL 9/11 FUNDRAISER — CrossFit Terra Nova in Aurora, CO is holding a fundraiser to benefit Heart 911, a team of first-responders whose mission it is to respond immediately to natural and man-made disasters, rebuild community centers in hard-hit areas, and recover by building resiliency for individuals, families and communities.
• FUNDRAISER FOR THE GREEN BERETS — CrossFit GBAR3 in Cypress, TX is holding 24 hours of Hero WODs to see off their athlete Drew Tobler, who will start a fast track US Special Forces program on Sept 3. All funds raised will go to the Green Beret Foundation.

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES (a highlight reel around social media of CrossFit pros and average joes)

Ben Bergeron posted a flashback to the CrossFit New England crew at the 2009 CrossFit Games • Hunter McIntyre gets to thank Greg Glassman for the wildcard invitation in person • Happy birthday Thuri Helgadottir • Camille Leblanc-Bazinet is giving away a can of FNX Redemption • Matthew Miller gets his first ring dip again after shoulder surgery • Lesley van Velzen gets his first muscle up • A group of CrossFit Kids from CrossFit HCS did a fire engine pull at Ferndale Fire Station in Michigan.

…and Lindsey Valenzuela just might have the cutest training partner out there.

Games Watch: One day until the CrossFit Games.

— Make sure you’ve subscribed to our YouTube channel for our live coverage. 
— We previewed the 2019 CrossFit Games from the Morning Chalk Up studio inside the FITAID Lounge.
— Dave Castro posted a photo of demo team members on weightlifting platforms.
— Video: Tommy Marquez got a behind the scenes look at athlete check-in and all the Reebok gear athletes receive this year.
— Video: Noah Ohlsen practices ring muscle-ups.
— Mat Fraser shared with CNN how his 2015 medal helped him change his training and how he dedicates every day to preparing for the Games.
— Mat Fraser also caught up with USA Today before he left for Madison to discuss what it’s been like training with Tia-Clair Toomey these last few months. 

Around the Alliant Energy Center:

— Scavenger hunt for signed copies of Dottir, Katin Davidsdottir’s book with Rory Mckernan.
— Pick up a copy of Tia-Clair Toomey’s book at the WIT booth. She signed a handful of them, so get there early.
— If you’re looking for healthy places to eat, Madison Magazine has compiled a list for you.
— Here is everything we found to do around Madison. 
— Make sure you get a WOD in today.

Rory McKernan Reflects on the Games — Rory Mckernan took a moment to reflect on how different the CrossFit Games might seem this year. 

— “This year is different. Different can be good. The Fittest Athletes on Earth made it here. They will inevitably perform amazing feats. The events will be tremendous with Dave Castro in the drivers seat.

— “Now, for the first time hundreds of athletes from around the world will spark hope and inspiration to the generation who will follow, and the variety of broadcasts will bring the idea of CrossFit to people who would not have otherwise been reached in their native tongue. I met dozens of national champions today and I was enthralled with their passion and reverence at being here.

— “I do have FOMO. I miss being behind the scenes with my friends and playing for the home team. I have already ridden the emotional roller coaster. It hurts my ego to not be ‘in on it,’ with those I worked shoulder to shoulder with for so long. But I get it. I can’t help but love the Games. I can see that the magic is still here… if you allow yourself to see it, for me anyways.”

SouthFit CrossFit Challenge — Registration is now open for the qualifier for SouthFit CrossFit Challenge, taking place from August 21 to October 21. 

— Don’t Forget: SouthFit CrossFit Challenge is one of the Sanctionals participating in the International Online Qualifier. 

“Games Day Lay of the Land,” by Tommy Marquez, Morning Chalk Up 

We’re 48 hours away from the start of the 2019 Reebok CrossFit Games, and things onsite at the Alliant Energy Center and around the city of Madison are starting to heat up.

For the last two days athletes from the world over have been checking in and collecting their official games gear in prep for what should be one of the most important events in CrossFit Games history on Thursday to start the competition.

The big difference this year is very little is known in terms of schedule and structure, and even less is known about the events themselves. Dave Castro has been onsite with the Demo Team testing workouts, but has yet to reveal a single detail. Still, there is plenty to get caught up on at home to make sure you’re up to date on all the info for this year’s competition.

For the first time since the Games moved to Madison, zero events have been revealed at the start of Games week. Here’s what we know so far:

There is an athlete dinner scheduled Tuesday evening, that the press is invited to for the athlete’s arrival between 5pm and 6:15pm CST. This is a dinner where typically details about at least one event are revealed.

Based on the CrossFit Games App, competition is scheduled to start at 9am CST at the North Park Venue.

After the first event, the individual field of men and women will be cut to 75 athletes in each division.

Once the field is cut to 75 athletes, it will then be cut to 50, 40, 30, 20, and then finally to 10 athletes, however, the timing of the cuts is not fully known.

Competition isn’t scheduled in the Coliseum until 3pm CST on Friday.

The scoring tables will change with each cut, and you can view the full list of tables here. We’ve also analyzed some potential impacts of this further along in the competition.

Dave Castro posted to Instagram a photo of Dan Bailey, potentially testing a workout, at the top of a bar muscle-up.

7/29 – 8/4: The 2019 CrossFit Games (Madison, WI)
8/2: Pirate Supporters Friday Night Light Kick Off (Lefors, TX)
8/02: OUTWOD Amsterdam at CrossFit ZeeBurg (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
8/3: OUTWOD Kansas City at CrossFit FIF (Kansas City, MO)
8/3: War of the WODs Summer Series (Greensboro, NC)
8/3: Riverport Rumble (Louisville, KY)
8/3: 31 Heroes (Norfolk,VA)
8/3: G’Town Throwdown – Chapter 3 (Georgetown, MA)
8/3: Brawl in the Burbs (Bridgeport, PA)
8/4: Row Raiser for Cystic Fibrosis (Charleston, SC)
8/10: CFE’s Sugar & Spice Co-Ed Partner Competition (Burlington, MA)
8/10: Best of the Midwest Team Series at CrossFit 9 Degrees (Brownsburg, IN)
8/10: OUTWOD North Brunswick at Iron CrossFit (North Brunswick, NJ)
8/10: OUTWOD Phoenixville at CrossFit Lock 60 (Phoenixville, PA)
8/10: Sparrow Classic 2 Scaled Partner Competition (Pearland, TX)
8/10: Summer Battleground 2019 (Farmingdale, NY)
8/10: Goddess Games (Charlotte, NC)
8/10: All Day Row (Alexandria, VA)
8/10 – 8/11: No Surrender Survival Games (Wooster, OH)
8/11: The Rise of The Resilient (Hopkinton, MA)
8/16: OUTWOD Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
8/16 – 8/17: WodFest 2019 (Joplin, MO)
8/17: Fittest in the Fork (Ft. Sill, OK)
8/17: Barbells For Bullies at CrossFit QDA (Buffalo, NY)
8/17: CrossFit Sua Sponte’s Summer Slam (Raleigh, NC)
8/17: The Fossil Games (Denver, CO)
8/17: Warhorse Games KC (Kansas City, KS)
8/17: CrossFit Shatter Summer Slam (Albany, NY)
8/17: The Syndicate Series Presents The Battlegrounds (Columbia, MD)
8/17: Poore Beer and CrossFit Benefit (Hendersonville, NC)
8/17: Unbroken Series Adaptive Games (Marion, NC)
8/17: 6th annual Babes and Bros (Grand Rapids, MI)
8/17: The Battlegrounds at 12 Labours CrossFit (Columbia, MD)
8/17: Back Lot Bout (St. Charles, MO)
8/18: Red Raider Backyard Brawl III (Coatesville, PA)
8/24: Battle For the Badge (Vestal, NY)
8/24: OUTWOD Miami at Move.Lift.Live (Miami, FL)
8/24: OUTWOD Las Vegas at CrossFit Social City (Las Vegas, NV)
8/24: Deadlifts for Kids (Lilburn, GA)
8/24: The Southern Games 2019 (Louisville, KY)
8/24: 2019 Koda First Timer’s Open (Oklahoma City, OK)
8/24: Rumble on the Bay (Green Bay, WI)
8/24: Ragin’ Games (Lafayette, LA)
8/24: The 10th Annual Iron Belle (Austin, TX)
8/24 – 8/25: Oregon CrossFit’s Best of the West Summer Event 2019 (Bend, OR)
8/31: The Big WODowski Partner Competition (Delafield, WI)