Why CrossFit Games “The Capitol” is My Favorite Event in Years

Among the dozen-plus events programmed each year at the CrossFit Games, there are some you’re kinda ‘meh’ about, some you know are necessary to test, some you absolutely loathe, some that bring you to your feet (cue in the clean and jerk and snatch ladders), then some that are absolutely four fire ???? emoji awesome.

For everyone, the latter category will look different, but for me that event is The Capitol. Here’s why.

Bringing the CrossFit Games Into the Streets

Adrian Bozman made history by bringing CrossFit literally into the streets of Madison, around the Capitol building grounds and up the steps, a la Rocky Balboa style.

The Games has never been integrated into the city like this before and I for one am here for it. Thousands of triathlons, marathons, turkey trots, walk, crawl, bike, and you name its of all kinds traverse cities across the globe inspiring spectators to maybe take up a sport and also bring the city to life in a way only sports can do.

Boz, let’s do something like this again, pretty please.

Unknown and Unknowable

I think this was the perfect blend of a legitimate test and fun fan engagement, using the city’s uneven terrain, concrete steps, turns and elevation changes as part of the competition floor.

Enough pig flips to jack the heart rate up. Heavy enough to let the stronger athletes do their thing.

Run long enough so everyone burns. Gives the speed demons a chance to catch up.

Pick up those strongman-style objects and see how you handle the terrain and stairs.

Points of performance:

• Who paced all portions of this workout properly?
• Who’s been training with odd objects? After all, don’t we learn at the L1 that one aspect of functional movement (aka CrossFit) is learning how to “move large loads over long distances quickly”? Sounds a lot like the second portion of this event.
• Who handles the unknown element of carrying objects over uneven terrain?
• Who was able to ride the line between speed and chaos and come out ahead?

I think this workout ticks all those boxes.

My Last Reason: No Time Cap

I remember the first time CrossFit hit us with a “the clock won’t save you workout.” It was the final event of the 2015 CrossFit Open: 21-18-15-12-9-6-3 of barbell thrusters and bar-facing burpees.

The catch: There was no time cap. If you wanted a score you had to do the work, plain and simple.

The same goes here.

All athletes had to complete the entire event, which means that everyone suffers. Everyone runs the full distance and more importantly, everyone has to carry the Jerry bag and even more importantly, everyone has to carry the Husafell bag, which posed the largest challenges for athletes.

To be clear, I have no issues with time caps, but I really like a well-thought-out event like this which makes all athletes share the same pain without escape. I don’t think it works everywhere, but I think it worked very well here.

• For what it’s worth, last-placed Rebecca Fuselier finished 21 minutes, 8 seconds slower than Gabi Migala, who finished in 33:34. That’s going to hurt a lot tomorrow.

OK, My Last, Last Reason

Because of moments like these.

Damn. More fire emojis. ????