Amazed

Kristin Clever and Iceland Annie, the two fittest women on Earth (www.crossfit.com)

Little can be said about the CrossFit Games 2010 that will do it justice. I could use words like 'amazing,' 'unbelievable,' 'awe inspiring,' 'savage,' 'brutal,' and 'heroic' but none can truly convey the feeling that was left in all of us by watching these athletes tough it out through nine events in less than 48 hours.

Only an absolute monster could even make it to the Games, and only the very best of the best have a realistic shot at winning. It becomes impossible to explain how hard these events are to a mortal who has never done a WOD, or tried to finish one. But even those of us who do hard work outs and can appreciate the scope of skills and athletic prowess of these athletes can hardly imagine anyone rising to the heights of these athletes. The two women pictured (Kristin Clever, 1st place, and Annie Thorisdottier, 2nd place) were the most fun to watch, and my favorites of the 2010 Games.

Kristin won 5 events and got 3 runner ups out of 9 events. Annie won the other 4, and got second and third in two other events. The picture above had the crowd roaring during the Pyramid Double Helen: after a 1200m run, 63 kettle bells, 36 pull ups, 800m run, 42 kettle bells, 24 pull ups, and a 400m run Annie had a 20m lead as she stepped over her kettle bell and took three or fourth breaths. Kristin ran straight to her kettle bell, turned and faced Annie, picked up her bell and started swinging. The race was on. Annie and Kristin were swinging in unison as they struggled to finish an epic event. Annie won by a small margin, and then Kristin, 90 seconds later, won the third event by jerking #205 from behind her head. Unbelievable.

There were two other events that went Annie's way with Kristin right behind, but in the end, Kristin blew Annie out of the water on all of her wins for the over all title. Watching the two together was my favorite part of the Games and it is something I will never forget. It was one of my favorite weekends of all time, and Kristin and Annie became my new heroes.