In early February, we received a surprising phone call from a representive of the Thurston County Economic Development Council.  They were calling to inform us that we had been nominated,  and chosen as a top 3 finalist for the award of Best New Business in Thurston County.  The Thurston County EDC works hard to provide services to help improve local businesses as well as help new business owners get started.  We had actually consulted with the TCEDC prior to forming Training Day, to seek guidance in getting our business started.  This was a free service, and  provided us with so many helpful tools and information to get our business off to the right start. To be recognized by them less than two years later was very exciting!

Last week we attended the awards ceremony and luncheon at the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia.  It was a great event, many local businesses attended.  They put together a great presentation of all of the award nominees by category.  We were one of 3 finalists for this award, along with the Lenai Café and Single Handed consulting.  There were other categories for non-profit organization of the year, small business of the year, and corporate employer of the year.  The winner in our category was Single Handed Consulting, a well deserved win!  They are a business that works closely with the Department of Labor and Industries and injured employees to help them navigate injured worker claims as well as help them get employment after being dislocated.  They have a great business model and it is easy to see how much they enjoy helping their clients.  We enjoyed seeing the presentations of all the businesses nominated.  There was definitely a theme within all of the companies nominated in that the business owners genuinely care for their employees and patrons and are deeply involved in our local community donating time and resources to many different great causes!

Although we did not win in our category, we are extremely grateful to be nominated alongside some truly amazing local businesses and to have our gym highlighted.  We attribute the quick success of our young business to our incredible staff that share in our vision of providing exemplary physical training that is accessible to everyone and providing a family friendly, positive environment that give our members a place to call home.  We also feel that our gym community has been paramount to our growth, as we have incredible members who welcome new people with open arms and support one another unconditionally.  Thank you to whoever nominated Training Day and to the amazing people at the Thurston County Economic Development Council who chose as a finalist and highlighted our business.  We look forward to many more years serving the people of Thurston County!!  Be sure to check out the link below to see our video and others!

On behalf of Training Day owners;
Ronnie & Melissa Knighton and Rachel Janny

It’s Monday morning, and the 2016 Open closes today.  My first ever Open attempt ended on the backside of 16.5, Friday morning, on the 64th thruster, when an old shoulder injury took over and stopped me in my tracks.  DNF – the proverbial competition kiss-of-death.  I called it a day on the Open and have had plenty of time to think since then.  Here’s what I’ve come up with over the last 3 days:

1. This is NOT a failure.  I came into the Open this year with simple goals – Rx every workout and don’t go down without a fight.  I had a lofty second goal of finishing in the top 50% of my group, the 40-44 Masters Men.  I stayed pretty close through 16.4, and was ready for 16.5 when I showed up to the gym.  This WOD was no joke, as most of you now know, and I gave it everything I had, right up until my body told me it was time to stop.  I didn’t WANT to, I HAD to…and right up until I dropped the bar for the last time, I was fighting for every single rep.
   
2. This IS a wake-up call.  I’ve been doing Crossfit for almost 7 years, mostly on my own, but for the last 5 months with Training Day.  I’ve learned a lot since I’ve signed on here, but I have a long way to go.  I’m a competitive guy, and I love Crossfitting every day.  What I realize after the Open is that I haven’t always been applying myself the way I should.  I need to look at my weaknesses and do a better job attacking them, making time to train them and turn them into new strengths.  I want to be better, every day.  While I did Rx the 4 WODs I finished, I could’ve scored higher, I could’ve pushed harder, I could’ve gotten deeper into that dark place.  Now is the time to step it up and push those limits.
   
3. Motivation comes from so many places.  You may not realize it, but there is a huge difference between working “hard” in the garage or at a daily class and working “HARD” in the middle of an Open WOD with music and the community and points on the line…and for me specifically, with my wife in front of me, pushing me through reps and new movements.  I do this stuff because I love it, but more importantly because it’s a family goal to do it for a living, to be part of the Crossfit community and help others achieve the things we’ve achieved.  Plus, setting an example of a healthy lifestyle for my son is a big deal, and he’s already paying attention and wanting to get involved, so I’d better keep it up.
   
4. Goal-setting is a continuous process.  I started 2016 with a list of goals, some individual movements and some bigger ideas.  Three months later, I’ve added a few things to the list, and I look at that list every week, think about ways to attack those goals and get as close as I can to each of them before 2016 is gone and we’re sneaking up on another Open season.  Sure, I still want to snatch 135, walk on my hands and knock out some more Rx benchmarks, but now I also want to focus on building a better engine and understanding the science behind what makes every improvement possible.  Level 1 certification is in the near future, and anything else I can get into to keep making progress.
   
5. In the end, it’s how YOU feel that counts.  Seriously, YOU are what matters.  If you know you’ve done your best, given everything you’ve got and learned something in the process, then you’ve succeeded.  If you’re happy and your family is happy, then you can always call it a win.  Crossfit is hard, there’s no denying that.  We’ve chosen the challenge, and we tackle it every day.  Make the most of every opportunity to work hard and to learn.  Take care of yourself and the people who matter the most, and the rest will come to you.  

Written by Training Day Athlete, Rich Foote

I would like to preface this article by saying, if you don’t feel comfortable sharing your daily workout data on the Wodhopper scoreboard, please don’t. The purpose of this blog post is to inform our athletes about what the Wodhopper scoreboard is and how it can be used to benefit both the athlete and the coaches. I personally love this feature for several reasons coming from the perspective of an athlete and coach and wanted to encourage others to participate in using it. 

Here are the 5 reasons I love the Wodhopper scoreboard:

1.  Your coaches check it daily!  Your coaches are not coaching for big paychecks, they are coaching because they love CrossFit and helping you become a better athlete. At the end of the day, your coaches love to see how everyone did, who had PR’s, RX’d a workout for the first time, etc.. Using the notes feature is also very helpful!  Leaving comments such as “Ran out of time, could have gone heavier” or “having shoulder mobility issues”, are all helpful for the purpose of programming and time management.  In general, it helps us all keep our finger on the pulse of the gym. 
   
   
2. It’s Free!!  Wodhopper has many cool features, the scoreboard is just one.  And it’s FREE NINETY FREE for all of our athletes to take advantage of.
   
   
3. It allows you the opportunity to track your PR’s, benchmarks, hero and girl WODS.  Did you know that when a benchmark workout of any type is programmed, by entering your daily score, Wodhopper saves your data under “benchmarks”?  This feature is awesome!  I recently viewed my benchmarks in wodhopper, and it was so cool to see the dates/scores stored under a specific benchmark and to see my growth as an athlete over the last year and a half.  You can also go back by date to see any of the workouts programmed since the beginning of your CrossFit journey and see your scores and notes.
   
   
4. As a community we get to see each other’s gains and PR’s! Even if we didn’t get to see one another in class that day, we can celebrate with you!  I love checking the score board and seeing my peers accomplishments that day.
   
   
5. You can find a rabbit to chase!  Isn’t it awesome to see someone else in the gym set the bar high, and motivate you to do the same?  It also helps to see their notes to help you game the workout such as “I broke up the movements in sets of five” or “I gassed on the first round, I should have paced it”.

Coach Melissa Knighton

In honor of Valentines Day weekend, we thought it would be fun to ask some of our members why they love working out with their significant other. Instead of chocolate this year, maybe a workout with your love instead?  Here is what some Training Day couples shared...

"We love working out together because it adds another dimension to our relationship where we can support each other to achieve fitness and health goals." Iver & Mackenzie

"We love working out together because she is my biggest cheerleader and I'm her biggest motivator. Just like in marriage, CrossFit brings a different challenge to overcome, but we get to look back on how much we have progressed."  Shun & Karen

"Working out brings us closer together.  We can do something that is active and gives the both of us a feeling we accomplished something." Joe & Tiffany

"I like working out with him because he makes me feel strong". (Kate) "For me, it's time spent together doing something we both enjoy and can support each other through suffering". (DeAndre) Kate & DeAndre

"Participating in CrossFit together keeps us challenged, engaged and encouraging towards one another, both in the gym and out.  I also think it makes us better parents as we are setting a great example for our children". Bryan & Chrystal

"Russ and I love to exercise together, as it provides us the opportunity to encourage one another to achieve our individual goals.  Plus, it is fun to laugh and cry about how sore we are for days to come." Russ & Brianna

"We love that we share a hobby that both challenges us and improves our quality of life.  We're always pushing each other and learning from each other, but most importantly, we always try to make it fun.  It's always been an ongoing joke in our household to see who can beat the others time".  Carl & Alix.

"When I try to make my husband work out, this happens".  Rhett & Lisa

"You had me at CrossFit... CrossFit is something special to Ben and I, it is actually how we met.  We love working together as a team in and out of the gym, it not only makes us stronger but our relationship stronger." Ben & Tina

"CrossFit made us gym wife's!  We love to workout together because we like the competition and encouragement.  We continue to push one another each day.  We both know what we are capable of doing, so it's nice to have that support day in and day out!" Jasmine & Beth #CrossFitgymwives

"We love to workout together for a couple reasons.  It means we are holding ourselves accountable to always be healthy and fit for ourselves and our family.  It's also inspiring to see each other working so hard.  I enjoy giving him a smooch whenever I want and he thinks I'm hot!" Randy and Carriann

"Jarrod and I both grew up playing sports and are competitive by nature.  CrossFit has given us a way to be competitive with each other and improve our health at the same time. It's been an incredible hobby for both of us and has a positive affect in so many areas of our lives.  Not only are we getting stronger and becoming more fit, we are providing an example of a healthy lifestyle for our two young children."  Jarrod & Becca

"Working out together is something we can commit to making time for around our busy lives.  We push each other, then celebrate in our gains after a workout.  I feel like I make him proud when I push harder than I thought I could and I thoroughly enjoy beating him in a WOD and rubbing it in his face.  We want to grow old together being fit and strong so that our lives never slow down.  I love how our girls are influenced by this commitment and hopefully it sets them up to make fitness a priority in their lives as well.  Seeing so many couples come together in this way at the gym is so inspiring, and we have seen first hand how it has positively impacted countless marriages."  Ronnie & Melissa

Never say never. 

Ronnie started doing CrossFit at the fire station when he was on shift with his co-workers.  We had always been gym rats, hard core on the elliptical, curls, leg press machine, you know.  Hearing him talk about this CrossFit thing all the time was annoying to me.  It was different, it was new, and I thought it looked crazy and unsafe and I said “I would never do CrossFit”.  His passion for CrossFit grew and suddenly he wanted to leave the gym we had always attended together to buy a membership at a CrossFit gym.  We had a new baby and one income, so I jokingly said “You better sell something if you want to join a CrossFit gym, I would never pay $100 a month for a gym”.  That’s when he literally sold his X-Box and signed up.  Ugh.  He kept telling me to come try it, you will love it, babe it’s not what you think.  And I said, “I will never join a CrossFit gym”. 

Time goes on and I am working out daily with my bro-reps, doing super sets and circuit type training and trying to avoid boredom with my training. I started emulating some of the things I saw him doing in his workouts, box jumps, burpees, overhead squats, and people in the gym thought I looked crazy.  Finally I accepted his invitation to the gym.  I thought I would kill it, I was in great shape.  Nope.  I was humbled my first day of CrossFit and I’ve been hooked ever since.  I was loving the community, loving that Ronnie and I were working together to achieve our own personal fitness goals, and I was becoming stronger than ever.

I remember Ronnie’s first competition.  He was brand new to CrossFit and decided to sign up for a Firefighter vs Police competition.  I was used to Ronnie being the best at whatever he was doing, but on that day he was not the best.  It was humbling for him and for me, I remember saying, “I will never do a CrossFit competition” and I continued to say that over and over.
Fast forward a little, Ronnie got his CrossFit L1 and started training at the gym we attended.  His passion for coaching and helping people get healthy grew and we were both very inspired by gyms we visited in other states and seeing how amazing some of the communities were. Suddenly we were investing our life savings into opening a gym in our hometown. As our little gym grew to a BIG gym, my mind was blown by the amount of love there was there, from the coaches, the childcare staff, the members.  Watching lives change on the daily made me regret saying “never” so many times in the past.

Last weekend I bit the bullet and participated in my first ever CrossFit competition.  I said “never” to this idea so many times before.  I am so glad I told “never” to shut up.  I had always been the spectator, cheering on Ronnie and our athletes.  This time I was in the arena, I was exposed, and a little scared to let my team down.  I walked out onto the floor for my first workout, and every fear I previously had disappeared.  I saw my CrossFit family in the crowd, smiling, screaming, and cheering for my partner and myself, and it motivated me in a way words can’t describe.  I watched a video today from when I PR’d my snatch and I could hear my team yelling my name and cheering as I held that barbell over my head.  It was hard for me to contain the tears welling up in my eyes. 

If I had let “never” rule over all of the decisions I made over the last few years, I would NEVER have met so many amazing people, seen so many drastic life changes unfold for people I love, and I would NEVER have known how blessed my life would be today. NEVER say Never!

What: Crossfit Lacey Running Group in preparation for the Capital City 5 Miler, Half Marathon, or Marathon

When: Starting Feb 6 at 7:30am First Run. We will meet in the gym and go over running drills for 20-30 minutes and have an active warm up before we go out! 

Where: 1210 Franz St. Lacey, WA 98503

Cost: $75 per person which gets you a training packet and a donation to For the Love of Amy Foundation

For the Love of Amy was created by Jen Ryan to remember Amy Hanford-Erwin who was taken May 27, 2011 from domestic violence and to promote awareness in our community. Donations will be given to Safe Place our local resource for victims of domestic violence. 
http://www.safeplaceolympia.org 
The documents below this post will tell you a little more about Jen Ryan, her mission and what your donation will be supporting. 
 
Sign ups will be on line at www.crsossfitlacey.com and pay pal will be taken as well. Systems to receive registration should be up by Christmas! 

The group is open to all, not just Crossfitters!

Unfortunately, 90% of runners will have some kind of injury during one year of training and much of those injuries have to do with poor form, lack of mobility work and poor nutrition. Our group will work regularly on injury prevention through proper running form using the pose running method, mobility work to help muscles recover, and a resistance training program will be suggested and outlined in your packet. There will be a nutrition seminar hosted before hand that members are welcome to attend free of charge. 

Some of us will be walking, running for the first time, or are avid runners and we welcome all of you! We will also have those who are getting in miles to prep for triathlon season. We can all improve our form and refine our training together! 

CROSSFIT ENDURANCE
Calling all runners and non-runners who aspire to better their running skills, Crossfit Lacey’s Endurance group has arrived!  Join us for an informational meeting Monday, June 22nd at 6:00pm in the mezzanine (second floor above the gym). We will be discussing our philosophy, and how Crossfit endurance will fit into your life! 

The Training Day CrossFit Endurance group will meet at 6:00pm on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Some of the things will be working on are the pose running method, skill work and the programming (may vary depending on the distance you plan to run). Whether your goal is general improvement, training for your first 5k, triathlon or running a marathon! 

If you are beginner don't worry, we have lots of options to increase your endurance, reduce risk for injury and prepare you for a life of endurance training! 

Cost will be and additional $20 a month for Crossfit Lacey members and $45 a month for non-members. 

Opportunities for stride analysis, one on one coaching programming will be available. 

Rachel Janny will be heading our team, a certified Certified Crossfit Endurance coach. 
For more information email [email protected]