The INOV-8 Rainhill Trials and confessions of love...

27.10.14
Written by Amy Redfern.
Last weekend I ventured out to watch the much talked about Rainhill Trials. 

The "Rainhill Trials" is a CrossFit competition organised by TRAIN Manchester and INOV-8. Like competitive running events, the event is banded into categories from Beginners up to Elite Athletes.The appropriately named Rocket at the top, Kennedy next, then Rastrick and Wood at the bottom. This meant that weights and sometimes exercises differed in each category.

The event was held at SportCity Manchester, which just so happens to be next to/part of Manchester City football club, and the event itself just so happened to be on a match day too! Accessing both days was just £10, I brought my dad along for company, who was thrilled that we managed to catch some live City TV *rolls eyes*. (see picture below)

Day 1 involved the lower banded athletes, Rastrick and Wood. The WODs were split into 2 heats, WODS 1, 2 and 3 were completed in the morning, with WOD 4 in the afternoon plus the final. Arriving in the afternoon, we watched a small snippet of the event. WOD 4 - that's Workout Of The Day Number Four for all you non-crossfitters.

WOD 4 consisted of:
Rastrick MALE -50 Pull Ups / FEMALE JPU (jumping pull ups)40 Double unders / 80 single unders 30 Plate GTOH (ground to overhead) (M20kg/F15kg)20 Plate overhead alternating forward lunge (M20kg/F15kg)10 GTOH (M50kg/F35kg)Wood M 50 Pull ups / F JPU 40 Double-unders / 80 single-unders 30 Plate GTOH (M15kg/F10kg)20 Plate overhead alternating forward lunge (M15kg/F10kg)10 GTOH (M40kg/F30kg)  

I felt every pained face in the room as the athletes raced against the 10 minute time cap in a cloud of chalk and sweat sprays...okay it wasn't that dramatic but with a few old school Prince Tracks playing as well as Snoop Doggy Dog and Estelle it certainly felt dramatic and life changing.

Here’s a clip of the Males competing.

And....The Females.

I love events like this because it brings people together (stereotypical) - but it just does, it's quite rare that you are in the same room with so many people with the same interests and who have probably experienced the same barriers of pain that you have (Fran…Filthy 50…etc)

Moreover the CrossFit community is one that is dissimilar to any I have ever been a part of before. CrossFit not only tests people's athletic ability, their instincts, their ability to strategize -  but also challenges their deep, integral values.

Having played team sports and competed as an individual athlete, luckily the concept of team work is familiar to me and this has swayed in my favor.
Unfortunately my strategic planning isn't as great as I hoped - point one, absolutely giving every piece of my life and soul in the first minute of the work out. Not a good strategy.

As a personal trainer of course I have a 'tiny' ego/big-head when it comes down to sport and exercise because I know my stuff...or at least I thought I did.
It took 10 minutes within QDOS (my CrossFit Gym) for me to go "okay everyone is better than me".This was mirrored on the CrossFit Level 1 course too, whereby people who 'should' be in the eyes of science past their athletic best were rinsing me at the most basic of tasks. 

It's not just about the concept of competition however, it is also very much about respect, and to some degree emotional strength.

Egos must be left at the door. And a sort of level - headedness is required. Crying is allowed but happiness, laughter and smiling should be the by-products. Period.
CrossFit itself is unlike any other sport combining Gymnastics, weight lifting and metabolic conditioning to create a unique and addictive sport.

It is also slightly comforting to know that not only Novices such as oneself experience failure. Elite Athletes also fail and miserably sometimes too! Look at Rich Froning - stops in the Triple 3 Event at the CrossFit Games 2014, comes in 37th  place... later wins the CrossFit  games 2014 to become the world's fittest man for the THIRD YEAR RUNNING.If  that doesn't show that everyone has their limits and weaknesses- then I don't know what does.  

The particular image below really made me giggle. 

There is one thing that I found about CrossFit that made me think. Everyone is so nice - everyone just wants to help. Not only is that a miracle in real life, it's also a miracle in the fitness industry from my experience.

CrossFit has changed my life and given me a niche/specialism in my Personal Training... I am not afraid to admit I'm head over heels in love and can honestly say the results for myself and my clients are phenomenal.

My ambition still stands, 5 months after my first CrossFit experience that I want to a) compete and b) coach CrossFit in a box. Hopefully some time in the near future these two ambitions will become reality. 

It's safe to say that Rainhill provided even more incentive and inspiration to encourage me to get known in the CrossFit community.

I think this quote really sums up what CrossFit is about. So I'll leave you with the thought. 

For more information regarding the 'Rainhill Trials' try the TRAIN Manchester -http://www.trainmanchester.co.uk/upcoming-events/inov-8-rainhill-trials/


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