After 12 years competing at the highest level in CrossFit, I've learned a lot about what it means to train, compete, and show up. Showing up not just for a place on the leaderboard, but for yourself. Hip pain forced me to take last year off from competing in CrossFit, but it also gave me the chance to shift my focus and step into a different arena: the LT Games by Life Time Fitness.

At first, it might seem like two completely different worlds. The CrossFit Games are known for testing the "unknown and unknowable." You see lifting, sprinting, handstand walking, swimming, biking—athletes pushing through workouts that test every possible capacity of fitness. The LT Games have a broader invitation—similar to HYROX—bringing everyday athletes together to test their fitness, celebrate consistency, and challenge themselves in a new way.

At the CrossFit Games, every detail is engineered for peak performance. Programming is written months in advance based on what you might see in competition. Nutrition, recovery, and consistency are all part of the daily grind. The focus is on finding the "fittest on earth." It's about precision, execution, and mental toughness at the highest level.

In contrast, the LT Games are built on accessibility and inclusion. You'll see people who've been training for years right alongside those who are just finding their rhythm in fitness. There's something powerful about that because, for most, fitness isn't about being the best in the world. It's about putting in the work and giving your best effort in that moment to better yourself.

That's what stood out to me the most. In both arenas, the foundation is the same. Whether you're an elite athlete or stepping onto the competition floor for the first time, the courage to show up is everything.

Competition vs. Community

From being a part of CrossFit since 2008, I've always known that the sport—and its boxes—thrive on an amazing community. But the Games themselves are a performance stage. You're surrounded by athletes who've devoted their lives to the sport. Every lift, every second matters. The crowd, the energy, being out on the floor—it's one of the most amazing feelings in the world, but it's also isolating in its intensity.

The LT Games had a different energy. It felt less intense and more like a celebration of what training really means: consistency and showing up every day even when no one's watching. I got to race alongside my fiancé, watch new friends crush goals they had set for themselves, and help athletes strategize on weights, pacing, and intensity. It was new for me too—getting to choose whether to go heavy or light for some of the weighted movements.

The weekend reminded me that fitness doesn't have to be a job, and it's not reserved for professionals. It's a daily practice that belongs to anyone willing to put in the work.

Showing Up for Yourself

Being a NOBULL athlete has always aligned with what I believe about training. It's not about flashy moments. It's about doing the work. Lacing up your shoes, walking into the gym, and giving what you've got today. CrossFit demands that same mentality, but at the elite level it's easy to lose sight of it. Competing at the Games is all about performance—who's faster, stronger, more precise. At the LT Games, I saw a different version of fitness. It reminded me why I started training in the first place: not just to win, but to grow.

Train hard. Show up for yourself.