March 15th is Finally Here.

Today marks the official start of the CrossFit competition season. The Open, as they are calling it, begins at 5:00 p.m. Pacific time, with the release of the first workout. As most CrossFitters know, the format is different this year than in years past for athletes to qualify to be at the Games final event. This wide open Sectional Qualifying process is going to be interesting. Anyone and everyone has an opportunity to participate. Your choices to compete are very simple: video tape and submit the video to HQ for judgement or go to a participating affiliate and have someone there judge your performance. If it's good enough, you're on your way. If it wasn't your day, you'll have your work cut out for you for the next 6 weeks.
6 weeks of workouts will make up the Sectionals. Not a weekend event, but 6 weeks of rolling the dice, posting a time and waiting to see how it holds up against the rest of the world. Well, that's how it's going to be for me, anyway. I won't have to qualify to go to Regionals. There are no Regionals for Masters. All I have to do is make the top 20 in my age bracket worldwide and I'm on my way to Carson.
My guess is this year the competition will be much stiffer than last year's edition. With the growth of CrossFit globally, the athletes will be coming from far and near to get a chance to be in Carson this July. 50 year old athletes are no longer "has been's." They are slower, sure. They may have minor injuries, sure. They may have lost a little strength, sure. But, make no mistake, there are some real fit 50 pluses out there that will do whatever it takes to play in The Home Depot Center's center court. They now know what getting the exposure for being a part of the final events at the CrossFit Games will bring to any individuals, not to mention, affiliates. After all, we are a viral sport. "A" games only need apply.
So, the journey to Carson begins in earnest. Good luck to all athletes. May the fittest move on.