zack peñalva

For some, 9 o’clock on a Saturday morning is bringing about the drowsy start of a comfortably lazy day. The height of activity is probably rolling out of bed, a shuffle for coffee and breakfast and maybe a heroic lift of the remote control to turn on the morning news. What brings greater happiness than pure relaxation?

For some, it comes from the boom of music, the thunder of weights and a good sweat. Lots and lots of sweat.

The perspiration came courtesy of the Festivus Games, a CrossFit competition billed as a “worldwide functional-fitness competition for beginner and intermediate athletes” held in Washington County last weekend at local training center, CrossFit E2.

CrossFit is a branded fitness regimen that has experienced a growth in prominence over the past several years. The program stresses, “functional movements performed at high intensity” and workouts are often done in groups settings. CrossFit-licensed gyms hold a variety of classes for different levels of fitness.

Competition at the highest level is at the CrossFit Games, an annual event that puts competitors through a variety of surprise workouts that combine aerobic, weightlifting and gymnastic exercises. Most of the participants are fitness professionals.

Which brings us back to Festivus, a competition for the rest of us.

“This is more for the everyday athlete, bringing them together for a competition,” said Sarah Wright, co-owner of CrossFit E2. Wright explained that after searching for a Festivus event in the fall, she had to travel to Louisville to compete. After realizing there was a demand for a more local competition, E2 went through an application process to host its own Festivus games.

“We’re blessed to have the facilities that we have,” Wright said. “The size of our facility, we could host a large number of people. The equipment that we had met [competition] standards. And again, we’re in an area where people had to drive an hour to compete, whereas a majority of our competitors are within 20 minutes. It’s much more accommodating.”

According to Wright, 33 people showed up to compete. Men and women competed in separate divisions. Competitors were placed in either “novice, which is more entry-level; intermediate, which is a little more advanced; and masters, which is ages 35 and up,” Wright explained.

The day was split into three events, a gauntlet of weightlifting and locomotion held under a continuous roar of encouraging teammates and thumping music. As each heat ended and weary competitors were welcomed back to their groups with back slaps and high fives, it was clear there were no regrets on missing out on a lazy Saturday morning.

“They’re wanting to challenge themselves,” Wright said.

In her eyes, CrossFit was reopening a door to competition that many people had been searching for.

“The majority of our competitors fall between the ages of 30 and 45. Moms and dads that are getting back into fitness, this is now their new sport. Our kids are playing softball or basketball and now adults have a sport and it’s being embraced.”