July Newsletter

Happy Anniversary Month!

That's right! CrossFit United became CrossFit Fringe four years ago this month! Crazy to think how many moves, paint, and packing caravans we've had in just this short time, but we continue to grow and find new friends and family along the way. What an amazing journey we've been blessed with!

Fourth of July Hours

We always try to resemble normal hours as much as possible, however, as this summer holiday rolls into the week, we have just a few changes:

• Sunday, July 2: Normal Hours
• Monday, July 3: 5 a.m. / 9 a.m. / 4:30 p.m. / 5:30 p.m. (noon at West as well)
• Tuesday, July 4: (West only for both houses) 9 a.m. to noon with a special Fourth of July group WOD at 9 a.m. Be there, its sure to be a good time, and well have donuts and coffee afterward.

Flash Donation Drive to Benefit The Food Bank

On the Fourth of July, well also be kicking off a Flash Donation Drive to benefit The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri. They are specifically looking for:

• Canned, pop-top entree items (ravioli, chicken, tuna)
• Canned fruit with pop-tops or the peel back plastic single serves (usually come in a four pack)
• Single serve peanut butter

While the items above are high on the list of needed items, we will be collecting any non-perishable food or health and beauty items (including diapers and formula!) to help them keep their supplies up! We will have a barrel at West starting on Monday, July 3 in the afternoon. The barrel will be there through the morning of Monday, July 10. Feel free to share with your friends and coworkers! Lets make sure we fill at least one barrel! We will also take any donated items from East over to the collection barrel for you guys too - so lets show support for our Mid-Missouri neighbors in need!

Kids Camp

Have you guys heard were going to have a Kids Camp this summer? Thats right! July 24 through July 28. Our staff (including our newest intern Ava Kitzi) have been busy planning all the details for the campers. You can learn more and sign up your young athlete ages 4-9 and 10-15. All the details (including registration) here:http://crossfitfringe.com/summer-2017-fringe-kids-summer-camp/

Welcome Aurora Tyler!

You all know Ive been wanting some extra help FOREVER -- but its always been tough to find someone that knows the weirdness of my role here, and is able to kind of jump in and unjumble everything that happens around here day to day. Thats why I was thrilled when I finally talked Aurora into joining the staff. Weve known each other 10+ years (holy crap were old) and she and I work in complementary industries and she has the added bonus of more PR and writing chops. Anyhow, were still getting 100% up to speed but Id like to welcome Aurora as our second Business Development guru and express my gratitude in your willingness to take on our insanity! How about a little from Aurora herself? HI all! After recovering from a hip injury, I finally let Jess Kohler lure me into Fringe where Ill not only be working out but will also assist with the branding, marketing, and public relations efforts. Im super excited to be here! Im a graduate of the University of Missouris Journalism School, I spent several years covering education-related issues in Missouri, Texas and Washington, D.C. for both newspapers and tv news, before returning to Columbia, Mo. I am now the Marketing and Public Affairs Coordinator for the Missouri State Teachers Association and run a successful communications and consulting business on the side with my designer husband. Outside of the office, I enjoy running and have completed a marathon and several half marathons. My two biggest fans are my husband and two-year-old daughter. Be sure to say hello when you see me! (You can also feel free to share any tips or tricks, it can be a lot to keep track of!)Upcoming Events

• Fourth of July Celebratory WOD with Coffee and Doughnuts(July 4 at 9.a.m. -- see above for special hours)
• Pull-up Seminar (July 15, 10:30 a.m.- noon - Fringe East - Register here)
• Kids Camp (July 24 - 28)
• Bring a Friend Week (August 14-19 - blog post coming!)
• CrossFit Games in Madison, WI (Aug. 2 - 6)
• Lift Up Autism(Sept. 23)
• Heart of America (HOA) Team Competition (Sept. 29 - Oct. 1)

Housekeeping

• Lots of rower fixes over the past few weeks, but I think I can say confidently (looks around uneasily) that everything is installed and working well. As always, if you notice something amiss, say something. Its a group effort to keep our equipment and second home in proper order.
• Thanks to the help of some of our amazing coaches, West was cleaned up, painted by Tyler (front room) and re-organized. Did you notice the facelift? Have any suggestions to better use that front room? Shoot them our way.
• Both our East and West locations got some shiny new window decals. The oft-requested car decals are still in the works too!
• Both locations now have awesome check-in stations for classes, making things even easier. Give em a spin and flag a coach if you run into any issues.
• How about those new new CrossFit Fringe shirts in both our signature colors?
• A few new items over at East including a more closed in basement entrance and even some upgrades for our adaptive athletes. While something simple, like new thresholds at the shower entrances doesnt mean much to many - it can be a huge help to those wheeled warriors making it in and out of the showers.

Comment box

Q: We seem to have a ton of drop-ins, whats up with that?

A: This is an excellent question. We not only have a lot of drop-ins, but also a lot of new faces in general. Lets address the first. The upcoming CrossFit Games always brings visitors to CrossFit Fringe. Because this is Brooke Wellss home gym, people stop in hoping shell be here. Additionally, both of our locations are well placed for people traveling through town. If you see a new face, say hello, help them find their way around, and introduce them to other members. Youre integral to us making sure they have a great workout and experience with us, and that helps carry our reputation for being a top-notch, welcoming community around the world.We also have a stream of new faces and people trying CrossFit for the first time. Joining classes as a new person can be really intimidating (we all remember that feeling, right?). It takes a lot to set foot in another location when the other athletes around you are all doing such amazing things and they may feel like they are just getting started. When you see a new face, say hello. If they look a little lost, help them find their way around, set up equipment and partner with them. These things matter so much, and help everyone be their best selves and enjoy their best hour of the day!

‍Have a question for us, leave us one in our virtual comment box!

Coach's Spotlight: Matt Kitzi

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What brought you into CrossFit United that day?

K: Since February 5, 2011. I had been running a lot and my knees hurt, and I had bored myself to death with P90X or Insanity or whatever DVDs Sean-T was selling. Early 2011 was really snowy in Columbia, and I couldnt run outside. So I showed up at CrossFit United at the old Fay Street location on a Saturday morning and was thrown directly into a WOD (there was no On-Ramp or Foundations in those days). Nate Bacott was the coach (and maybe 21 years old) and told me to do 100 burpee pullups for time, with a 15-minute time cap. I tapped out at 78 and couldnt raise my arms above my shoulders. But I was hooked and signed up that day, even though I couldnt really hold the pen to sign the check because my grip was shot. Six-plus years later, still at it.

Q: Whats your favorite OG memory?

K: I vividly recall doing burpees, pullups and entire 6 am WODs with my ski gloves on in January because the old Bearfield location had concrete floors and seemingly no working heater. But my favorite was getting my first Muscle Up (July 21, 2011). I worked on it all morning, at one point managing to get stuck with both of my arms fully through the rings so that I was hanging from my armpits. I really was stuck and Nate Bacott had to reach up and get me down. But I jumped back up, knocked one out, and then did a few more. I also fondly remember every Murph Ive ever done. Murph is my favorite  I love the line from The Man From Snowy River that Marcus Luttrell quoted in Lone Survivor as reminding him of Lt. Murphy: He was hard and tough and wiry . . . just the sort that wont say die. And he bore the badge of gameness in his bright and fiery eye. We have that line stenciled on the wall in our home mini-gym.

Q: Whats your favorite part about coaching CrossFit Kids?

K: I guess the easiest and most accessible answer is that I like helping kids progress with fitness and skills. But more holistically, I believe in the It Takes a Village approach to raising children, and I feel that I can help with the fitness component of that Village approach. Im thankful for the help of the mentors, coaches, teachers and role models who help Laura and I with our kids. For example, if Laura and I had to do all the parenting and mentoring on our own, there is no way Ava would be a solid Cellist and a member of the Missouri Junior Symphonia  shed still be stuck with the recorder. So maybe my role is to assist other folks in helping their kids learn about general physical preparedness, and getting comfortable with fitness. I feel like thats a worthwhile use of my time that benefits our community.

Q: Why did you decide to get your L1?

K: I was leaving my role as the Missouri Securities Commissioner in late 2012 and knew I was going take several months to transition back to private practice. Nate, Ben and Tyler needed some morning coaching help back then, and it seemed like something I could do. I really liked the idea of being in the mix on planning, coaching and helping grow the gym. It was a really good decision.

Q: What was your biggest takeaway from the L2 Seminar you just recently took?

K: The L2 seminar was a good opportunity to re-set my approach to coaching CrossFit, and to CrossFit in general. The seminar staff drove home the idea that our jobs as coaches is to help folks move better, to identify and correct deficiencies in movement. Its easy to over-think and make CrossFit complicated, and L2 pushed me to return to the basics. Whether in my normal CrossFit Kids classes, or subbing for the occasional adult class, Im going to focus much more on the basics and Im going to be relentless in helping kids (and adults) move correctly and efficiently.

Q: Why do you like the GHD so much? If you didnt have GHD, what would be your go-to movement?

K: Its the most mysterious of the CrossFit equipment. And, its obviously the most CrossFit thing Rocky would do (I mean Rocky IV, the training-in-Russia-Hearts-on-Fire Rocky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SUzcDUERLo). If someone took away my GHD (wont happen - we own one and keep it in our basement mini-gym), Id go back to the burpee. Im super good at burpees.

Q: Whats one thing that people probably dont know about you?

K: Im the oldest of seven siblings. One of my brothers is a former firefighter and current bouncer in Austin, and the other is a cook and comic book artist down there. Another brother is a landscaper in Kansas City and the other is a baker and a juggler here in Columbia. One sister owns a coffee shop in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and the other taught hula hoop classes and lives in Oregon. I get needled mercilessly at family events for being a lawyer (including by my Mom, Ivy, a retired midwife who is the manager of the Orr Street Studios and a sometimes-CrossFitter)  Oooohh, look at Mr. Fancy-Pants, who has sleeves on his shirts!Have an amazing month of love, lifts, and GAINS! As always, if you need anything, you can reach out to us on social media, or email info@crossfitfringe.com.