Finally some concrete evidence that Mikko Salo is indeed human. From his hometown in Finland Mikko talks about how he dealt with the stresses dealt to his body from the demands of the games. Mikko woke up with cold sweats at 2 am on Sunday morning. "It was like sleeping in a pool... the night was a bit strange for me." But he rallied and pulled through for an amazing second day. "In the morning, I felt fine."

He also talks about how hard it was to refuel during the tenuous two days of competition. "Eating was hard for me...I wasn't hungry." He found it hard to choke down food even after both full days of hard work. "I knew I needed the energy, so I had to eat everything. But it was a bit of a struggle for me."

The competition was so intense, in fact, that Mikko's victory celebration party ended early with one beer, lots of untouched food and a very early bedtime. "It was a wise decision at that point."

Eating with Mikko ... [wmv] [mov]

Think you had a gnarly commute to the CrossFit Games. The affiliate team from CrossFit Copenhagen in Denmark spent a cool 20 hours in the air closing the roughly 6,000 miles to Aromas. Pair that with a short notice entry into the competition and their presence is all the more impressive.

They finished the weekend in the 41st spot, highlighted by securing 20th overall in the run event.

This video, From "In Pursuit Of Sunday," by Again Faster, follows the team through Fridays events.

CrossFit Copenhagen video (also seen on the main site) ... [wmv] [mov]

CrossFit Central entered this year's Affiliate Cup as a favorite. Owned by Jeremy Thiel, who finished 3rd in the 08 Games, Central sent four competitors to the individual competition, dominating the Hell's Half Acre Qualifier. With such a high concentration of elite athletes, there was little doubt the affiliate team would be a force.

Andy Lewis, a coach at Central, narrates a portion of this clip from, "In Pursuit Of Sunday," by Again Faster. He describes being humbled by the Aromas hill, in spite of having a strong running base.

"My arms and legs, my chest and stomach were blue... just from lack of oxygen that my lungs took up from the hill. The strategy was for me to get the lead, then the ladies would maintain it." Kris Kepler, a competitor in the 2008 Games, served as anchor for Central and managed to keep them at the front of the pack.

Kepler rallied, and Central had the fastest time up to that point in the competition. CrossFit Flagstaff followed with CrossFit Copenhagen finishing a dramatic third. By the end of the day, Oregon CrossFit had the fastest time at 11:09.

CrossFit Central finished second overall in the Affiliate Cup competition, just behind Northwest CrossFit and one point ahead of CrossFit NorCal.

Central Run video ... [wmv] [mov]

Sometimes laughter is the best medicine. Pat Sherwood, of CrossFit HQ, is quick to deliver humor in most situations. On the eve of the competition, after the daunting itinerary of challenges had been announced, Pat needed a dose himself. "I'm here to go as far as I can and then cheer for Chris Spealler," he said.Sherwood finished sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Qualifiers in 2009.

After talking about strategy for the Affiliate North Pad WOD, conversation turned toward the 7 kilometer run, namely strategy for the downhill portion. "I'm calling it controlled falling... I guess... I'm gonna try not to roll both of my ankles and dislocate my hips. If all else fails, I may jump on Rob Orlando's back and ride along, like Yoda."

He commented on the formatting of the Games as well, which was not exactly to his liking. "I like to deadlift fresh... so the deadlift event is going to be a unique experience. We shall see."

Sherwood Interview ... [wmv] [mov]

What started as "just a good run" ended as a dream come true. As you can see in this video, Mikko is sportsmanship incarnate and the rightful proprietor of the title, World's Fittest Man 2009.

Whether a cause or effect of their training, CrossFit champions tend to exemplify the very best ethos of sport. Mikko is no exception. The firefighter and rescue diver from Finland embodies the spirit of the Games.

One of the amazing traits of Mikko is that he never seems fazed. He approached each event with an air of amusement. When he had reps taken away from him, he just kept going. Even after the brutal final chipper, which he completed nearly two minutes faster than any other competitor, he kept his humor and his humility.

"It's the ending I dreamed of," Mikko said in response to whether this was the result he wanted. "Not what I wanted ... dreamed of."

Mikko Champion Montage video ... [wmv] [mov]

"Unknown and Unknowable." A hopper containing any imaginable physical task is one of four theoretical pillars upon which CrossFit's definition of fitness is built. Ditch digging, equipment transportation and buddy carries are all scenarios that an individual may face in their lifetime. As such, they are fair game for a CrossFit challenge.

The sledge hammer/row event came out of the hopper this year, to the dismay of some top athletes. "This event here might just end my day," Josh Everett joked seconds before entering the stadium.

After a 500m row, athletes were tasked with driving a stake (4' long, 1.25" diameter) until no more than six inches remained above the ground. That area of the stadium had been dug out and repacked to a consistent density. The event was completed with another 500 meter row on the Concept 2 rower.

Tommy Hackenbruck of UTE CrossFit demonstrated how a past in carpentry could lend itself to proficiency with a sledge hammer, setting the bar for men with a best time of 4:36, just seconds ahead of Jeff Leonard and Moe Kelsey.

The fastest female was Sarah Dunsmore from CrossFit Durham (5:33), followed closely by Katie Hogan from Valley CrossFit (5:43).

Sledge Event Intro video ... [wmv] [mov]

"The men and women competing here today have legitimate claim to the title, "Fittest Men and Women on Earth," by the same rights and logic that the Lakers, the Steelers, the Penguins and the Phillies are the best basketball team, football team, hockey team and baseball team on Earth."

-Greg Glassman, at the Inception of the 2009 CrossFit Games

As a strength and conditioning program, the goal of CrossFit is to consistently exceed the capacities of its athletes, including the world's fittest humans. No matter where you are in life, gains in fitness cannot be achieved without discomfort. Of course, that pain shouldn't be excessive, nor should it be just for its own sake (it's easy to create a painful workout that doesn't lead to much). But, there is certainly a high correlation between competency in life and tolerance of discomfort.

Obviously, any attempt to determine the World's Fittest Humans must be, by definition, extremely arduous. Was this year's Games enough, or did we make it too hard?

Is This Too Hard? video ... [wmv] [mov]

The Snatch Event on Day 2 of this year's Games was the first of its kind. Each athlete had ten minutes to work up to a one rep maximum effort in the snatch, loosely defined with a few key requirements. Each athlete and their own bar, and nine others were competing at the same time. Pressing out and knees hitting the deck were permitting, though assisting the bar with any other part of your body was not.

The women in the first heat were impressive. Tamara Holmes was the runaway victor for the event with a 145lb lift. Crystal McReynolds lifted 125lbs. Jenny Olson got 120, while both Jolie Gentry and Laura Demarco snatched 115lbs each.

The second heat put up similarly competitive numbers. Both Lindsey Smith and Kristan Clever snatched 130lbs. Tanya Wagner, the overall champion, finished second with 135lbs.

This video from Carey Peterson shows the last minutes of the first heat. The clock approached the 10min mark, and the women dug in to push their limits. The pressure was on. Only sixteen women remained in the competition. Every point counted, as only 24 points separated first place from fifth place. Most of these competitors had already achieved their best lifts and were trying for one more jump.

Women's First Snatch Heat video ... [wmv] [mov]

James OPT Fitzgerald made peace with the new nature of his contribution to the Games in 2009 as an organizer, rather than an athlete. While extremely difficult for his athletic ambitions, the move was necessary in his mind to ensure the Canada West Qualifier best represented CrossFit and that appropriate standards were met.

OPT was the champion in 2007 and took 12th place last year. With such competitive statistics, it was a difficult pill for him to swallow.

"Honestly, I was OK with it," he said on day one of the 2009 competition. "I had planned on taking the whole year off and cycling in."

That was back in May. In a fortunate turn of events, OPT did make it to the competition and did exceptionally well. "Honestly I felt like I owed it to the community...This year I'm just here for the experience."

OPT To Compete or Not To Compete video ... [wmv] [mov]

In this year's triplet event, the standards for the handstand pushups were more challenging than many competitors practiced. The grip was a fixed width parallette, and the head dropped below the height of the hands. Kipping was not allowed.

Jeff Tucker of GSX Athletics and CrossFit's gymnastics specialist talked about differences from typical gymnastics movements. "Normally in gymnastics, a measurement is from between the fingertip to the elbow. A little outside the width of the athletes chest... this (30 inch) stance on the parrallettes is gonna make it really hard, a lot of people are gonna have a hard time with this."

Was the grip too wide? "I think the proof will be in the pudding," said Jeff, "I don't want to be subjective." The event did claim its victims. Of the top 16 female athletes four women failed to complete a single HSPU to standard.

Tucker on HSPU video ... [wmv] [mov]

After the triplet, Tommy Hackenbruck spoke from an athletes view point. He regretted not holding more strict standards in his training. His performance wasn't what he thought it should be under the competition standards.

Tommy Post Couplet video ... [wmv] [mov]

Those who attended the European Regional knew there was something amazing about Mikko Salo. We knew he dominated that event, but we all wondered how he'd do on the world stage. He emerged the winner.

Throughout the eight events, the Finn stayed consistent and powerful across the broad array challenges. He entered the final event just one point behind Tommy Hackenbruck, but his dominant performance sealed him the victory. He completed the chipper nearly two full minutes ahead of Jason Khalipa, and the only man to finish under 20min.

In many ways, Mikko embodies the ideal virtues of a champion. He is modest, humble, focused, and unfazed by whatever is thrown at him.

Mikko post chipper video (also seen on the main site) ... [wmv] [mov]

Knowing the possibility of a swim event in the 2010 Games, Hollis Molloy, owner and coach at CrossFit Santa Cruz put Tamaryn "Taz" Venter (shown) of CrossFit New Zealand, and Patrick "The Manimal" Barber through a workout that had both standard CrossFit elements and a significant pool element.

Pat took 4th place in the 2008 Games and set the fifth fastest time in this years sandbag sprint event. Taz was the top female at the 2009 Australasian qualifier. She also has some lifeguarding and triathlon experience.

These two, combined with the CFSC Affiliate Cup team, trained outside their comfort zone. It's impressive to watch Pat suffer so much in the pool and then dominate on deck. It shows that some specific training will be required if the 2010 Games do in fact have a water element.

CrossFit Santa Cruz Pool WOD video ... [wmv] [mov]

Day One of the 09 Games was a brutal set of five events. The sledge hammer event put most of the athletes outside their comfort zone. The final couplet was simple but extremely painful. At the end of the day, a few were even questioning the wisdom of going on.

Jeremy Thiel talks about his mindset through the final two events. He finished 3rd overall in 08, and came in focused on the podium.

Matt Chan describes the day, and welcomes the challenge.

Mikko Salo appears unfazed by whole ordeal.

Athletes Reflect On Day One video ... [wmv] [mov]

The CrossFit Games is unique in both it's format and the culture that surrounds it. The marriage of elite fitness and the festival ambiance is unique to Aromas.

Days before the 2009 competition gets underway Tony Budding, Games Co-Director, reflects on what makes the CrossFit Games unique. "The primary difference is that when you compete in the olympics, you know what you're up against. One of the key components, one of the ways that we test for the unknown and the unknowable, the way we require very broad levels of fitness is that the athletes don't know what they're competing in."

The high levels of camaraderie among the athletes is rare in sport. CrossFitters celebrate the successes of other competitors. Many share strategies, and even actively cheer on their rivals.

CrossFit Vs. Olympics ... [wmv] [mov]

Athletes can do amazing things under the pressures of competition, and in front of thousands of screaming fans. In the second event this year, many athletes set lifetime PRs in the deadlift despite having to lift one rep every 30sec, and having run the 7km race about an hour before. Sixteen male athletes and one female athlete lifted all 20 bars.

Josh Wagner of CrossFit Apex set a 10lb PR, and just barely missed a 20lb PR at 485. Wagner's wife Tanya also set a PR, lifting 325lbs. She, of course, ended up World Champion at the end of Sunday.

Rob Orlando came to CrossFit from a strongman background, which shaped his game plan in advance. "There's about a thousand other things I'd rather do than a 7 kilometer run," he joked the night before the competition. The second event gave him more confidence. "We'll see if I did my homework," Rob mused. He did something right. Twenty bars, one every 30 seconds and culminating at 505lbs, failed to raise his heart rate.

Deadlift Event Video 1 ... [wmv] [mov]

Matt Chan from CrossFit Verve was considered a top contender going into the weekend. Last year he finished eighth overall. He won the Rocky Mountain Qualifiers, solidifying his reputation. Matt is also part of the CrossFit Level 1 Certification seminar training staff. He compares the past two years' Games, and sets a lifetime PR in the deadlift.

Deadlift Event Video 2 ... [wmv] [mov]

Nicole Gordon of CrossFit Hampton Roads was in the first heat of the sledge event. Entering the event she was hovering just behind the middle of the pack. She hit the ground running and was doing well in the event until a poor strike and unfortunate hand placement caused big problems. Nicole's finger was crushed between the sledge hammer and the stake.

Nicole was undaunted, and finished the event in spite of the pain. You could her scream intermittently throughout the final 500 meter row.

The medical team stood by as she pulled out her last few strokes on the machine and immediately went to work. Nicole was taken to the hospital by ambulance where they assessed the extent of the damage. When it was determined that the finger was not in fact broken, she rushed back to compete in the Couplet. She called frantically from the car to assure us she was coming back for her scheduled heat.

The fastest female in the Sledge event was Sarah Dunsmore of CrossFit Durham, with a time of 5:33.

Nicole Gordon Sledge video ... [wmv] [mov]

The run event challenged both physical and mental conditioning. The 7km course took them up steep terrain, through poison-oak-covered foothills and back down on the road to finish the race.

Some favored athletes in the competition were humbled by the event. Jason Khalipa was thought to be out of the competition when he collapsed to the ground entering the flatland portion that marked the start of the final mile.

Run Start video ... [wmv] [mov]

The most treacherous part of the run was the backside portion. The grade was so significant that the athletes took to crawling on all fours. Many went crashing down the initial slope. For sure, there was not a lot of running happening on the way up.

Backside of the Run video ... [wmv] [mov]

Chris Spealer and Mikko Salo finished the event in first and second position, just seconds apart. Russell Berger came in third with a time of 38:07, slightly under a minute behind the leaders.

Some competitors were impressively proficient on the first two events, which tested a broad spectrum of physical capabilities. JC Nessa and Peter Egyed placed in the top 15 runners out of 74 male competitors, and managed to lift all 20 bars in the deadlift event. Mikko Salo came in second in the run and deadlifted all the way to the final bar. Khalipa rallied to finish the run in time and made up some ground by finishing the deadlift event.

"It's the most primitive mode of fitness," said Jeremy Thiel one day before the event. "Run and pick up heavy stuff. Perfect."

Run Finish video ... [wmv] [mov]

Caity Matter returned to Aromas as the defending champion. She had been throwing around some amazing performances. She was also helping to run Rogue Fitness and planning a wedding.

A competitor by nature and years of practice, bolstered by D1 college and professional basketball careers, she was excited to compete this year. Yet, she knew that the field would be much stronger. "I want to win," she says plain and simple, "that's my motivation."

The competition was indeed tougher. She pulled an impressive 305 pounds in the deadlift event, but that was only good enough for 15th with this crowd. Cyndi Frieling won the event as the only woman capable of lifting all 20 bars (375lbs). This was not Caity's year, though. Dehydration and severe cramping caused her to withdraw after three events.

Caity Matter Deadlift Interview... [wmv] [mov]

Jolie relives this years' triplet, Freddy gets sentimental while Khalipa and Everett revisit their showdown in the '08 Games, ("it was like blood in the water for a shark..."). Then they set their gaze for next year. In this final installment of The Veterans Debate, an all star foursome revisit some of their favorite moments from Games past, and ponder what future games what look like.

Josh Everett started the final event of the '08 Games a full minute behind Chris Spealler, with Khalipa back further still (1:23). They revisit the drama and build up to the final event. "I didn't even know who this guys was," says Josh pointing towards Khalipa, "He was some dopey kid in the back room warming up...so things didn't end up how I thought."

Jason Khalipa went into the 2008 Games completely unknown to the CrossFit world. The evening before the final event, his coach told him he would be lucky to land in the top three. "Shoot for top three Jason, I mean, Josh Everett is here..." Two minutes and 48 seconds after the final event began, Jason was the '08 Games champion.

Veterans Debate P3 ... [wmv] [mov]

James "OPT" Fitzgerald takes CrossFit to another level, literally. In Every Second Counts, he talked about getting in touch with pain and how he learned to manage that relationship. In time the pursuit of better performance can take a spiritual edge.

"Get comfortable with uncomfortable," has become the theme at CrossFit Calgary. You have to be able to get into an uncomfortable position, of varying different intensities and varying different degrees - physical, emotional - and be comfortable with that... that's what CrossFit teaches you and that's why it went well with our philosophy, too."

The person that can deal with discomfort and abandon homeostasis most readily will be better not only at sport, but at life in general. James draws a parrallel to personal relationships, family and work and highlights the empowerment that transfers from 'embracing the suck,' in CrossFit. Clearly the philosophy runs in the family. His younger brother Michael finished this years Games in eleventh place, by conquering a considerable amount of pain.

Comfortable With Uncomfortable ... [wmv] [mov]