Christmas 2008 OB1 and a Champion

 

 

We didn’t have sign ups or marketing back then. Just a website and a prayer.

This was not a field of dreams, it was more of a “ok, now what”


CrossFit was a fringe method of exercise. Nobody knew about it. There were about 20 or so members at CFStC. The few morning members came from the CF bootcamp in the park. The few  members were either brought in by my first CF coach Justin (who now owns Chesterfield CF) or there were parents of the kids in the gymnastic gym.

Just before Christmas, maybe December 18th or 19th I opened up the gym for the 9a class.
I had no idea who would walk through my door but I knew I could probably count on Stefany Knobbe.
As we stood there talking about what she was going to do in class a guy popped through the door. He looked slightly confused at the gym but happy to be there. All CrossFitters were happy back then. We are connected as soon as we see each other. 

He introduced himself as Josh from California. Said he worked out at a CF gym there. He told me how the owner of the gym gave him a key so that he could work out whenever he wanted. This guy was super fit.

He asked about the WOD and I told him that Stef and I were just discussing it. 

He said, “How about the 12 Days of CrossFit?” 

I was familiar with this workout, but it changed every time you did it.

It’s just like the Christmas song. It was a ton of reps. 

Stefany smiled and said “Sure” with a shrug.

So we stood at the whiteboard and created this work out on the spot. 

It was my first exposure to Manmakers. It was Stefanies first too. 

That wod went on forever it seemed. I didn’t do it with them because I was “coach”

Stefany and Josh worked hard and mostly stayed together. 

I can remember how it ended but I do recall that Josh left his wedding band on the white/black GHD machine and I had to meet him at the gym so he could get it. 

There is a picture of the two of them after the workout that I posted on our website…somewhere.

Fast forward to 2011. Late July maybe early August. I watch as a car pulls into the parking lot of Jason Court. Out pops a super fit dude. I squint as he strolls up to the garage door where I’m standing. 

Um…is that Josh Bridges?

Heck yeah it is and he is fresh off a second place finish at the 2011 CrossFit Games. 

He’s home for the week and needed somewhere to train. 

We  sat on the floor and chatted for a while. Talked about his games experience and his next steps. So fun.

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and said, “Josh, have we met before? Did you by chance do the “12 Days of CrossFit” at my old gym in 2008?

He smiled so big and said, “I was wondering if you’d remember!” We laughed and talked about his wedding band.

This was the epitome of CrossFit back then. This man was truly a celebrity in our fitness world.
He was nice, open and available. And in that moment, he wondered if I remembered him!

The absolute most important thing to take away from this story is that…

Stefany Knobbe hung with Josh Bridges during the “12 Days of CrossFit” in December 2008!

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