The Good War

Following the First World War, toothbrush and toothpaste sales skyrocketed.

Poorer soldiers, recruited primarily from the Southern States, were mixed with those cityfolk who were very slightly better off financially....but far more familiar with hygenic dental care. While toothcare was growing in the larger cities, advertising media wasn't yet reaching the more urban South, and most teenage boys hadn't heard of toothpaste. Frankly, they weren't yet aware that they SHOULD care about oral hygiene.

When they saw the Northerners in their own battalions, though - white enamel, clean smile, no gaps - they immediately recognized the social and medical benefits to be had from two minutes' worth of toothbrushing daily. Avoid painful visits to the doctor? Do better with the dames? On the cheap? Easy decision.

There are few benefits to making war, but one is the mixing of social "levels" on an equal playing field - in the above case, a battlefield. 

One of the challenges we face in the growth of our sport is the social bubble: running groups run. Weightlifters lift. Gymnasts do gymnastics. Bodybuilders....uh. Dead end. The point, though, is that once a person has aligned themselves with a community, they tend to remain insulated within that bubble. "Can't try CrossFit, because I've got to be fresh for the Sunday morning run." "Can't come to CrossFit, because I need to be rested for my Saturday lifting session." "Can't come to CrossFit, because there aren't any posedowns in the changeroom..."

When you've been accepted into a tribe, it's hard to risk isolation by visiting other tribes. If one of your coaches is a runner, and you can straddle the gap between two tribes...well, you've got a bridge, don't you, right into the heart of DownTown Stridesville?

 Every year, we do this little event called The Catalyst Games. It's also a social leveller. We usually get a few visiting CrossFitters, but some of the fittest members of our own TOWN don't participate, because we're not in 'their' bubble (or they're not in OUR bubble, which can be pretty thick.) This year, though, we're inviting them to OUR war.

For the first time ever, Catalyst Games will allow athletes from 'other' sports to participate. Our first event will be the first of its kind EVER on a new local running trail, and we'd like to celebrate with as many people as possible. For that reason, runners will have the option of paying a reduced entry fee and completing ONLY the first event...but getting a Games t-shirt. We'll also add a sideshow event: a powerlifting Push/Pull contest (max Bench Press and Deadlift.) 

This is, of course, in addition to our Catalyst Kids events; a Jiu-Jitsu demo; and the first ever Ignite! Games, which combines brain challenges with CrossFit, interspersed between heats for Individual and Team categories for the Games (there are also rumours of a helicopter being involved. Stay tuned.)

By now, I'm sure you can guess the goal of including the "outsiders": to stir the pot a bit. To froth up the tub. To have powerlifters watching Event #3 and say, "That woman is STRONG." To have runners sweat their guts out in an event that may *seem* like it was made for them.....and to celebrate physicality together. Awesomeness is its OWN bubble.

Comments

[LeRoy Gardner]

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