BURLINGTON — Ashleigh Moe is a 5-foot-2, 128-pound elementary school teacher.
Though small in stature, the 28-year-old Sedro-Woolley woman packs a lot of fitness onto her frame.
Moe can lay claim to being one of the fittest women on the planet after finishing 33rd at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games held July 29-31 in Carson, Calif.
“It was a blast,” Moe said of the competition. “I can hardly wait to get back next year. In the meantime, I have a lot more training to do, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Her finish wasn’t bad considering she started competing competitively only a year ago when she placed 24th at the CrossFit Games.
The fifth-grade teacher at Centennial Elementary in Mount Vernon has been involved in CrossFit training for four years.
“This just fuels my competitive side,” she said. “And this (year) I was faster and stronger than I was last year. So things are definitely progressing. But I still have things to work on, particularly when it comes to my strength.”
CrossFit is growing in popularity.
It’s not only recreational athletes taking part. There are some pros involved.
“The days of your typical elementary school teacher competing in these games may be numbered,” said Moe.
Moe is a fixture at CrossFit Skagit, where she not only works out but trains others.
CrossFit gyms look nothing like your usual workout club. They are large spaces with minimal equipment and no machines.
Dumbbells, kettle bells, resistance bands, bags of sand, tractor tires, jump boxes, bench presses, squat racks, Olympic weights and pull-up bars are the tools.
“We don’t have a lot of equipment,” Moe explained. “But we do get a lot done.”
CrossFit asks its disciples to become proficient in cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance coordination and accuracy. It defines fitness as increased work capacity in all these areas.
“It’s an amazing workout,” Moe said. “You are in and out in less than an hour. In that hour, you are able to work on so many different aspects of getting in shape. It’s really the complete body workout. You are working on strength, endurance, balance, flexibility. Every day you are hitting most of your muscle groups. There are times when you can grind through in a half hour.”
The CrossFit Games began in 2007. This year, there was a twist as competitors from around the world were pitted against each other online, completing one workout a week for six weeks at their local CrossFit gym. About 20,000 participated.
The athletes with the top scores advanced to regional competition.
Moe finished second at regionals, earning one of the 47 spots for women at the California competition.
“It was pretty cool,” Moe said. “Of course, it was a little scary, too, not knowing what you were going to be asked to do.”
The events at the Reebok CrossFit Games change year to year. Competitors don’t learn of the events until their arrival.
“There are an unknown number of events,” Moe said, “and you don’t know what the events will be. So leading up to it you basically have to train for anything.”
Moe said a rumor circulated around the CrossFit world that a swim may be one of the wild card events.
“So I started swimming more,” she said. “Just in case.”
There was indeed a 210-meter ocean swim. That was followed by a 1,500-meter soft-sand run, 50 chest-to-bar-pullups, 100 hand-release push-ups, 200 squats and day one concluded with a second 1,500-meter sand run.
“You really don’t know what the workout is until you walk through the door,” Moe said. “So, we did the swim and we were then put back on the bus. About an hour later, we were doing the next event.”
Day 2 saw Moe judged in the Max L-Sit (holding a sitting position off the floor while supported only by your arms), max softball throw and the maximum distance she could walk on her hands.
On the final day, Moe started off by climbing up 15 feet of rope five times, then clean and jerking 115 pounds five times. She repeated this four more times, with the number of times she had to climb and descend the rope decreasing by one each time, and while the clean and jerk reps also decreased by one, the weight increased by 10 pound each time.
In the final round, she climbed the rope once and clean and jerked 155 pounds.
“It was tough,” Moe said. “Really tough. When it was all done, I was tired. After the games, I took and entire week off.
“Leading up to the games, I was working out two or three times per day, so I was ready. Olympic lifts are such complex movements. It works everything, including your nervous system.”
An athlete much of her life, Moe played soccer at Mount Vernon High School. She graduated in 2001.
She player soccer on scholarship at then University of Alabama at Huntsville, then transferred to Washington State.
CrossFit has become a way of life for Moe.
“It really keeps you motivated,” she said. “You have to live a healthier lifestyle. You can’t eat bad foods and you have to get plenty of rest. Overall, it’s just a lot of fun and the people involved are great.”
Vince Richardson can be reached at 360-416-2181 or by email at vrichardson@skagitpublishing.com.
