Michael,

You are brilliant. I did not so much could be written and rhymed about vomet.

Jason

Hang in there Michael!
-From a kid that used to puke from chemo every day. Now I'm in the Army and addicted to XFit. HOOAH!

This should be posted on the front door of every Crossfit gym across America.

HQ PLEASE READ- you need to blur out the PII on the DL in the video. I love the video series, but it's a very bad idea to put that info. out there.

That KTFM story just keeps getting better with each episode!...I admire this man for making all the sacrifices and changing his life!..He is an inspiration for a lot of people out there!...I hope many people decide to follow in his footsteps. I wish him nothing but the best in his new life!

Maybe his age was 11 rather than 17. But it doesn't matter. Just do work (or rest today :)) and be happy if your vomit is due to workout, not acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatments.

KTFM - - Looking awesome!!! Youv'e inspired me and my Dad!

I don't want to assume anything, but I'm not sure I understand why this poem was posted here. It seems as though it was posted by a kid at St. Jude undergoing cancer treatment. I work as a nurse in a Pediatric Intensive Care unit, and I have been crossfitting for 4 years. There have been many times I have thought about these kids during my workout...admiring how brave and strong they are. Not once have I compared my challenge to get through a workout to their challenge. Vomiting due to cancer or treatment for cancer is in no way comparable to vomiting after a crossfit workout. Like I said, I may be misunderstanding something. If so, I apologize.

@ #3, I assume St. Jude and CrossFit are sophisticated enough to get permission for that.

St. Jude is an amazing cause, best charity there is. I am proud to be part of a fitness revolution that is supporting this cause and will do whatever I can. We are being asked in the Hope WOD to suffer for a few minutes. How long do the kids who go to St. Jude suffer from their diseases, which St. Jude works to cure? How much tougher than we are they?

Jenn- not speaking for HQ, just guessing that they're bringing awareness of the CrossFit for Hope Fundraiser, June 9th... the "C" for Cancer was posted on an earlier day, as well... check it out- great cause... http://hope.crossfit.com/ I doubt that HQ is trivializing the suffering these kids are going through by comparing it with how somebody feels after a workout. Thank you for working hard as a healthcare practitioner and all of the work you do in the ICU helping make those kids' lives better. :)

My thoughts go out to Michael, reading his poem really had an impact on me.

I love Killing the fat man episodes…but in this one where he says he's going to first "dominate all the women," I had to laugh…He's going to learn there will ALWAYS be women who will dominate him in CrossFit….good goal to have, but good luck!

HQ, please consider selling a games program with a short bio at the games this year. Also, include the schedule.

@13 This is a sick child's artwork, which he probably created as a project to boost his morale. What is wrong with you?

OOOPs! I spoke too soon, Take my comment back. Thought the poem was CF related.

This is off the topic of the poem but I started crossfit almost a week ago and planned on doing it for a month to see what kind of progress I get. I normally do the heavy weights to bulk but realized at 244lbs I need to start cutting. After only a week I was finally able to climb a rope at physical trainIng this morning and I fully attribute that success to crossfit. Today was the first time in my life after 27 yrs I have made it to the top of any rope. Just wanted to give thanks where it's due. I plan on continuing crossfit well past that month marker. Ps the rope climb was after a 3.5 mile Indian run alternating dragging a tire or carrying a log(20 people/two lines) and 15 .

Still...17 years old?

Yes, 17 years old. If by that you mean that he should have better spelling, how mentally sharp do you feel when you're incredibly sick? Also, I know nothing about this patient, but many pediatric cancer patients also undergo radiation therapy. This can have unfortunate side effects, though at least the child's life is saved. Or perhaps the child simply isn't the best speller, so St. Jude should have turned him away. Why don't you sign up to help St. Jude improve ways of treating these devastating diseases rather than attack the writing of a child with cancer?

don't judge the kid, they could have dyslexia, or just be learning english, or have another issue. You are missing the point.

Today's Workout

Strength
Snatch-Work up to 3RM (175#)

WOD
3 rounds for time of:
5 Hang Power Snatch,(135#)
10 Burpees
20 Box Jumps,(24")
10 Pullups

Time: 7:20

It is obvious from the comments that we all have a lot to learn from and about the kids at St. Jude's, cancer generally, and the healthcare providers who also do CF (@jenn, @Doc Bobby, many others). Which is presumably why we're encouraged to do CF for Hope, why the poem is there, why the ongoing video series exists.

I'm recalling one of the earliest CF Hope videos (but within the last month) in which Greg Glassman says something to the effect of he almost can't bear being at St. Jude's, the suffering and challenge is so palpable.

If you question the language level in the poem (which I don't--this ex-English teacher finds it spot-on), I suggest you challenge yourself as Glassman did, swap trees for the forest, and visit a pediatric cancer ward this week. They're everywhere, and everywhere heartbreaking, once you start looking...

Made up The Chief this morning. Results posted there.

Complete 5 rounds for time of:
12 Barbell Walking Lunges @ 35%- 40% of 1 RM Squat (6 each side)
12 Dynamic Push Ups
Sprint 100 meters
*barbell walking lunge is done by placing a bar on your back and lunging out until your back knee touches the ground, then stand up and repeat. 
*make sure to step out into a long enough lunge where your front knee is even with your front toe.

11.55@ 135

I think if all you see are the spelling and grammar errors, you are sadly lacking perspective. These kids are far stronger than I will ever be.

M/38/ 133 lbs/ 5'-6"
5 Rounds for good form and for weight:
Each complex/ round:
5 reps DL
5 reps hang power clean
5 reps push press
5 reps squat (with dumbells on shoulders - more like a front squat)

quick warm up...
1st complex with 25 lb dumbells warm up

35 lbs
40 lbs
45 lbs
50 lbs
55 lb dumbells
All sets unbroken... felt pretty good. I was only kind of losing my grip on the hang power cleans and the squats are odd with the dumbells. I did them as more like FS to keep elbows high.. better for form down the line.
Post WOD - did dumbell swings and toes to bar
35 lbs DB x 10 + 10 T2B
55 lbs DB x 10 + 10 T2B
65 lbs DB x 10 + 10 T2B
70 lbs DB x 10 + 18 T2B with a few hang power cleans with 135 lbs to help teach the movement to someone else in the gym.

Day 4
Active Rest - walked for half hour during lunch at about a 4mph pace.

With art and life is perspective. Everyone has one. None are more correct than another. Some are common to certain groups i.e. literature professors, and it's okay to disagree with them. If one talks of the conventions of poetry, the writer and speaker of the poem are not the same person. So, as a guy I could write about being pregnant if I wanted et cetera. Of course, there are a lot of maybe/ probably happening here with the writer-speaker distinction. Maybe the spelling and capitalization mistakes are meant to evoke an eight or ten year old speaker. Probably not. More likely, Michael doesn't have good grammar and/ or he is really beaten down by medications. Either or both ways, I think he could really use some support. I think teaching and maintaining the basic rules of English are important. I wouldn't think, "I know that's bad and potentially injurious form on DL, squats or whatever, but they are new/ tired/ overweight/ don't like to be corrected, so it's okay."

Crossfit Strength Bias, 5x3 weighted pullups

90, 100, 110, 120, 130 (2)

2 rds. 20 wallballs, 20 DU, 20 hspu, 20 situps

12:32

First round of pullups deadhang. Plates in a pack. Nice job on The Chief Kevin.

Great poem Michael. We wish you well.

When I start a workout, it's my choice to push hard enough to vomit. It may be a measure of will, but it's very much a choice. For a kid with cancer, it's not a choice, but a sentence. It's a demonstration of higher character and nobility of soul to try to grasp from that second experience a moment of introspection, to share a reflection, and express those feelings artistically with a modicum of levity. Both are tests of will, but the universe of difference between the decision points reflect a whole magnitude's difference in being a measure of character. My best wishes to Michael as he rests control of his life back from every moment of pain and sickness.

25 / M / 5'9" / 132lbs

"The Chief"

Max rounds in 3 minutes of:
95 pound Power cleans, 3 reps
6 Push-ups
9 Squats

Rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 5 cycles.

3
2 + 1 rep
2 + 2 reps
2 + 1 rep
2 + 3 reps

CBS---

Couldnt agree more. HQ, with fraud, ID theft, credit scams, its time to step up and prevent years worth of financial headaches for Gary. One simple blur can save a ton of issues. Can you say shared liability here...

5.2-mile run: 43:45
Did yesterday's WOD, results posted there.
Have a great weekend All!!!

F/41/5'6"/150

5K: 29:16

M/42/6'3"/262#
12/27/08

Active rest day
Row 30:00 6,542 meters

Thank you for raising awareness for St Jude's. Going to a benefit tonight for a good friend's 1 yr old grandson that has A.L.L.