Cara takes the heat and powers across the 12-hour finish line

As a member of the Wolverhampton CrossFit club and self-proclaimed CrossFit enthusiast, there is nothing I enjoy more than a good work out. This year is the 20th anniversary of friend and fellow member Neil Campbell having a kidney transplant. 

To mark the occasion we wanted to organise an event that would achieve two key objectives. Firstly we wanted to raise money to support the fantastic work of Live Life Give Life and Transplant Sport. Secondly, to highlight the importance of being active, staying healthy and to show it is still possible to exercise after going through such a serious procedure.  

So we decided to work together as a team and complete a 12-hour WODathon (WOD – workout of the day) at the box on Waddens Brook Lane. Not only was I excited to undertake a new challenge for an amazing cause but also to be given the support, from Visican, to take part and finish the event was unbelievable.

The big day eventually rolled around on Saturday 24th August and after weeks of training and seeing the workouts, we were approaching the event with some trepidation–the more enthusiastic among us had wanted to do a 24-hour WODathon rather than a 12-hour WODathon, but we were soon beginning to regret our initial bravado. So we toned down our expectations as a team, all agreeing a 12-hour WODathon was a safer option (until next year)!

As the clocked ticked down to the 8 am start, we all geared up ready to get things underway. One warm-up later, the WODathon had suddenly begun. 

1 workout on the hour every hour for 12 hours. All the workouts were different and included various exercises, ranging from the “Lung extractor” (a 20-minute time cap of 300 erg calories in pairs changing every 60 seconds. At 15 minutes remaining cals completed as in sync burpees) to “Heavy Hauling (a 15 minute EMOM (every minute on the minute) Lifting as heavy as possible across 5 deadlifts, 3 front squats and 1 Shoulder to Overhead. 

As you can see from some of the pictures none of us went easy on the workouts. Needless to say, everyone was feeling rather sore the day after but it was well and truly worth it.

There was lots of support throughout the day with other members, friends and family coming down to watch, donate and take part in other WOD’s. 

A massive thanks to everyone who donated, we raised an amazing £3500!! And a big thank you to Mitch Adams (Wolverhampton Crossfit owner) and Neil Campbell for organising the day.

Here’s to the next one!