Learning from a CrossFit Games Athlete
Arriving at CrossFit Nottingham at 10:00 am, Kelly Marshal has already been training since 8:00 am. Our athletes crack on with their individual programming, and between 10 and 12, I spend some with supporting them with technical corrections or specific drills. Later, we head upstairs to get some knowledge bombs from Kelly. She has kindly agreed to offer advice, details her journey, and openly and honestly discusses the reality of reaching the CrossFit Games.
After sitting down and starting with some conventional questions about Kelly’s lifestyle and weekly structure, we are immediately struck by Kelly’s honesty on how training can easily consume one’s life when operating at such an elite level. Kelly clearly explained how training must come first, with everything else following, as it is an absolute priority to be fresh and attentive during her training sessions to get the most out of them.
Social life also takes a substantial hit; however, she is okay with this as she was never “very keen on going out anyway”. As we cracked on with our questions and listened carefully to Kelly, I couldn’t help but smile when she shared, “If people think you can do this without being obsessed about it, they are very wrong”.
That’s something both I and some of the athletes whom I work with wholeheartedly believe in. Kelly took it one step further, saying that some people imply that this level of obsession is wrong or unhealthy, but that in reality, you can’t commit to this high level of performance with long training sessions, a lack of social life day in and day out, week after week and month after month, without being fixated on your ultimate goal. It was a fantastic moment to be in a room filled with like-minded individuals discussing “being obsessed’ as an ordinary and necessary aspect of climbing the elite ladder in this sport.
Impressively, Kelly presents herself as an unbeatable force on the competition floor (3rd place in the 2021 CrossFit Games) and a relatable individual navigating the highs and lows we all encounter. She reveals that tough training days often lead to moments of self-doubt, yet she perseveres and carries on with the help of fantastic training partners who push her to excel and to be her best.
The hour goes by very fast, and as we prepare to depart for London, Kelly gives us some parting advice that validates some of our work or that we can all quickly implement into our training.
Here are her tips that could benefit anyone aspiring to excel in the sport:
Build a strong foundation in your fitness and technique work. Don’t skip stages, and yes - strict before you kip.
Engage a Coach; being correctly looked after instead of using a generic programme makes a huge difference and can make or break your athletic journey.
Play the long game. Kelly has been doing CrossFit for over ten years now.
Be ready to be seen as a “weird” person. Do everything that can improve you and let people laugh or question you. (Kelly could not avoid smiling as she shared this, saying, “Well, no one is laughing now”).
Understand how you can improve your mindset. We are all different regarding a positive and competitive mindset, and it’s not a one size fits all; working on your mindset can completely change your journey for the best.
We left motivated and grateful for our time with Kelly. While I already admired her, her honesty and “no be outworked” ethos left a significant mark on all of us. We can’t wait to see her smashing the 2024 CrossFit season, especially after spending this time with her. I know Kelly will be at the top of the sport for as long as she wants, as she clearly has her recipe for success.
Eddie
