CrossFit champion getting better with age

 

Lugging an assortment of weights, rope climbing, crate jumping and hand-walking in a hot, foreign climate might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but the challenge to outdo herself and competitors keeps one extremely fit and determined 60-year-old local woman heading back to an international fitness and stamina competition. 

Her fourth time at the worldwide annual CrossFit Games held in Madison, Wisconsin on August 1-4, Fit 365 Mangawhai coach and trainer Diana Flynn secured an impressive fourth-equal place in the 60-year-old women’s Masters category.
"I was 10 points off a podium finish, but realistically knew I’d done the best I could at the time," Flynn says. “Sometimes it’s more about the mental aspect about competing, trying to be the best version of yourself come game day and not worry about what anyone else is doing." 

Held every year since 2007, the sponsored two day athletic competition comprises of traditional CrossFit workouts – seven challenging events with daunting titles including ruck runs, sandbag carry, handstand walks, bar muscle ups and snatches, rope climbs and row burpees. Adding to the challenge of some outdoor events was the mid-afternoon 28 degree heat, an extra burden for some athletes. 

“The ruck-run event, which is carrying a rucksack with weight for 400 metres, then adding more weight for another 400 metres for three rounds, caught a lot of athletes out due to the heat and the awkwardness of the ruck on the back,” she says. “Another event outside included running, snatches, handstand push-ups and power-cleans, that was one of my better events where I finished fourth.”  

To qualify for the games, Flynn had to first compete against 2000 other hopeful 60-year-olds around the globe in the CrossFit Open, consisting of five workouts over five weeks, held in February earlier this year. Having to finish in the top 200 before moving on to the final qualifying round, the Masters Qualifier in April, Flynn managed third place, and then a respective fourth in the final. 

“After that I was given my invitation amongst nine other 60-year-old women to compete at the games.” 

To physically prepare, Flynn dedicated herself to two hours of training every day, five days a week, an eclectic, strenuous schedule of strength training, calisthenics, Strongman-type movements (carrying odd objects, pushing, pulling sleds), plyometrics (jumping over boxes, bars), and gymnastics, indoor rowing and weights. Training grounds were split between her 70 acre beef farm and the Fit 365 gym, owned by Aaron and Jo McIlwee, where she also received a mental and financial boost from members.

“They gave me the motivation to keep going, when at times I just didn’t!" she says. “I was also grateful to have Fit 365 do a fundraiser for me this year which helped a little to offset accommodation costs… like most sports there are always expenses.”

Flynn now has her sights set on the next CrossFit Open in October, juggling training with running her 55-plus fitness programme at Fit 365, managing the farm and the Wellsford gasfitting business she shares with her partner. She hopes to make it back to the Masters next year after qualifying again.

“However work requirements, family and farm life need to be put in the mix and I am by no means old enough to retire work-wise!” she says. “The challenge for me is to outperform myself and then my competitors. Getting better as you age is not easy, it requires skill, mobility, flexibility, strength and discipline to succeed… as well as a mix of determination and stubbornness to boot!” 

Impressively fit and skilled with equal measures of determination and stubbornness, local Kaipara woman Diana Flynn is becoming a master at the annual international CrossFit Games. 

“Sometimes it’s more about the mental aspect about competing… and not worry about what anyone else is doing."