Randy Lindemann finished 146th out of 60,000 people in the CrossFit Open

In the early 1990s, when Randy Lindemann was going to The FIRM almost daily for ‘Game Day’ aerobics with Doug, never did he think he’d become such an accomplished CrossFit Athlete.

This year, he competed in the CrossFit Open and finished in the top 150 out of 60,000 participants worldwide in his age division. The journey to get here was one of frustration, perseverance, and strength.

Randy found The FIRM, thanks to his fitness instructor brother in South Dakota who encouraged him to try Kelly Miyamoto, David Gray and Doug Melore’s Friday night class at First Ave in 1988. The workout was so magnetic – the lights, the music, the energy was incredible, and Randy was hooked.

From that point forward, Randy became a FIRM diehard. He was showing up for aerobics every day when Jimmy at The FIRM first introduced CrossFit. Jimmy needed a volunteer, and asked Randy to help. Randy was hesitant and didn’t like the workouts right away because they didn’t come naturally.

The intense challenge of the CrossFit workouts are what kept him striving to get better. In CrossFit, you find there’s always something to learn and to conquer. There are 234 different CrossFit exercises. It would take a lifetime to master them all. Randy’s instinct was to be frustrated but it motivated him to keep working out consistently and get better every day. His incredible hard work has certainly paid off over the past 12 years.

This year, Randy competed in his 8th CrossFit Open event. Randy finished in the top 150 worldwide. He also qualified for the quarter finals along with two other athletes from The FIRM – Rick Anya and Joe Lindeman. In a group of 60,000, they all finished in the top 5%. In the open they finished in the upper half of the quarter finals. Randy finished overall at 146 in his division.

If CrossFit has piqued your interest, Randy’s has some helpful advice for beginners. He advises you to always listen to your body. CrossFit can create a competitive environment, which can lead to injury if you push yourself beyond your limits. Instead, be competitive with yourself. The community at The FIRM is extremely supportive. When you suffer through a challenging workout together, you bond. It doesn’t matter where you finish, you still get encouragement.

Randy believes that CrossFit will impact every part of your life. You may go to a workout you can’t do, and then 2 or so months later you’re able to do it. That confidence and achievement will translate into all areas of your life, especially achieving your goals. You’ll prove to yourself that you can do things you didn’t think you could do.

We invite you to experience the magic of CrossFit this Memorial Day during the FREE Community MURPH Workout event. Bring your friends and family to this challenging workout followed by socializing and refreshments. It’ll be a super rewarding experience that will leave you feeling empowered and accomplished.