Chris Spealler is a legend of the CrossFit Games. Spealler last competed on the CrossFit Games floor in 2015 after coming back from missing the Games in 2014. Since retiring, Spealler has said he would not come back again to compete.
But now that Dave Castro has officially announced the 35-39 Masters division will be at the 2017 CrossFit Games, Spealler has indicated that he would compete if he qualifies.
During Spealler’s interview with Rory Zambard, he brings up his competitive nature and why he has shut down the competitive side of his training. Spealler continues with saying that he will compete in the 2017 CrossFit Open like he always will, but that he will not change his training – one hour a day.
At the 8:09 mark in the podcast, Spealler begins his discussion of the upcoming year and that if he qualifies, he will be in Carson Madison [Editor’s note: it’s still hard to refer to the Games being in Madision].
Here is the transcript of Spealler:
It’s funny, Eric, um, asked me in the gym today and he’s like hey, full, be honest bro, shoot me straight you know. Um, it’s just him and I in the gym and he’s like they got the Masters 35 to 39 thing going on now and what are you going to do? It’s like are you gonna if you qualify are you gonna do it? And I was like, you know…I was like if, by chance, I’m going to do the Open because I do it every year because if, for the same reasons you kinda mentioned – the community aspect and it’s just fun, even though it can be a little stressful and I’m a headcase. Um, but uh, it’s still fun, right? And uh, if by chance I qualify for the next, you know, the next round, I, yeah, I’d do it.
You know, and I was like, the stars would have to align and if by chance I qualified for the Games I’d probably go. And I said, but…one thing I’ve realized is that like I can’t go back to that competitive side anymore. Like, I had that. I enjoyed it. It was a time in my life that I experienced. Um, and since stepping away I was, like, one I was just I don’t think my body can do that anymore, um, and two I just said you know I just don’t have that desire anymore. Kind of for the same reason of the amount of dedication it takes and I’m kind of an all-or-nothing guy where it’s like if I’m going to do something I’m all in. I have a hard time doing things for fun. Um, especially the CrossFit thing. And I’m going to try to do that.
I don’t know how I got talked into this, but Matt Chan called me, or texted me, and hey, do you want to do Wodapalooza. What? Like, uh, uh, I…guess. Like, yes. No. Um. So, I ended up like yeah so we’re gonna, yeah yeah, I’ll jump in but just to be clear…this is for fun. Like I haven’t been training. I’m clearly going to hold you back. And he was like, yeah, just for fun. I’m coming off some back stuff anyway. He’s like we need another teammate…
But somehow now, Dan Bailey is on our team. And I’m like…whoa whoa! I texted him last night and I was like, Dan, I’m gonna slow you down. And he was like, bro, you’re a legend. And I was like, I’m a slow and broken legend, my friend. But it’s going to be for fun and my first experience for fun.
Chris Spealler finished 22nd in the South West region during last year’s Open, but declined his invitation. He was 684th worldwide. If he has maintained his level of fitness over the past year, Spealler will qualify in the top 200 to advance to the Masters Qualifier. From there, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether he will make it, but knowing Spealler he will be in the hunt.
