Spirit of the Open - Wednesday, March 11th, 2026

Spirit of the Open

One of the things that makes the CrossFit Open so special is the people. The effort, the nerves, the cheering, and the willingness to step onto the floor and test yourself. Every year we watch athletes push beyond what they thought they were capable of, and it’s always inspiring.

Truthfully, inside our facility we have many people who could be nominated for the Spirit of the Open. The energy you bring, the effort you give, and the way you support one another is what makes these Saturday mornings so incredible. From judges, to athletes pushing through hard workouts, to spectators filling the room with encouragement, the spirit of the Open is alive throughout the entire community.

But for the past three years, there has been one athlete we keep coming back to when nominations open.

Nancy.

For the third year in a row, we’ve nominated Nancy for the Spirit of the Open, and we’ve done it each week of the Open. Not because there aren’t many deserving people in our community, but because what Nancy represents is truly remarkable.

Let’s be honest for a moment. How many athletes Nancy’s age are actually signing up and competing in the CrossFit Open?

Nancy doesn’t just come in and move a little. She signs up, stands on the competition floor, and waits for the clock to start just like everyone else. She listens to the standards, performs the movements, and gives her full effort in every workout.

That takes courage at any age. Nancy will turn 90 years old summer, and she continues to show up and challenge herself. After retiring as a hospital CEO, she decided to attend law school in her seventies. Today she is learning to speak French and continuing to push herself in the gym. That mindset alone is inspiring.

Through the Foundations division, Nancy is able to participate in the Open alongside the rest of the CrossFit community. While this division allows some adjustments to movements, she is still very much held to standards. Every rep matters, and every rep is earned.

And Nancy takes it seriously. She is competitive. She wants to do well. She prepares, she listens carefully to her judge, and she works through each workout with determination and focus.

But what truly makes Nancy special is the example she sets for everyone around her. She reminds us that fitness isn’t about age. It’s about attitude and effort.

CrossFit founder Greg Glassman once said, “The needs of our athletes differ by degree, not kind.” Nancy proves that every day. The same commitment to effort, the same willingness to try hard things, and the same pride in doing the work applies to every athlete in the room.

She embodies something we talk about often inside our facility: Hard is not a punishment. It’s a proving ground.

And year after year, Nancy steps onto that floor and proves exactly what that means.

Her video earlier this year reached nearly half a million views and inspired hundreds of comments from people around the world. That response is a reminder that Nancy’s impact reaches far beyond the walls of CrossFit Indestri.

Inside our gym, she is already our Spirit of the Open. Many people across the CrossFit community have been following along with her Open workouts for the past few years, cheering her on and feeling inspired by what she continues to accomplish. But we believe it’s time for CrossFit to recognize her.

So this week, we’re asking for your help.

We’ll be posting Nancy’s 26.2 workout video on our Instagram, and we’re asking each and every one of you to take a moment to support her.
Like the video and leave a comment, telling CrossFit why you believe Nancy represents the Spirit of the CrossFit Open.

Let’s make it impossible to overlook. Let’s leave no doubt.

We know she’s our Spirit of the Open. Now let’s help the rest of the CrossFit community and CrossFit HQ see exactly what we see every day inside this gym.

It’s time for Nancy to receive the Spirit of the Open barbell.

Wednesday, March 11th, 2026

Focus:

6 Sets
1 Deadlift
1 Hang Power Snatch
1 Power Snatch

WOD:

4 min AMRAP
8 Hang Power Snatch 95/65
6 Lat Burpee over bar
4 Pull Ups

Rest 2 mins

4 min AMRAP
8 Hang Power Snatch 45/35 (empty bar)
6 Lat Burpee over bar
4 Pull Ups

Check back each night at 8pm for the next days WOD .
Contact us: Address: 200 Mountain Rd #3, Collingwood, ON L9Y 4V5 Phone: (705) 444-0006 Follow us on Instagram @crossfit_indestri