ThriveFit, Grand Park Host Popular CrossFit Competition
Writer / Matt Keating
Photographer / Brandy Hornback
Grand Park, Westfield, hosted the Grand Games, presented by ThriveFit, on Oct. 13, drawing an enthusiastic crowd.
“Grand Games is in its second year,” says Darin Moon, owner of ThriveFit, a local Westfield gym. “This was our first year partnering with Grand Park in Westfield. The goal of the event was to provide a large scale CrossFit competition for all levels, from the elite athletes that you see on TV for the CrossFit Games to everyday athletes from around the Midwest that want to show off their skills and abilities.”
The competition has three divisions: RX, Scaled and Masters (for athletes ages 35 and above). Teams consist of either male or female teams.
“Grand Games is currently a one-day competition, but we hope to grow into something that is several days long,” Moon says.
Moon adds that athletes work hard every day in the gym to master new skills and set personal records.
“Grand Games offers athletes a chance to compete, showcase their abilities and compare their skills with other athletes throughout the Midwest,” Moon says.
Each team competed in three workouts at Grand Park, located at 19000 Grand Park Blvd. in Westfield.
“The top teams then competed in a fourth workout,” Moon says. “The Cyclocross has only been available at national CrossFit competitions until now with Grand Games. It’s a form of bicycle racing with obstacles.”
The other workouts consist of constantly varied, high-intensity functional movements.
“We test the athletes on endurance, gymnastics and strength through various workouts to find the most varied, fittest team,” Moon says.
Grand Park’s 400-acre outdoor space and 370,000 square-foot indoor facility allows room for workouts that aren’t feasible in any standard gym.
“We create a unique experience by combining state of the art facilities, athletes from all over the Midwest and finish it up with programming you only get at major competitions,” Moon says.
Moon has been thrilled with the number of participants in the Grand Games.
“In year one, we had 100 teams and more than 700 spectators,” he says.
Moon appreciated the number of volunteers who helped out at the event to make it a big success. He adds that Westfield has also been a great location for the games, and attendance has strengthened through community outreach.
“Because of our central location, there are gyms from all over the Midwest competing at the Grand Games,” Moon says. “I’ve been encouraging people to visit the website to learn more: grandpark.org/grandgames.”
Moon says that ThriveFit “previously partnered with a company called LST, but they’ve since moved to Texas. This was our first year partnering with Grand Park and the city of Westfield. We’re really looking forward to making this a large-scale event that expands each year.”
Moon stressed that ThriveFit is honored to host the Grand Games competition.
“Local Westfield athletes from ThriveFit worked hard in preparation for the competition, and we hope the Westfield community will continue to come out to show their support in the future,” Moon says.
