Julie Foucher is an athlete everyone has heard of. No one will ever forget the moment she suffered an injury during the 2015 Central Regional of her last Games season but still finished… with her leg in a boot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxY-spOnRE5/
Epic.
Foucher’s life looks a lot different these days — or rather, Dr. Foucher. The now-physician took to Instagram to talk about balancing life’s many responsibilities and setting reasonable goals.
Injuries can be devastating, but if these athletes show us anything, it’s that injuries don’t have the last say on athletic pursuits. Prompt treatment, appropriate rest, and a determination to recover are all key to bouncing back. Here are eight athletes who pushed through and ended up even stronger than before.
Late 2016, Brooke Ence woke up unable to move her neck. The Games athlete — who took 14th place at the 2015 Games and was training in the hopes of making it to the 2017 Games — found herself scaling workouts and visiting a chiropractor three times a week.
She finally had an MRI just as the 2017 Open started. The results: her C6 and C7 discs in her neck were herniated, and the doctor said there was no telling if and when they would move further and sever her spinal cord.
Ence dropped out of the Open and scheduled spinal surgery. Six months later, she did her first handstand push-ups since February of that year. Now, Ence is back in the game and doing better than ever. Nothing is going to stop this gal.
2. Mat Fraser
Before he ever set foot in a box, Mat Fraser was training to compete with the U.S. Olympic lifting team. But in 2009, at 19 years old, Fraser broke his back — two clear breaks in his L5 vertebrae — during a heavy lift. He spent four months in a back brace only to learn that his spine hadn’t healed. The doctor recommended spinal fusion. Fraser took a different route, undergoing an experimental treatment that had a 50/50 chance of recovery. A year later, the athlete, who was told he’d probably never lift again, was back in the weight room.
Soon after his recovery, he wandered into a box to see if he could use their weights. A few weeks into lifting at the box, he finally tried a WOD, which set him on the path to competition and his first-place finish in the 2016 Games.
Since then, it’s safe to say that Fraser has secured his title as one of the fittest men in the world.
Sometimes, muscling through pain isn’t an option. This was the case for Camille Leblanc-Bazinet at the 2017 Games. She had been battling an injury in her left shoulder prior to the Games, and during the Cyclocross bike race, she fell and dislocated that same shoulder, tearing her labrum in the process.
After learning that muscle-ups were in the third event, she dropped out of the Games — but she stuck around to watch. In August, she had surgery to repair her labrum. Just five months after her injury, she achieved her first strict ring muscle-up.
These days, LB has hung up her competing shoes and is busy sharing her knowledge with others and coaching people toward reaching their goals.
In 2015, Lauren Fisher severely sprained her ankle on the descent of a rope climb when her foot landed awkwardly on the excess rope. She got it checked out and walked with crutches but didn’t wait long before getting back into training.
She pushed through lingering pain in her ankle until 2016. Fisher had it checked out again and found out she had a large tear in her tendons, a bone divot, and loose bone fragments floating around.
She had surgery in August 2016 and has since returned to the competition floor. In 2017, she took first place in the California Regional.
When it comes to reaching great heights, Fisher knows what she’s doing. The competitor, coach, and business owner never stops climbing the ladder of success.
5. Scott Panchik
When Scott Panchik’s dad introduced him to CrossFit in 2009, Panchik was recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. A running back for his college football team, Panchik started using training to rehab his knee. A couple years later, he signed up for the 2012 Open for the first time and took fourth place in the world.
This was not the end of his injuries: in 2014, he had surgery on his shoulder; in 2015, after rupturing his plantar fascia at the Games (and taking sixth place), he had surgery on his foot. But an injury in one part of his body doesn’t keep him from exercising the rest. After his foot surgery, he returned to the 2016 Games and took sixth place again.
Panchik’s perseverance is one of the reasons why he’s become a household name in the world of functional fitness.
In 2015 at the Central Regional, Julie Foucher ruptured her Achilles tendon in the middle of box jump-overs. She had already decided 2015 would be her last year competing, but the injury forced her to reframe her focus sooner.
Foucher finished the competition — her handstand walk with her foot in a boot is an iconic moment in the sport’s history — and she ultimately took eighth place. Though she has stepped away from competition to focus on her medical career, she still trains to keep herself in top shape and also serves as an expert leader in the industry.
Age is nothing but a number, and Maddy Myers is proof of that. At just 18 years old, Myers went to the 2015 Games. She withdrew after collapsing during the opener, Murph, and learning she was suffering from renal failure and rhabdomyolysis. In 2017, wrist surgery put her in recovery mode once again. She refuses to let anything stop her, though, and always reminds herself of the bigger picture.
It’s not just her athletic prowess that impresses, but her incredible attitude and mindset, too.
8. Jacob Heppner
Last year, before the Open, Jacob Heppner found himself unable to squat to parallel because of pain in his knee — the same knee he’d had ACL and meniscus surgery on in college.
A check-up with the doctor revealed bursitis or inflammation in the joint. His knee needed rest.
When the first Open workout was announced, he tried to do it but found the burpee box jump-overs excruciating. He had pushed through injuries before — in college, he finished a season of football with an injured ACL — but it hadn’t been worth it then, so this time, he decided to step back.
Heppner dropped out of the 2017 Open, rested his knee, and a few months later, completed all six Regionals workouts in one day of training. Needless to say, he came back stronger than ever.
Injury isn’t easy. In fact, in can be downright heartbreaking. But with a positive attitude, smart approach, and serious work ethic, you can overcome anything.
This was hard. Hard because in its relatively short lifespan, the CrossFit Games has had its fair share of memorable moments over the years. Moments of triumphant victory and earth-shattering defeat. Moments displaying the sheer will of the human spirit and some giving us a glimpse of the future. But that’s why we love sports, right? The unscripted drama, the unpredictability, the pressure in the biggest moments are just some of the reasons we keep coming back for more.
It was harder than expected to narrow this list down to just five moments (which is exactly why I cheated and threw in two honorable mentions). The nature of the sport is a highlight reel of the human condition and that determination is on display every time the athletes take the floor. So, after much deliberation, here are my top five moments in CrossFit Games history in no particular order.
Honorable Mentions
Julie Tears Her Achilles
Heading into the 2015 CrossFit Games season, Julie Foucher wasn’t just the favorite to walk away with the title in the newly formed Central Super Regional, but to contend for the title at the Games as well. After taking 3rd at the Games the year prior, and with a professional career as a doctor looming on the horizon, Julie decided this would be her final year as a serious CF competitor.
Unfortunately for Julie, during event three at Regionals, a workout that included 100 box jump-overs, she ruptured her Achilles, effectively ending her professional CF career. Rather than withdrawing from the competition, she decided to press on, do what she could and cement her legacy as one of the most badass women in the sport.
Nothing solidified this more than watching her finish the next event, a 250-foot handstand walk, unbroken, while her casted foot waved in the air to the deafening cheers of everyone in the stadium. Because this moment happened at Regionals and not the Games, I knew I couldn’t “officially” include it, but there’s no way you can talk about top CF moments in history and leave Julie off this list.
Josh Bridges and the Killer Kage
2011 was Josh Bridges’ formal introduction to this world. Known before only from posting insane times on the main CF site’s comment section, Bridges exploded onto the scene and took 2nd overall at the Games to some guy named Rich. The ending of the Killer Kage event was the moment the Josh Bridges we all know and love was born. It’s something we’re all too used to at this point: lifting weight way over what you think his frame could handle, a dramatic finish and that patented Bridges celebration — a celebration which spawned the classic CF commercial.
More than that, it was the moment I knew this fitness program as an actual sport had some legs. I watched this event live with my friend who at the time had no interest or idea what the sport even was. When Bridges made the final turn on the monkey bars and chased down Matt Chan like a real-life Spiderman, my friend stood up and cheered. It was in that moment I knew maybe CF had something here.
The List
1. Annie’s First Muscle-Up
Annie Thorisdottir — yes, that Annie Thorisdottir — got her first muscle-up during the 2009 CrossFit Games. Think about that for a minute: a woman, competing at the highest level in our sport, unable to do a muscle-up. By today’s standards, that’s unheard of. Yet, heading into the final event of the 2009 CF Games, Annie Thorisdottir (who was currently sitting in 2nd place at the time!) had never done one.
The final chipper had, you guessed it, muscle-ups right smack in the middle. Failed attempt after failed attempt ensued. Annie, refusing to give up, tried and tried again until finally — and after a bit of coaching from her judge — got over the hurdle and did her first muscle-up on the biggest stage. Two short years later she would be standing atop the podium for the first time.
2. Rich Plus Ropes
Monday 180212
5-4-3-2-1 reps for time of
15-ft. rope climbs
Clean and jerks
If there were a list of infamous fitness videos, Rich Froning falling off the rope during the 2010 CrossFit Games final would be right at the top. Rich was leading the field going into the final event before hitting a roadblock in the form of a 20-foot rope. His inability to climb the rope cost him the title of Fittest on Earth that year.
Flash-forward to a year later, the first night event at the Games gets announced, and to the commentators’ delight, the workout calls for 15 rope climbs coupled with varying weights of clean and jerk. The narrative was written; the questions and doubt began to rise. Everyone always remembers the video of Rich falling off the rope, but nobody remembers the night event a year later. Froning not only learned how to climb the rope, he learned how to do it better than everyone else. He dismantled the field in that workout and continued to do so for rest of that competition — a trend that basically continued for the next four years.
3. Spealler Does Whatever It Takes
Chris Spealler is a legend when it comes to the sport. Don’t let his 5’5”, 140-pound frame fool you. When Spealler stepped out on the floor, he was as fierce a competitor as they come, routinely lifting weights and doing things on the floor that left the crowd scratching their head in awe of what they were witnessing.
No better moment so clearly defined this than watching Spealler push a sled stacked to the brim with plates during the 2011 CrossFit Games. Everything was in play. His arm, legs, even the side of his head were all used to get the sled moving. How’s that saying go? “An immovable object meets an unstoppable force?” Spealler vs. the sled provides the answer.
4. Jen Smith Finishes
Jen Smith entered the 2016 CrossFit Games following heartbreak the previous two years at the Regional level. In 2014, she missed qualification by two spots. In 2015, she missed it by only one! After qualifying, 2016 was set to be her triumphant return.
Then, in a devilish twist of fate, she tore her plantar fascia halfway through the first event. After consulting with the medical staff and considering all the endless work and sacrifice it took to finally get there, Jen Smith, and her unyielding will, decided to continue the competition. There was no better moment at the 2016 CrossFit Games than watching her take on Murph. After hobbling off the start line (and for the rest of the opening mile), she completed all 100 chest-to-bar pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 squats (all with a 14-pound vest) before heading out on her second mile.
When she returned to the stadium, she was greeted by a roar from the crowd unlike anything before. The final buzzer went before she could officially cross the finish line, but that didn’t stop her. She marched across the field, arms raised in the air and finished the workout to an even louder cheer. She had come too far to stop now.
5. Toomey by Two
This was a finale years in the making. In the two years prior to this one, Katrin Davidsdottir wore the crown as fittest on earth, with Tia-Clair Toomey standing right beside her playing second fiddle. Both years the margin was razor thin, the final workout wrapped with both women sitting on the mat waiting to see how the points would shake out.
But this year was different. A fitter, more confident Tia showed up in Madison not to have the title given to her but to take it for herself. After jockeying back and forth all weekend atop the leaderboard, Tia found herself in first place with one event remaining. She was in the driver seat.
What unfolded in the final event was, in my mind, the single most exciting race in Games history. The workout finished with a 90-foot overhead lunge with 35-pound kettlebells. Everyone could see what was happening. Tia marched down the floor, weights overhead, Kara Saunders, the woman right behind her in the standings, trying to chase her down. Tia gets a no-rep and drops the weight on her final step. A dive across the finish line and we were back exactly where we were a year ago. Both women sat on the floor, waiting for the bean counters to tally the score. But like I said earlier, this year was different. This was Tia’s year and she prevailed by the thinnest of margins — a mere two points – to finally claim the prize she had been waiting three years to hold.
When it comes to supplementation, we are forever on the hunt for something clean, pure and effective. With the industry being so unregulated, even the seemingly highest quality products can contain potentially risky ingredients, additives, preservatives and other substances you probably don’t want in your body. This is why we were so thrilled to stumble upon Puori. The benefits of using Puori vitamins are many, and this is one company that values purity and nature above all else.
Puori (previously known as PurePharma) was founded in 2009 in Denmark. They look not just at supplementation, but at what they call the four cornerstones of a happy and healthy life (as a holistic approach is often the best): diet, physical activity, recovery and balance. Puori handpicks all-natural ingredients themselves, closely observing every part of the production process, from start to finish, so you know you’re getting only the best.
And you truly can taste the difference. Take their chocolate protein powder, for instance. Whereas with other powders, you can literally taste the fake sweetness and flavoring that comes from unnatural ingredients, Puori’s is made with just six ingredients and is naturally sweet thanks to organic coconut water, organic Dutch cocoa, and a dash of organic stevia. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a protein supplement cleaner than this.
It doesn’t end there, either. The care and consideration Puori gives to their protein is extended to every single product they offer. Take their fish oil, for instance. It’s sourced entirely from wild anchovies, which are responsibly caught in the south Pacific Ocean. Anchovies are low on the food chain, so they don’t carry the toxins and heavy metals that bigger fish (like cod, salmon and tuna) might. The fish oil is contained in dark capsules, which shield them from the sunlight to keep them fresh and avoid oxidation. Furthermore, the IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards Program) consistently rates Puori 5/5 stars for their freshness and purity.
A number of elite and professional athletes swear by Puori, like longtime CrossFit fan-favorite Julie Foucher, Scott Panchik, Kristin Holte, and Erica Jarder — Swedish longjumper and bronze medal winner at the European Indoor Championships.
These athletes don’t use Puori simply because it’s safe; they rely on it because it works. From building muscle to recovering faster and everything in between, Puori has something for everyone — the pro athlete, the casual gym-goer and the 9-to-5er who simply wants to be a little healthier.
The supplement market is so heavily saturated that it can be nearly impossible to find the right brand for you. We’ve done the research. If you want fresh, clean and effective, go for Puori.
Less than twelve months after her memorable injury at the 2015 CrossFit Regional, Julie Foucher has denied any talk of retirement to claim her place at the Central Regionals in 2016.
Despite taking a much less stressful approach to her CrossFit training in the last year, Foucher managed to slip into qualifying place through her efforts in the CrossFit Open.
Balancing medical studies has not slowed Foucher’s fitness as she has been able to maintain her elite level of fitness with a lower training load. But just how close will the multiple time CrossFit Games competitor come to qualifying in 2016?
Watch as Pat Sherwood from the CrossFit Games Update Show catches up with CrossFit Legend Foucher. Enjoy!
During the last weekend of the 2015 Regionals, we watched the career of one of CrossFit’s most elite come to a skreeching hault. Julie Foucher fully tore her right achellies tendon during the box jumps in event 3 of what was supposed to be her last run at The Games. What we all witnessed next by Foucher will forever go down in CrossFit history.
“I know it’s the last time I’m going to be out there so I want to just do as much as I can” said Julie Foucher via a CrossFit interview. Before our eyes we saw “as much as I can” turn into something a little more.
With a hard walking boot on her foot, she managed to continue on with the competition. Finishing out the CrossFit Games Central Regional in 8th place overall.
Here are a few quick examples of what Julie Foucher taught us:
Impossible is what you make it: Impossible is the voice inside of our head, not what we’re actually capable of doing.
Heart: It’s that unteachable quality in an athlete to lay it all on the line for the sport they love. Quitting is giving up and giving up is never an option.
Adaptability: At the drop of a dime, Foucher had to adjust her game plan. Instead of letting her injury get into her head, she remained committed to finishing what she could under the unfortunate circumstances.
At the end of the day, it’s not the end of the world: It’s important to realize that life WILL go on and things could always be worse.
2015 is set to be Julie Foucher‘s last year as a CrossFit Games Competitor. Currently a full time medical student as well as a CrossFit Athlete, Foucher has her sights set on becoming a doctor.
PurePharma spent a day with Julie, giving us an insight into how she balances her training, studies and busy schedule.
