Legends of the Falls

Welcome to Legends of the Falls!

A fitness challenge where CrossFit leaves the "comforts" of the gym, for the wild outdoors.

Mixed gender teams, consisting of 4 athletes (2M/2F) will compete against 8x CrossFit Games Champion, Rich Froning and his team. Athletes will have to work together while they push through this harsh 4 mile trail at Noccalula Falls Park, down in Gadsden Alabama. With long technical trails, Noccalula Falls offers a location that is both challenging and beautiful.

The race traverses a 4 mile course around the Falls, interspersed with 7 event stations that will test your strength, endurance and overall fitness along the way.

Gather your crew now and meet us on October 3rd 2020 to test yourself against some of the fittest athletes in the southeast.

Net proceeds will benefit Mayhem Missions, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to positively impacting communities affected by poverty, crisis and natural disasters - both domestic and abroad - through financials gifts and volunteer work.

Please review the standards below before registering your team.

Male Movement Standards:

Plate carry at 45lbs

Rogue Echo Bike

Rope Climb to 15ft

Sandbag Clean over Shoulder at 150lbs

Synchronized Air Squats (synchronized at top of rep)

Synchronized Alt. DB Snatch at 50lbs (synchronized at top of rep)

Wallballs at 20lbs over a 10 ft target

Female Movement Standards:

Plate carry at 25lbs

Rogue Echo Bike

Rope Climb to 15ft

Sandbag Clean over Shoulder at 100lbs

Synchronized Air Squats (synchronized at top of rep)

Synchronized Alt. DB Snatch at 35lbs (synchronized at top of rep)

Wallball at 14lbs over a 9 ft target

All teams will be given a team sandbag (25lbs) that will be carried through the entirety of the course. Sandbag can carried by any of the four team members and can be passed off to another teammate at any point.

Station 1 - Rogue Echo Bike - "The Echo Chamber"

100 calories for male pairs

70 calories for female pairs

• Team sandbag (25lbs) can be placed on ground while work is done
• Male and female pairs will have their own bike (2 bikes per team) and can work at the same time
• Team members can switch at any time with their partner (cannot complete calories for the opposite sex)
• Team members cannot leave the station until all work is completed

Station 2 - Wallball Station - "Air Mail"

50 wallballs each (100 total @ 20lbs) over 10ft target for male pairs

50 wallballs each (100 total @ 14lbs) over 9ft target for female pairs

• Team sandbag (25lbs) can be placed on ground while work is done
• Male/male and female/female pair can work at the same time
• Athletes must pass below parallel in the squat and stand, sending the wall ball over the target
• If the ball makes contact with and rolls over the target to the other side; it will be considered a valid rep
• If the ball makes contact with the target but comes back to the same side; it will be considered a no rep and the squat must be redone.
• Team members cannot leave the station until all work is completed

Station 3 - Plate Carry Up Jeep Hill - "Cardiac Hill"

All partners will make a round trip up and around Jeep Hill while carrying a 45lb plate (one plate per male athlete) and a 25lb plate (one plate per female athlete)

• Team sandbag (25lbs) can be placed on ground while work is done
• All team members will be allowed to run the hill at the same time
• Plate can be carried in any style as long as it is being held in the hands
• Athletes may NOT: carry another teammate's weight, throw their plate ahead of them and catch up to it, or tie/attach the weight to their body in any manner
• Team members cannot leave the station until all work is completed

Station 4 - Rope Climb Station - "The Vine Climb"

16 rope climbs (15ft) split between team members

• Team sandbag (25lbs) can be placed on the ground while work is done
• Teams will have access to ONE rope for their team
• Total rope climbs do not have to be split evenly between teammates
• Team members cannot leave the station until all work is completed

ALTERNATE WORK - 150 Synchro Burpees

In the event that a team cannot complete 16 rope climbs, a synchro burpee task can be taken

• Team sandbag (25lbs) MUST be held during the burpees
• Two teammates (any pairing) will complete burpees - One teammate holds team sandbag - One teammate rests
• Burpees will consist of two athletes touching their chest to the ground and must be synchronized at the top of the rep with BOTH athletes showing full extension of the hips and knees at the same time
• Any completed rope climbs do NOT count towards burpees reps. It is advised to start on burpees when arriving at this station if you suspect your team will be held up by rope climbs

Station 5 - Synchro DB Snatch - "Do As I Do"

100 Synchro DB Snatches between male/female pairs

• Team sandbag (25lbs) can be placed on the ground while work is done
• Teams will have access to ONE 50lb dumbbell and ONE 35lb dumbbell
• Teams will work off 100 synchronized reps, matching each rep at the top with both athletes showing full extension in the knees, hips, shoulder, elbow and DB locked out overhead
• Male/female pairing can switch at any time and work does not have to be split evenly
• Free hand (not holding the DB) cannot be in contact with the body during the snatch; doing so will result in a no rep
• Team members cannot leave the station until all work is completed
• *BOTH heads of the DB must touch the ground in-between reps

DB Snatch Tutorial and Tips

Station 6 - Synchro Air Squats/Swim + Sandbag Carry around the Falls - "Circumnavigate or Swim"

Triple partner 100 synchro air squats + swim || Lone athlete sandbag carry (25lbs) around Black Creek Gorge

• Teams will break off into a 3-1 group
• The group of 3 will travel to the beach of Black Creek Gorge and perform synchro air squats
• Athletes must squat below parallel and synchronize at the top of each rep; showing full extension of the knees and hips at the same time
• After squats are complete, these 3 athletes will swim across Black Creek Gorge to rendezvous with their partner
• The single athlete (not going to the beach) will take the team sandbag around the edge of Black Creek Gorge and under the falls to rendezvous with their other 3 team members
• The athlete carrying the bag around the gorge should be the time-chipped athlete in your group

ALTERNATE WORK - Backtrack around the gorge

• In the event that an athlete does not want to swim after completing air squats, they will be given the option to backtrack and take the same route as the team member who carried the sandbag
• Team members cannot leave the rendezvous point until all work is completed

Station 7 - Sandbag Cleans - "You Clean Up Real Nice"

30 - 150lb sandbag cleans for male pairs

30 - 100lb sandbag cleans for female pairs

• Team sandbag (25lbs) can be placed on ground while work is done
• Same-sex pairs will work at the same time
• Reps can be split between same-sex partners in any fashion
• Sandbag must be cleaned from the ground and clearly pass over the athlete's shoulder
• Ducking under the bag or passing the bag around the shoulder will result in a no-rep
• Athletes cannot assist each other in cleaning the bag (two athletes cannot lift the same bag simultaneously)
• Team members cannot leave the station until all work is completed

ALTERNATE WORK - Extra reps on the 100lb bag

100 - 100lb sandbag cleans for 4-person team

• In the event that A.) the male pair cannot complete all 30 reps with the 150lb bag or B.) the female pair cannot complete all 30 reps with the 100lb bag: all four team members will move to a single 100lb bag and complete 100 reps
• Any reps completed at the 150lb bag will NOT count towards penalty reps.
• It is advised to start on penalty reps when arriving at the this station if you suspect you team will not be able to complete the prescribed work

Sandbag Clean Tutorial and Tips

Commonly asked questions:

How much does registration cost for a team?

Total registration cost: $200.00 registration + $17 processing fees = $217.00 per team

When is the registration deadline?

While we will still be accepting team and volunteer sign ups until the week of the event (September 28th); the deadline to signup and be guaranteed an event shirt in your size is Monday, September 21st.

I'm interested in competing but I don't have a team. Is there any way that I could find other's looking to make a team?

Yes! We have had numerous individuals reach out in search of a team. We encourage everyone looking for teammates to post on the Legends of the Falls facebook page with details on the number of teammates they are looking for.

My team is signed up! What should we think about wearing come race day?

You definitely want to come prepared because this isn't just another day at the gym. We encourage all athletes to wear gear that would be comfortable hiking/working out in. The course includes water crossings for all athletes (wet feet) and a small swim for three of your athletes so it's advised to wear something that is quick drying if available. Terrain can be difficult in some areas (rocky hill climbs and slippery rocks) so having footwear with good grip is highly advised.

I want to compete but I'm worried about rope climbs or sandbag cleans. Are there any options or alternate work that can be completed?

Don't let those standards stop you from registering. Please see below the following:

Rope Climbs:

Teams will be able to work off the required rope climb reps in any fashion among team members. In the event that all reps cannot be completed, a burpee penalty will be available for teams to take. Any rope climbs completed will not count towards burpee reps if penalty is taken.

Sandbags:

In the event that male pairs cannot complete their required reps on the 150lb bag or female pairs cannot complete their reps on the 100lb bag; the entire team will move to a single 100lb sandbag and will be required to complete additional penalty reps on this bag. Any reps completed at the 150 do not count as penalty reps if the penalty is taken.

I heard there would be a small swim during the event. Will I be forced to swim if I'm not comfortable with doing so?

Not at all! In the event that an athlete does not want to participate in the swim (a very small distance that does include a guide rope), they will be able to backtrack a short distance and take a longer route to avoid getting wet.

I want to volunteer at this event. How can I sign up to help and what can I expect to do?

We love volunteers and want to thank you in advance for helping out with our event! All you need to do is click on the "register now" button, create an account, and then select "Volunteer" as your division. That's all that's needed. Volunteers will be used everywhere from judging at the individual work stations, assisting with check-in registration, athlete control, and site maintenance. We seriously can't do events like this with our people like you!

I would feel more comfortable wearing a belt at the sandbag clean station. What should I do?

Bring a belt and feel free to leave it at station 7 before beginning the race so you don't have to carry it with you through the entire race.

I heard that the temperatures may be lower on Saturday morning than they have been. Do I have to swim?

We can't stress enough that the swim at station 6 is completely optional for the teammates who complete the synchronized air squats. Swimming will be the fastest option to meet up with your teammate who carries the team sandbag around the falls. Backtracking from the beach (after air squats) will not add penalty time to your score other than the extra time it takes you to go around. Choosing not to swim and going around the gorge is NOT the same as defaulting at a station, which results in a 2 hour penalty to the team's final score for each station that is defaulted. Temperatures are forecasted to be in the mid-40's at the beginning of the race, so be sure to have some warm clothing on hand for before and after your race time. If athletes are going to swim, we highly encourage having dry clothes on-site to change into after your race.

I read about bringing your own hydration and snacks. Does that mean there's no water available on the trail?

Not at all. There will be a water station placed roughly around the halfway point of the race. We just encourage athletes to bring their own hydration if they feel they will need it sooner than halfway or want something other than water.

Any details on the team sandbag?

Each team will receive a single 25lb Rogue Feedsack that must accompany the team through the entirety of the race. Teams are NOT allowed to tie or modify the bag in any way to transport the bag or give an advantage over what would be considered carrying the bag.

I read that teams should arrive an hour before their listed heat time. What time should I arrive if I'm a volunteer?

We request that all volunteers arrive onsite no later than 6:30am in order to be placed on the trail in time for race time.

When does the first heat start?

The first heat will be released on the trail at 8am. Heats will consist of four teams at a time. Subsequent heats will be released every 12 minutes until all teams have been released. All teams must check-in an hour before their team's specific heat time at the registration table.

How does registration work on site?

Virtual waivers will be going out this week to all participants. You must have this waiver filled out and submitted by all team members prior to arriving on site because paper waivers will not be available. Due to ongoing social distancing guidelines, ONE member from your team will check in your entire team. The athlete checking in your team will report to registration with photo ID, check-in, be marked with your team's bib number, pickup team shirts, pickup the team sandbag, and also be time chipped by Throwdowns. The athlete being chipped should be the athlete who is NOT swimming at station 6 and choosing to be the individual athlete who travels the rim of the gorge with the team sandbag (to avoid submerging the timing chip).

What should I bring on race day?

Face coverings: COVID is a real issue and we want to respect what's going on in today's world. Teams are asked to bring face coverings and observe social distancing guidelines while preparing to be released on the trail. Teams will NOT be required to wear facial coverings while racing. Teams will also not be required to stay on site after completing their race.

Hydration and food: Athletes are welcome to bring any type of hydration or snacks that they would like. Anything that goes on the trail with you must come back with you. 

Chalk: Chalk will not be provided on the course so athletes must bring their own if they need it for rope climbs or other movements involving grip.

Shoes: It is highly advised that you wear shoes with good traction and that can get wet (submerged). Parts of the trail cross water and the swim will submerge athletes from the neck down. Areas around the gorge are populated with mossy rocks so wear something that will keep you sure-footed. For station 6 where athletes break off into a group of 3-1, the teams will split up a fair amount of distance from the beach where air squats will be performed. It is NOT advised that team members who are swimming pass their shoes off to the athlete going around the gorge (in an effort to keep them dry) because you still have a decent amount of ground to cover before getting to the water. 

Drawstring bag: The athlete going around the gorge will not be submerged. Team members who chose to swim will be swimming across the gorge and will not be returning to the place they started the swim. If you are worried about items that could get wet (cellphones, etc), it would be smart to give these to the athlete going around the gorge.

Anything else I should bring?

Extra items to consider bringing with you:

Hand sanitizer for personal use

Dry clothes for after the swim and the race has been completed

Fanny-pack for small items

What happens if our team cannot complete a station?

Stations have been designed to be completed in 10 minutes or less. If your team gets to a station and they cannot complete the required work, teams can "default" that station. This means that the team will be assessed a 2 hour penalty to their score for each station they default at and they will be allowed to move on from that station and continue with the race. 

Any suggestions for accommodations?

There is a special rate set up with a local hotel close to the Falls. Rooms are limited so teams are encouraged to act quickly:

Comfort Suites

96 Walker St

Gadsden, AL 35904

Phone 256-538-5770

Code for discount rate: legends of the falls (Call by phone and mention this code)

If you have any questions, please reach out to josh@crossfitmayhem.com for assistance.