Saturday, 11.11.23 - VETERANS DAY

HERO WOD CHAD:

Chad Wilkinson, a Navy SEAL, died by suicide on Oct. 29, 2018, due to the effects of numerous deployments, several TBIs, blast-wave injuries, and PTSD.

Wilkinson left behind a wife, two kids, and countless other friends and family members.

Since her husband’s death, Sara Wilkinson, a long-time member of the CrossFit community and trainer on CrossFit’s Seminar Staff, has been promoting awareness around veteran suicide and prevention through her nonprofit, The Step Up Foundation.

The Step Up Foundation raises funds to support programs dedicated to the research and treatment of combat-related injuries while honoring “our veterans and their invisible wounds.” Every year on Veterans Day, it unites people around the world with the workout CHAD1000X.

The workout consists of 1,000 step-ups with a weighted rucksack. Chad created the workout to train for the rigors of a near 23,000-foot summit in Argentina. After his death, CrossFit GM Dave Castro, along with some friends, did the workout as a way to honor Chad. Since then, CHAD1000X has become a rallying point for those struggling with mental health to join the community and focus on taking one more step.

“I talked about the workout at his funeral and underestimated all my CrossFit friends being in the audience — that they would flock to it and attempt to complete it, which they did,” Sara said in an interview at this year’s CrossFit Games. “It organically has grown in nature and we’re approaching our fourth year. Because of the response it’s had and what a positive impact it’s had on people, it led me to start my nonprofit, The Step Up Foundation.”

VETERANS DAY, 2023
This Veterans Day, we’re asking the CrossFit community to join us, GORUCK, and The Step Up Foundation in support of this important cause - and HERE YOU ARE taking on this challenge today on Veterans Day. Today is also the first time that this workout is posted as an official Hero workout on CrossFit.com.

The goal of this partnership between CrossFit, The Step Up Foundation, and GORUCK is to join in the fight against veteran suicide while emphasizing the importance of mental health for the general public — and the importance of fitness for mental health — as well. If you want more information on Chad, the Step Up Foundation or want to make a donation, please see the email Kaylee sent out earlier this week.

“Suicide affects our veterans at an alarming rate,” Sara said. “But I think, … the everyday man is also not immune to that internal struggle, that silent whisper that feeds negative self-talk … . Fitness is great at developing us not only physically but mentally and emotionally, and it just makes such perfect sense to combine this with CrossFit and join the community so they can stand in this fight together.”

The workout is not technical and consists of one movement: 1,000 step-ups to a 20-inch box while wearing an external load. It can be done anywhere and is scalable to all fitness levels, but as with all of CrossFit’s Hero workouts, it is a long and challenging mental grind. Keep Chad and all Veterans in mind as you do this HERO WOD today.

HERO WOD CHAD:
For Time:
1,000 Box Step Ups (20/20)

• Without Load
  Rx: 20/30 # Ruck (Can use vest too if needed)
  Comp: 30/45 # Ruck
  1/2 Chad
  Partner Chad