If you’ve watched the Atlantic Regionals any time in the last four years, you probably recognize the Helmicks.
Husband and wife duo Gary and Alea Helmick have been competing at Regionals for several years now with Gary qualifying for the CrossFit Games in 2013. Alea on the other hand competed in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Regionals despite various circumstances — Gary broke his ankle the night before the 2014 Regionals and she competed in 2015 despite a back injury.
Alea was ready to give up. Three shots, three close misses. But she didn’t. After mulling the 2016 season over in her head for a few months, Alea committed to competing. And boy, did she.
After a second place finish in the mid-Atlantic region during the Open, Alea finished in fifth place at this year’s Atlantic Regionals. Now, she is preparing for her first trip to Carson, California. The icing on top of the cake? Gary also took fifth place in the men’s Atlantic Regional and will be competing beside her throughout the week.
FHQ: So wow, what a journey you’ve had to get to the Games. You’ve finished just outside qualifying spots for the past several years and then competed through an injury last year. You said you almost didn’t compete in 2016 — what changed your mind?
Alea Helmick: After competing for a third straight year and failing to qualify for the Games again, I was very discouraged. I trained harder than the year before and felt drained after Regionals in 2015. I almost decided not to compete as an individual (in 2016) and possibly try and compete on a team.
Alea Helmick: After competing for a third straight year and failing to qualify for the Games again, I was very discouraged. I trained harder than the year before and felt drained after Regionals in 2015. I almost decided not to compete as an individual (in 2016) and possibly try and compete on a team.
Competing as an individual requires so much of your time, and as a full time teacher and gym owner (she and Gary own CrossFit ReVamped in Maryland) I didn’t know if I could pull all of it off. After may conversations with my husband Gary, he couldn’t see it any other way. He was set on me competing and wanted me to experience what it was like to make it to the Games. For some reason he wanted that for me.
Also, Christy Adkins called me the day after Regionals in 2015. She herself narrowly missed out qualifying for the Games and called to encourage ME to compete another year. We talked on the phone for about 45 minutes talking about the pros of competing another year. It took me about three months before I really decided that to compete in 2016. I would joke with my husband about going team all the way up until the Open but he would always encourage me to stick with it and reassure me that he thought I was good enough.
FHQ: Your husband is also going to the Games in July after a fifth place finish at Regionals. What does that feel like? Are you guys training together?
Alea Helmick: It is still surreal to think that we are both going to the Games together. Everyday we reflect on it and talk about how the odds of this happening are so slim and that we need to soak up every moment.
Alea Helmick: It is still surreal to think that we are both going to the Games together. Everyday we reflect on it and talk about how the odds of this happening are so slim and that we need to soak up every moment.
We currently train together on the weekends, that’s when we do most of our high volume training. During the week, I teach until 3 p.m. (Alea is a full-time teacher) Gary works out in the morning and when I’m at school. When I get out of school I head to the gym and train. We share times and scores and try and one up each other during our workouts, all in good fun.
FHQ: Is it a challenge to support each other while also staying focused on your training? Does it make nutrition easier — I know I have a hard time getting my husband to eat anything green…
Alea Helmick: It’s great having someone to keep me accountable. My husband can workout multiple times a day for many days in a row without fatiguing. So, if I don’t feel like working out he can easily motivate me. We work well with each other during training and can read each other well. I can tell if he’s getting frustrated or push him to go for a PR. He does the same for me. We have a large group of competitors at our gym that we train with. It allows us to have fun while we train and that’s so important for us. We are luck enough to be sponsored by Power Supply Meals that keep us fueled. It helps us to keep us on track.
Alea Helmick: It’s great having someone to keep me accountable. My husband can workout multiple times a day for many days in a row without fatiguing. So, if I don’t feel like working out he can easily motivate me. We work well with each other during training and can read each other well. I can tell if he’s getting frustrated or push him to go for a PR. He does the same for me. We have a large group of competitors at our gym that we train with. It allows us to have fun while we train and that’s so important for us. We are luck enough to be sponsored by Power Supply Meals that keep us fueled. It helps us to keep us on track.
FHQ: You’ve got a full plate in your day to day life. You’re a teacher, an athlete, and a box owner. What are your tricks for keeping everything running smoothly?
Alea Helmick: It is so important to have fun with whatever you are doing at the time. I just love the kids and school I am teaching at and that comes through to the children. Gary and I have an amazing group of people at CrossFit ReVamped that have become our friends and gym family. When you love what your doing and are genuine, people notice. It helps me to juggle the workload and stress that can come with owning a gym, teaching, and training.
Alea Helmick: It is so important to have fun with whatever you are doing at the time. I just love the kids and school I am teaching at and that comes through to the children. Gary and I have an amazing group of people at CrossFit ReVamped that have become our friends and gym family. When you love what your doing and are genuine, people notice. It helps me to juggle the workload and stress that can come with owning a gym, teaching, and training.
FHQ: Now that you and Gary are for sure going to Carson, what are you most looking forward to?
Alea Helmick: I’m looking forward to competing on such a large stage, being challenged, and meeting new friends. For me, the stressful part was Regionals. I plan on enjoying every moment of the Games — the good, the bad, and the painful. I’m looking forward to competing next the to best of the best in CrossFit and getting to experience it first hand with Gary.
Alea Helmick: I’m looking forward to competing on such a large stage, being challenged, and meeting new friends. For me, the stressful part was Regionals. I plan on enjoying every moment of the Games — the good, the bad, and the painful. I’m looking forward to competing next the to best of the best in CrossFit and getting to experience it first hand with Gary.
FHQ: On the other side of that coin, is there anything you’re nervous about showing up in the Games? Any movements you’ll be working extra hard to master between now and then?
Alea Helmick: I’m looking forward to the odd object workouts and the unconventional workouts you don’t see at Regionals. I’m nervous about seeing triple unders and will be practicing them and hoping they don’t show up.?
Alea Helmick: I’m looking forward to the odd object workouts and the unconventional workouts you don’t see at Regionals. I’m nervous about seeing triple unders and will be practicing them and hoping they don’t show up.?
FHQ: What is your training and your nutrition going to look like now that you’re preparing for the Games?
Alea Helmick: My nutrition is going to stay the same and fluctuate depending on the volume of my training. My training now focuses heavily on running, CrossFit, and odd object/sled work. We are working with a running/swim coach that is programming for us leading up to the Games. We are also training in the heat to simulate California weather.
Alea Helmick: My nutrition is going to stay the same and fluctuate depending on the volume of my training. My training now focuses heavily on running, CrossFit, and odd object/sled work. We are working with a running/swim coach that is programming for us leading up to the Games. We are also training in the heat to simulate California weather.
FHQ: Are you close friends with a lot of the female CrossFit athletes or more of a fan? What’s it like competing alongside them?
Alea Helmick: I am more of a friend to my competitors and enjoy competing alongside them. I feel supported by them and talk to them before and after we compete oftentimes congratulating them on an awesome performance. I train with some of my competitors leading up to big competitions and share training stories and thoughts about workouts, etc.
Alea Helmick: I am more of a friend to my competitors and enjoy competing alongside them. I feel supported by them and talk to them before and after we compete oftentimes congratulating them on an awesome performance. I train with some of my competitors leading up to big competitions and share training stories and thoughts about workouts, etc.
FHQ: Do you think this will be your last year competing? What about your husband?
Alea Helmick: I think that this will be my last year competing as an individual, but anything can happen.
Alea Helmick: I think that this will be my last year competing as an individual, but anything can happen.
FHQ: It’s been a heartbreaking Regionals season so far and we’ve seen several incredible athletes fall just short of making a Games appearance. Seeing as how you’ve felt that pain before and now have overcome it to qualify for the CrossFit Games, what would your advice be to them?
Alea Helmick: My advice for someone just missing out would be to trust in your abilities. If they came that close they are certainly good enough and might need to work a different area of their training. Maybe they need to focus on their mental game or get more experience competing alongside their competition. For me I worked on my mental game and trusted in my abilities. I worried less about everyone else, had fun with my training, and stayed healthy.
Alea Helmick: My advice for someone just missing out would be to trust in your abilities. If they came that close they are certainly good enough and might need to work a different area of their training. Maybe they need to focus on their mental game or get more experience competing alongside their competition. For me I worked on my mental game and trusted in my abilities. I worried less about everyone else, had fun with my training, and stayed healthy.