MILTON — CrossFit SRC will raise money for Marine Special Operations Command personnel’s families while remembering 11 service members who died last year during Black Hawk training on the Santa Rosa Sound.
CrossFit’s second annual MOJO 69 Memorial Throwdown is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 14. ‘MOJO 69’ refers to the designated call sign of the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, which crashed while transporting seven U.S. Marines and four U.S. National Guard soldiers.
Pace resident Tyler Bennett, CrossFit SRC’s head coach, who also is a flight paramedic for the Lifeguard Ambulance Service, said the workout is a way to honor the fallen men while allowing participants to get in a WOD, or Workout of the Day.
“We call them hero workouts, just to memorialize the men and women perished in combat or, like in this case, a training exercise,” Bennett said. “It’s just exercising with a little higher intensity.”
That means:
- 69 air squats
- Four rounds of a 400-meter run
- 11 dead lifts
- 11 cleans
- 11 strict pull-ups
Barry Brinker, a manager at Anytime Fitness in Milton, said the workout can be adjusted for participants in need.
“We scale the workouts,” Brinker said. “If someone has a knee problem or they can’t run for whatever reason, we can always give them a different option. We don’t want anyone to injure themselves … it should always be your workout at your level.”
Several sponsors will provide refreshments, mist fans and provide trophies and medals. All proceeds will benefit Raising Raiders, a North Carolina-based nonprofit organization that helps MARSOC families in need.
Last year’s event raised almost $8,000, Brinker said.
“With this event we just hope to be able to give a little something back to the men and women who serve, and show our appreciation for all that they do; and we greatly appreciate all the local businesses who have donated their money, time, and services to help us make this event great,” Brinker said.
“We couldn't have done it without them.”
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WANT TO GO?
WHAT: 2nd Annual MOJO 69 Memorial Throwdown
WHEN: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 14th
WHERE: CrossFit SRC, 6568 Caroline St., Milton
NOTES: Competition will include Rx and Scaled divisions for the 18-39 and 40-and-older age groups. There will also be teen, ages 14-17, and adaptive athlete divisions.
ONLINE: Register at http://bit.ly/1SN6kHq
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Memorial Throwdown to honor fallen service members May 14 in Milton