The June 2, 2006 message board post that was the beginning of Diablo CrossFit.
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.”
Seneca
20 YEARS OF AFFILIATION WITH CROSSFIT
On June 2, 2006 at 12:11pm, I posted a message on the original CrossFit Message Board titled: “CF in Walnut Creek, CA?” My message: “There is none. I’d like one. I’m willing to help start one. Are you the one?” I had been doing CrossFit on my own in various gyms for a little more than a year and was frustrated with the lack of appropriate equipment – and funny stares from other members.
Fortunately, CrossFit Oakland founder & OG, Mike Minium responded to my message board post and connected me with my soon to be business partner and friend, Jeremy Jones. Jeremy had unofficially launched Diablo CrossFit as a garage/backyard gym in 2005 and was keely interested in officially affiliating. He had already connected with another local CrossFit enthusiast, Rob Barnum, and the three of us met to talk about building a thriving affiliate.
We started with workouts in a local park (Larkey Park) and launched a website & blog. Very few people joined our morning-only sessions. So, in early 2007 I leased a small mechanics garage on Main Street in Walnut Creek and the three of us brought our used equipment and Craigslist finds to do workouts. There was no Rogue. We built plyoboxes and medicine balls from designs we found on the Message Boards. Our pullup bars were fashioned from plumbing pipe and plumbing fixtures.
In 2008, one of our original partners, Rob, needed to cash out to pursue his film production business. This turned out to be a good decision for my friend Rob, who has produced more than 70 movies, including several award winning films and several more in the works. Lawless, All is Lost and Margin Call are my favs!
In 2009 we moved to our current 12,500sf facility, recruited our wives as partners, started an equipment company (Diablo Fitness Engineering); opened, closed & sold multiple affiliates; launched a Fitness Sports League & Team (GRID), sent multiple athletes & teams to the CrossFit Games; converted many members into coaches, and coaches into affiliate owners; introduced more than a dozen members to their future spouses; and transformed thousands of lives for the better. In 2016, Yvonne and I amicably parted ways with the Joneses and became the sole owners of Diablo CrossFit.
CrossFit has blessed me, my wife, our family, our coaches and community – and I am forever grateful. When I posted to the message boards 20 years ago I had no idea that that message would lead to soooo many wonderful outcomes for soooo many people, especially me and my family. I am tremendously grateful that Jeremy answered my post and that my wife agreed to join me on this awesome adventure.
Most of all, I am thankful for CrossFit and our 20 years of partnership in this awesome business. Yvonne and I look forward to 20 more.
#itsup2us
MASTERS MADNESS 2026
A last minute idea turned out to be a heck of a lot of fun for 4 teams and 16 Diablo Athletes who were brave enough to give it a shot. On Tuesday last week, CrossFit Games announced the workouts for the Online Team SemiFinal competition. Diablo did not field a team this year, but instead, we created a Team Competition for Masters Athletes in 3 age group categories: 40-49, 50-59 and 60+. Coach Jamie Lee recrafted the 5 Games-level workouts to accommodate aging CrossFit athletes. Diablo’s teams began the workouts on Thursday and are almost all done with the competition.
It’s been a lot of fun and, admittedly, hard work. But, we learned a LOT – and will be doing this competition again next year with a few changes and improvements. Thank you to our Diablo members who gave up their weekend to workout to put these workouts to the test!
PROGRAMMING THIS WEEK:
- Mon: Row-S2OH-FS: Descending reps, 3 Rounds of Calorie Row, S2OH & Front Squat (#75/115)
- Tue: Clean Complex. Metcon: Amrap 6m 12 Alt DB Snatch & 12 Goblet Box Step Ups
- Wed: CrossFit “Girl” Benchmark – Helen: 3RFT 400m Run, 21 KB Swings, 12 Pull Ups
- Thu: Front Squat. Metcon: Barbells & Box Jumps. 4RFT – 6S2OH, 8HSC, 10DL, 12 Box Jumps (#65/95)
- Fri: Dips & Chins Ups. Metcon: Amrap 7m
- Sat: Partner Workout! UGO-IGO: Amrap 20m – 3WW, 20/30c Row, 100m FCarry #35/50
- Sun: Run-DL-PP – 3RFT: 400m Run, 12DLs, 200m Run, 1m Rest #125/185
- CRAIG’S LIST: Stuff I’m Watching, Reading, Using or Listening to….
2 Great Podcasts: AI Doom vs. Universe of Hope
- THE UNIVERSE IS AMAZING: Joe Rogan with Michell Thaller. What we know about the Universe is mind-boggling. What we don’t know is even more crazy. Michelle Thaller PhD is a wealth of fascinating information about space, time and all things the cosmos. She is an astrophysicist, award-winning science communicator, and retired NASA executive who worked at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA Headquarters. And she’s an incredibly compelling speaker. Loved this one!
- AI IS SCARY: Diary of a CEO with Mo Gawdat – Mo Gawdat is the former Chief Business Officer at Google X, and a best selling author. He has amazing insight into the development of AI and very insightful perspective on the implementation of AI for the benefit of humanity. Mo says the next 10 years are likely to create massive economic disruption worldwide – with an eventual positive outcome. Great discussion, but anxiety causing.
Craig
