Fueling Your Competitive Drive

Luke Espe • July 23, 2021
A woman in a yellow shirt is lifting dumbbells in a gym

Operating at the highest level of your potential always requires re-shifting your focus. Whether you are competing against or against yourself, fueling your competitive drive takes tons of self awareness and training. The constant mindset of getting better day in and day out comes from providing yourself with challenges. When you are just shy of attaining your goal, it is time to analyze, make adjustments then try again.

Heather Smith has always been a competitor and her spirit is alive more than ever to help the 12 Labours Lions at the NOBULL CrossFit Games. Take a moment to see a snapshot of her journey and how she became part of the 12 Labours Community.

My entire life I've loved to compete. I started gymnastics at age 2, started competing at age 5 and continued until I was a Division 1 gymnast at James Madison University. There is something about being on that competition floor that I can't get that feeling doing anything else.

A gymnast is jumping over a balance beam in front of a banner that says carolina
A female gymnast is doing a trick on a balance beam while a group of people watch.

After college I got into running and completed several half marathons, but it was never the same feeling. The final workout of the Open in 2016 was my first CrossFit workout and immediately fell in love. I knew this was what I was missing and finally found something to fill my competitive void. I immediately knew I wanted to train so I could compete again.

A woman in a purple tank top is hanging from gymnastic rings

I did the CrossFit Open every year and did a few local competitions, and competed at Wodapalooza.

Two women are lifting a barbell in a gym.

In 2018, I qualified for Regionals on a team. All of the training, all of the sacrifices was so worth it to be on that competition floor.

A group of people are lifting weights in a gym.

In 2019, I qualified on a team to compete at Granite Games. I actually competed against Erika, Robbie, & Jeff. 

A woman is doing a handstand on a football field

Shortly after the Granite Games, I got injured and it felt like my entire world flipped upside down. I was snatching at the gym and when I caught the bar in the bottom of my snatch I felt my hip go. I ended up completely tearing my hip labrum, I tore my hip flexor, and once I saw the surgeon found out I needed to shave down part of my hip bone. Needless to say it was a long recovery, but I focused on what I could and worked on my mental game. Laying on the hospital bed right before going into surgery the last thing I told my husband Andy was "I'm going to be back & better than I was before" & he responded "I know you will." That was my goal and my motivation throughout my recovery period. I knew doing the not so fun rehab and PT would enable me to eventually get back to doing what I love to do.

A woman in a hospital gown is laying in a hospital bed

Towards the end of my hip recovery the pandemic hit and it led me to training in my garage by myself majority of the days (with my three dogs). I am very fortunate to have a garage setup and loved that I could continue to train, but it was certainly lonely some days! The motivation that came from my injury and wanting to be back on that competition floor fueled me every day to keep chasing my dreams. Every training session I finished I knew I was one step closer.

A woman is doing pull ups in a gym while a dog watches.

Fast forward to January 2021 I started training with Erika, Robbie, & Jeff with the 12 Labours crew with the goal of the CrossFit Games on our mind. Next week is a dream come true competing on the CrossFit Games competition floor. All the blood, sweat, tears, injuries, counting my macros, tracking my sleep, taking recovery seriously, every single minute was worth it.

Heather Smith, 12 Labours Lions

A group of people are posing for a picture on a field.

MORE RECENT POSTS

Dozer Weightlifting Seminar

By Mel McCamley • July 28, 2025
📍 12 Labours Annapolis | 📅 October 4th | ⏰ 9 AM – 4 PM | 💰 $150 We’re thrilled to welcome Dylan Cooper to 12 Labours Annapolis for our upcoming Dozer Weightlifting Seminar — a full-day clinic dedicated to leveling up your Olympic lifts. Dylan brings over 14 years of experience in the sport of Olympic weightlifting. As a competitive athlete, he represented Team USA, earning two bronze medals at the Junior Pan American Championships and placing 8th at the Junior World Championships. He’s trained under some of the most reputable coaches in the country and even spent time training alongside Olympians. Since retiring from competition, Dylan has shifted his focus to coaching — helping everyday athletes build strength, confidence, and a love for the barbell. He’s coached hundreds of lifters and developed one of the most widely used weightlifting programs in the sport today. What makes Dylan stand out? He has a gift for making Olympic lifting accessible and enjoyable, breaking down complex movements into simple, actionable steps that help lifters of all levels improve. Whether you are brand new to the snatch and clean & jerk or you're looking to refine your technique and hit new PRs, this seminar is for you. Spots are limited — secure yours now and spend a day learning from one of the best in the game. 📲 Click here to sign up

AOTM - Wade Raynor

By Mel McCamley • July 23, 2025
We’re excited to highlight Wade as our Athlete of the Month! Wade joined 12 Labours in early 2025 after some convincing from longtime member Dillon Posten. At first, CrossFit felt a bit intimidating — new movements, a new environment — but the community quickly made him feel at home. He credits the Foundations course with Mel for helping him get up to speed and build confidence early on. These days, you’ll catch Wade at either the 5:30 AM or 4:30 PM classes, throwing down in Olympic lifts and long workouts — two of his favorites. His current goal is to master double unders, and long-term, he’s eyeing his first CrossFit competition. He recently completed a Hyrox event in May and has another lined up in September, which he says he couldn’t have done without 12 Labours. What Wade loves most? “Easy — the people.” The support from coaches and members alike keeps him motivated. His advice to anyone on the fence about starting: “Just do it. There’s something for everyone, and the coaches will help you scale anything so you can succeed safely.” Outside the gym, Wade is a project manager, a proud dad to his son Jett, and spends his free time riding motocross, mountain biking, snowboarding, hunting, or filming with his camera. His personal motto, courtesy of a doctor after a major injury? “Motion is lotion.” Congrats, Wade — we’re lucky to have you in the 12L crew!

AOTM - Nick Hinnerschitz

By Chelsea Espe • July 10, 2025
Congrats to Nick Hinnerschitz for receiving AOTM at the Columbia District! Nick started CrossFit in September 2024 as a guest of Mark Sam Chee during bring a friend week. He was hooked after the week included rope climbs, snatches and split jerks even though he left with a nasty rope burn and the realization that he had no idea how to perform Olympic lifts correctly. Nick is a regular 6amer and loves strict gymnastics movements, deadlifts and GHD sit ups. When he first started he struggled to kick up to the wall and now can do HSPU! "What I love most about 12L is the people. It’s a very supportive environment where the coaches provide excellent instruction tailored to the needs of the athletes and the friendly competition during WODs brings out the best in people." Nick has seen changes in himself that he never expected and now is in the best shape of his life. He is excited to get stronger and continuously improve - especially on Olympic lifts. Congrats Nick!
More Posts

you can ACHIEVE your goals with us

CrossFit is meant for all levels of fitness, and our universally scalable model is built for you.