America Ninja Warrior Season 13 Recap
There’s A LOT I want to share with you all and I will BUT the first thing I want to talk about is Ninja Warrior.
Monday 8pm EST is when my Eposide is supposed to air.
Unfortunately, I got word from the producers that my run will not be shown this year. There are hundreds of competitors fighting for only about 20-30 spots to be aired. You might see a glimpses of me but not the whole thing.
I honestly am totally okay with this. I don’t do Ninja to “just” be on TV.
I do it to test my limits.
I do it for the community, and because it’s just so much fun that it doesn’t even feel like working out.
ALSO… I was being extremely cautious this year since I was shooting my COVER of Oxygen Magazine the following week… which has been a dream of mine for YEARS (more to come on that)
While I won’t be aired, I want you to keep an eye out for some of my amazing training buddies: Rachel Degutz, Abby Clark, Casey Roschield, Alyssa Beird, Meagan Martin, AND the TEEN girls who competed who are strong AF.
Here’s a glimpse of my PAST Journey with American Ninja Warrior so you can see how this works
In 2015: Season 7
I applied to be on Ninja Warrior. I personally didn’t want to apply. My friend was working on a submission video and I truly did not want to get in the way. My good friend/videographer Ian convinced me to put a video in last minute. To my surprise, when I was at a fitness competition I got “the call”: the famous 818 number telling me I would be competing in Pittsburgh.
I had no idea what to do… so I started training and finding ninja gyms. The first one I found was deep in the woods. I did the best I could with two weeks notice. I met AMAZING people, and went to a city I had never been to. This was PERFECT timing in my life because I was going through a break-up. I was so used to being an “item” and not being by myself, so to travel alone and meet a ton of new people with similar interests was amazing.
Ninja is filmed overnight. So we waited ALL night in the cold, and right as I was about to go, the sun came up… so they stopped the whole production and I had to run the next day.
I fell on the snakes crossing a spot where MOST ninjas were failing. Failed Obstacle 3!
Submission Video
Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/3mTtLGN_nh4
In 2016: Season 8
I didn’t get a Call
Submission Video
You Tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAJ1LteZSyE
In 2017: Season 9
I didn’t get a call
But instead, I submitted my video to the Women’s Health Next Fitness Star Competition, and I was selected! This is truly where my journey with Women’s Health and having the confidence to be on camera came from! I was on the cover of magazines all over the world. So maybe I didn't achieve competing on Ninja that season, but the universe had other plans for me ;)
Submission Video
Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/B2kZdUTLCpM
In 2018: Season 10
I FINALLY got the call! Except this time I was SUPER prepared. I had been doing local Ninja Competitions, training late at night after working in the gym I owned.
I came on the course confident and ready.
I started to fly through the course… made it to the wing nuts and KNEW that if I got past them, I would be one of the TOP females.
I made it past the wing-nuts but then collapsed.
Tore my ACL right there in front of everyone. I went from the strongest I have ever been to the weakest in SECONDS.
I got hurt on the dismount of obstacle 4.
Submission Video
Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/kFgytBGiiIw
In 2019
The ACL sparked something in me. I was at the lowest point of my life and I started to question everything. After getting ACL surgery (this was my second one, by the way. I tore my ACL the first time in 2010 doing gymnastics) I decided it was time to shut down my gym and head to NYC. I was basically homeless, living on my dad’s couch and the couches of others, commuting at 4am in the morning and leaving at 8pm at night... Rehabbing the SHIT out of my leg 3x a week while networking in the city.
I got the call again and THIS time, it was going to be a comeback year for me. After 11 months of intense rehab, I took on the course WITHOUT my brace and made it back to City Finals.
It was quite the moment. The run wasn’t only aired, it was the commercial for a full week leading into it.
I failed on Cones (Obstacle 4) made it to finals
I made it to Obstacle 5 in finals! So close to completing first half!
Submission Video
Youtube Link to Video: https://youtu.be/2N4JOKWfLho
In 2020:
COVID happened... so no call!
Submission Video:
Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/yBrx_rkb9Qs
In 2021:
I was NOT expecting a call at all but at the LAST second, I got one. So I had about 2 weeks to get my shit together. I also got a call to be on the cover of Oxygen the following week. I was nervous about getting hurt, honestly. I wasn’t as well trained as normal, so I trained, but very carefully.
It was weird too... they flew us to Seattle, we had to get our COVID test and there was NO audience except for our friends we selected to be on the screens. I thrive off the energy of the audience. I got up there and was just DAMN grateful to be selected again. Soared through the steps. Felt SUPER strong on the second obstacle and knew that if I got past it I would possibly finish the course.
Cranked the obstacle up, slid and down and when I went to laché to the next bar it was just so damn high. I couldn’t fully get a grip on it and I fell. Whoops!
Failed obstacle 2!
Submission Video
Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/TsDoOtG8vdA
Anyways! I will still be training, I LOVE the sport but I also have some other massive goals I have been working on.
