ESTEVAN — At 55, Tracy Grube of Estevan has redefined what it means to be an athlete.
The local CrossFit coach and competitor recently achieved a personal milestone by finishing ninth in the 1st Phorm Legends Championship, a prestigious international CrossFit competition held from Dec. 12-15 in Tempe, Ariz. Competing in the women's master's 55–59 age category, Grube's performance exemplified her dedication to the sport she discovered later in life.
Discovering CrossFit
Grube's journey into CrossFit began in 2017 when CrossFit BlackRock opened in Estevan.
"I'd never done the sport before at all," she said. "They had an information night for people to go and learn about the sport. I went and tried it out, and it seemed like in no time I started to really feel like this was something that was for me."
Grube quickly immersed herself in the CrossFit community, going beyond personal training to become a certified coach.
"I started coaching. I went and got my certification – my level 1, my level 2. I got my kids' certification, my master's, so then I was a coach there," she explained, noting that she also had a drive to compete.
When the local gym closed, Grube adapted by transforming her garage into a home gym, where she trains herself and coaches others.
"I converted my three-car garage into a full-on CrossFit gym. From there, I had to then find a coach," she said.
Her current coach works with her remotely from Amsterdam.
"He sends me my workouts every week and every Monday we FaceTime," she shared. "We discuss how the previous week went, and he assesses things … then we discuss what is for the week ahead."
Preparing for Arizona
The path to the Legends Championship was rigorous.
"For the one in Arizona back in September, I had to pay a fee, then they release workouts. I had to videotape my workouts and have a judge. And you submit scores," Grube explained. "They look at videos to make sure you're being honest, and then you have to make the cutline in order to qualify for the main event."
Grube placed fourth in the qualifying round, earning a spot among 30 elite athletes in her age group at the championship. Over four days, competitors faced eight gruelling workouts, including a swimming event.
(Follow the link for a video of Grube, middle row, participating in a workout during the 1st Phorm Legends Championship in Arizona. A three-minute-long workout included 20 kipping handstand push-ups, 15 hang power snatches and max calories on power in remaining time.)
"It was held at Arizona State University - really nice facility," she said. "I was really happy. I had some really good workouts. I had one workout that didn't quite go my way, but that's the nature of any sport."
Despite the challenge, Grube celebrated her progress.
"Last year, I finished 19th, so I improved 10 spots this year. I was quite happy with that," she said.
The CrossFit lifestyle
Grube's dedication to CrossFit extends beyond competition. Besides coaching, she regularly trains herself. Nutrition also plays a key role in her regimen.
"Without that, there's no way your body could handle doing this over and over."
CrossFit also became a source of strength during personal struggles.
"Having CrossFit in my life has helped me deal and cope with some very challenging times," Grube shared.
She also said that she's been trying to inspire others through her journey.
"I like to be able to inspire other women especially," she said. "If you are hesitant about something, just give it a try and see where it takes you. You never know – it might be the one thing that was missing for you. And you meet a lot of great people. I have friends from all over that I keep in touch with after these competitions."
Looking ahead
Grube's next goal is the CrossFit Games, the pinnacle of the sport.
"The CrossFit Open starts at the end of February," she said. "If you make the cut, you go to the semifinals, and if you're in the top 30 of the semifinals, then you get to go to the Games."
The 2025 Masters and Teenage CrossFit Games will be held in Columbus, Ohio, from Aug. 21–24. With her coach ramping up her training, Grube remains optimistic about her chances.
"I have a really good chance of getting there," she said. "I'm just hoping that all my hard work pays off."
In addition to intense training ahead of the competition, Grube continues coaching functional fitness classes in her home gym for adults, teens and kids. She hopes to foster a supportive environment where people of all levels feel welcome.
For Grube, CrossFit is more than a sport – it's a way of life, which she started as a curious beginner and made it to an international competitor.
For updates on Grube's CrossFit journey or to try CrossFit, follow her at tracygrube7 on Instagram.
