Ironwood native finds outlet for fitness passion

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Ironwood native Nik Patrick has a passion and job that fit well together - crossfit training and working at Titletown Crossfit in Green Bay, where he is director of operations and head coach.

"I fell in love with crossfit. It was something I could be competitive in," said Patrick.

The 2006 Luther L. Wright High School graduate played basketball at Gogebic Community College and graduated from there in 2008. He transferred to Finlandia University in Hancock and played basketball there, as well.

After graduating in 2011, he took a job at GCC in admissions and was an assistant basketball coach. "Working with Coach (Dennis) Mackey was a really great experience," he said.

But a couple years later, he was given the opportunity to work at Titletown and he jumped at it. "I thought: 'Why not wake up every morning excited to go to work?' I kind of took a leap of faith, packed up my stuff and moved to Green Bay and almost three years later, I've never been happier. It's great."

Patrick and two other crossfit enthusiasts from the Green Bay area recently competed in the Granite Games at St. Cloud (Minn.) State University. He teamed with Joe Troia, who runs Crossfit De Pere, and one of that gym's athletes, Nate Przybylski.

They competed in a series of seven events over three days. More than 2,000 athletes participated across all divisions.

Patrick said they started the qualifying process in July and called it "intense."

"There were two waves of workouts released on the internet, six events over two weeks. We compete in our own gym, filmed the workouts and then submit them," he said. "I was a little bit skeptical, but we qualified 24th out of 45 in our division."

A second wave of qualifying allowed several teams which didn't qualify for the division above Patrick's team to enter their division for competition. So, once in St. Cloud, their division had 136 teams.

"So, competition got even steeper once we arrived on campus," said Patrick.

Over a long weekend, they competed in seven workouts that tested various physical abilities - strength, stamina, endurance, said Patrick. "We had weightlifting; an event where we had to swim 500 meters and then run a mile and a half; walk on our hands and then do handstand push-ups; deadlifts at 445 pounds. It was super broad."

The events took place in the Herb Brooks Hockey Center, on the school's football field and in the fieldhouse. For the swim, they bused the competitors to Lake George, where they did an open water swim and then ran back to campus.

In the end, Patrick's team finished 48th out of 136 teams. "It was really cool, with a lot of spectators," he said.

Patrick is looking forward to attending a Brute Strength retreat later this month in Seattle with the owner of Titletown Crossfit, Kelly Devers.

"We'll be able to train with and learn from the owner of Brute Strength and his staff. That will be really awesome," said Patrick, who is looking forward to learning from the experts. The Brute Strength staff includes men and women who have competed at the prestigious Crossfit Games and Chris Hinshaw, who Patrick figures is the most accomplished iron man athlete of all time.

"It's a great opportunity to learn from the best," he said.

In November, Patrick will compete with three other coaches from his gym as a team in a competition in Stevens Point, Wis.

Patrick said he sees himself as a coach first and an athlete second. "My thought process is, I just really enjoy training. As for the sport, where it takes me, I'm just kind of along for the ride," he said. "I focus on each day, just maximizing the day. Giving the day what I'm able to give it and then move on to the next one."

Patrick is the son of Michael and Sandy Patrick of Ironwood.