Every competitor has a story, and for Christian, The Patriot Games marked the beginning of a new chapter. Stepping onto the competition field for the first time, he faced the same mix of excitement, uncertainty, and determination that many first-time participants experience. Before the event, we reached out to Christian to learn about his training, expectations, and goals. After crossing the finish line, we caught up with him again to hear how the experience matched reality, what challenges stood out, and what advice he would offer to others considering their first The Patriot Games event.
Meet Christian and his family. By day, Christian works as an account manager for a software startup, but when he’s off the clock, you’ll likely find him pursuing a variety of hobbies that keep him active and engaged. Whether he’s spending time at the range, hitting the gym, playing video games, hanging out with his dog, or making memories with his family, Christian enjoys staying busy. This year, he decided to take on a new challenge by signing up for his first Patriot Games event.
What made you decide to sign up for your very first Tactical Fitness event?
I love to shoot competitively and workout, so when I first discovered TacFit last year I fell in love. I’ve actually been planning to do The Patriot Games for a while, but a couple of surgeries last year forced me to push my first one back to this year.
What part of the event are you most excited about, and what part makes you the most nervous?
I’m very excited for the heavy lifting and shooting in general, especially the floater stage in the 360° bay. Those are my two strong points that I’ll need to lean on if I want to place well. I am nervous about the cardio and any skills/movements that are new to me. I heard Immokalee has monkey bars so I’m hoping we don’t see those come into play.
How have you been preparing for the event?
By doing everything! I’ve been spending more time at my gym (shoutout CrossFit Tampa Bay), practicing specific lifts at home, dry firing, live fire training (thankful for TSSA Events for this), and working on the more challenging skills (looking at you, rope climbs). I’m also very fortunate to have friends who have gone out of their way to give me coaching and advice to get me ready. Big thank you to Stef and Jeremy!
What is your goal for your first event?
Honestly? I really want to podium. I know that ambitious for my first Patriot Games (TPG), but I’m extremely competitive and can’t help but aim for a top spot. I’ll be happy as long as I give it my all and don’t leave any room for doubt afterward, but I’d love to walk away with a plaque.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about signing up but hasn’t taken the leap yet?
You’ll hear everyone say this, but just do it! If you like shooting or any kind of exercise then TacFit is one of the most fun sports you can get into. The community is extremely welcoming and helpful, so there’s nothing that you have to figure out on your own. If you’re short on gear, there’s plenty of us willing to loan our stuff out, you just have to ask! There’s very few better ways to push your shooting skills to a new level. Even if you’re not new to competitive shooting in general and are used to shooting under pressure (i.e. on a timer and with an audience), adding physical stress is an entirely different beast. Once you get used to it, then other types of shooting become a whole lot easier.
Now that you’ve completed your first Patriot Games, how did the actual event compare to what you expected going in?
It was fantastic, I had a ton of fun which is exactly what I expected. I think the flow of the day was slightly different than I expected, mostly around how much time you have between stages, getting to floater stages, etc. The atmosphere is also awesome and I didn’t realize how cool the community experience on competition day would be.
What was your favorite part of the event and why?
Definitely the shooting, especially on pistol. All of the shooting was super fun and challenging in different ways. It also very clearly highlighted some weak points I can train on.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during the competition?
My greatest challenge was the mental component around the day. I knew ahead of time that my conditioning would struggle, but I wasn’t ready for just how badly and how much that would affect me. Our first stage (B.O.B.) completely gassed me and put on my back foot for the rest of the day.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your training or preparation?
More general conditioning training and more shooting rifle unsupported! Otherwise I think I had the rest down right.
What Tactical Fitness Event would you like to do next?
I didn’t get the podium that I was looking for this time, but I did qualify for this year’s TPG Championship in October, so I will definitely do that. Otherwise I’m interested in trying out The Proving Grounds, those look like a ton of fun!
In closing.
Whether he was chasing a podium or simply challenging himself, Christian proved that showing up is the first step toward growth. His first Patriot Games was filled with lessons, accomplishments, and memories that will carry into future competitions. Congratulations on completing your first event, Christian. We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next.
Love to hear when first timers have a great experience. Hopefully we’ll see Christian back soon.