03/15/2026
AFC Open Athlete Highlight: Long Time Athlete - Adam Fahner (26.2)
During the Open this year, we’re highlighting three AFC athletes each week who represent different parts of our community: a Beginner Athlete, a Long Time Member, and a Masters Athlete. The Open means something a little different to everyone, and it’s always fun to hear the stories and moments that stand out from each workout.
This week’s Long Time Athlete highlight is Adam Fahner.
What keeps you coming back to the Open each year?
“I really didn’t have a competitive mindset growing up, and I definitely didn’t push to get better at much as a teenager. When I started CrossFit in early 2015 and did the Open in 2016, it kind of opened up a can of worms that somehow made me try harder at everything. So I keep coming back to the Open to kind of justify this mindset of trying to be as good as I can at this really hard thing.”
How did 26.2 compare to your first Open workout?
“My first Open workout was 16.1, and I was barely an Rx athlete. I was so smoked from 95 # overhead walking lunges I think I laid in a gravel parking lot for half an hour. From an experience perspective, I would say they’re parallel (I just like sending it?). From a mindset perspective I definitely look at trying my hardest on Open workouts as more of a fun challenge as opposed to trying to climb a leaderboard.”
Was there a moment in the workout where you had to dig in mentally?
“I was not expecting to finish this workout. Three or four years ago I think finishing it would have been my standard for the workout, but life has changed a lot. Being a husband, dad, and business owner have really shifted my training goals. When I finished the last set of lunges and realized I had a chance of finishing, I had to kind of shift my mindset from ‘okay fun little wod with muscle ups’ to ‘oh this is gonna suck, buckle up.’”
What changes have you noticed in yourself since your early days at AFC?
“Over the last decade I’ve changed a lot as an athlete. I’ve always loved to push the limit of my physical capabilities just to say I never left anything on the table. These days I’m still progressing, but I’m more focused on the experience of having a good time with everyone I’m working out with any given day. Still hammering, but with a little more grace. When I joined AFC I was 20 years old. Hilariously I’ve been around for a third of my life. I was working road construction and doing CrossFit and that was pretty much it. Over the course of 10 years I met some of my best friends here, and even met my wife Hannah here. I think the Always Forward community really helped push me to start doing residential concrete on my own. The truth is you can get fit anywhere with any made up tools you choose. But when 10 years feels like 2 years, I’d say you’re in the right spot.”
What does being part of the Open at Always Forward mean to you at this point in your journey?
“Being part of the Open and hitting these workouts with everyone just feels like a celebration to me. Without making it sound like Christmas, there’s something cool about these three weeks. It’s cool to celebrate another year of movement. Fist bumps just hit different after an Open workout. I really like that we can collectively not really want to do something like an Open workout, shoutout 26.1, but we do it anyway. Really says something about the mentality that we carry into other aspects of our lives. Cheers to many more. 🍻”
Ten years at AFC, still sending it, and still celebrating the workouts with the crew. Nice work in 26.2, Adam 👏
