Two-Brain Radio: Rory Mckernan

On today’s episode, Sean Woodland talks with one of the original members of the CrossFit Games media team: Rory Mckernan.

Rory is probably the most recognizable face when it comes to the media side of the sport of fitness. He played a key role in building the CrossFit Games media team over the years and is still covering the season and the athletes today.

He and Sean talk about how he got started with CrossFit, some of his favorite memories from the early days of the media department, his latest collaboration with two-time CrossFit Games champion Katrin Davidsdottir on her book, "Dottir," and what's in store for Rory's future.

Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Founder-Farmer-Tinker-Thief-Entrepreneurs-ebook/dp/B07QH85HSX

https://www.amazon.com/Dottir-Becoming-Two-Time-CrossFit-Champion/dp/1250142644

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmjrf8sQjdEzOeP9Q8e_3_A

Contact:

Instagram: @rorymkernan

Timeline:

1:54 – Homegrown: Before becoming the face of the CrossFit Games, Rory was a coach.

3:41 – The early days of the CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 seminars.

6:22 – Accidentally ending up on camera at the 2008 CrossFit Games.

7:40 – Learning how to edit video and becoming CrossFit Media’s second employee.

9:17 – The birth of the CrossFit Games Update Show.

12:33 – Wall-to-wall whiteboards, all-nighters and endless retakes.

17:45 – How a Regional recap almost got ruined by a church hymn.

19:31 – Covering the 2012 Camp Pendleton Games event with just a few phones and 30 minutes’ notice.

23:40 – Why it all mattered: making a difference in people’s lives.

27:38 – Coming on board to co-write “Dottir.”

31:39 – Breaking down the process of writing “Dottir.”

33:48 – On editing and the book that almost wasn’t.

36:41 – Glimpsing Katrin’s humanity. 

41:09 – Moving from Santa Cruz, California, to Cookeville, Tennessee.

43:51 – Deep breaths and figuring out what comes next.