# @pvellner on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DXkOVTZiQIz
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/64603007-pvellner-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/bd8107b0ff.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-04-25T19:14:40.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Vellnerd (@PVellner) — https://gondola.cc/PVellner

## Caption

#SaturdayStoryTime - The Comedown
In 2016 I qualified for my first crossfitgames as an individual and reached a huge goal of mine. There’s plenty of stories from that weekend, but this one is about what came after.
At the time, my now wife and I had been together about a year and she decided to come watch the regional that year. Not because she was very interested, but because she’s supportive and, importantly, we were competing in Albany, so we could plan a hiking trip in the Adirondacks for after.
It’s my own fault. I agreed to it all. I was so focused on competing that I didn’t see what was right in front of me…
The day after regionals, fresh off a qualification, we drove into the mountains and reality struck. The 2016 regionals were hard, and to this day it’s one of the most sore I’ve been after a comp. My legs were a mess.
Into the mountains we go and We’re doing peaks. Lots of em. Straight out of the car we do like a mile elevation gain in the first hour and I am an anchor. Michelle is luring me along with a bag of gummy fish and chirping me the whole time. “I thought you were supposed to be fit”. I’m in shambles and she’s skipping along the path. Devastating 
After too many summits we head to spend a few days in NYC. I foolishly thought the pace might shift, but we made the most of our time. We must have walked a marathon a day for the few days we were there, all while sleeping on an air mattress on the floor across the street from Bronx Hospital.
I think I somehow got more sore after our trip. It was a far cry from champagne on the podium 😂.
I have healed and Our relationship is still intact 10
Years later but now we don’t book very active holidays after competitions. This is a cautionary tale. Learn from my mistakes…

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## Tags

saturdaystorytime

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