560 Insanely Fit People Are Currently Competing at the 2015 CrossFit Games

The 2015 Reebok CrossFit Games are taking place in Carson, California this week, where 560 of the world’s best CrossFit athletes will attempt to lift, run and sweat their way to first place in their respective divisions.

The Games began on July 21 and will continue until July 26 at the StubHub Center. They will also stream online on CrossFit’s website as well as on ESPN.

The event has tripled in size in the past year, the Daily Breeze, a local newspaper, reports. Kyle Waters, the assistant general manager at the StubHub Center, told the paper that around 50,000 spectators are expected to arrive in the town of less than 100,000.

CrossFit combines gymnastics, lifting and aerobics into a competitive sport. Started by Greg Glassman 15 years ago, the fitness trend has developed a cult-like following globally. According to Quartz, the company behind CrossFit earned $40 million in 2012 alone and has tripled its number of gyms worldwide in the past three years.

Contestants do not know what activity they will be taking part in until the day of competition. But so far, they have participated in gruelling tasks like 50-meter sandbag runs, chest-to-bar pullups and deadlifts. The winners of the week’s activities will split a $2 million cash prize amongst themselves, the Breeze reports.

[Daily Breeze]