Q and A with 'ANW's' Allyssa Beird

(Q) Jason: What is your pre-game routine, if you have such a thing, before an ANW run?

(A) Allyssa Beird: I know a few ninjas have specific foods they will eat, or a certain warmup they will do. I don't have anything too specific that I tend to regularly do before my runs, though I do ensure I have warmed up sufficiently and have visualized the course a good handful of times. So, I suppose, the visualization is the most regular thing I will do that is more specific than just warming up. I find a quiet place, close my eyes, and try to run through the course in real-time, timing myself after a few run-throughs in my head. I play through a couple of scenarios to see how the time changes, if I can anticipate any issues or ways to be more efficient, and then I continue to warm up!

Jason: I can see a variety of different things that could be used as teaching tools from the show (science, math, health, nutrition…). How do you incorporate ANW into your classroom if at all?

Allyssa: I don't use too many specific ninja examples in my classroom, but I do use the big ideas and mindsets that are important as not only a ninja, but as a human! One of these is goal-setting. As a ninja, I have always been able to clearly see the path to success when I have my goals laid out before me. I am able to judge my progress toward these goals, and what changes I may need to make in order to ensure I am still making forward, positive progress toward them. In the classroom, we do a lot of talking about goals. I have created a buzzer for my classroom, along with a goal packet and a Buzzer Wall. When a student has a goal they'd like to work on (and we talk about goals that seem difficult, not goals we already know we can make), they write their goal in the goal packet. When they've met that goal, they let me know and we have a buzzer celebration for them! Their picture of them hitting the buzzer goes up on the buzzer wall, along with their goal. It's really motivating!

I also incorporate the importance of perseverance and determination into every lesson. Will things always be easy? Absolutely not. If I give up, I guarantee failure for myself. I fell on every obstacle the first day I went to a ninja gym. If I chose to never go back, I 100% would never have applied for American Ninja Warrior, or been able to compete on the show. However, I saw that if I stayed determined and understood that falling and failing were part of that forward progress, I would be able to reach my goals! This mindset is not only applicable to ninja, but also to things like math, reading, writing, etc. If students truly believe that they can succeed in doing something through hard work, there is never a reason to give up, even when things become difficult or confusing.

Jason: How is ANW similar to working in the classroom?

Allyssa: There is an air of "presentation" that is a commonality between these two aspects of my life. When you're on the course for ANW, you have to be focused, present, and ON. When I'm in front of 24 students in my classroom, I also need to be focused, present, and ON. I need to be able to, in both instances, respond instantaneously to change for unplanned events, and not let those bumps in the road affect the following decisions I make. They both require a whole lot of mental fortitude! And, in both ANW and my classroom, I will come across obstacles that I just don't quite know how to tackle without taking some time to think it through and formulate a plan, or do more to prepare for tackling said obstacle. You just never know what life will throw at you next!

Jason: What is the most challenging obstacle you’ve faced on ANW?

Allyssa: Even though I encountered this obstacle in my first season and I think I've gained quite a bit of strength since then, I'd still have to say that Rolling Thunder is the hardest obstacle I've experienced. It took me out both nights! Some obstacles require technique, some require speed, some require strength, and some require a combination of these. This obstacle was 100% a strength obstacle, and one that Geoff Britten finished and said, "Wow, that almost pumped me out!" It's not for the weak of heart, er... forearms. If I'm remembering correctly, I believe I made over 30 moves each night on this obstacle before finally pumping out and taking a swim. I'm not too upset we haven't seen this obstacle return since Season Nine.

Jason: Were you always athletic and if so, in what way? If not, how did you get into athletics?

Allyssa: Since the age of three, I've been an athlete! At three, my parents enrolled me in gymnastics, which I then trained in and competed in for the next 15 years. Gymnastics is at the core of my being, and has created me in every way, both physically and mentally. In middle school, I began cross country running after my homeroom teacher told us we should all sign up for cross country because he was the coach. He was a great teacher and hilarious, so I signed up not having a clue what cross country actually was. Turns out, it's running. This is when my love for running began! I continued cross country through high school (minus sophomore year when I lived in Arizona and it was absolutely too hot), and also competed in pole vaulting and triple jump my junior and senior years. After school, I continued running, completing my first marathon with my dad in 2011, followed by a handful of 10ks and half marathons in the following few years. Those then turned into some Spartan and OCR races, which happened around the same time I began training for ninja. I feel that all of my previous athletic experience has really helped me find success with ninja, as there are so many aspects to being a successful ninja; and my athletics, I feel, are fairly varied and broad!

Jason: What advice would you give to people thinking about trying out for ANW?

Allyssa: If you live near a ninja gym, GO! The ninja community is one of the most warm, welcoming, amazing communities of which I have ever been a part. Whether you're a seasoned athlete, or have just risen from years on the couch, you are welcome; and the second you touch an obstacle, you, too, have become a ninja! The community is really a huge part in what I feel built the cornerstone of my success on the show. I have had so much fun training with other ninjas, challenging one another, and really pushing each other to be better every time we're in the gym. Nowadays, I train alone more often than not, and while I still get in the training I want, it's definitely a different feel! If you don't live near a ninja gym, find a park, a playground, or some sort of structure that you can creatively make your way across. Have fun! To build strength, make sure you're getting those pull-ups in (invest in some bands if you're still working toward a pull up without assistance). There is not a right or wrong way to train for ninja, but I think it's best to truly feel ready when you hit that "submit" button on your application. If that means training another year before submitting, I'd highly recommend it! You never know if you'll be called back for a second, third, fourth, or ninth season, so always go in at your 100%!

Jason: The competitors seem to have a sincere sense of friendship and community. Is it really like that and if so who are some of your closest friends?

Allyssa: Absolutely! The ninjas are like my second family. There's even the hashtag across social media of #ninjafam. These athletes are absolutely amazing as training partners, friendly competitors, inspiration, and friends. I started my ninja journey with Jenny and Dave Cavanagh, followed shortly after by Jesse Labreck and Jon Alexis; and since then, I have created a network of ninja family all across the country... and even the world! Even though I don't get to train with everyone as often as I'd like, it always is the best feeling to come together to support one another, whether that be on the ANW course or the NNL (National Ninja League) course. Seeing my friends reach their goals and do their best is usually more emotional for me than when I reach my goals (take Michelle Warnky and Jesse Labreck's city finals runs in Cincinnati)! There are a lot of things that are "TV magic" for ANW, but the support, camaraderie, and tears that you see are all genuine! Currently, I'd say that my closest ninja friends are James McGrath, Jesse Labreck, Michelle Warnky, Rachael Goldstein, and Dave Cavanagh. They give me life out there on that course!

Jason: How do the parents and even students react at school when they make the connection between you and the show?

Allyssa: There is a mix of reactions! I'll have families stop by on Open House night who don't have students in my classroom just because they want to say hi and snap a quick photo. At parent-teacher conferences, many conferences end on, "So, when's the next time we'll see you on TV?" The general reaction and interactions I've had are all positive! I think my favorite moments are passing students in the hall who are in other classes and grades, and hearing them whisper "American Ninja Warrior," or poke their friend and point and say, "It's Ms. Beird!" It's absolutely adorable! Even though I'm there in the flesh for 180 days with students, they still have this I've-seen-a-celebrity reaction, which, feeling like a completely normal person, I find quite endearing and mildly humorous. As for my own students? Well, after they get some of their questions answered the first day of school, any bonus points I gained for having a bit of a celebrity status are completely out the window! Things proceed as business as usual after that!