Athlete of the MonthJune
How old / young are you? Cat is out of the bag now. I am 52. What is your occupation? I work at Key Equipment Finance as a graphic/web designer/marketer. When did you join Widespread CrossFit? January 2016 Why did you decide to give CrossFit a try? I was bored to tears of spin class, cycling and tired of dealing with people at 24-hour fitness and making up my own workouts. A coworker was coaxing me to give crossfit a try and I finally took the bait. I’ve never looked back. What was your athletic background before starting CrossFit? I mainly did a lot of biking, some hiking, snowboarding and skiing. What changes in your health, physique, and overall performance have you seen since starting CrossFit? I have seen huge changes in my abilities, body and confidence in general. When I started I couldn’t do a pull-up or even a box jump out of fear alone. It is rewarding to see my fitness level transfer into my daily life. I ride my bike faster, am better on my snowboard, and move heavy stuff (for me) without even worrying about it. I also dropped 15 pounds three years ago when I started following a paleo diet with the added bonus of my prior high cholesterol now completely in check. Love it. What advice would you give to someone with regards to starting CrossFit? If the WOD of the day scares you, go anyway. When you get there, don’t worry about what the person next to you is doing and focus on yourself. Our coaches and community will get you through it. Plus, there is no substitution to that feeling of “I did it!” after the fact. What is your favorite and least favorite CrossFit exercises / movement? Double unders are my favorite and all things squat or fast twitch muscle are my least. Actually, I have so many least favorite movements that I question why I love crossFit so much, but I do. It’s a drug! What is your most memorable CrossFit moment so far? My first Open. I seriously wanted to get sick before each workout but our awesome community here got me through it. What do you like to do outside of CrossFit? Hanging out with my family and friends, cooking, traveling, concerts etc. Generally, if I am outside I am happy even if it is just taking a simple walk. What is your favorite “cheat” food or meal? Can a margarita be a “food”? What is something people would be surprised to know about you? I am terrified of drinking straws! I’ve also finished the LOTOJA race twice. It’s the longest one-day USAC sanctioned bicycle race in the country. 206 miles, three states (Utah, Idaho and Wyoming) in one day. The total elevation gain is 9,000 feet and there are three mountain passes are in the first 110 miles. It finishes in Jackson Wyoming. If you don’t cross the line before 8:30 pm that day, you don’t qualify for a finish! Who or what inspires you the most? My Dad. He has always been my rock. There is so much I could say here, but I will share with you that when we jogged together on country roads in rural IL, and I was about to quit, he used to say, “Amy, your body can do anything for one more telephone pole length”. I realize city folk may have no idea of what I am talking about here, but he was full of all kinds of sayings like that and they still pop into my head when the going gets tough. What is one goal you would like to accomplish through CrossFit? To be able to do more RX workouts, which will require me to continue to chip away at my skills. I have come a long way and still have a long way to go. Guess you are going to have to deal with me at the box for a long time!
