Athlete of the Month December
How old / young are you?
42
What is your occupation?
Sr. Web Project Manager at Stanford University
When did you join Widespread Fitness?
Summer 2022
Why did you decide to give Widespread Fitness a try?
After my previous CrossFit gym closed up due to the
pandemic, I struggled to keep up with a consistent workout
routine. When we moved to Broomfield I knew I had to find a
new gym that I could commit to and stick with.
What was your athletic background before starting?
I grew up playing soccer and pretty much only soccer,
playing on select teams in Florida and at the University of
Florida. I continued to play until my body started to revolt
(multiple groin tears, torn calves, etc.). In my 30s I started
CrossFit but never managed to stay with it consistently.
What changes in your health, physique, and overall
performance have you seen since starting?
I’ve definitely gotten stronger and leaner since starting. And
I’m happy with my increased mobility, but I feel like that will
be a continual work in progress. I’ve changed up my diet in
the last year or so and that has also played a HUGE role in
my progress.
What advice would you give to someone with regards
to starting?
Just jump right in and have fun with it. I think a lot of people
don’t realize just how scalable everything is, so there’s
nothing to be worried about. The other thing I would say is
that any type of meaningful results will only come with
consistency – not just coming to the gym regularly, but also
at home with diet, rest, etc.
What are your favorite and least favorite exercises /
movements?
I used to absolutely dread any type of compound movement
that involved holding weight above my head, mostly because
I sucked at it and my lack of mobility really showed itself. I’ve
gotten a lot more comfortable now and I’m really working
hard on my squat snatches. I would say any type of variation
of those are my favorite to practice at the moment. Close
second would be wall balls. For my least favorite movement,
it’s 100% burpees over the bar. Runner up would be regular
burpees.
What is your most memorable moment so far?
I really had a lot of fun with the competition workout where I
paired up with my wife, Frederiek. Getting my first ring
muscle up was also pretty sweet.
What do you like to do outside of the gym?
Hang out with my two boys, Hugo and Tom. Their energy
levels are insane. I also enjoy traveling and reading, though I
wish I had more time for both these days. As far as other
physical activities, I’m pretty open to anything that my body
will allow me to do; ski/snowboarding, mountain biking,
hiking, yoga.
What is your favorite “cheat” food or meal?
French toast.
What is something people would be surprised to know
about you?
I ran an ultra back in 2013. It was a trail race 50 miler in
D.C./Virginia and part of the North Face Challenge series. I
had never run more than 10 miles prior to training. And I
actually ran my first marathon as part of the training – only
that I needed to hit 35 miles that day so my brother and I ran
9 miles just before the marathon started. It was not fun.
Who or what inspires you the most?
Definitely my family. They keep me moving forward
everyday.
What is one goal you would like to accomplish?
I would love to be able to do an unassisted pistol squat one
day
