Athlete of the MonthMarch
How old / young are you? Forty-nine What is your occupation? I’m an Investigator with the Division of Real Estate for the State of Colorado. When did you join Widespread Fitness? February 2018 Why did you decide to give Widespread Fitness a try? My oncologist was a big CrossFit guy. After I’d gained some weight and my bloodwork wasn’t looking that great, he laid into me pretty good. By the end of that appointment, I agreed to start CrossFit. What was your athletic background before starting? I wrestled in high school and played a ton of intramural sports in college. But from my mid-twenties until just a few years ago, I only dabbled in athletics. My time here at Widespread Fitness is the only exercise I’ve done worth mentioning since college. What changes in your health, physique, and overall performance have you seen since starting? I’ve been thrilled with the way my body has responded. I’m stronger and in better shape now than I was in my thirties, maybe even my late twenties. What advice would you give to someone with regards to starting? Look, I’m not your typical CrossFitter. Far from it. But Widespread is a friendly gym. They care. Matt and Kari will make sure you’re pushed toward the goals you set for yourself. There’s not a chance I’d still be working out after three years if it weren’t for Matt, Kari, and the people at Widespread. No way. What is your favorite and least favorite exercises / movement? My least favorite exercise is running. Running is 100% pain. Screw running. I have no idea why anyone would do that for fun. I don’t get it. At all. My favorite exercises are low rep barbell work and Olympic Weightlifting. My days of one rep maxes may be over. I’m not sure. But they are a blast. Put a barbell in my hand with a low rep count and I’m good. Also, one of the really cool things about CrossFit is that we practice Olympic Weightlifting. I love it. That’s all I really want to do: low reps and Oly lifts. All the other stuff we do is important for my overall health. I know that. But, to be honest, I’m not a fan. What is your most memorable moment so far? Remember what I just said about running? I guess this is hypocrisy time. Matt pushed me to join the running class a couple summers ago. Once I realized he was serious, I gave it a go. I shaved about 90 seconds off my mile time in eight weeks. It improved all my other cardio work. What do you like to do outside of the gym? I love live music. I can’t wait for the venues to open again. Also, my family goes on walks and hikes most of the days when the weather is nice. It’s great to get outside. What is your favorite “cheat” food or meal? Buffalo wings. I love them, and believe me when I say, I can gorge. What is something people would be surprised to know about you? I enjoy writing. I need to do it more, but I’ve had a couple of short stories published. One of them won an award where an actor read my story on stage in front of a paying audience. It was awesome. And the crowd loved it. It was one of the best moments of my life. Who or what inspires you the most? My daughter, Kara. I know this will sound corny or cliched, but she’s the best part of my life. She’s not the most popular kid at school or the most athletic. But she has a great group of friends, who all love horses, and they have a blast together. It’s fun to watch her and her friends ride horses and chit-chat. Kara and I watch comedies together all the time and laugh our butts off. It’s great. It’s the best. What is one goal you would like to accomplish? I’d like to exercise two to three times a week for the rest of my life. I’m not sure what that will look like as I get older, but that’s the goal.
