How old / young are you?
I am 49, turning 50 on 2/12
What is your occupation?
I have worked in Clean Energy for 25 years, mostly in sales. Generally speaking, I am a
salesperson at heart.
When did you join Widespread Fitness?
January 2023
Why did you decide to give Widespread Fitness a try?
12/31/22 I quit my job and decided that I was going to take 6 months off. I had been
hard-charging since I was 24 and was pretty burned out from corporate life. As part of
the decision to meaningfully take time off, I wanted to work on myself and one of my
main focuses was to be present for my family and myself. My plan for myself required
that I take better care of me, and that required really amping up fitness. I had heard
good things about Widespread Fitness, came in to talk to Matt, and the rest is history.
What was your athletic background before starting?
We are a fairly athletic family, we are active hikers, bikers, skiers, etc. Pretty much if
its outdoors, we do it. I played hockey as a kid, so I’ve always been pretty active.
What changes in your health, physique, and overall
performance have you seen since starting?
I am definitely stronger, more limber and I have better athletic stamina. The other
thing that I have noticed is that my max heart rate has dropped significantly while
working out, I used to easily be able to get it up to 175+ bpm (which isn’t really
healthy for someone my age) and now it’s down to 135/140 bpm. It wasn’t a goal
when I started out, but certainly a positive outcome. I have always known that there
is a significant positive impact to mood after workouts, but the intensity of CrossFit
makes that euphoria last even longer.
What advice would you give to someone with regards to starting?
You just have to get in and do it. The support from the coaches and athletes is very
positive, everyone wants you to be successful. I really like the fact that the coaching
staff focuses on form, they push you at the right times, but also make sure that you
are working with the right amounts of weight, and if you are going too big, too fast,
they tell you. The emphasis is not to get hurt. Every exercise has a scale option, so
if you can’t at first do the exercise, there is another movement that you can do. All
things that are worth doing are hard, and getting yourself back shape is no exception,
but the results are worth it. The other thing that I’ve come to understand is that as
we get older, cardio is not enough. We need to be lifting weight and strengthening
our core, once you start you can feel the difference immediately….in a good way 😉
What is your favorite and least favorite exercises / movement?
Favorite – oddly I like rowing. I also really enjoy all of the strength training.
Least favorite (in order) – Wall balls, burpees, and box jumps (although I am getting
better at box jumps and have figured out the trick to make them less horrible).
What is your most memorable moment so far?
3 months after I started CrossFit (late March of 2023), I set out to dig out a back patio
up in the mountains that had 4 ft of snow covering it. A friend started with me, he
lasted 10 minutes and literally was so exhausted that I thought he was going to have to
lie down. I however powered through that snow for 2 ½ hours straight, using my legs
to do the lifting, keeping my back safe. I wasn’t even sore the next day. I would
NEVER have been able to do that without CrossFit.
What do you like to do outside of the gym?
I love being in the mountains, and more than anything I love to ski. I also really enjoy
youth sports, both of my kids play hockey and my daughter also plays softball. I didn’t
think I would enjoy watching them as much as I do, but it’s awesome watching them
work hard and excel at something.
What is your favorite “cheat” food or meal?
Occasionally we have steaks, my daughter is a pure carnivore, and she would eat red
meat most every day if she could. The rest of the family, not so much. So, every
month or so we have steaks, and it’s always a favorite for those of us who eat red
meat.
What is something people would be surprised to know about
you?
I love to cook; I find the whole act of preparing food to be calming and satisfying.
It’s like a perfect project that requires planning, inventory management, execution
and at the end, you get to eat it and hopefully delight others.
Who or what inspires you the most?
Famous: The Roosevelts, Teddy and Franklin. Teddy is responsible for the national
parks, which maybe is the greatest generational gift given to our nation. Franklin
led the U.S. through one of the most trying times in our history and left in his wake
the institutions that define the governmental social fabric that we still benefit from
today.
Personal: My grandfather, he gave me a love of nature (and skiing) and was a great
example of how to be strong and work hard for those people that matter most to
you.
Group: Working mothers. I was raised by a single mother who was also a physician.
Having kids of my own, I see how much harder kids are on the mother than the
father (usually). The amount that my kids say, “mom, mom, mom, vs dad,”
astounds me. The patience and caring that my wife shows them even after a hard
day at work never ceases to amaze me. I look back and see how hard my mom’s life
was raising two boys, and I appreciate her deeply.
What is one goal you would like to accomplish?
Retire from corporate life by 55. Not that I don’t want to work, but I’d like to be able
to expend my efforts elsewhere and leave the rat race behind. Likely won’t happen,
but it’s certainly a goal.
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