CrossFit has allowed me the opportunity to do so many things that I never thought I would be capable of. When I was in elementary school, I couldn’t climb the rope...at 28, I can. I can flip tires, I can do pull-ups, I can run a mile (in the same amount of time as I did in middle school!), I can clean & jerk 165lbs, I can be mentally stronger than my body thinks it can be.
Level One Trainer...and counting!
I grew up playing sports...being the youngest of three, I always was trying to follow in my older siblings' footsteps. I tried basketball, volleyball, swimming, soccer, and track….I found my niche playing softball. I was never the standout on the team, but I was always the loudest cheerleader! I love being a part of a team, building relationships, and achieving common goals.
I can specifically pinpoint the moment in my life I started having body image issues all the way back to second grade. I started comparing myself to others and wishing I had “fill-in-the-blank” of theirs. Those thoughts continued to plague me for years. In 2014, I moved to North Carolina for my first teaching job. I had heard of CrossFit and thought I would give it a try. I found so much more than just a gym; I found a community. When I moved home a year later, I knew I had to find a new CrossFit gym. I settled at Spartan (and have never looked back). But those same body issues continued to follow me around-- not being fit enough, skinny enough, healthy enough. I had tried multiple diets, workouts, and shaming tactics, but always ended up back at square one. Through Spartan CrossFit and working directly with Semma through Precision Nutrition, those decades-old issues slowly began to fade away. Through CrossFit, I have learned that I am tough; that I can accomplish difficult things...with the help of that body I had put down for years. CrossFit has helped me to see myself in a different light. It is SO AMAZING that we can climb a rope, flip a tire, move thousands of pounds in a single session, pull up our body weight, run various distances, do handstand push-ups, and so much more. Through CrossFit, I have found that I want my body to continue to be able to accomplish these things, so I am going to do what I can to make that happen, through improved health, both mentally and physically. To me, CrossFit is humbling and motivating. It is sacrifice and gain. It is life-changing. So, I apologize in advance if I talk about CrossFit too much, but I owe a lot to it. Every day, it reminds me of how far I’ve come, and how much more I can still accomplish (I’m talking about you, handstand walks!!)
I love watching people succeed. CrossFit has given me so much, and I want to give back. I think sometimes people have the thought that CrossFit is just for people already in peak physical performance. It’s not. It’s for everyone. My goal as a coach is to help everyone where they are at. Whether you are fresh off of the couch or fresh off of your third marathon, I want to help you reach your goals!
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