Liza

Name: Liza Reed

Age: 38

Occupation: Mother 

Hometown: Shingle Springs, CA

Favorite WOD: Any one that leaves me sweaty but not puking...

Least favorite WOD: The puking kind.

Favorite lift: I have a love/hate relationship with snatches.  The snatch has taken the longest for me to learn but when I do one that feels right, it is the most satisfying.

How long have you been Crossfitting? 3 years

Which class time do you usually attend?  The 9:06. 

How did you find Crossfit? Marta kept telling me about how awesome Crossfit is and then starting acquainting me with some of the movements.  Finally I worked up the courage to sign-up. 

What is your athletic background?  I played tennis competitively, and did cross country and played ultimate frisbee.  I love pick up sports, I love competing, and I love long swims in the ocean. 

Has Crossfit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness?  Absolutely!  I was so resistant to spending the time and money for myself at first but realized I was probably just intimidated.  I came into crossfit not able to do one sit up and never thinking I would ever do a full pull-up ( I was the chubby girl who could barely hold her head above the bar in elementary school.)  Showing up and being accountable to my body, challenging it and being good to it was an amazing feeling.  I could wax poetic for a long time about what I have taken away from my crossfit experience, but one mantra I bring into my day with me is  "just do the next rep", don’t think about the next round or the next movement or the next moment, do the next rep. One rep at a time.  Life is often times hugely overwhelming and this reminds me to stay in the moment.  Also, I often remind myself to “just show up”  I don’t have to be a hero or conquer a new movement or get a PR.  Just show up and move.

What motivates/inspires you?  I am deeply inspired by the courage of people who are out of shape that start that journey towards health and self-care.  It is not easy to take that risk and step out of your comfort zone.

Name one goal/personal achievement that you would like to achieve through Crossfit:  Being disciplined about mobility and movements that complement my strength training.

Hobbies/interests outside of Crossfit? Gardening, birding, herding kids and animals. 

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit experience?  I was super overwhelmed with all the new lingo, the names of the movements etc.  For months or maybe a year I would get butterflies in my stomach on my way to the gym because I wondered if I was going to be able to make it through the WOD.

What is your favorite cheat food? Any kind of chips and also bourbon.

Tell us something about you that most people wouldn’t know: I work with the homeless population of El Dorado County.

Any advice for new members? Come as you are. Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t look at the WOD until 5 min before you do it.  Stressing won’t get it done.

Carolyn

Name:  Carolyn Straight

Age: Older than most people think ; ) (51)

Occupation: A Mom and everything that comes with that (doctor, chauffeur, bank, chef, alarm clock, you get the picture.)

Hometown: Shingle Springs, at the moment, but that can change.

Favorite WOD: I like Murph (except for the run.)  I also like finding our CrossFit totals.

Least favorite WOD: Anything that involves wall balls, burpees, running or box jumps.

Favorite lift:  Snatch, baby! Still need a lot of work on them, but like doing them, even when I land on my butt. :)

How long have you been Crossfitting? Since the garage days! I believe that would be five years, right Scott?

Which class time do you usually attend? Late morning class: 9 am. Love my morning peeps.

How did you find Crossfit?  7+ years ago, my husband did it in our home garage with friends.  They continued for a few years as I listened to the clanging and banging in my garage, thinking they were crazy.  I would faithfully attend my HIIT classes and run on the treadmill at the local global gym. A few years later, my friend convinced me to try CrossFit.  I loved it, trading in my gym membership for a CF Box.

What is your athletic background? I played team sports in elementary school, but wasn't very good.  In college I took a weightlifting class and discovered how much I enjoyed it.  As an adult, I also discovered swimming and road cycling. 

Has Crossfit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness?   Yes, yes, yes! CrossFit allows me to do all the other fun stuff: backpacking, hiking, kayaking, cycling, occasional skiing and my favorite, eating...a lot of eating. 

What motivates/inspires you? My faith, my family, my friends...and not looking at the WOD before arriving to class. 

Name one goal/personal achievement that you would like to achieve through Crossfit: I want to be consistent with my double unders. I also want to walk into retirement age strong, healthy and with full mobility so I can continue enjoying the great outdoors.

Hobbies/interests outside of Crossfit? Outdoor fun.  I love the mountains and the beach and am always looking for an adventure and/or road trip.

 
What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit experience? I'm gonna die...why am I paying to torture myself..I love this...I can't get enough (well, I only think that after I've finished the WOD, refueled, rested and forgotten about the pain.)

What is your favorite cheat food? Buckets of ice cream topped with caramel, copious amounts of whipped cream and nuts (my tummy isn't too sure about that one.)

Tell us something about you that most people wouldn’t know: At one point in my life I weighed over 190 pounds.

Any advice for new members?  Stick with it. We all have to start somewhere.  You may feel like it is too hard, but don't give up.  As you continue, you will see and feel the improvement.  It is always a challenge, but if it ever becomes easy, then you aren't going to see or feel the results. Try to workout at least three times a week and eat clean.  It's worth the time and effort if you want results.