Congratulations to Kate on being CFR’s March Member of the Month.
She is a loyal member of the 7am class!
1) What are your hobbies/interest/talents outside of CrossFit?
I love basketball, especially March Madness! I enjoy spending time at Bethany Beach, Delaware with my family. I like to read about sports psychology, coaching philosophy, and nutrition. I am a bit of a closet nerd as I am constantly researching anything and everything related to sports science and athletic performance.
2) Share with us one thing that most people do NOT know about you?
Most people probably don’t know that I’m from a small town in Pennsylvania that is surrounded by a lot of farmland. As a result of needing workers to man the farms back in the day, families tended to be rather large. My grandpa has 19 siblings that were all single births, born at home. On that side of the family alone I have over 100 second cousins and our Christmas party has 300+ people in attendance each year.
3) How long have you been with us at CFR?
I joined CFR last June upon moving to Hartford. Prior to that, I was a member of Push511 CrossFit while coaching basketball at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to that, I began at Broad Street CrossFit while coaching at Widener University.
4) Take us back to your first week here. How did you feel? Remember the workout?
My first WOD here was 4 Rounds for Time: 400m run, 30 squats, 30 abmat sit-ups. It was great because it was warm and we got to run outside.
In my first week I remember everyone being super welcoming. I also remember loving the hot summer days with the bay door open. Side note: I HATE winter and cold weather, so I was very skeptical about moving this far north (yes, I realize it’s not thaaat far north and it doesn’t get thaaat much colder, but winter is for the birds!).
5) What moment/achievement are you most proud of at CFR?
I was most proud of continuing to show up consistently throughout basketball season. The past few years my fitness has suffered a lot during the months of November through February.
I was also very proud of Jeff Bellitti during a chipper last summer. The WOD started with a one mile run and I was unsure where the mile marker was. He yelled at me to turn around before I strayed too far past the marker. I caught back up to him and beat him in the WOD so I’m fortunate he didn’t let me run even further to gain more separation 🙂
6) Design your perfect workout?
3 Rounds for Time All UB: 50 wall balls, 100 dubs
I also love WODs that allow for, “Set yourself on fire, the pace is GO” – Pat Sherwood
7) What is your least favorite movement?
OH Squats → work in progress
8) Summarize your lifestyle in 5 words or less.
If not now, when?
9) Have you experienced any changes in your lifestyle now that you have been a CrossFit athlete?
Like many others, I started CrossFit as soon as my collegiate athletic career ended. It was the first time in my life I didn’t have an outlet for my competitive spirit and it only took me a few days to wander into Broad Street CF. Back then, I was still young and dumb, drinking way too much, way too often. I had the mindset that I could absolutely outwork a bad diet. Over the past five years I’ve learned a lot about nutrition, recovery, and pre-hab; all things I wish I knew while still an athlete. I’ve also learned how CF really is universally scalable and the needs of our grandparents differ by degree and not kind. While my lifestyle has most certainly changed for the better, and so has my parents’ and siblings’, I’ve yet to convince my grandparents and extended family to try it. So, that is the goal for this year.
10) What advice do you have for anyone who is thinking about joining or who has recently joined?
Just Do It. I constantly have friends and family telling me they’re just not ready yet, and they need to get in shape first. In my mind, there is no better way to prepare for CrossFit than to simply walk in the door and Just Do It.
Coming from Philly, it’s very cliché to say Trust the Process, but it’s true. Showing up consistently and putting forth your best effort are two things that are completely within your control. If you can commit to both, you are bound to see results.