Congratulations to Rachel MacDonald for being our March 2021 Member of the Month here at Viking Athletics! Rachel is a loyal member of the 5am class (occasionally 630am), and one of our OG members – she started at CrossFit USA in Berlin, CT, came to CrossFit Relentless when the owner relocated, and stuck around after Coach Erik took over in 2016 and rebranded in 2020. She loves family time, especially in the winter. (Editor’s Note: And, she very clearly has a superpower, which is putting up with her husband, Craig. Love ya, bud!) Keep reading below to learn more about her!

 

• What are your hobbies/interest/talents outside of CrossFit? I love anything beach; boating, jet skiing heck I will even fish. I love watching my kids in sports and most of all watching my husband dedicating his time to coaching them.  I also have a love for the cold and being up north with my family.  I ski and they all board but it is the outdoors and the family time that I most love.

 

• Share with us one thing that most people do NOT know about you? Hard to say because I am an open book and very social…I think what people may not know is that behind the loud, social, funny person they see and hear at the gym there is a side to me that can be shy, intimidated, hates surprised and center of attention.

 

• How long have you been with us at Viking Athletics? I started with Merle at CrossFit USA in my mid 30’s (I am 47 now so do the math L). Merle relocated the gym to WH and I went with him reluctantly.  He then sold to Coach Erik in 2016 and well the rest is history I chose to stay and am still here loving it.

 

• Take us back to your first week here. How did you feel? Remember the workout? I remember my 1^st day at CrossFit. I was horrified thinking what the heck did I get myself into?  I worked one on one with a coach and started with simply doing air squats.  I had to do them facing the wall that is how horrible I was at that simple movement.  I also remember rowing and thinking is 2:40 good for a 500 M (LOL).  Just by doing air squats and a row I couldn’t sit for days that is how sore I was.  My very first actual WOD was “Karen” and well any one that knows me knows I hate that WOD still.

 

• What moment/achievement are you most proud of at Viking Athletics? I have a few, my first was entering into a Festivus competition, second was my first pull up (no longer unfortunately), third getting my double unders and lastly in the most recent 8 months, hitting PR’s I haven’t seen since 2017 which include row, bench press, snatch, clean and back squat.

 

• Design your perfect workout? 21, 15, 9 Double Unders, Deadlifts, Power Cleans and Sit ups

 

• What is your least favorite movement? Anything LUNGES, jumping, walking, stationary, alternating, with a barbell, you name it I HATE them.

 

• Summarize your lifestyle in 5 words or less. Living Life to the Fullest

 

• Have you experienced any changes in your lifestyle now that you have been a CrossFit athlete? I love going to the gym.  I am here most mornings during the week and an occasional Sunday. At my age my idea of what I “should look like” and what it means to be “in shape” has changed; call it maturity.  For me now; being strong, flexible, continuing to build outside of my comfort zone and  working out next to people half my age keeps me wanting more. So, I would say mental growth is the biggest change for me.

 

• What advice do you have for anyone who is thinking about joining or who has recently joined? Stick with it, no matter you age, size, abilities or anxieties you may have because you will love it. There is something for everyone and the coaches support you and help you in every way.  You will develop friends that are like family when you least expect it.  The community here is like no other, after all what else could get me out of bed at 4:10 AM?