Occupation: Desk monkey for the state government. My formal title is International Trade Specialist. I work with Missouri businesses interested in or currently exporting products and/or services to Asia, Europe and the Middle East. I also have a second job in a women’s clothing store.
Age: 26
Family: I have a dog. Her name is Delnicka and she’s 4. She’s currently living in Wisconsin with the rest of my family.
How long have you been CrossFitting?: 6 months
What time do you come to WOD normally? 6:30, 6, and Saturday
Favorite Lift: Back Squats and Cleans
Favorite Met Con/Cardio: Does napping count? I guess not so I’ll say box jumps.
Favorite Gymnastic/Body weight Movement: Anything that stretches out my hips
Most recent PR: 135# Split Jerk/Power Clean complex
Favorite Shoe to WOD in: New Balance
Favorite Meal: When I’m not watching what I eat hummus plates, BLTs, and tomato sandwiches. When I am watching what I eat I’m into the taco salad.
Favorite Beverage: water of course!
Funniest memory at the box: 6:30 classes are always pretty entertaining when the normal crew is there.
Tell us some about your journey, greatest accomplishments. Like what was your reason for starting, why you stuck with it? What makes you keep coming back? Please be detailed. 🙂
Oh boy, you’re going to regret asking me to be detailed haha! I moved to Missouri in December of 2014 because I hadn’t been able to find a job in my field of study (It was a lot of the “you don’t have enough experience but I’m not going to give you experience” problem). I figured I needed to step out of my comfort zone (which was a relatively well paying job and a college lifestyle) and a friend told me about state jobs in MO. So I quit my job, packed up, and moved down here from Northwest Wisconsin with no real plan but to find a job, preferably in my field once I got here. When I got a job, I joined Anytime Fitness here in Jeff. I’ve always loved the idea of lifting heavy and tried New Rules of Lifting for Women when I was in Wisconsin, but I struggled with form. At my fitness consultation with the Anytime Fitness trainer I had asked for help with my squat form and after watching me struggle to balance with a few squats the trainer told me I’d probably never be able to do a proper squat and that I’d have to settle for a sumo squat which works different muscles. I wasn’t satisfied with that answer, it was rather defeating and after that and not liking the atmosphere of the gym much I just never went.
Fast forward a year, I was working in my field for 11 months and had a second job on weekends but really had no friends here outside of work. I was struggling with the fact that I left a great job that I loved and a lot of friends I made over the course of 6 years to move here. I was the heaviest I had ever been, I felt like garbage both physically and emotionally. I’ve battled depression my entire life and though its very manageable with medication, I wasn’t coping well. I always loved the idea of CrossFit, but never felt like I could afford it. One day, in the beginning of December I just decided I work 7 days a week and I sure as hell don’t do it to be miserable so I decided to join JCCF. December (month one) was intimidating and I didn’t think I was going to stick with it. I found that if I looked at the workouts before hand I’d talk myself out of going. Then January came around and I was all about that fitness challenge. I stopped looking at the workouts and started coming to the gym 3x a week. Within this time a shocking discovery was made. Ryan stuck a box behind my butt and we found I was indeed able to do a squat. As I began figuring out the technique to a lot of the lifts, I found I was able to lift a lot more than I ever imagined I could have. I mean, when I started I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do a real squat and less than 4 months later I was squatting 195# and I still haven’t found my 1 rm. This is what I always wanted to do so I stuck with it. I keep coming because of the comradery. What am I supposed to do with my week if I can’t catch up with Jill, Alison, Bobbi, Richie and Janelle or see the smiling sweaty faces of Brandon, Doug, Chad, Marilee, Rachel, Erin, Maria and the rest!
If you could give any advice for a person new to CrossFit, what would it be?: #1. CrossFit is intimidating for new people. My advice in the most sincere, insincere way is suck it up. Amazing experiences don’t happen in your comfort zone. #2 Work on your weaknesses one, maybe two at a time. If you’re a terrible runner, run three times a week outside the wod. If your weakness is wall balls, do 50 extra wall balls three times a week. Practice until your weaknesses become your strength and your strengths become second nature. (My favorite exercise to practice is napping. I’m an expert at it!) #3 You’re going to have bad days and bad weeks. Some days you’re just not going to perform at the level you normally do. Don’t let that discourage you. If you show up and put in the effort your body will amaze you with it’s returns.
Please list two future goals. 6 months and One year: 6 months: to get a double under, maybe 2 or 1 year: to be able to do toes to bar
Favorite Quote: “One goes through life and knows they’ve friends, they gathered them along the way.” – Ruth Sokol & “I’m so smart I should have been two people”- George Sokol
Anything else you wish to share that your heart desires: It makes me really sad when I see on rampers and then they don’t come and work out with me! So come workout with me on rampers because seriously, if I can do this for six months you can do it too! Don’t quit, it will get easier! I don’t dislike hugs, I just don’t like hugs when I’m sweaty and gross. And rice is really great when you’re hungry and want to eat a thousand of something!