What is your occupation?
I am a perpetual learning geek but earn most of my money the last 20+ years as a Family Practice doc.
How did you hear about CrossFit White Bear?
Thank Melissa Mondo! She was my coach at another facility and challenged me to try it out. That program wasn’t working for me and she knew it. “Go to CrossFit! You’ll love it!” She gave me a card and I made the appointment.
What was your first thought when you walked in the door? And now?
Wow! It’s really dark in here (this was the old place)! Good thing I came early because Jake was right about to leave to get food or something (hence the darkness with lights out). He forgot my appointment. ☺ (No need to worry though, It all turned out fine.)
Now when I walk in I’m at the same time excited, anxious, and really happy to be there. To me, CrossFit White Bear isn’t just a place to sweat but a gathering place of like-minded folks who intentionally step into the hard stuff so that they can live life better.
What is your favorite movement and least favorite movement?
Favorite: anything I can do with some semblance of competence. Really! If I walk in and see a move that I can do, I’m fine with that! It’s when I feel like I don’t have the strength or skill to do a move that it gets a “Grrrrrrr” response from me (I’m not in my happy place).
Least Favorite: thrusters – they still wipe me out: squat and then overhead the bar?! Ugh! I’d rather so do an Overhead Squat.
Were you active prior to CrossFit? If so, what did you do and how do we differ?
Did you know I call myself a Reformed Couch Potato? I come from a long line of couch potatoes: no childhood sports, no family outdoor activities. I started to run in my early 40s but was plagued with hip pain and plantar fasciitis. I did do home DVD programs for a couple of years but for me they lost their challenge. I actually got really adventurous (as only an introvert can get!) and tried out a small group fitness sessions as part of a weight loss challenge. Again after a while it no longer fit me – I needed a bigger mental and physical challenge, but I loved the small group dynamics. So after the 5th or 6th time Melissa told me to go to CrossFit White Bear, I made an appointment for a free workout.
CrossFit continues to challenge me mentally and physically to be my best, not as compared to the top performers (who are absolutely awesome people), but just to bring my best and do my best everyday.
How have you seen yourself change – mentally or physically since you joined?
I expected to see the physical changes, (I mean, how you not get changes with our WODS) but the mental changes – they took me off guard. When it gets hard, when you are gassed with your muscles screaming, what do you do? What voice do you listen to? What voice do I listen to? I’ve come to realized that I have a mental story about what I can and cannot do and it’s this story that I face down when I’m out of breath and doubting that extra #5 on that bar for that snatch, Front Squat or Back Squat.
You see in my world of medicine, failure really isn’t an option. It’s practically taboo. In CrossFit, failure means you didn’t get that lift and you fall on your butt, you didn’t get that last toes-to-bar, that you threw the bar backwards because the Back Squat weight was #5 too much. I’m learning that when I fail I’m at my edge – the edge of my fitness, strength and mental toughness – and more importantly for me, I’ve just been shown where I can grow and improve. Tomorrow will be another day to lift and to do better.
Anything else you’d like to add?
STMFC!
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