Roaster Spotlight: Jen Petitt

From Coach Pete: When I think of Jen and her CrossFit journey so far, words like committed and dedicated come to mind. Day in and day out, Jen has put the work in to improve her skills and technique. Her ability to be coachable has earned her much success so far and I couldn’t be happier that Jen has found her home with us at Roaster Barbell. You deserve all the success that you have been enjoying! I cant wait to see whats next for you!

.

1) What is your why? What gets you out of bed in the morning?

The idea of becoming the best “me” that I can be and setting a good example for my son is what gets me out of bed in the morning. I use to be someone that was always focused on others and making sure everyone else was alright before I worried about myself. Over the last year, I have learned that I need to make myself a priority because I will not be able to continue to help others if I am on empty. 

2) What brought you to Roaster Barbell?

At the beginning of 2020, I was in a rough place mentally and physically and I decided that I needed to figure out how to make myself happy and healthy again. I started making better choices with nutrition and got back into running. After a few months of running, I got bored and wanted to try something new. I knew Nancy and Amanda both worked out at Roaster so I thought I would give it a try and I am glad that I did. It has been one of the best decisions I have made for both my physical and mental health. 

3) What is your favorite movement in the gym?

When I first started at Roaster, I would have said anything that had to do with running because that is my comfort zone. However, now I would say any of the gymnastics skills. I’m not great at them yet but every time that I make even the slightest improvement, it gets me excited to come back the next day and try again. 

4) What is your least favorite movements in the gym?

I would say that wallballs are probably my least favorite movement because I have a hard time catching the ball due to pain in my shoulder. I’m also not a big fan of the skierg but it’s growing on me. 

5) What is your biggest obstacle so far?

My biggest obstacle is getting out of my own head. I have always been a perfectionist and have high expectations for myself. I tend to get frustrated when I am not able to learn things as quickly as I want to, or do things as well as others, and then I want to give up. I am quickly learning that I need to stop comparing myself to others and focus on continuing to just get better each day. There is always going to be someone who is faster and stronger. My goal when I joined Roaster was to become healthier and as long as I continue to show up each day and push myself as hard as I can, than I am accomplishing that goal. 

6) What is your greatest accomplishment so far?

My greatest accomplishment at Roaster so far has actually just been stepping into the gym for the first time. I have always been incredibly shy and have severe anxiety when I am outside of my comfort zone. A year ago I would never have stepped foot into the gym out of fear but over the last year, I decided that the only way I can get better and be the best “me” I can be, is to step out of my comfort zone. So a few months ago, I pushed myself to walk through the door and I haven’t looked back since. 

7) If you could have lunch with anyone in history, who would you choose?

Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger. Rudy has been one of my favorite movies ever since the first time I saw it. I even wrote my college entrance essay about it. I would love to just ask him how he was able to keep pushing through all the obstacles he went through in order to accomplish his goal even when everyone else told him he couldn’t do it.  

8) How has the gym affected your life outside of the gym?

The gym has helped me to feel comfortable in my own skin and has given me a lot more confidence. Over the last few months, I have had so many people tell me that they have seen changes in me and that I seem so much happier and the gym has played a big part in me making those changes.

9) What is the most important part of your day?

The most important part of my day is the time that I get to spend connecting with my son. He is an incredibly sweet and intelligent kid and getting to watch him get excited about things is what makes me happy. 

10) In your opinion, what is the most important aspect of life?

In my opinion, the most important aspect of life is relationships and connections with people. I have recently learned just how important my relationships with friends and family are. I have had some pretty rough times over the last year and a half and I don’t know where I would be without the support of these people in my life. 

11) If you had the choice, would you have infinite strength or infinite cardiovascular endurance?

I guess infinite cardiovascular endurance because running is my escape. When I am running, my mind wanders and I can forget about things that have been stressing me out and I usually feel better after.

12) Who is someone that you look up to and why?

Someone that I look up to is my dad. When I was younger, my dad was overweight and smoked. He lived by his motto, “I’d rather die fat and happy than skinny and miserable”. When my nephew was born, my dad finally decided to quit smoking so that he could be around for his grandkids, and that was 16 years ago. Then 5 years ago, when he retired, he decided he needed to take his health seriously and make some changes. He changed his diet, took up pickle ball (sometimes playing twice a day), and lost a lot of weight. He has worked really hard and become a much healthier version of himself, for himself and his family. The changes that I saw in him are what helped me to see that I could work toward making my own changes and become a much healthier person mentally and physically for myself and my own family. I hope to make him as proud of me as I am of him. 

13) What has been the most impactful thing you have learned in the gym about yourself?

I have learned that I am capable of a lot more than I think I am. I just have to have confidence in myself and not give up when things are hard. 

14) Is there anything else that you would like to add?

I am just very grateful for the Roaster community. It has really helped me on my journey to becoming the best version of “me” that I can be. I have met so many amazing people who are supportive and help push me to do things that I sometimes don’t think that I can do. This place has had an immense impact on both my mental and physical health and I am very thankful for that.