The inner strength helps me to deal with what I call my demons. (My lack of self confidence, that inner voice that is constantly critical, anxiety, depression, knee pain, a true addiction to sugar) To name a few.
It has been crucial to finding my way back. And I am. It gave me the strength to seek a counselor which gave me the courage to look for acupuncture for my knee pain. Which led me to PT as well. –Insert plug here for Pure Physio. They are amazing!– Which gave me the strength to fight to be healthy again. Then I had to tap into that inner strength to ask for help with my diet. I really though I could do that myself. I did it before right? Wrong!
I am incredibly grateful to have a place that helps me develop strength of all kinds.
Friends and family often remark on my “strength”. They think that I’m strong person and that’s why I love CrossFit. What they don’t understand is that CrossFit made me the person I am. It gave me physical and mental strength I never had before.
2. What was your exercise background prior to CrossFit?
I found fitness just a couple of years before crossfit found me. At 48 years old I walked into a gym for the first time since high school. I was 450# and could barely move. I started by walking on a treadmill. My first workout was a 15 min. walk at 1.5 mph; some of it on a slight decline. Pete Taylor became part of my journey that first year. He was working as a personal trainer at the gym. He slowly moved me from machines to free weights. Yes he would make me go in the scary room! And then began adding some crossfit elements into my workouts.
3.What has CrossFit allowed you to do that you never thought you would?
Short Answer
– Row a Marathon – indoors
– Bike a Marathon – stationary bike
– Ski Erg a Half Marathon (I had to alternate standing and sitting on this one)
– Row 5 Million+ meters.
– Keep fighting through the hardest of times!
4.How has CrossFit changed you mentally?
See answer #1. And it has also made me a more open minded person. Maybe it is seeing everyone, (Male, female, overweight, young, old, fit; put whatever other descriptor you want here. believer, non believer, straight, gay, black, white, tall, short) Struggle to become a better person, to be the best version of themself. It has helped me to realize that in this life, we are all in it together. We need to cheer each other on. Build each other up. We all have more in common then we have differences. I now truly enjoy being a more accepting person. I love hearing your opinion on deep issues. And guess what? You are not going to offend me.
5. What have you learned about yourself using CrossFit methodology?
I have learned that no matter how far I have traveled in the wrong direction it is never too late to change the direction I am headed.
It’s not easy- but I can face my fears head on.
That I need people.
That it can take me a very long time to learn something new. And that’s ok.
That the hardest fight I’ll ever face is with myself.
6.Why did you start CrossFit?
Because this guy I was seeing for personal training opened a CrossFit gym.
As I said earlier. Pete slowly began introducing CrossFit into my personal training sessions with him. So I had I pretty good idea of what it was like. But when he told me he was opening a “real” CrossFit gym. I didn’t think that I belonged there. Pete and I had a rather heated discussion about it. I was scared. I didn’t think I would fit in. On bad days my demons still tell me I don’t fit in. I don’t listen.
Anyone can do CrossFit. Because you do it at your level and you compete with yourself to become the best you.
7. What is your favorite part of CrossFit Roaster Barbell?
The people! Their support, their friendship. I am fully aware that I am a difficult person to get to know. That has even been worse the last 2 years as depression does not help to make you an outgoing person.
Yet I feel fully accepted at CFRB. At my worst times I was at the gym on the bike and I was hoping no one would talk to me. Sometimes I would walk out so that I didn’t cry. Sometimes I did cry. Through all of that no one ever treated me like I shouldn’t be there.
I have gained back over half the weight I lost. No one ever treated me like I didn’t belong there.
I hope it’s because even though i just seemed to be losing battle after battle. They could see that I was still in the war.
And I have learned to love hugs, even sweaty ones.
8. Anything Else?
Yes! You won’t find a better or more supportive coach than Pete!
He is a huge part of my support system and takes an interest in every member. Just today I heard him ask a member, so how’s your water intake today? He’s knowledgeable and not afraid to keep learning. He’s honest. Sometimes I don’t want to hear his honesty. Sometimes it is uncomfortable. But when I give myself time to think about his comments I understand what he was trying to tell me. I’m rather black and white in my focus, he helps by pointing out that huge gray area in the middle.
I also want to say that I know I was pretty open in answering these questions. You may not have wanted to hear about my struggles. But that’s me. A rather open book. Because I know I’m not the only one struggling, and to keep quiet about it and pretend I’m not won’t help those other people. Again we are all in this together. And together we can make it through.
I am finding my way again. And I know if your struggling you can too!
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If you would like to learn more about what we do at Roaster Barbell simply shoot us a message at ptaylor@mail.bw.edu and lets talk about how we can help you!
