CrossFitting Since: 2011

Favorite Workout: Grace

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: I had been a vegetarian for 8 years, but CrossFit finally convinced me to go back to eating meat. I started trying it out in January, and when I told Keith, he said I already looked stronger. He asked what I’ve been eating, I told him I had just tried chicken sausages that day at lunch. Then in the middle of the WOD as I’m doing deadlifts, and he yells out “LOOK HOW MUCH STRONGER YOU ARE NOW, CHICKEN SAUSAGE!” And the name stuck.

CrossFitting Since: CrossFitter from March 2011 – May 2012; Lifter since.

Favorite Workout: Favorite lift is clean and jerk

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: My best CFV experience has yet to happen. And I’ll tell you all about it when I clean and jerk 200 lbs.

CrossFitting Since: December 2011

Favorite Workout: Pretty much anything that has running and stretching. (Two of my favorite things to do!) Also, the workout with wall balls, box jumps and running. I forget the name, but it’s a lady name.

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: CrossFit has been one of the most humbling, challenging, yet gratifying experiences for me. It’s amazing to be around people who feel the same way, and continually encourage me to push myself. As a dancer, it’s been tough working in ways that my body’s not used to. Although I’m still being told daily that I’m not in ballet class, my coaches finally have ceased to tell me “to stop making the movements so pretty,” (which apparently is a bad thing.) One of my favorite CFV memories was getting to attend the CrossFit Games with my CFV members. It was so inspiring to watch the top athletes in the world compete with such grace and ease.

CrossFitting Since: April 2011

Favorite Workout: Like most CrossFitters I have a love/hate relationship with most of the workouts, especially Fran. I like Diane although handstand pushups are always a work in progress. I also like some of the “Hero” workouts because they are usually heavier and longer in time. Recently did McGhee again and enjoyed that (not really).

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: Every day I come to the gym it’s a new story. Whether I’m working out or working in the office, I learn something new about myself, a movement, or someone else. More specifically, one of the best and worst CrossFit experiences I’ve had so far was the first time I ever competed which was in the 2011 Subway Series here at CFV. During the medley event (basically a strongman type race involving sled pull, farmer’s carry and overhead carry) I was going pretty well but during the second farmers carry I was trying to move too fast and busted my ass. Not pretty. However I got up and finished and still managed to beat the competitor in the lane next to me though not by much.

CrossFitting Since: February 2012

Favorite Workout: I love me some front squats. On a good day, snatches.

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: The coolest thing about doing CrossFit is its ultimate interconnectivity. I feel lucky to have found and friended such an awesome community of new people in so little time. It’s equally amazing that despite coming from an fairly nonathletic environment (art college), that so many of my friends have ended up in CrossFit as well!

CrossFitting Since: July 2011

Favorite Workout: Helen

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: One beautiful morning this past summer, while leaving CFV after a workout, I passed Coach Kurt and Coach Gregg on my way down the driveway. They were grilling breakfast, discussing the video game they were about to play and just generally enjoying the day. Impressed and inspired by the scene, I stopped in my tracks and made some smart-ass remark along the lines of “you guys have an awesome life.” They agreed.  On the way home something kind of clicked for me — I wanted the “awesome life” too. Not long after that, I made the decision to steer my fitness hobby into a career path and enrolled in a wellness coaching certification program. Hopefully one day soon I’ll be spending my days helping folks get healthier just like Kurt and Gregg. But more importantly, hopefully one day soon I’ll be grilling my breakfast outdoors and playing video games at ten in the morning.

CrossFitting Since: May 2011

Favorite Workout: Annie

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: …I’m sure I would have lots of good stories from the CFV parties I’ve been too, but the mind-erasing punch that’s served has blocked out any details and left me with only a general feeling of good times. I would say the community at CFV is the best part. I’ve met some of my closest friends there and feel so lucky to have them in my life (awww).

CrossFitting Since: October 2011

Favorite Workout: Barbara and deadlifting

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: Well I think I am the oldest CF’er at CFV besides Jacinto and it’s amazing to be able to kick the 20 year olds ass sometimes… this is not coming from a competitive perspective it’s more of “wow I can do this”. Last week I went to Beast of the East for the first time and I walked around in amazement all weekend at all of the incredible athletes in one place. Everyone was so friendly and nice and I didn’t really see see anyone with an ego. And these are the fittest people on the earth. I’ve made such amazing friends and my life has never been better. Thank you CFV for making my 40th year on this planet the best one yet… Cheers to many more amazing years being apart of this incredible community. Everyday I wake up and say I am going to get faster and get stronger…Thank you for giving me such ‘good influence” goals in my life and making me look forward to sweating each day!

CrossFitting Since: March 2011

Favorite Workout: I am stuck between Grace and Cindy. My best lift is definitely the clean + jerk, which is why I enjoy Grace. However, my favorite part about CrossFit is that its made me really good at basic movements – all of which are included in Cindy.

Best CrossFit Virtuosity Story: The best story I can remember from CFV was actually the first time I went – August 2011, a few months after I moved to NYC. I accidentally dropped into a Level II class (back when we had Levels). And almost practically died. Blanco wouldn’t let me scale, (as it was Level II) and we didn’t have 33lb bars either. I didn’t want to use a 22lb bar (oh ego, how you regretted that one).It was thrusters at 75# and box jumps. And I think some running. I had barely been CrossFitting that summer because I couldn’t find a box I liked in Manhattan. I was the last one to finish (and didnt actually finish – 5 reps short, I just couldn’t take it anymore) and Blanco and Gregg and Keith kept cheering me on. That made me want to join more so than anything else, because I terribly missed my CF community from SD. Ever since then, its been true love 😉